bluesonichd
TS Member
its not about what ride are closing, its about that fact they are closing 6 rides on park and think thats ok.
40% of Forbidden Valley rides closed
40% of Cloud Cuckoo Land closed
its just not acceptable
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Major Ride Closures 2016
- Thread starter AstroDan
- Start date
40% of Forbidden Valley rides closed
40% of Cloud Cuckoo Land closed
its just not acceptable
But it's not like there shutting big thrill rides like Rita thirteen or oblivion. We don't know what they plan to do after shutting them down. The park has been in need of a lift as it has been looking old and tired over the years. We know air if having a refurb too so who knows what else they have planned for the future. All I say is yes it's a big list of attractions to close but it could be worse. I just hope if they go ahead they do something about the entrance cost. Above everything else I just want to ride the smiler again!
AndrewH
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
This doesn't bother me too much as the only on of them I ride is hex. The main problem I have is that they are going to stick out like a sore thumb. The flume takes up a large area and the skyride goes directly above it so it will look redickuless. Ripsaw is on the way to there ruined new experience of air and is near two very popular coasters. Hex tells the tail of the towers and is great fun as well as being on the way to DF and would be greatly missed. The rest I couldn't care less about but it is the principal. If the vast small amounts of money saved is used to invest in things around the park then I could accept this but not if it is going (which it will) into the bottomless gready pit that is the shareholders pocket
CGM
TS Member
I think some people are missing the fact that this would decimate the number of what I would describe as family rides at the park.
Probably when I was around 9-12, there was a time when I was too old for the likes of the farmyard but too young for any of the major coasters. A typical visit with my family would go something like:
RMT
Rapids
Duel
Log Flume
Hex
Toyland Tours
Teacups
Vintage Cars
On the face of it, these closures may not affect our visit too much but if they went ahead, families with children in that sort of age range wouldn't have a lot to do.
Probably when I was around 9-12, there was a time when I was too old for the likes of the farmyard but too young for any of the major coasters. A typical visit with my family would go something like:
RMT
Rapids
Duel
Log Flume
Hex
Toyland Tours
Teacups
Vintage Cars
On the face of it, these closures may not affect our visit too much but if they went ahead, families with children in that sort of age range wouldn't have a lot to do.
Stelios
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Is there a source to us knowing the IP expires in March? Or is that just assumed as the season starts in March? Because Charlie actually opened in April, and surely the license could also begin from when the deal was struck in 2015 so are we really sure of its expiry, for all we know it could've included the 2016 season for a full ten seasons but cost-cutting has proven otherwise and it will be SBNO and infact replaced in 2017.
CGM
TS Member
Not if you live in the North. Anyway, what's the point of having thrill rides, a kiddy area and hardly anything for the ages between?
Alton always has been a family park and it should continue to be one in my view.
bluesonichd
TS Member
I think the vast majority of people that visited the park last year were families.
The park may have been quite with no coaster queues but Cbeebies was always busy and full.
To alienate families now would be a disaster.
The park may have been quite with no coaster queues but Cbeebies was always busy and full.
To alienate families now would be a disaster.
I thought it opened in March, but my point stands.
Whatever your opinion is on the rides themselves, you can't possibly think shutting 6 rides (2 supporting rides in the focused area, 1 flat, 2 major children's rides, 2 dark rides) is acceptable.
Sku
TS Member
The family rides drew considerably long lines throughout the summer holidays especially, far longer on average than any of the thrill rides. Alton Towers have completely failed to attract thrill seekers to the park this season other than during Scarefest.
Thrill seeking visitors normally seek the newest and most exciting rollercoasters. With The Smiler closed, and Th13teen being the only other newish major rollercoaster, there is little motivation for them to visit until major new investment is made into the park.
Family visits will indeed by key to the parks fortunes for the next couple of seasons.
James
TS Founding Member
The social media team will have nothing to say regarding this. I'm surprised anyone thinks they'll reply back and confirm it. These plans will just be between senior managers at the moment. We're a few months away from anything being confirmed.
Just to echo what other people have said. It's not so much what rides are closed, it's the fact that there will (or could) be 6 attractions closed for an entire season. Yes no coasters are closed but how far are people willing to see the park go and say its OK? How far is too far?
For me this is taking it too far. I'd be surprised if this works out well at all for Towers.
Just to echo what other people have said. It's not so much what rides are closed, it's the fact that there will (or could) be 6 attractions closed for an entire season. Yes no coasters are closed but how far are people willing to see the park go and say its OK? How far is too far?
For me this is taking it too far. I'd be surprised if this works out well at all for Towers.
Slugjc
TS Member
Maybe they are turning to teenage market again? You'll always be families because the hotels. But with what they have done maybe trying to get the single day people back. School trips etc. What I'm thinking.
We need to calm down. Maybe going to announce something soon. All we have to go on is a "source" and cryptic social media.
We need to calm down. Maybe going to announce something soon. All we have to go on is a "source" and cryptic social media.
Hitch
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- An Unnamed Infinity Coaster
I have to question the source of this information , I mean everyone's getting so angry over something that isn't even confirmed. It sounds ridiculous and like something they just wouldn't do , it makes no sense atall. I can see the flume etc being ripped out though and they may aswell do it because it opens up land for new rides and attractions.
The teenage market. From my experience of visiting as/with the teenage market is that the flume, hex and especially ripsaw are popular. Lots of people I know also are put off going because "there rides always brake down and some are never open when I want to go on them" - basically the definition of SBNO.
Slugjc
TS Member
Yes that is true. However I know plenty that hex, ripsaw and flume are crap. I'm not going against what you say, you are correct these are what the young people go for. But in some eyes they are old, tired and boring. Ripsaw was a filler. Rumour was moving to where submission was at one point ti make way for the (yawn) cross vally. Flume is a laugh nothing more it wont be missed in the same way that anybody who went for the first time after thirteen was built wont miss the corkscrew and hex......... Depends on the person. Moving these getting in new (which we don't know for sure if these are closing/being replaced.) keep them people will go "nothing new why should I go if nothing new) getting rid as long as replaced will draw them in. Teenagers love being manipulated by clever advertising of something naff. Its 50/50 damned if they do. Dammed if they don't.
MaxPower
TS Member
I think the fact that they are cutting so many staff roles gives some validity to this rumour.
I don't doubt that plans could change but I can certainly see something on this scale happening, as well as reduced capacity on the remaining attractions.
EuroSatch
TS Member
The quality of the attractions rumoured to be closing is irrelevant. The issue is if this is true then it will be a significant number of attractions made unavailable to guests. It's devaluing the product, and unlikely to be met with reduced entry prices, or even any recognition from the park to guests that the attractions in the park are a quarter less than 2015.
It's inexcusable.
The 'it's a business' argument doesn't work either, as the business is to provide rides at a theme park. This is what is known in the business world as a 'consolidation of operations'. Ie they overstretched themselves and are unable to cope with this. The answer is to severely reduce the size of operations which will be a massive blow to Alton Towers' external image
It's inexcusable.
The 'it's a business' argument doesn't work either, as the business is to provide rides at a theme park. This is what is known in the business world as a 'consolidation of operations'. Ie they overstretched themselves and are unable to cope with this. The answer is to severely reduce the size of operations which will be a massive blow to Alton Towers' external image
