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ERT......or lack of it!

I would have no issue if ERT went but it is currently a perk advertised for three separate products (AP, Hotel and pre-book). If you advertise the perk then that is what it should be, if you can't be bothered to implement a system that works for ERT (checking validity at ride entrances) then feel free to get rid of ERT but get rid of the advertising of it too.

The reason they wont is because they have very little "premium" left to advertise for hotel guests other than the amount of money they make you pay to stay there. We have gone from Hotel guests getting a nice room, little gifts in the room, good food and ERT to just ERT yet the price even including inflation has rocketed, doubt resort side want to lose the one luxury they can advertise, especially as it's one that doesn't effect the hotels profit margin. And the disjointed resort management will ignore the lack of checking until complaints start.
 
James said:
ERT doesn't really exist any more. It's a false perk which Alton Towers should not be advertising at all. If you're going to have ERT, enforce it!
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I'm gonna be pedantic here, and say that ERT stands for Early Ride Time, and therefore it does continue to exist.

The exclusivity of the event is questionable, but it's still available and not entirely false advertising as you can get on using the products you've bought which entitle you to it.

Plus, queues are few and far between on ERT anyway. Yes, I agree if you had to queue 10-15mins for a ride, exclusivity would be an issue. But when the rides are walk-on, which they almost entirely are, I really do not see an issue at all.
 
the hotels and website still boast the early ride time is something for hotel and MAP guests only. I got so ticked off with it this time I visited, I've written a strongly worded letter and sent copies to various Alton Towers addresses (so I can be thoroughly ignored).
 
thefatone said:
James said:
ERT doesn't really exist any more. It's a false perk which Alton Towers should not be advertising at all. If you're going to have ERT, enforce it!
Click to expand...
I'm gonna be pedantic here, and say that ERT stands for Early Ride Time, and therefore it does continue to exist.

The exclusivity of the event is questionable, but it's still available and not entirely false advertising as you can get on using the products you've bought which entitle you to it.

Plus, queues are few and far between on ERT anyway. Yes, I agree if you had to queue 10-15mins for a ride, exclusivity would be an issue. But when the rides are walk-on, which they almost entirely are, I really do not see an issue at all.
Click to expand...

Because thats what the resort advertise, what is advertised is what should be available, if they can't offer that then don't do it.

I actually don't care about the MAP holder as the MAP product is much more than the ERT offered at one park, its hotel guests i feel sorry for as their wallets are emptied to stay in the hotels and ERT is one of the only perks they get.

If you can't run an ERT system Alton Towers.... don't bother.
 
Dave said:
thefatone said:
James said:
ERT doesn't really exist any more. It's a false perk which Alton Towers should not be advertising at all. If you're going to have ERT, enforce it!
Click to expand...
I'm gonna be pedantic here, and say that ERT stands for Early Ride Time, and therefore it does continue to exist.

The exclusivity of the event is questionable, but it's still available and not entirely false advertising as you can get on using the products you've bought which entitle you to it.

Plus, queues are few and far between on ERT anyway. Yes, I agree if you had to queue 10-15mins for a ride, exclusivity would be an issue. But when the rides are walk-on, which they almost entirely are, I really do not see an issue at all.
Click to expand...

Because thats what the resort advertise, what is advertised is what should be available, if they can't offer that then don't do it.

I actually don't care about the MAP holder as the MAP product is much more than the ERT offered at one park, its hotel guests i feel sorry for as their wallets are emptied to stay in the hotels and ERT is one of the only perks they get.

If you can't run an ERT system Alton Towers.... don't bother.
Click to expand...

Dave, you really have become disenchanted with Alton Towers recently haven't you? :/
 
He's not the only one. The leagues of people who have had enough of Towers' inability to do [some] things right is growing every day. Sure, they build some good rides every now and then, but the list of faults in the way the park in run outweighs the positives (for me, at least. Can't speak for anyone else.)
 
DiogoJ42 said:
He's not the only one. The leagues of people who have had enough of Towers' inability to do [some] things right is growing every day. Sure, they build some good rides every now and then, but the list of faults in the way the park in run outweighs the positives (for me, at least. Can't speak for anyone else.)
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It seems that way.

I think it's hard to buy into the 'magic' of Alton Towers these days when it's becoming increasingly obvious that those running the place are incompetent at just about everything.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Dave said:
thefatone said:
James said:
ERT doesn't really exist any more. It's a false perk which Alton Towers should not be advertising at all. If you're going to have ERT, enforce it!
Click to expand...
I'm gonna be pedantic here, and say that ERT stands for Early Ride Time, and therefore it does continue to exist.

The exclusivity of the event is questionable, but it's still available and not entirely false advertising as you can get on using the products you've bought which entitle you to it.

Plus, queues are few and far between on ERT anyway. Yes, I agree if you had to queue 10-15mins for a ride, exclusivity would be an issue. But when the rides are walk-on, which they almost entirely are, I really do not see an issue at all.
Click to expand...

Because thats what the resort advertise, what is advertised is what should be available, if they can't offer that then don't do it.

I actually don't care about the MAP holder as the MAP product is much more than the ERT offered at one park, its hotel guests i feel sorry for as their wallets are emptied to stay in the hotels and ERT is one of the only perks they get.

If you can't run an ERT system Alton Towers.... don't bother.
Click to expand...

Dave, you really have become disenchanted with Alton Towers recently haven't you? :/
Click to expand...

Theres no magic to be enchanted by ;)

Seriously i have always spoke my mind, stuff i think is good or acceptable i will say so and stuff i think is crap i will also speak about (you should have seen my posts during Fantagate :) ).

I like try and be relatively fair and not be a fan-boy or negative for the sake of it. ERT is not working so they either need to fix it or get rid.
 
In reply to thefatone on the previous page.

When I say it's a false product. I mean in the way that it is advertised as an exclusive perk which you get when you pay via certain means (and at a higher cost too). Paying online, being a hotel guest, holding an Alton Towers of Merlin Annual Pass. All of these cost more in some way or another than simply buying 'BOGOF' tickets that aren't meant to be a part of ERT.

It's advertised as something you get when you pay more. But you're paying more to not get a perk at all. It's false in every way. If it's open to all guests, then it's not a perk, it's just the normal operations of the theme park (albeit named 'ERT' due to limited rides).

I quote the Alton Towers website: "Buy your Adult, Child Tickets in advance on altontowers.com and get Early Ride Time 1 hour before the Theme Park opens to all guests!"

People aren't paying for "Early Ride Time 1 hour before the Theme Park opens to all guests" - as far as I'm concerned, they are not advertising the product correctly.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Did you ever get a reply (that wasn't generic)?
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In the last month I have had some non generic responses. Before my last visit I dropped AT a line saying I was massively disappointed that The Smiler wouldn't be open and that was my reason for visit and I could not rearrange.
I got two phonecalls from hotel duty managers discussing options and how they'd meet me at the hotel to discuss. Good service.
To my last e-mail/letter - I have had a intermediate response saying that I feedback had been passed to a customer complaints manager and I will hear from them in the next 7 days.
 
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