Lack of guests so far this season?

[StealthSide]

I think to start worrying about poor attendance is very premature you can blame the weather it's simply been appalling and I know not many that would have braved it to go to he local shop never mind a theme park! Not to mention as previously stated many will be waiting for the smiler to be open I'm one of them! Sit tight and be patient lol if you wanna see a dead park go BPB lol

 

[Dave]

People often only visit once because its not a regional park and they travel a long time to get there. Thousands of people travel from Scotland every year to Towers... Would you drive 6 hours if the new ride wasn't open?

 

[Ollie]

I still think they should make a bigger deal of Bounceback/Towers2 tickets. They could have a desk by the return Monorail entrance selling them with a couple of big signs. In the morning they could be extra ticket desks if needed.

 

[Dylan]

People often only visit once because its not a regional park and they travel a long time to get there. Thousands of people travel from Scotland every year to Towers... Would you drive 6 hours if the new ride wasn't open?

Even with an annual pass, I am not willing to make the journey up until The Smiler is open. Excluding an entrance fee the travel costs are expensive with a 7 hour round trip, or an overnight stay. The hotels are now pretty much priced out of the market for a couple sharing a room, leaving local hotels which are still £30-40pp. Sadly, going on the last couple of years experience, I just don't feel the park is worth all of that effort!

I suspect the recent quiet period is down to the weather, forecast is good for this week though (albeit still cold) so I guess we will see. Delaying the new ride certainly won't have helped though.

I do feel that the park has lost 'the magic' for an element of the GP as well as us enthusiasts. Years ago, I would do numerous visits, with numerous friends. Barely any of these friends are in any way interested to visit any more due to less than great experiences over the past few years.

 

[Dave]

Certainly the loss of the premium experience has an impact, i think it was Squiggs who said a few days ago to me that Alton Towers in the 90's was an expensive day out but it offered a luxary product. The issue now is they don't offer the luxary product but still charge luxary prices.

Though there are some small signs that this is changing with the increase in Entertainment quality and the work done in X-Sector. Also to be fair to Towers on Sunday they where not up-selling as badly as they used to.

Just a shame that other things like Burger Kitchen let it down.

 

[aru]

I think the park has improved in the respect that they have realised pestering people on Towers Street is a bad idea. About three seasons ago some parts of the park felt like a local market.

But there are still way to many contradictions with the park. They claim it is a resort, but it doesn't have the infrastructure to really be called one. They claim it is the UK's No.1 but the basics like toilets and food are not up to scratch. One thing that typified this for me was the excellent actor at the entrance to the park a couple of weeks ago, trying his best stood next to the plaza tower with peeling paint and bird poo covering it. :/

It just looks amature when £18m is being spent a five minute walk away.

 

[Balb0wa]

Ive got a pass, ive not been yet this year, the weather is one reason, its been shocking.

The other reason is the poor early ride time line up , get oblivion and rita on it! , Thirteen and Nemesis are the only decent rides.

What also peeves me is letting people who aren't entitled to ERT in with those who are, requiring you to show your pass at every ride entrance 9-10am.


Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE
TH13TEEN
Hex
Heave Ho
Marauders Mayhem
Nemesis
Runaway Mine Train

 

[GaryH]

Start of the year is usually quiet though, and I think a lot of people are waiting for the new ride to open. The three days of snow also didnt help.

Biggest concern though is of course the economy. More people out of jobs, less disposable income, and yet Alton puts its gate prices up to £46.50!!!!! And the £6 to park. And food prices in the park have also gone up, Explorers Pizza and Pasta now just a snip under a tenner each.

And of course then the cost of fuel to get there, and the cost of staying over in the hotels. While there are good offers to be had, I feel maybe a lot of the general public arent neccessarily aware of these, and just see it as an expensive day out - one which many families cant afford.

I'd shudder to think how much a weekend (2 night stay) and theme park/water park entrance, drinks, food, fuel etc etc would cost a family of four thesedays. Im sure you could get a late deal abroad for the same price!

 

[Dave]

Ive got a pass, ive not been yet this year, the weather is one reason, its been shocking.

The other reason is the poor early ride time line up , get oblivion and rita on it! , Thirteen and Nemesis are the only decent rides.

Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE
TH13TEEN
Hex
Heave Ho
Marauders Mayhem
Nemesis
Runaway Mine Train

Oblivion isn't on at the moment as they are moving equipment around X-Sector before 10am and the whole area is closed. Also they now open Sub-Terra for ERT. It would be nice to have Rita on too though.

 

[TheMan]

Re: Turnips and Potatoes

Certainly the loss of the premium experience has an impact, i think it was Squiggs who said a few days ago to me that Alton Towers in the 90's was an expensive day out but it offered a luxary product. The issue now is they don't offer the luxary product but still charge luxary prices.

Disagree with this absolutely entirely.

Alton was a great value day out in the 90s by all accounts, it didn't feel expensive in the slightest. The place felt like good value as you moved around, the polar opposite to now.

The attractions there, were still some of the UKs best (some, arguably better, leave that though eh? ). The park itself, ironically felt more complete.

I also don't buy the crap that the more you go the less magical it feels, that's a total crock, it's gone up and down over the years and if you like it you like it, once you have been more than 2 or 3 times that early WOW is negated and you are into real terms visiting.

I've even shown in boring maths how it's gotten way above inflation rises, especially when you include everything else factored into a day. And regardless of how many BOGOFS you offload, people get bored of it or having to wait around for one - it means YOU CANNOT PLAN.

They have gone over that threshold now of value, and into super premium - without super premium products.

This year will be shielded eventually by The Smiler, but Merlin are presently acting completely outside of all logic.

Personally, I hope they totally screw this year up so they are a poor investment and they decide not to float, because it's getting bad now heading TOWARDS flotation - wait until it gets there...

If anyone screams about value and nonsense like this about this season to me, I just refuse to go over all that again, I am looking at company direction - not right this very second, but the signs are not good, and have not been for a while now.

When they first took over, I thought they were absolutely fantastic - I could not praise them highly enough, and wrote many letters of thanks. Now though?

Oh dear.

EDIT:
Just to add though, I do agree with the essence of the above quote in the sense that, it didn't feel like a place you would go over and over again to during the year - something which is far more prevalent nowadays... however I believe Tussauds at their pomp really bought this idea in, and it is something that Merlin's approach to pricing is beginning to squeeze out of the market... those who go 2 or 3 times before (that I know anyway) are now going once etc. It is a step backwards, first rule is get people in, then get them spending.

 

[Vik]

Ive got a pass, ive not been yet this year, the weather is one reason, its been shocking.

The other reason is the poor early ride time line up , get oblivion and rita on it! , Thirteen and Nemesis are the only decent rides.

Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE
TH13TEEN
Hex
Heave Ho
Marauders Mayhem
Nemesis
Runaway Mine Train

Oblivion isn't on at the moment as they are moving equipment around X-Sector before 10am and the whole area is closed. Also they now open Sub-Terra for ERT. It would be nice to have Rita on too though.

RITA is on ERT (or at least it was on Monday!!), in place of Th13teen. Also the last couple of visits ERT has been available to anyone who happens to be there early enough, with no checks at ride entrances for correct tickets. I would imagine this would revert back to tickets/passes being check at ride entrances once it becomes a bit busier. At the moment there is barely anyone there between 9 and 10.

 

[Ollie]

Once again no ERT checks today, I understand it is quiet but it does make you feel more privileged as an Annual Passholder. I still miss the Towers Street rope drop, as not only did it feel more special, but also those who were ERT eligible had an extra advantage getting to some rides.

 

[Tim]

I’ve wanted to reply to this topic for a while but have firstly been too busy and secondly wanted to be careful I didn’t say something that I shouldn’t :S

See I think we are being way to Alton specific. This isn’t a problem unique to Alton right now, every UK Park is suffering, especially those that also have big developments that aren’t due to open yet.

Having had a very good chance to talk to guests visiting one of these other parks most of them have very similar comments that go something like this:

“Why would anyone pay to come in this weather? We are only here because we have an annual pass / pre-booked our tickets / are staying over”.

“We’ve been meaning to come the last few weeks but the weather was too bad”

“This is just a quick visit, planning on returning once [points at building site] that opens”

Plus Alton has the extra disadvantages of being in the middle of the countryside and having to close due to severe weather. This will of course be making the problem even worse.

The one point those quotes don’t cover is travel. Let’s say that Europa Park suddenly did another Wodan on us and announced they were opening a new thrill coaster before the end of the year. Lets also say I had been planning a trip there during Easter. Now as good a quality as Europa Park is there’s no way I’d visit twice, way too expensive and far to travel. So I’d probably choose to cancel my Easter trip and just go there once the ride is open.
For the average visitor this is exactly the same logic they’d take with The Smiler’s delayed opening.

I’m not saying the drop in quality isn’t having an effect (or that the points being raised aren't valid) but on this occasion I think it’s fairly negligible compared to bad weather and delayed new ride. That’ll be a long term trend, not such a dramatic visitor drop as this.

 

[Dave]

Re: Turnips and Potatoes

Certainly the loss of the premium experience has an impact, i think it was Squiggs who said a few days ago to me that Alton Towers in the 90's was an expensive day out but it offered a luxary product. The issue now is they don't offer the luxary product but still charge luxary prices.

Disagree with this absolutely entirely.

Alton was a great value day out in the 90s by all accounts, it didn't feel expensive in the slightest. The place felt like good value as you moved around, the polar opposite to now.

The attractions there, were still some of the UKs best (some, arguably better, leave that though eh? ). The park itself, ironically felt more complete.

I disagree back

I have been going to Towers since around 1988 when I was a kid, and coming from a family that had limited cash to hand Alton Towers was seen as expensive. It wasn't poor value for money as you got a luxury product in return but it wasn't cheap. The fact my parents saved the money to go shows they valued the product but it didn't make it cheap..... And we always took a packed lunch as the cost of food on park was even back then seen as extortionate.

 

[thefatone]

Once again no ERT checks today, I understand it is quiet but it does make you feel more privileged as an Annual Passholder. I still miss the Towers Street rope drop, as not only did it feel more special, but also those who were ERT eligible had an extra advantage getting to some rides.

I believe they've removed the team who used to check the tickets at towers street then ride entrances?

It used to be the guys who went to litterpick rest of day, whereas now they don't stand on entrances.. hence anyone using ERT if they turn up early enough.

 

[badlydrawnkelBel]

I used to love the faces of the people who did not have ert....hehe like they want to punch you hard in the nose! Shame noone is there to monitor this

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ollie]

Once again no ERT checks today, I understand it is quiet but it does make you feel more privileged as an Annual Passholder. I still miss the Towers Street rope drop, as not only did it feel more special, but also those who were ERT eligible had an extra advantage getting to some rides.

I believe they've removed the team who used to check the tickets at towers street then ride entrances?

It used to be the guys who went to litterpick rest of day, whereas now they don't stand on entrances.. hence anyone using ERT if they turn up early enough.

I really hope these are brought back for the summer, you can't have ERT as a perk and then not enforce it.

 

[GaryH]

Re: Turnips and Potatoes

Certainly the loss of the premium experience has an impact, i think it was Squiggs who said a few days ago to me that Alton Towers in the 90's was an expensive day out but it offered a luxary product. The issue now is they don't offer the luxary product but still charge luxary prices.

Disagree with this absolutely entirely.

Alton was a great value day out in the 90s by all accounts, it didn't feel expensive in the slightest. The place felt like good value as you moved around, the polar opposite to now.

The attractions there, were still some of the UKs best (some, arguably better, leave that though eh? ). The park itself, ironically felt more complete.

I disagree back

I have been going to Towers since around 1988 when I was a kid, and coming from a family that had limited cash to hand Alton Towers was seen as expensive. It wasn't poor value for money as you got a luxury product in return but it wasn't cheap. The fact my parents saved the money to go shows they valued the product but it didn't make it cheap..... And we always took a packed lunch as the cost of food on park was even back then seen as extortionate.

I can see both sides to this - I think, for me, who has been going since 1993, the difference is that the money "grabbing" is now more in your face than it was back in 88 or 93. The car parking charge was the ultimate smack in the face when people have just paid a fortune to get in! Plus, back then, there was 1 price increase each year, now, we are seeing 2 price increases during the year. One at the start and one just before Scarefest.

Everyone has a different take on "value". Do I personally think AT now offers value for money - well, for me, yes, but thats only as I have an annual pass. If I were a Joe Bloggs with 2 kids and a wife, then no, probably not (unless I was Dr Joe Bloggs )

 

[Tom]

Why can't people just not be allowed to come through the turnstiles until 10am?

 

[cybermen39]

From an older point of view again if you don't ride the coasters and want scare maze after scare maze the older guests get next to nothing for the amount you pay. A very poor entrance needs some very much needed TLC you get no warm greeting from street threatre ' no live music. No characters unless you by chance bump into one on the odd visit. Bad entertainment that is only for little ones and that's done as cheap as cheap. The attractions nearly all need painting. You can't call it a resort its just a ride park. Even when staying at the Hotel the kids don't get any extras in the rooms anymore just a shampoo fish and shower gel for the adults and that's not special. And our last room you could have sent in the Hotel Inspector in it was covered in dust.The Hotel show has no fun to it just singing no laughter from drag or such just a band that takes its self far to serious.And yes they may be adding a new ride and repainting oblivion but just look at the Dark Forest its a mess.Don't get us wrong we still go once and that's scarefest and even the guests make more of an effort than the staff. And the theming for that all needs replacing its tried.The shops which little there are all sell the same. You could look at the shops for ages years ago there was so much choice not now. I we think now people are beginning to notice all these things . And they won't pay for what they are getting. People blame bad weather but going back years even in bad weather you had inside entertainment to get you out of it for half an hour. Now if you want to escape bad weather you have to pay to stay inside with a drink or so. Going on and on but at least years ago you had three indoor family shows to watch and good ones at that.Just a our point of view. But today the park speaks for its self. And not in a good way. Just our point of view