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Major Operational Changes for 2018

Just looking at the website (Alton) and opening times which I note have not yet been published for this year. Yet they are advertising hotel breaks. How the hell can people make an informed decision to book a hotel break and enjoy all the facilities this so called "resort" has to offer when people booking dont even know when and indeed if these facilities will even be open? Seriously, its a ruddy joke.
 
I've not had a MAP since 2015 and the only reason I got one this years is because I figured with the new WickerMan coaster opening they'd open the park up more to counteract the queue times on WickerMan, guess I was wrong.
 
Trouble is, we can say 'don't buy a MAP' but unfortunately many will because their interest doesn't lie with visiting Alton Towers. They aren't considering the park at all when they choose to purchase. Eg those that live in the south with families, they can go to Chessington, Legoland, all the central London midways etc. Towers isn't on their radar. Merlin owns so blimmin' much of the UK's entertainment/visitor offerings that their overall profits are not going to be hit much by boycotts from enthusiasts.

From the park's perspective, it's dire. AT Only pass sales will be the telltale sign along with gate numbers as to the true impact, and that's going to roll back up to the board eventually. If Merlin start to see it as non-profitable and choose to sell it... that's quite possibly the place's best hope now.

With this AT has just cemented itself as 'somewhere you might go if you're on holiday in Stoke and fancy a day trip' rather than a resort to base your holiday around.
Sad times indeed :(
 
MakoMania said:
Yes! There are many more, Oakwood springs to mind as well. They all have ambition to improve and seem to care about their guests.
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Um... not sure if we visited the same Oakwood. When I visited in July 2016, my lasting memory was 90 minute queues for Speed and Megafobia, both of which were on 1 train, and massive overselling of Fastrack. By massive, I mean a Fastrack queue stretching a good 50 people from the station. Rest of the park was nice, though.

Also, I've heard a rumoured budget cut on another forum that some/most on here will actually support. Galactica's VR is apparently rumoured to have either been reduced to certain seats or removed entirely for 2018.
 
Matt N said:
Um... not sure if we visited the same Oakwood. When I visited in July 2016, my lasting memory was 90 minute queues for Speed and Megafobia, both of which were on 1 train, and massive overselling of Fastrack. By massive, I mean a Fastrack queue stretching a good 50 people from the station. Rest of the park was nice, though.

Also, I've heard a rumoured budget cut on another forum that some/most on here will actually support. Galactica's VR is apparently rumoured to have either been reduced to certain seats or removed entirely for 2018.
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I've only ever visited Oakwood on dead days so I can't really comment. 50 min fastrack doesn't sound the best though :p
 
I renewed our MAP's yesterday at a cost of £517 for the 4 of us and i regret this now....i was in two minds anyway

The days of hot footing around the park getting on most rides int he first couple of hours are gone

And only opening the rapids from may is a disgrace the queue for RMT will be horrific and one of my kids is under 1.4 so them 2 rides played a big part in our day

Not happy
 
MakoMania said:
I've only ever visited Oakwood on dead days so I can't really comment. 50 min fastrack doesn't sound the best though :p
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It wasn't quite 50 minutes! I meant 50-100 people. The main queues moved about every 10-15 minutes though. And in the baking sun... it was horrible!
 
MakoMania said:
I've only ever visited Oakwood on dead days so I can't really comment. 50 min fastrack doesn't sound the best though :p
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That sounds about right, I think the 2nd and 3rd trains on Speed are purely for ornamental reasons.
 
I know plenty of "non-enthusiasts" in the London area that used to own MAPs, often for their whole family. They have all given up over the last couple of years, as even with three parks and umpteen midway attractions in the area, they can see the sorry state of the parks is not worth the money.
 
Some of the southern parks are also appalling operated too.

I will not even visit the dump that is Thorpe Park anymore due to how it is ran.
 
yoursilentface said:
I renewed our MAP's yesterday at a cost of £517 for the 4 of us and i regret this now....i was in two minds anyway

The days of hot footing around the park getting on most rides int he first couple of hours are gone

And only opening the rapids from may is a disgrace the queue for RMT will be horrific and one of my kids is under 1.4 so them 2 rides played a big part in our day

Not happy
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This. My daughter is 1.1M so the rapids was a big ride for her, with this being closed and pushing all the queues to the RMT it’s gonna be a nightmare. We renewed our passes in October, we’ll go for this season but I vow not to spend a single penny on Park.
 
Kelpie said:
Eg those that live in the south with families, they can go to Chessington, Legoland, all the central London midways etc.
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Messington and LegoBland are atrocious value for money for the average family too, similarly poorly run attractions (Chessington much more than Legoland), inadequate ride capacities and underfuned operations. I hope the average Joe realise this. Too many people are so easily led by "brand loyalty".

It's a shame that it will require ruining the reputations of Alton Towers, Chessington, Thorpe Park, etc in order to make them better in the long run, but that's what's needed to change the public's minds and stop them visiting. I am a theme park enthusiast, I am passioante about these places - and I want them to fail. Lol, what stupid times this is.

Please sell them Merlin, to a smaller company less hell bent on "beating Disney".
 
Unfortunately we've booked flights and accommodation for our annual visit this year. We should have waited because if I'd known any of this we wouldn't be going. Sadly it looks like this will be our last visit to towers and we'll save a few quid more and head to a proper theme park next year. Merlin you are nothing but a bunch of crooks.
 
I just found out something that many of you will find rather ironic... Alton Towers' career fair this year was at a place called the Quality Hotel...
 
I really, REALLY hoped that 2018 would be the year Alton Towers turned things around. I’ve not been since 2015, when the cuts became too visible for me to bother anymore. So I’ve been looking forward to going back.

But this is a complete disgrace, and I now fear they won’t turn back from this shoddiness. I’ve lost faith in the park completely.

Since my last trip to Towers, I’ve been to many parks across Europe and Asia. None of them have been ran this badly. Not even Movie Park or Fuji-Q. And it’s so disappointing to see a park that was once arguably first-class (and for a time I would say the best in Europe) fall so much in such a short period of time.

If it wasn’t for Wicker Man, I wouldn’t be going back. And I highly doubt that Wicker Man will be so good that I’d want multiple visits this year.
 
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