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Christmas Season 2024

Ash said:
The Trafford centre, Trentham Gardens, Churnet Valley Railway Polar Express, Lichfield cathedral, national memorial arboretum, Drayton manor, all on the doorstep for people around Alton. It’s cold, wet, dark and you want people of all ages young to old travel 30 mins minimum to get to your event. Why should they? You need a decent offering! Indoor F&B, good attractions, spaces to get warm, things for all ages, things you can’t do other times of year.
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I think the competition from others is why they haven’t pushed Christmas heavily. AT found an event that works for them, the Santa Sleepover with places to keep warm in the hotel and it makes more money than day guests.
 
Very few people outside the thoosie clan would consider a trip to the Towers for a Christmas event for the day...it is a long way from anywhere, there are many real alternatives with far better transport links, and the park is generally associated with warmer weather.
Putting on an event for the few thoosies willing to trek all that way out is never going to be a money winner, whatever they put on.
 
Given events, even locally at Shugbrough, Trentham Gardens, The National Arboretum, Biddulph Grange, Polar Express at Churnet Valley or further afield at Warwick Castle, Blenheim Palace, Tatton Park, Bewilderwood or even Cheshire Oaks or the Trafford Centre.

Altons utterly pitiful offering over several years really does boggle the mind, and seems like just leaving money on the table.

A lot of the places above are historical buildings with light shows, water shows, ice rinks, markets, food and beverage, displays inside historical buildings etc etc. Given the excellent other events recently it seems a real backwards step
 
AstroDan said:
The event is appalling. Complete regression over recent years after threatening to get good during and just after Covid.
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But is there any evidence they were actually making any money from day guests? I got the feeling it was a lot of annual passholders and the main money earner was still the hotel guests, same as it had been at the Christmas event for the last twenty years. I doubt any market stallholders made significant sums making it worth coming back.
 
Weirdly, there is now a price increase for day guests part way through the event. I'm not sure if it has been the case since the event originally went on sale, but tickets are now £18 up to the 22nd, but then switch to £22 from the 23rd.

Seems odd to have a price increase during such a short event either way, but even more bizarre that the price is now higher for days up to and after New Years, which as I understand it tend to be quieter anyway.
 
With the news of the new coaster arriving in 2026 and the rumours it will be replacing postman pat could 2025 Christmas event be scrapped so construction can happen
 
popey85 said:
With the news of the new coaster arriving in 2026 and the rumours it will be replacing postman pat could 2025 Christmas event be scrapped so construction can happen
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I doubt they'd scrap it, but perhaps CBeebies Land might be de-emphasised depending on the scope of construction?
 
I'm amazed that the Christmas Event hasn't got many indoor rides and attractions open. The ones they do have are closed for the season.

I'm sure it would be a no-brainer to have the likes of Gangsta Granny, Hex, Sub-Terra and Curse open during the event.

It could work wonders for getting more people into the park during those events.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I'm amazed that the Christmas Event hasn't got many indoor rides and attractions open. The ones they do have are closed for the season.

I'm sure it would be a no-brainer to have the likes of Gangsta Granny, Hex, Sub-Terra and Curse open during the event.

It could work wonders for getting more people into the park during those events.
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Wouldn't make any sense to have Sub-Terra open as it is aimed at a much older audience than the rest of the attractions. But yes the Walliams stuff should be open.
 
jon81uk said:
Wouldn't make any sense to have Sub-Terra open as it is aimed at a much older audience than the rest of the attractions. But yes the Walliams stuff should be open.
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That would be true on it's own

Alongside other rides and attractions like Nemesis, that might make a bit more sense.

The main point was that it would make more sense for most or all of their indoor attractions to be operational. Currently, very little of them are which contradicts their 365 aspirations.
 
owenstreet7 said:
That would be true on it's own

Alongside other rides and attractions like Nemesis, that might make a bit more sense.

The main point was that it would make more sense for most or all of their indoor attractions to be operational. Currently, very little of them are which contradicts their 365 aspirations.
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Still wouldn’t make any sense to open Sub-terra just because it’s in a building, unless the rest of Forbidden Valley is open too.

Also what 365 aspirations? I don’t think they are aiming for it at all.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I'm amazed that the Christmas Event hasn't got many indoor rides and attractions open. The ones they do have are closed for the season.

I'm sure it would be a no-brainer to have the likes of Gangsta Granny, Hex, Sub-Terra and Curse open during the event.

It could work wonders for getting more people into the park during those events.
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In an ideal world Xmas offering would consist of:

CBeebies
Mutiny Bay (Minus Battle Galleons)
Hex (Xmas Overlay)
Fountain Square stage and Xmas Market stalls
GG
Redeveloped Dungeons
Wood Cutters/Burger Kitchen
4D Cinema
Project Horizon

I’m not including curse because it’s so far away and probably requires more maintenance over winter due to effects etc. It allows the park to focus on central areas.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I was under the impression that Alton Towers were aiming for 365 operations with their ride additions including Project Horizon.

An article has mentioned this as well although take with a grain of salt: https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/alton-towers-plans-year-round-theme-park/
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I think it’s possible and tbh idk why it hasn’t been worked on sooner. I’ve seen parks like Phantasialand and Europa running rides in the snow and minus temperatures so what’s stopping this country exactly
 
Ash said:
In an ideal world Xmas offering would consist of:

CBeebies
Mutiny Bay (Minus Battle Galleons)
Hex (Xmas Overlay)
Fountain Square stage and Xmas Market stalls
GG
Redeveloped Dungeons
Wood Cutters/Burger Kitchen
4D Cinema
Project Horizon

I’m not including curse because it’s so far away and probably requires more maintenance over winter due to effects etc. It allows the park to focus on central areas.
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Whilst I agree with the majority, I don’t think hex needs a Xmas overlay. Think it could just operate as it is? But that’s my personal opinion.
 
Ethan said:
I think it’s possible and tbh idk why it hasn’t been worked on sooner. I’ve seen parks like Phantasialand and Europa running rides in the snow and minus temperatures so what’s stopping this country exactly
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Because when they bought the rides they weren’t specified to work in colder temperatures. Because Alton Towers is a big park with many steep and winding pathways that would need to be de-iced. Because many people just don’t want to go to a theme park in cold January weather when they spent all their money on Christmas. November and December weather is worth running an event during. January and Feb not so much.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I was under the impression that Alton Towers were aiming for 365 operations with their ride additions including Project Horizon.

An article has mentioned this as well although take with a grain of salt: https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/alton-towers-plans-year-round-theme-park/
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The council are saying that and yet place heavy planning restrictions (not all bad), refuse to allow rail access to reach Alton and make zero provision for people to get their or get around.

You can’t have tourism without the downsides that should be mitigated against.
 
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