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General Queue Times Discussion
- Thread starter Craig
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pluk
TS Member
This is just untrue. Queues can be shorter, but certainly not 'always' and rarely very 'much'. It can't be relied upon to be like that, so the risk of visiting on such a short day is just too great.
I've had some stinking off peak days. A trip to Towers for me on a 16:00 closing gives me longer driving than it does on the park, those numbers don't add up for an enjoyable or worthwhile day. Towers is not a regional park.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
With the current capacity reductions, the difference in queue times between a busy and a quiet day isn't always that big. I'm at Thorpe Park and queues are still passing 60 mins.
jon81uk
TS Member
Yeah but thorpe park operations is rubbish. they will run one train only on off-peak days so the queues build more. Also much more accessible by public transport so more people visit off-peak.
Alton Towers is showing 40 minutes as the longest queues (Thirteen, Rita, Galactica), with Wickerman only 15 minutes. Today is definitly an off-peak day for AT.
Matt.GC
TS Member
I wouldn't even expect a regional park to be closing at 4pm. It's just unacceptable. Looking at today's queue times, it does appear quiet. But that doesn't mean that guests today will be having a better time than guests last week, even if they aren't spending as much time in queues. AT is a beautiful park, who can do anything in there today other than smash rides back to back?
There's also no way of knowing how many people decided to go last week and not this week simply because of park hours. I've invited many friends to join me in the car for a 6 hour round trip to Towers and they always need convincing when going online to book their tickets and seeing a 4pm close that it'll be worth their while.
I'd imagine the majority of people are looking for a day out rather than just whoring rides and don't spend their days analysing ride times like many of here do to decide whether to go or not.
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There's also no way of knowing how many people decided to go last week and not this week simply because of park hours. I've invited many friends to join me in the car for a 6 hour round trip to Towers and they always need convincing when going online to book their tickets and seeing a 4pm close that it'll be worth their while.
I'd imagine the majority of people are looking for a day out rather than just whoring rides and don't spend their days analysing ride times like many of here do to decide whether to go or not.
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jon81uk
TS Member
I agree today should be a 5pm close. But at the moment outside of school holidays I don't think there is a need for 8pm every day. But based on the queue times it would still be a great day out with a 5pm close. particularly if Extraordinary Golf is open to 6pm (as in start a game before 6pm, actual close when everyone finishes) so there is the option to stay later to play golf. Even better if they had an outdoor bar at the golf too!
And the only reason Galactica is that long is because it always runs 1 Station on off peak days
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
I think we should put some perspective into things about "queues aren't that bad" - on a 10am-4pm day at the UK's largest theme park - a 40 minute queue IS bad. 60 minutes on an 8pm is not as bad comparatively because of the extra hours.
Yes but I don't think most people go to a theme park to cram in as many rides as possible. People are realistic and will know that 5 or 6 rides is achievable on an off peak day given the hours
Or more. Wicker man was 80 at the start of the day
Craig
TS Administrator
Again this goes back to what you think is fine as a regular visitor and what's fine as an annual visitor though. Just getting 5 or 6 rides is acceptable as a pass holder, but not as a yearly visitor. For the at least £30 they paid, they want to get on every main ride available, anything less than that is a loss in value for money.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
If I only visited once per year and I could only visit on an off-peak 10-4 I'd be wanting to get on as much as possible, anything higher than 30 minutes on an off-peak day is not adequate for someone who will want to do that especially with how long it takes to get around and I'd imagine they'd be highly dissatisfied at the end of the (very short) day.
AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
I honestly think the number of rides you'll do on a 10-4 currently vs. a busy 10-8 currently will be about the same. Yes, on the 10-8 you'll spend longer queueing (easily double the time) - but due to the vastly extended hours, you'll do the same number of rides.
In truth, if you are through the turnstiles at 9.30am, you can easily get 3 major rollercoasters done before 11am.
As Craig suggests, for me - guests should reasonably expect to be able to ride perhaps all except one of the park's major rollercoasters during the day.
In truth, if you are through the turnstiles at 9.30am, you can easily get 3 major rollercoasters done before 11am.
As Craig suggests, for me - guests should reasonably expect to be able to ride perhaps all except one of the park's major rollercoasters during the day.
And the one most would miss during peak days is Th13teen. Unnecessarily long waits that don't at all justify the ride experience. I'd much rather wait half the time for another ride
See I like to treat it like a roast dinner, eat the boring vegetables first and leave the meat and Yorkshire puddings last. Nemesis being that succulent bit of beef
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