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General Queue Times Discussion

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Ethan said:
So pre covid when the queue was full it was 150 mins and now its around 120 mins. So you're saying they used to sell much more fastrack than during covid
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Probably yes, there is a good chance the sale of fastrack is capped at the moment as the throughput is lower.

Also fastrack sales are self-fulfilling. If the queue is long, more people buy fastrack which makes the queue even slower.
 
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Well yeah the queueline was very poorly planned for The Smiler - don't forget the extension outside the rides main entrance was only added in 2014 as well, and that's still not enough.
 
Danscott22 said:
Well yeah the queueline was very poorly planned for The Smiler - don't forget the extension outside the rides main entrance was only added in 2014 as well, and that's still not enough.
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I remember when it was new the queue was going up to the towers lol
 
Throughput is the Smilers main problem. It should been built to double load like Saw. Station design is the problem there

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Even just a bag drop where baggage used to be would help, similar to the new cages on Stealth. I'm thinking double sided cupboards, with doors on the reclaim side to deter opportunistic theft.

If anyone from Towers is reading this, my consultancy fees are very reasonable.
 
John said:
Even just a bag drop where baggage used to be would help, similar to the new cages on Stealth. I'm thinking double sided cupboards, with doors on the reclaim side to deter opportunistic theft.

If anyone from Towers is reading this, my consultancy fees are very reasonable.
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I think it would need to be lockers for that to be a real solution, you could be 5-10 minutes before you get back to the bag so its a major theft risk and there is no way to prove people are taking the bag that belongs to them.

Universal have done two-sided lockers on Velocicoaster though, but they've used lockers for 20+ years, its just the two-sided nature that is new.
 
It's a busy one today, even more so than I was expecting. The smiler at 90 minutes on a Thursday. Good job ride close is 5pm
 
Yeah I'm kinda anticipating higher waiting times tomorrow than I first thought - but yes even 5pm is unacceptable where rides are 50-90 minutes.
 
Danscott22 said:
Yeah I'm kinda anticipating higher waiting times tomorrow than I first thought - but yes even 5pm is unacceptable where rides are 50-90 minutes.
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Really? Have term time weekdays ever really had hours longer than 10-5 or 5.30?

I've just taken a look at the internet archive, in 2012 Alton Towers seemed to do 10-5 most weekdays and then 10-5.30 starting May half term and into June with some 6pm in late June and then into the summer holidays.
Opening Times - Useful Information - Alton Towers Resort (archive.org)
The equivalent day back then, the Thursday before half term was also 10-5.

In 2013 it was very similar, might have been 10-5.30 on the equivalent day though.
Opening Times - Useful Information - Alton Towers Resort (archive.org)
 
But when you're queueing over 1 hour that doesn't really make it ok just because it's always been done. Take food breaks and toilet breaks out, if you queue 90 minutes then 60 minutes thats already a decent section of your day done. The filler rides may all have lower queues which I'm taking as a positive as we'll be doing those too. But for those who just want to ride coasters/re-ride coasters, it's not fantastic really. But it is what it is. I think the time on the day should be adjusted when queues are like they are today but there we go.
 
Not condoning 2012 hours as I don't think that's a reason to rinse and repeat but back then you also had no SD on rides, international travel was allowed and no Mardi Gras

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Matt.GC said:
Not condoning 2012 hours as I don't think that's a reason to rinse and repeat but back then you also had no SD on rides, international travel was allowed and no Mardi Gras

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I won't deny this year is very different and we really should have 10-5 not 10-4 as the base hours in May and June with longer as needed at weekends, holidays etc and I think the reasons you mention are why we have more 8pm closures than ever before.
However I think comparing things to how the park was often run before the Smiler incident isn't a bad thing either as that is the minimum they should be achieving now. But I don't think a 5 or 5.30pm close on a termtime weekday is completely unacceptable.
 
jon81uk said:
But I don't think a 5 or 5.30pm close on a termtime weekday is completely unacceptable.
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It's more than reasonable imo. Let's not forget that the idea is to get on as many rides as possible, not get on every ride possible. I don't think people will expect to get on all the big 7 on a busier day, they'll accept they won't be able to at the start of the day
 
jon81uk said:
Universal have done two-sided lockers on Velocicoaster though, but they've used lockers for 20+ years, its just the two-sided nature that is new.
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Sorry for being off topic, where are the lockers located?
I’m 100% positive if they had bag hold back on smiler it would increase capacity by a significant amount over the course of a day.
 
Put it this way this is the current picture is 10-5 opening today. Most big rides are 45m-1h thats probable 5 big rides in that time when u take into account walking round and lunch/toilets etc
 
spinba11 said:
Sorry for being off topic, where are the lockers located?
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On most rides at Universal they are outside the queue. But for velocicoaster they put them in the queue and then the exit route takes you past the other side to collect belongings.
Here is a video

There might be better videos if you search for them!
 
Rob F said:
Put it this way this is the current picture is 10-5 opening today. Most big rides are 45m-1h thats probable 5 big rides in that time when u take into account walking round and lunch/toilets etc
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With no time for entertainment, Dungeons or family rides. Having an event on is the main factor for me, today should be 6pm close. 10-5 is perfectly reasonable in normal times, no event and off peak. But today, it isn't.

Anyway, I'm digressing. My views on park hours are well known, back to queues all.

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