Dot matrix screens

[Ben]

Showing my age here- who else remembers the dot matrix screens that used to display queue times across the park: pre app.

I remember one at the bottom of towers street. One near Nemmys break run and one next to the archway on the towers but there must have been More, possibly next to Katanga waterfall?

 

[Burner]

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'm sure there used to be one on the entrance tower by the turnstiles on the plaza.

 

[James]

There was definitely one next to the Katanga waterfall, right next to the services/staff gate in Mutiny Bay near the KC sign, and on the entrance tower under the Alton Towers logo.

I'm unsure if there was one near X-Sector or on the right-hand side of the park?

It's not my picture, but here's what we're talking about for anyone who's confused. Guest Services queue times have never changed!

 

[mo237]

Will fondly remember the one outside Air advertising a "bubbly 45min wait" one hot summers day. Think that's as big as it got...

 

[Ben]

I loved squirrel nutty was regularly on there, it felt like an in joke

 

[Mi-Nigle]

It's strange, I would have guessed there were approximately 10 dotted around but I cannot think of any beyond the ones mentioned.

 

[John]

I'm pretty sure there were 5, located in FV (shown above), Merrie England/Mutiny Bay, the towers archway, towers street and the entrance plaza.

The system was a bit pants, frankly. It seemed it could only display 12 rides total so whenever a new ride was added something else would always be removed. It would also always have Air and (whatever was new that year) taking up half the space on each screen - having battle galleons: 0mins on every page during 2008 (and possibly 09?) was particularly unhelpful.

I'm pretty sure there was at least one winter season where hardly any major rides were open so it was giving queue times for things like the tractors and riverbank eye spy.

The longest queue I ever saw displayed on the screens was for Squirrel Nutty, at a clearly incorrect 510 minutes.

 

[Matt N]

When was it that these actually disappeared to be replaced with the newer digital ones?

I definitely remember them from some of my earlier visits in the early to mid 2010s, but I’m not sure when after this they went.

In terms of location; weren’t they just in the same place as where the digital queue time boards are now?

 

[mo237]

I think 2013 was their last season; seem to remember the newer digital ones from 2014 onwards.

 

[Rowe]

I remember the dot matrix screens well (sadly not well enough to remember where they all were) during my visits and, as lousy as they were, I have a honest fondness for them. Bless them for their service in championing that cheeky little rodent who could, Squirrel Nutty (RIP fave, miss you).

 

[Ben]

Surely x sector had one?
I think it was usua set as:
nemesis
air
oblivion
rita
-new ride-
family ride
squirrel nutty

 

[djtruefitt]

I don’t think X-Sector had one, closest to it was the one near the archway or Towers Street.

 

[DistortAMG]

Surely x sector had one?
I think it was usua set as:
nemesis
air
oblivion
rita
-new ride-
family ride
squirrel nutty

I remember Hex being featured quite alot too.

 

[Vik]

The longest queue I ever saw displayed on the screens was for Squirrel Nutty, at a clearly incorrect 510 minutes.

Indeed here it is in all its glory...A Scarefest Day back in 2012