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Major Ride Closures 2016

It's disgusting that they took so long to announce the closures. They must've known they were coming, otherwise the entirely accurate rumour would not have started back in November.

It goes to show what I have said for many years, Merlin do not really give a toss about their customers or guest experience. They are a brand that have let customers down time after time. Whether it's annual pass "sales" or closing rides for a season without any real notice.

Merlin/Alton....whoever, need to create a brand that guests think "yeah that's the mark of quality" a brand that people are happy to shout (positive) things about, a brand they can feel associated with....they've failed at every opportunity.

Yes, I will visit Thorpe this year before my pass expires, Yes I will visit Alton once before my pass expires (only because I have a free nights stay). Beyond that....I will take my £1500+ that I spend on Hotel stays within the merlin group and food etc etc and take it elsewhere.

I view Merlin as a very unethical company....pulling a fast one on their customers where possible!
 
I think it's possible that, as in previous seasons, there will be a backlash in customer satisfaction not long after opening. If so, I think Hex is the most likely of the shuttered attractions to reopen.
 
Plastic Person said:
I think it's possible that, as in previous seasons, there will be a backlash in customer satisfaction not long after opening. If so, I think Hex is the most likely of the shuttered attractions to reopen.
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But with the work that is likely to be taking place on Hex, it may not be able to reopen until towards the end of the season. A shame, as I do like Hex, though it does need a fair amount of work doing to it - with perhaps the most prominent one being the vault's parking issues at the end of the ride cycle.
 
Although Hex is one of the most missed by us I think it's more important they get driving school and wobble world reopened at school holidays. AT is trying hard to get more families with CBeebies but at the same time they are offering even less for slightly older children.
 
What do people think the chances of NST opening this year are. Personally, I think they might push for scarefest.
 
NST is as bigger white elephant as the millenium dome was.....even more shocking when you consider that the park have had several attempts to get it right and still haven't. For me its up there with Excalibur at Drayton in terms of cash wasted on a potentially great ride
 
JB1985 said:
NST is as bigger white elephant as the millenium dome was.....even more shocking when you consider that the park have had several attempts to get it right and still haven't. For me its up there with Excalibur at Drayton in terms of cash wasted on a potentially great ride
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I know you're being sarcastic but the comparison isn't even near the mark - the Dome swallowed over £600 million of PUBLIC money.

Sub-Terra, well, didn't.

It also lasted more than one year.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
I know you're being sarcastic but the comparison isn't even near the mark - the Dome swallowed over £600 million of PUBLIC money.

Sub-Terra, well, didn't.

It also lasted more than one year.
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Totally sarcastic but the point being....it was a total waste of cash.

And its barely done a full season without something needing to be done to it.

Its a shame it could be amazing.....its just....not.
And at least the dome had some resale value
 
JB1985 said:
Totally sarcastic but the point being....it was a total waste of cash.

And its barely done a full season without something needing to be done to it.

Its a shame it could be amazing.....its just....not.
And at least the dome had some resale value
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Yeah in the grand scheme of things it was/is pretty poor for the money they spent.

However it's not like we lost the Corkscrew or Black Hole or Toyland Tours so they could build it, it utilised a space that had never been occupied by anything that interesting so as mediocre as it was it was still a plus to the park line-up.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Yeah in the grand scheme of things it was/is pretty poor for the money they spent.

However it's not like we lost the Corkscrew or Black Hole or Toyland Tours so they could build it, it utilised a space that had never been occupied by anything that interesting so as mediocre as it was it was still a plus to the park line-up.
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I just dont buy it. To me it sums up Merlins short sightedness which ended up with The Smiler crash.....The only positive is that they seem to have learnt a lesson (tlc for instance) and hopefully have a good strong plan for the future.
 
MaxPower said:
I had more fun riding Dynamo than I ever did on NST.

It also wasn't themed as a shipping container.
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Yeah....the exterior was unforgivably bad. To think at the time people on here used to defend it "its part of the theme blah blah...." more like a total and utter lack of effort and creativity.

As if stencilling the building and dumping a rusty vehicle in front convinced anyone. Mind, The Smiler is worse in that respect.
 
OK Sub Terra is knackered it sounds like.

Let's be realistic here. Sometimes rides don't work. It happens. If it's actually knackered I'm not going to give them any criticism for it.

Just hope they learn a lesson about building an attraction around a cheap ride system. It was always a filler ride. Hard to staff. Difficult to get right.

Good idea, done badly, with bad technology.

It happens. That's how businesses learn.
 
I'm going to stick up for NST and say I really enjoyed the experience once tweaked and the live actors were put into the end. It was a big improvement from its opening day state and added a different type of dark ride to AT's lineup. If was also good to see the Nemesis story built upon. I'd be very disappointed if it were to not reopen. I also dont see too many other options for the site. Maybe reinstate the climbing wall?
 
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