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

What is elitist about wanting something that is advertised and that you are paying for? It is listed as something that you receive when you buy a MAP so therefore you should get it.
 
I never said you shouldn't receive ERT. I was just highlighting the fact some of the comments came across as elitist, whether you're paying for something or not.

I just think everyone's happy if you let people into the park and check for ERT at the rides entrances. You get what you pay for, early ride time, not a meander around a tranquil empty park, an opportunity to queue for the Smiler etc.
 
You can't blame Alton Towers for everyone choosing to queue for Smiler as soon as the park opens, but you can still benefit from ERT by riding the attractions that are actually open. Nemesis, RMT and Thirteen all currently have queues of at least 30min according to ridetimes.co.uk, so you could ride all 3 during ERT to save time later on, then join the Smiler queue just before ride close.

Adding Smiler to ERT would be very easy though, as it already has a dedicated queue line for non-ERT guests to wait for it to open.
 
It's nothing to do with the smiler. Even before it opened, people who are not 'entitled' to ERT have been receiving it. It was my choice to use my ERT for queuing for the smiler.

Fact is, you are promised this early time to ride these attractions exclusively, and there is a poster next to the coffee shop advertising which attractions are open, but everyone receives it.

Either reinstate it or remove it altogether, it shouldn't be like it is now which is basically a free for all.
 
The "Elitist" comments are HILARIOUS!

I have both held, and not held a MAP. When I don't the park opens at 10 because I have chosen not to join a "club".

Do you stand outside your local members club shouting ELITISM at people because you CHOSE not to join it? PMSL!

Fast track is a more debatable issue. But ERT is cut and dry, they ADVERTISE IT AS A PERK to encourage you buy it, then, they do not DELIVER that perk.

That is the same as any business, if you advertise it, you pay for something, you receive it in the fashion it was advertised.

Why are people turning up at 9, who aren't supposed to enter? I never did, I just don't get this, I've been going for years it is quite clear what the opening times are.

Should Towers be open longer over all? Yes, absolutely they should, but to argue the point after you already are aware becomes choice.
 
I kind of agree with both sides.

Yes, the perk of ERT should remain as such - a perk. BUT, I think they should find a system that works for all. Checking tickets at ride entrances would be a good idea, and would stop the massive congestion on Towers Street, because that was getting a bit silly last time I was there. It's just a matter of finding the right, workable system.

I do agree with the point of letting everyone in at 9 - and having shops etc open for non-ERT holders.
 
TheMan said:
The "Elitist" comments are HILARIOUS!

I have both held, and not held a MAP. When I don't the park opens at 10 because I have chosen not to join a "club".

Do you stand outside your local members club shouting ELITISM at people because you CHOSE not to join it? PMSL!

Fast track is a more debatable issue. But ERT is cut and dry, they ADVERTISE IT AS A PERK to encourage you buy it, then, they do not DELIVER that perk.

That is the same as any business, if you advertise it, you pay for something, you receive it in the fashion it was advertised.

Why are people turning up at 9, who aren't supposed to enter? I never did, I just don't get this, I've been going for years it is quite clear what the opening times are.

Should Towers be open longer over all? Yes, absolutely they should, but to argue the point after you already are aware becomes choice.

It's not a club though is it? It's just a pass that allows you repeat access to Alton and a myriad of other parks and attractions. The fact that often members of communities like this one tend to purchase them is pretty irrelevant really. Any idea of an Annual Pass club is entirely perceived.

I have a student rail card, I don't think I'm in an exclusive club of rail card holders.
 
CGM said:
I have a student rail card, I don't think I'm in an exclusive club of rail card holders.

Do you pay a premium for it? If so, would you be happy if other people who paid that premium got the same benefits without paying for it?

MAP is not free. In fact Premium passes to include parking are by all means expensive nowadays, it is a way of showing loyalty to Merlin because essentially that says "I will visit your attractions in the main, as a loyal consumer" in return they say "fantastic, enjoy these benefits for your loyal custom".

This is basic business stuff.

It has nothing to do with elitism, just as I do not moan that I don't get Tesco Clubcard points, because despite sometimes shopping at Tesco, I do not hold a card out of choice because I choose to shop at different places. I do not accuse those who receive said points and benefits as elitist, because they are being rewarded for frequently spending more to buy the same goods than I pay in other shops ;D
 
TheMan said:
CGM said:
I have a student rail card, I don't think I'm in an exclusive club of rail card holders.

Do you pay a premium for it? If so, would you be happy if other people who paid that premium got the same benefits without paying for it?

MAP is not free. In fact Premium passes to include parking are by all means expensive nowadays, it is a way of showing loyalty to Merlin because essentially that says "I will visit your attractions in the main, as a loyal consumer" in return they say "fantastic, enjoy these benefits for your loyal custom".

This is basic business stuff.

If used correctly, the MAP gives you massive discounts meaning that you're paying much less per visit than the average customer so in many ways it's pretty similar.

Also, student rail cards are not free. If people got the key perk which is the discounted rail fair for a year, then obviously, I wouldn't be pleased but I wouldn't begrudge them a minor perk like a complimentary Mars bar (if it existed).

I also don't think that I ever used the word elitism in this thread until now.
 
It's not elitism. You pay for a product and its an added extra. You haven't asked for it, it is given to you.

Sigh.
 
TheMan said:
The "Elitist" comments are HILARIOUS!

I have both held, and not held a MAP. When I don't the park opens at 10 because I have chosen not to join a "club".

Do you stand outside your local members club shouting ELITISM at people because you CHOSE not to join it? PMSL!

Fast track is a more debatable issue. But ERT is cut and dry, they ADVERTISE IT AS A PERK to encourage you buy it, then, they do not DELIVER that perk.

That is the same as any business, if you advertise it, you pay for something, you receive it in the fashion it was advertised.

Why are people turning up at 9, who aren't supposed to enter? I never did, I just don't get this, I've been going for years it is quite clear what the opening times are.

Should Towers be open longer over all? Yes, absolutely they should, but to argue the point after you already are aware becomes choice.

I think people are getting the wrong end of the stick. I don't have a problem with ERT. I merely made an observation that some of the comments came across as elitist:

Definition of 'elitist': 'Favoring, advocating, or restricted to an elite.'

Keeping the park closed until 10am would be in the favour of those who have made a choice to pay extra or book in advance or whatever. My point is this is unnecessary. Just check tickets at the ride entrances, there's no need to hold everyone back.

ERT is a form of 'choice' elitism, if looking from an academic point of view. Populism on the other hand would advocate the same 'rights' for everyone.
 
T said:
It's not elitism. You pay for a product and its an added extra. You haven't asked for it, it is given to you.

Sigh.

Students who pay to study at Eton are not part of an elite? Why does everyone think using the phrase 'elitist' is instantly negative? It's not.
 
AirFAN said:
T said:
It's not elitism. You pay for a product and its an added extra. You haven't asked for it, it is given to you.

Sigh.

Students who pay to study at Eton are not part of an elite? Why does everyone think using the phrase 'elitist' is instantly negative? It's not.

Yes they are, why? Because there is LIMITED availability, and you have to jump through a damn site more many rings (and probably poke a few) to get into Eton.

No such requirements for purchasing a distinctly cheaper MAP.
 
We are now 2 months into the season and on all my visits during ERT I have not once had my pass checked at the ride entrance. Last year no matter how quiet the park was there were staff at the ride entrances checking passes or tickets, and if you werent entitled to ERT you had to wait at the ride entrance. This season I have seen no staff at ride entrances and anyone who happens to be in the park at 9am have been on the rides.

Alton Towers should certainly not be advertising ERT as being exclusive to hotel guests/prebooked/MAP holders as it is not exclusive, therefore thats misleading and probably breaking some rules of advertising.

It will be interesting as the park gets busier to see if they do bother to have staff checking tickets or if the will just continue to let anyone on during ERT.


In terms of people running to queue for Smiler first, I cant blame them and this current system of ERT was in place all last season, so its nothing new!
 
I really wish they'd be done with it now to be honest, the park is far too busy and open for far too little of a time to justify it to the average visitor. Or perhaps make it 930AM, like it were back int day?
 
Just open the park for everyone at 9am, with all rides opening at 10.

It would barely make a difference on the current ERT queuetimes anyway - as people have said, almost everyone is allowed in, and most people don't want to get to the park before 10/10:30 anyway.
 
The people who checked tickets at ride entrances last year were not part of that specific ride team, unfortunately these staff no longer attend ride entrances and it's up to the individual ride to check guests validity for ERT. During ERT, rides usually run with minimal staff meaning there isn't 'extra' people available to check guests tickets. On busier days ticket checks have and do still take place.

:)
 
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!

Since the park is nearly always dead during ERT anyway I think they should just scrap it and have a 9:30am park opening. The majority of guests aim to be on park between 12pm-2pm. So the mornings would still be quiet and enjoyable for the small amount of guests that get on park in the morning.
 
It is certainly false advertising by the park. How can you call something exclusive, when anyone can get it? And if towers are just being tight and have cut their staff budget meaning there is not enough ride staff to stand at the entrance, they need to either get separate people in again to check tickets, or give the ride more staff!

I'm not too bothered as its rare I go for ERT, and the rides on ERT now are hardly worth the effort of getting to the park early, when Oblivion and Rita was on, it was more worth it, you could ride them both a good few times before the park opened. But now all the rides are so spread out across the park, you would struggle to get on them all, or the main coasters in the hour.

I would be more annoyed if I had stayed in the hotel or booked tickets online (its still cheaper to use a BOGOF than buy online) to get ERT, only to find that anyone could use it!
 
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