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Major Operational Changes for 2018

I just fail to see the logic (not that there is any) in all this. As others have said, if enthusiasts are put off going to the park with all these cutbacks, what will the GP think! Me and my mates are supposed to be going on our annual 3 day trip to AT this June, we have to drive 7 hours from Aberdeen to reach the park. Not looking like it's worth it much anymore.

It'll be interesting to see how this affects attendance along with Wicker Man opening. Presumably, the cut backs will lower attendance, but Wicker Man will increase attendance. Maybe they'll cancel each other out?

Also, lots of people are complaining on Towers' Facebook page, which is good to see. Maybe this will make the news if there's enough uproar about it.
 
Nothing anyone on this forum says or does will invoke a response, I also think it's unfair to say the people on here who commit to buying passes and such are the issue. It's those who buy the annual passes and genuinely enjoy the other Merlin products because there is a significant lack of exceptional quality here in the UK. People just accept the standards as normal and that's how Merlin are getting away with this.

I'm not angry. I'm not disappointed, nor frustrated. I'm genuinely sad. 10 years ago I fell in love with Towers and started browsing the online forums, and this is now the sorry state of affairs. Heartbroken.
 
The main draw of pre-booking will be the price now. Although the effectiveness of that depends how widespread 2for1 vouchers are this year.

Imagine everyone will just use 2 for 1 vouchers, can't see Merlin cutting back on them. Suppose that's an issue as well, people paying half price to get in will probably be more likely to put up with the state of the park operations.
 
FV one is the most staggering. Best area of park (purely for the best coaster in the country) and it's shut till lunch.

Can't see that lasting 1 month. Definitely over turn that one or they will have to employ about 10 new people for customer services because they're going to have plenty to do.
 
I think closing the baggage holds is a really bad move. Are they going to install baggage bins on the platforms to compensate this?

I already poo myself slightly when I've ridden Oblivion, just hoping that some scummer hasn't taken my bag whilst I've been on the ride. It's a nice change to have the likes of Thirteen where I know that my bag and its contents will still be there after the ride. I've usually got a camcorder in my bag so I wouldn't be a fan of less security. This won't go down well if it does indeed happen.
 
I worry that these eventual budget cuts will eventually lead to the permanent closure of the park in a couple of years.

I suppose one thing you could say is that Merlin aren't averse to a u-turn, as they have showed us before. Also, I agree with @BarryZola in thinking that the Merlin baggage holds are a better system than the cages on the platforms. I personally think they are more secure, and they also reduce dispatch times due to reduced amounts of faffing around in the station.
 
Nothing anyone on this forum says or does will invoke a response, I also think it's unfair to say the people on here who commit to buying passes and such are the issue. It's those who buy the annual passes and genuinely enjoy the other Merlin products because there is a significant lack of exceptional quality here in the UK. People just accept the standards as normal and that's how Merlin are getting away with this.

The only thing Merlin care about is getting you to buy their annual passes. What awful things you say about them online after that mean absolutely nothing to them. How you use your pass means nothing. They've got your money, that's what they're concerned about.

The only way to counter something like this is to hit them where the profits are. Don't renew. Don't, as hard as it is, visit.
 
The company have openly stated where they find their future, and it's in cookie cutter copy and pasting of poor standard midway attractions and Legoland parks, which will ultimately get slated by the company for their poor attendance at each respective site as there'll be another one 10 minutes down the road.
 
Haven't they announced insane levels of cuts in previous years and then done a U-turn on one each year? This year I'm expecting "Oh, due to customer feedback we are going to open FV at 11:30 instead of 12" with the implied hope that everyone goes "Wow that's good, we don't mind about all the other cuts if you're giving us an extra* 30 min FV"

*even though "extra 30 min" is actually "90 min less than usual"
 
The only thing Merlin care about is getting you to buy their annual passes. What awful things you say about them online after that mean absolutely nothing to them. How you use your pass means nothing. They've got your money, that's what they're concerned about.
Oh god. If Merlin have seen the same cyber bullying videos that we've been shown in school, they might press the report button and have all the negative posts removed...
 
Haven't they announced insane levels of cuts in previous years and then done a U-turn on one each year? This year I'm expecting "Oh, due to customer feedback we are going to open FV at 11:30 instead of 12" with the implied hope that everyone goes "Wow that's good, we don't mind about all the other cuts if you're giving us an extra* 30 min FV"

*even though "extra 30 min" is actually "90 min less than usual"
Indeed. Then watch how many people sing the praises of the Mercifull Merlin! Oh how kind they are!
 
I suppose one positive thing we can draw from this is that there's only one way it can go from here in 2019... and that's up!

This is Merlin we're talking about, you are aware of that aren't you?

This is beyond atrocious. Does nobody at Merlin care about their guest experiences?
 
Haven't they announced insane levels of cuts in previous years and then done a U-turn on one each year? This year I'm expecting "Oh, due to customer feedback we are going to open FV at 11:30 instead of 12" with the implied hope that everyone goes "Wow that's good, we don't mind about all the other cuts if you're giving us an extra* 30 min FV"

*even though "extra 30 min" is actually "90 min less than usual"
Then a heatwave in April comes and Towers open The Rapids two weeks before it was meant to open in May. The enthusiast community weeps with joy and thanks Towers for being so great.

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