They won't be able to return to 3 nights of fireworks until they seriously buck up their ideas. The modern shows simply don't pull in the crowds like they did years ago. Heck, even if they were allowed to run 5 or 6 shows like before they'd never be able to fill them.
It's just another example of how badly the park is failing, and to be quite honest a lot of people were put off by last year. I heard from tons of people who said they won't go again. Towers shoot themselves in the foot with every move they make.
This year will be the first time since 1996 I have not attended a firework event at Towers. Got no chance after the mess and carry on last year and it'll be the same again this time. The shows have steadily gotten poorer which is clearly down to budget. Love the theme of 2016 but the show ultimately lacked any real wow factor.
Until they start blowing people's minds again, numbers will continue to dwindle. There are better firework events all over the country, why go to Alton Towers. It's an easy formula - put on good entertainment, give your customers a good service, and they will return.
I doubt that they will return to the 3 nights, I bet they made more profit from a 2 night event as oppose to the 3 nights despite having to turning guest away.
One of the main reasons that Jess and I go to the Alton fireworks is because of the accessibility for my wife's wheelchair, something that you don't get at local events. If you think the display at Alton is bad, you ought to see our local firework display (which has been absent here for a good few years and only returned last year), probably the worst fireworks display that we've ever seen, but yet all the locals were raving highly about them. It goes to show that the Jo public don't always know the difference between a good and a bad firework display. (I must mention that we watched our local display from outside the grounds due to lack of wheelchair accessibility, but being a small field, we were still as close the the fireworks as watching from the disable viewing platform at Alton)
I like the fact that Alton tries to do something different each year, if they were to do the same year in year out, they will still be criticised.
As someone that used to be in the entertainment business, I'm fully aware that putting on annual events is a learning curve and unlike running daily events where you can tweak things daily, an annual event you only got 1 to 2 days a year to get it right first time.
I feel that Alton has put on a great display each year, obviously some year displays I prefer over other years, but I rather them take risk and learn from each year rather then for them to play safe and the displays then stagnate.
I fully support Alton with the MAP £5 charge, but I do feel that the MAP resort guest staying over night should not have to pay the £5 charge, if we have booked a resort stay, then we are going to be there.
