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Monorail Stations

Scott

Scott

Former TS Team Member
Favourite Ride
Nemesis
The monorail. It's the first thing that most people encounter (bar the car park) on their day at Towers and it should be something that takes people to the park gates in style... Whilst the trains look stylish and dare I say 'magical' from the outside, the stations (particularly the one on the Entrance Plaza) are getting tired and outdated.

The Plaza station's televisions are tiny and incredibly outdated while the whole station could do with a re-paint. On top of this, it seems to be rarely playing any audio or video this season. The car park station is better, with newer televisions and a nice new map, but the OLD MUSIC GOT REPLACED ( :mad: ) and the new music also seems to be a bit hit and miss.

Inside the trains, the audio is also hit-and-miss. The introduction by the driver is a nice touch, but quite often the tape that plays is too quiet or is not on at all, and the old, individually themed audio has been removed in favour of new 'Buyride-esque' tracks...

What do we think could be done to the monorail? Or is it fine as it is?
 
I don't think they're too bad. The building designs are a little dated but I don't think it's so obvious as to warrant a refurbishment. I think the car park side is perfectly fine, it's more airy, bright and does the job.
The part I'd most like to change however is the cattle pen on the plaza side. Really don't like it because it feels like such a grungy way to end the day and, as you say, the dated grubby T.Vs don't help. That said, the queue is fast flowing and you don't tend to spend that long in there. Most people are too busy talking about the day's events to notice.
A lick of paint, possibly but I don't think they need to be redesigned or anything. Their main propose is to channel a large amount of guests into the trains which they do and the wide queue helps make it feel less claustrophobic in my opinion.

I've not been a fan of the trains ever since they were refurbished. From the outside they look great but the hard seats and dull, dim interior is naff. Hit and miss audio just adds to it. On a positive note though they do feel cleaner than the old ones.
 
I think if nothing else the car park tickets in the stations need to be improved or removed. The fact that there are only 2 in the car park station (and one of them mostly doesn't work) often leads to a huge queue which blocks the doorway as many people don't realise that you can buy tickets when you leave/in the entrance plaza. At the very least there needs to be better signage.
 
I definitely agree that the stations need a bit of attention, and it was a very bad decision to replace the train's individual theme tunes.

From memory (I rarely use the monorails, I usually get dropped off at the drop off point) I seem to remember that it is fairly difficult to see through the windows of the trains because of the designs on them. This issue should really be addressed, as part of the 'magic' for me used to be getting the first glimpse of Nemmy and Air from the monorail.

The interior of the stations are very dull, so it would be good to see them matching the theme of the monorail trains, however once you have reached the queue point inside the station the queue doesn't last for much longer anyway. The walls of the ramps could possibly be improved, however.

It is quite a major issue because you could say that the monorail is the 'gateway' to the park.

However, I do have a soft spot for the themed trains, there isn't anything wrong with those (apart from the audio) :)
 
Mi-Nigle said:
The part I'd most like to change however is the cattle pen on the plaza side. Really don't like it because it feels like such a grungy way to end the day and, as you say, the dated grubby T.Vs don't help.
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The cattle pen is grim. It looks grimy and dark and very dated. However, its saving grace is the fact that they very rarely use it... Towers seem to prefer just letting the queue stretch out to the entrance gates rather than opening the extra space inside.
 
mrbrightside said:
Mi-Nigle said:
The part I'd most like to change however is the cattle pen on the plaza side. Really don't like it because it feels like such a grungy way to end the day and, as you say, the dated grubby T.Vs don't help.
Click to expand...
The cattle pen is grim. It looks grimy and dark and very dated. However, its saving grace is the fact that they very rarely use it... Towers seem to prefer just letting the queue stretch out to the entrance gates rather than opening the extra space inside.
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The last two times I've been the cattle pen has been in use - and it truly is dire. I suppose the quality of an exit queueline is the last thing on the minds of the park at the moment though.
 
Mi-Nigle said:
I've not been a fan of the trains ever since they were refurbished. From the outside they look great but the hard seats and dull, dim interior is naff. Hit and miss audio just adds to it. On a positive note though they do feel cleaner than the old ones.
Click to expand...

They need to cut the vinyl out of the windows so you can see out properly and to allow decent light into the cabins. Also they should get proper seats like they used to have or pad the benches to make them more bearable to sit on and then finally make the interior colour scheme more neutral as it is pretty garish at present.

It's probably too much to ask but it would be nice to see some new vinyls from time to time to replace some of the existing ones, perhaps based around different rides and themes in the park. I'm surprised there is nothing for Th13teen or Sub-Terra especially after Mutiny Bay and Sharkbait Reef got their own trains. I suppose it was probably just a 2008/9 thing.

The stations are OK, they need a bit of cosmetic work but I don't even think Disney theme their Monorail stations so Alton Towers need not worry much about theirs. Proper TV's with decent content are a must though - no more flickering VCR's please.

:)
 
I don't think they need to be themed either, just ITHOTMK playing in the background and windows you can actually see out of would be enough for me... Oh topic title, 'Re: Monorial Stations' ???

I think maybe each TV shows just footage of 1 ride - so you can get a taste of what you are about to experience...

I don't think the que/station needs to be themed, maybe some small theming pieces rather than a theme as a whole. These could then easily be replaced or added to with new attractions produced.

PS Hi everyone, only just found this website, was looking in completely the wrong place - didnt think it would actually be on TT! ( or is that a sware word now :p )
 
i cant see new TVs in the monorail station any time soon. they cant even get the TVs to work in their new headline attractions queue line
 
I, along with many, think the TV's need replacing, and the audio and video shouldn't be hit and miss, and be consistent every time.

The stations are fine, but could maybe benefit from a fresher, modern 'makeover' sometime in the future.

Not so much about the stations, but I really like the theming of the trains, but I share the view that the themes could be updated from time to time, especially if the Resort wants to really boast about their new attractions.
 
Why are TVs so hit and miss? It's not just the monorail, TVs on most attractions seem to fail frequently. I sometimes wonder whether it's simply because staff don't turn them on rather than a fault with the set.

The only ones I can think of which are consistently on are the Duel ones.
 
First impressions are important and all that...certainly the entry station needs a major overahul and modernisation.

If they want to say we've got your money now bugger off and leave the exit sttion as it is, then fair enough - although lasting impressions are also important.
 
Both stations could certainly do with something. The car park one isnt too bad and does have the nice flat screen TVs which look nice. But apart from that its a bit bland and outdated. It should be really colourful and fun.

In both stations I think on the walls they should have something like the new wallpaper design on the wall of towers trading behind the tills (with all the various photos of rides and resort), as long as its easy to clean and remove any writting or anything people put on it. That would get people really excited as they are queuing up for the monorail, and will also get people thinking about what a great day they have had while leaving the park.

The exit station is by far the worse, its really old, outdated and just needs a general update. The floor is covered in burnt marks which I imagine have been there before the smoking bad came into force years ago! The walls have that horrible plaster paintwork effect on them that looks very 80s and the lighting is so dark and horrible. I would put a nice new floor down (including removing the paving slabs in the cattlepen bit), replaster all the walls to a nice clean look and put some nice bright modern lighting, LEDs or something.

As for the cattle pen, it looks horrible and dark. If new bright lighting was added in there it would be a good start but im not sure how else it could be improved. Maybe replace the old fences with some more modern ones and with more TVs in there it would keep guests entertained.

And finally all the tvs should be replaced by new ones, and the soundsystem needs sorting as its really hit and miss. It looks so rubbish to have wires hanging down and brackets where TVs used to be but are no longer there. And the TVs they do have could probably fetch a small fortune in a museum because they are that old. There is no point in having advertisments on them because they are too small to read. I also dont see the point in advertising Ice Age 4D or the Merlin Annual pass when you are leaving the park, as its too late to go buy one or watch the film? Just bring back general shots of the park and resort (but update the video that they used before for many years!). Its OK having adverts in the car park station as they work.

I really like the new ITHOTMK music, but its just too quiet in both stations.

The trains are ok and I dont mind them not having themed audio, but I wish they would sort the audio out on them. Sometimes I have had trains with no audio, some have audio that starts and stops wrong and once I had the wrong audio playing all together.
 
At the moment, they function. In the parks eyes, that's all that's needed.

I agree, however, the Stations are in dire need of a revamp. They look a complete mess. Just a general spruce up of the place would make it a nicer experience when queuing at the end of your day. Lasting impressions DO mean a lot, and at the moment, there isn't anything good to remember!
 
I think the carpark station really does need some major work done to it, or at the very least a clean! It reminds mean of some drug-den underpass! It's dark, horrible and all it' needs is the stench of urine to top it off!

They could do so much more with the building, and make it so much lighter, magical and generally a much more enjoyable place to be. It would really make it the 'Gateway to Alton Towers'. Set the standards high from the start and guests will feel like they have got value for money.
 
it's become a cattle pen prison to forcibly expose people to the adverts and tell them about the "new fantastic offer". Its got M£erlin written all over it and is a complete U-turn from the magic of old. What I would like to see is a new video, like what was done in 2003 with Russel the Crow, it was a child friendly animation with true entertainment value as well as telling people about the day ahead. And that would be an excuse to invest in new televisions and a repaint. Also is it me or is it always cold? I find that with that bare open wall facing the car park makes the entire station freezing and I have found my self shivering while waiting. Just a new wall to replace it with maybe some art work on would do as a quick fix. I know it sounds like I'm nit picking but its the little things that make the first impression.
 
hex4ever said:
it's become a cattle pen prison to forcibly expose people to the adverts and tell them about the "new fantastic offer".
Click to expand...
Ironically though, it hasn't! Half the time the cattle pen isn't used and in the plaza station, the videos either don't work or the audio has been switched to the old music...
 
Definitely think that both stations could do with a bit of a make over. Sure they do their job but they don't scream "UK's best theme park".
 
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