Mardi Gras & Oktoberfest 2021

[AstroDan]

Mardi Gras doesn't interest me in the slightest however a lot of people seem to be positive about it so good luck to them. More events can't be a bad thing either.

Just hope it's not a cash grab based decision from the park.

Well they're certainly not putting on more events with the aim of losing money.

The key difference with these events is I'm happy to support with my hard earned cash if Alton work hard to get it from me.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

 

[Matt.GC]

Probably just a 90's Sega nerd thing, but the word 'Carnival' to me reminds me of the fourth zone of Sonic 3.

Although it's certainly not ideal that Towers is in the situation it's in, I don't think I can be critical about the direction they're going in. It's a strangely named event Vs no event. It's 8pm closes Vs 4pm closes. It's 4 new fairground flats vs empty pavement or patches of grass where rides used to be.

I'm not sure what the business plan is, but I know that I'll visit more this season than just the usual early season coaster fix then Scarefest visit. I'll walk round the park more, visit the garden's and buy 2 meals, one of which will be sit down (I haven't had a sit down meal at Towers outside of the hotels for years as it was a waste of ride time). Visiting the park seems like it'll be more of an experience rather than a 6 hour Wham Bam Thank You Mam coaster whore-a-thon.

I don't think any of us expected this and you can't not commend the way they're going

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[Alsty]

In my opinion a visit to a theme park shouldn't solely be about rides, but the entire experience including entertainment, food and shopping. I don't believe most people just want to hop ride to ride, but would rather slow down and enjoy their day doing other things as well. For years it seems like all the Merlin parks have reduced those opportunities.

Adding these events is hopefully going to help to readdress the imbalance and give people more reasons to visit, spend money and stay, as well as reduce the need for everyone to just be stuck in queue because there's nothing else to do. Personally I can't wait and it's good to see Alton Towers at least try something new.

 

[Ethan]

Does anyone know what the attendance was last season? I know we only had half a season but would be interesting to know how many attended during that time

 

[Danscott22]

Does anyone know what the Friday opening hours during Mardi Gras might be? I'm looking to book my Sun free tickets today, are the Friday opening hours likely to be the same as weekends as they were at Oktoberfest?

 

[AstroDan]

I would expect weekends/holiday periods to be 8pm, but weekdays I don't know... it will all depend on how many prebooks they have.

 

[AT86]

I would expect weekends/holiday periods to be 8pm, but weekdays I don't know... it will all depend on how many prebooks they have.

Sounds like this could be an chicken and egg situation! Want to visit weekday during Mardi Gras, but won’t bother booking if it’s going to be a 4pm close.

 

[Danscott22]

I went ahead and booked Friday 28 May this morning - bearing in mind it says “sunset rides” it’ll be false advertising as it’s implying late closes for all days, it doesn’t say “sunset rides on selected dates” - I’ll be mad if I’ve booked it on that footing and it’s a 4pm close.

 

[George W]

I went ahead and booked Friday 28 May this morning - bearing in mind it says “sunset rides” it’ll be false advertising as it’s implying late closes for all days, it doesn’t say “sunset rides on selected dates” - I’ll be mad if I’ve booked it on that footing and it’s a 4pm close.

Well if you're booking before they've announced any opening hours that's your risk, they're probably just leaving it late so they know what days are worth keeping open later.

 

[Danscott22]

Yes because it’s sun savers and the dates grey out quite fast - a risk but advertised sunset rides and then a 4pm close for a new event would be a bit contradictory wouldn’t it

 

[Matt N]

I was thinking of going on Monday 7th June; I’m hoping there might be sunset rides on that day, along with reasonably low crowd levels (it’s the day that most kids go back to school, so I can’t imagine there will be too many families on park; I finish my A Levels on 28th May, so having to conform to school holidays won’t be an issue for me this year!).

But if there aren’t, then at least I’ll be back at Towers, which in itself is something I need to be grateful for!

Out of interest, do you guys think crowd levels might be low on that day?

 

[AT86]

I was thinking of going on Monday 7th June; I’m hoping there might be sunset rides on that day, along with reasonably low crowd levels (it’s the day that most kids go back to school, so I can’t imagine there will be too many families on park; I finish my A Levels on 28th May, so having to conform to school holidays won’t be an issue for me this year!).

But if there aren’t, then at least I’ll be back at Towers, which in itself is something I need to be grateful for!

Out of interest, do you guys think crowd levels might be low on that day?

My experience of the Monday after May half term is that it is very common for inset days and you might find that it is in fact as busy (or busier) as half term the week before. Probably worth holding off until the Tuesday.

 

[AstroDan]

Oktoberfest was also advertised rides late but close varied drastically.

There's no way ATR will open late if they've 3,000 people in the park. Book a weekday during Mardi Gras and it's unlikely you'll get anything near an 8pm close.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

 

[Skyscraper]

Oktoberfest was also advertised rides late but close varied drastically.

There's no way ATR will open late if they've 3,000 people in the park. Book a weekday during Mardi Gras and it's unlikely you'll get anything near an 8pm close.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

Not confirmed yet but I've heard from a friend (who has a mate that works at the park) that the Mardi Gras weekends will be 8pm closes.

 

[AstroDan]

Not confirmed yet but I've heard from a friend (who has a mate that works at the park) that the Mardi Gras weekends will be 8pm closes.

Indeed this is likely. But nothing is confirmed yet.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

 

[rob666]

I was thinking of going on Monday 7th June; I’m hoping there might be sunset rides on that day, along with reasonably low crowd levels (it’s the day that most kids go back to school, so I can’t imagine there will be too many families on park; I finish my A Levels on 28th May, so having to conform to school holidays won’t be an issue for me this year!).

But if there aren’t, then at least I’ll be back at Towers, which in itself is something I need to be grateful for!

Out of interest, do you guys think crowd levels might be low on that day?

You do realise that the sun sets after half past nine on that date, a Monday?
Chances of a sunset ride would be pretty slim I would guess Matt.

 

[WickerwomanH]

This might seem like a bit of a wild theory, but is there any chance that to accommodate the sunset rides they've advertised and not increase operational costs, AT will open later and close later? Say, open at 12 and close at 9? I know this sounds crazy but it makes more sense than a 10-9 day surely, and I can't understand why they'd advertise sunset rides if they weren't going to actually deliver on it.

 

[Skyscraper]

This might seem like a bit of a wild theory, but is there any chance that to accommodate the sunset rides they've advertised and not increase operational costs, AT will open later and close later? Say, open at 12 and close at 9? I know this sounds crazy but it makes more sense than a 10-9 day surely, and I can't understand why they'd advertise sunset rides if they weren't going to actually deliver on it.

That's possible actually, although with Mardi Gras only a few weeks away, I'd expect an announcment/confirmation in the next week or two.

 

[Danscott22]

I think they'll still open at 10 - but I'd be shocked (and disappointed) to see any Mardi Gras date close before 6pm - if they want people to get lots of rides in and enjoy the events entertainment and "food from around the world", it really shouldn't be any earlier than 6 on weekdays and possibly 8 on weekends.

 

[jon81uk]

For Oktoberfest last year didn't they have ride close of 6 or 7pm with park close at 8pm on weekdays? So guests could enjoy the stage and entertainment for longer but the expensive ride operations is minimised?