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Entrance Price Increase.. AGAIN!!
- Thread starter Stevie
- Start date
Ben
TS Founding Member
- Favourite Ride
- Your Dad
I said this yest in my trip report.
Using the adults go free with kids vouchers we paid almost £90 for a family of 4 plus parking. Thats alot of money. Theres no two ways about it, Alton Towers is a VERY expensive day out - and Im not sure its worth that much.
We certainly wont be back as a family this season, not because our day was bad, but handing over that amount of money hurts. If it keeps going up we'll just go less and less.
Using the adults go free with kids vouchers we paid almost £90 for a family of 4 plus parking. Thats alot of money. Theres no two ways about it, Alton Towers is a VERY expensive day out - and Im not sure its worth that much.
We certainly wont be back as a family this season, not because our day was bad, but handing over that amount of money hurts. If it keeps going up we'll just go less and less.
Danza91
TS Member
It's just ridiculous now. It may only be 60p but it's constantly creeping up. You don't have to look many years back to see how expensive it has become. I went on Saturday and with a half price ticket; the day still cost me close to £85 inc. petrol, food etc.
The park's getting worse, the price is getting higher. Joke.
And yet people will still defend Alton Towers & Merlin to the death.
The park's getting worse, the price is getting higher. Joke.
And yet people will still defend Alton Towers & Merlin to the death.
ImUrNemeis
TS Member
With the park increasing its prices, would it be fair to expect Merlin to invest more? More in maintenance, infrastructure, rides, theming and entertainment?
ImUrNemeis
TS Member
QTXAdsy said:
True... A bit too much to ask from Merlin. It's the least anyone would expect to do if you are increasing entrance fee.
Even European theme parks don't seam to charge as much as Alton and yet manages to invest in its parks.
IanB
TS Member
In fairness to Merlin, this is a price rise of just under 1.3% and means they will be getting 48p extra from each full priced ticket.
The increase is well below the inflation rate, and Merlin could argue that in real terms, the price of a park ticket has come down.
With the minimum wage increasing each year, and new pension requirements (Not sure if it applies to part time staff, but will apply to full time staff) there is an additional cost that the park has to cover.
I think its also realistic to expect the materials required to maintain and refurbish the park rides has increased.
When you think about it like that, it only seems sensible that the park increases ticket prices, to cover there additional costs, so investment in the park does not get reduced.
That all being said, when paying full price at Alton Towers, I do not think you get value for money, and when paying £90 for a family of 4, while a fun day out can be had, I am sure there are plenty of places a family can have just as good day, but only spend a fraction of the cost.
Ian
The increase is well below the inflation rate, and Merlin could argue that in real terms, the price of a park ticket has come down.
With the minimum wage increasing each year, and new pension requirements (Not sure if it applies to part time staff, but will apply to full time staff) there is an additional cost that the park has to cover.
I think its also realistic to expect the materials required to maintain and refurbish the park rides has increased.
When you think about it like that, it only seems sensible that the park increases ticket prices, to cover there additional costs, so investment in the park does not get reduced.
That all being said, when paying full price at Alton Towers, I do not think you get value for money, and when paying £90 for a family of 4, while a fun day out can be had, I am sure there are plenty of places a family can have just as good day, but only spend a fraction of the cost.
Ian
JoshM
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
thefatone said:
I've got to disagree with your attitude towards the gate rises. Each season while Merlin have been in control the gate prices have risen each season. If we all just shrugged it off each time Merlin raises the gate prices I doubt they'd ever stop increasing them.
The sad truth is that unfortunately, people are still willing to pay these prices and as long as the public do, Merlin will keep increasing the gate admissions.
BigAl
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Forbidden Journey
It might not be much of an increase and be below the rate of inflation, but considering both DIC Tussauds and Merlin have already increased the entry price far beyond the rate of inflation, no increase should be justifiable. What's been added to the park, and how the existing rides have been managed for just over the last 10 years hasn't justified such an increase.
But they're a business now (because they weren't 10+ years ago, apparently), so cuts, increased upselling and price increases for no apparent reason are okay.
But they're a business now (because they weren't 10+ years ago, apparently), so cuts, increased upselling and price increases for no apparent reason are okay.
Tom
TS Member
cotda said:
There were two mid-season price rises last year. combined with the increase in place from the start of the season, there were three increases in 2012 which equalled £3 when you added them all together. It was £46 at the start of this season so has only (so far) risen by 80p. Hence why I said the rises this year have been relatively tame compared to last.
There may be another rise towards Scarefest and Fireworks, but I'm not sure.
