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Park Hours: Updates and Discussion
- Thread starter AstroDan
- Start date
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Not happy at all with that - there’s no way I thought the 28th I used my tickets on would be a 4pm - it makes me think they only did 8pm closes to make this seem less worse when it’s actually made it far worse! Pathetic effort from them to be honest especially as it’s a new event.
jon81uk
TS Member
I think its been 10-4 for the last few years on almost all weekdays outside of school holidays.
It was in 2020 when they re-opened in July, but then without school trips it would have been quiet.
Looking at the first post in this thread, 3rd July and it was a 4pm close.
I completly agree that it should be longer, but it does seem they don't think it is busy enough in term time to go longer.
Now with mandatory pre-booking they know how many people are coming too.
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Notice that “as the sun goes down” has been removed from their event description - shouldn’t have been advertising it in the first place!
Matt.GC
TS Member
Well that's happened today or last night then as it was on there yesterday afternoon when I was looking at booking. I've just seen they've left it the same but removed those specific words.
I guess they've gone all out and had opening times way longer than they probably should have been at 8pm early season, spent all the money and are now slashing back like mad. Good bye decent opening hours, shame I never got to know you!
I would've booked if it was for two 6pm days, or even a 5pm followed bya 7pm, but I'm not taking that chance on risking that the current advertised times stay as planned.
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Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Can’t even enjoy the event though because I’ll be now rushing about like mad trying to get everything I want done
Matt.GC
TS Member
I don't think anyone expected a literal sun goes down experience (that would take us beyond 10pm in the height of summer), but I think most of us expected the ball park of 7pm closures or something. You're right that you can't really enjoy the event if you're simply going from ride to ride.
If I'm traveling a distance with a family (one of which is below 1.2mtrs tall), I'd want to ensure I get a decent amount of rides in for each of us, a sit down meal and some time to chill out and have a drink with some entertainment. I thought the point of the park was for a day experience, even more so the point of adding an event to that experience. If your a family unit of mixed age groups travelling a distance to the park that's just not what you'll get with 4 and 5pm closures no matter how quiet the park is.
I'm sure someone will be along any moment to tell me how wrong I am because they managed to cram in 20 1.4mtr restriction coaster rides on a 4pm close and thus completely missing the point......
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Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Bet they didn't do it on a Friday though like the date I'm visiting/you were supposed to be visiting! There's no justification for it all - people could have booked tickets seeing "as the sun goes down" and expect like you say something in the 7pm/8pm ballpark, but definitely not 4pm! An office day is longer than that!
Matt.GC
TS Member
Despite what all the "I live across the street, I'm a passholder with no kids who only goes for the coasters so 4pm is enough" brigade think, TS Facebook post is receiving a similar reaction to mine and yours. Just the concept of one of the biggest parks in Europe shutting at 4pm is weird and sends out a brand damaging signal. To advertise an event (that only yesterday was still making references to sunset rides) and then still close at 4 is just embarrassing.
It makes you wonder if Alton want anyone who doesn't live within an hour of the park, doesn't have a pre schooler in toe or isn't a pass holding coaster enthusiast to pay for a full priced visit at all.
It's like they only want to be a regional park aimed at local adults and families with very young children. They may as well not bother with the event at all.
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Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Yeah I kinda wouldn't bother with it - the advertisement for Mardi Gras ought to say: "22nd May-20th June (but actually only really if you visit on a weekend or in the school holidays because we won't give you enough time to actually try different foods/watch entertainment/do all your chosen rides)"
Matt.GC
TS Member
"Experience the spectacle of carnival themed food vans as you walk past at pace in order to get to your next queue line. Listen out for a hint of the entertainment on the lawns that you don't have the time to enjoy from the extension queue line of the Smiler. Bask in the sunshine of a summer evening - from your own back garden after we close the park mid way through the afternoon"
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RicketyCricket
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
Good to see people are giving them a bit of grief on Twitter with the 4pm closes.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
I am waiting for someone to contact the Stoke Sentinel
djtruefitt
TS Team
If it’s a 10-4 day you are hardly going to be wasting your time watching a show on the lawn or even looking out for he Krewe across the park. I’ve noticed even recently some 4pm closes queues have still been 60 mins plus for the likes of wicker man and smiler. So all of these 4pm closes are certainly not dead.
Matt.GC
TS Member
Well, as it stands on the quietest day of the week, the thrill ride queues at time of writing total 4 hours combined. Add lunch and walking between rides and toilet usage etc , let's say 1 hour, that takes you up to 5. So a ride on Hex and the Rapids and that's your "day" done. No time for entertainment, no gardens or Towers walk time or Dungeons.
Older family rides total 2 hours, but then there isn't much for them to do at Towers these days anyway so that's 3 hours including lunch and walking time so 3 hours spare (mostly bored or waiting for your mum and dad to take turns riding thrill coasters).
Cbeebies total 55 mins, so just under 2 hours.
Have pre schoolers, older kids and adults wanting to do rides and that's 8 hours total, which seems reasonable enough for a 6 hour day when you consider you wouldn't expect to do be able to ride every single attraction in a single day in any worldwide park unless it's really quiet.
Decent enough ride count one might say, but that assumes everyone wants to go just to do rides and nothing else. Add entertainment, gardens, a sit down meal, dungeons and a 2 - 4 hour drive each way to the park doesn't seem very appealing at all, neither does an overnight stay when you know you're only paying for that because the park closes at 4pm rather than because there's too much to do or it's busy. Besides, with insane Extraordinary Golf and Water Park operating hours as well, what would there be to do anyway when you're back at the accomodation at 5?
Putting an event on top of that and it further reinforces that you want people to visit for a "day out" as opposed to just back to back rides. A 4pm close is hardly an "Escape" to Alton Towers Resort is it? If the park can't afford to give people a good 7 - 8 hour day out then they should either reduce the cost of operations or close mid week.
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Older family rides total 2 hours, but then there isn't much for them to do at Towers these days anyway so that's 3 hours including lunch and walking time so 3 hours spare (mostly bored or waiting for your mum and dad to take turns riding thrill coasters).
Cbeebies total 55 mins, so just under 2 hours.
Have pre schoolers, older kids and adults wanting to do rides and that's 8 hours total, which seems reasonable enough for a 6 hour day when you consider you wouldn't expect to do be able to ride every single attraction in a single day in any worldwide park unless it's really quiet.
Decent enough ride count one might say, but that assumes everyone wants to go just to do rides and nothing else. Add entertainment, gardens, a sit down meal, dungeons and a 2 - 4 hour drive each way to the park doesn't seem very appealing at all, neither does an overnight stay when you know you're only paying for that because the park closes at 4pm rather than because there's too much to do or it's busy. Besides, with insane Extraordinary Golf and Water Park operating hours as well, what would there be to do anyway when you're back at the accomodation at 5?
Putting an event on top of that and it further reinforces that you want people to visit for a "day out" as opposed to just back to back rides. A 4pm close is hardly an "Escape" to Alton Towers Resort is it? If the park can't afford to give people a good 7 - 8 hour day out then they should either reduce the cost of operations or close mid week.
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venny
TS Member
It seems like an extraordinary act of self sabotage to persist with these weekday opening times whilst hoping an even be successful.
As has been pointed out, any regular visitor just isn’t going to have the time to appreciate the entertainment and food offering when they’re under such pressure to rush from one ride to the next just to feel like they’ve gotten value for money.
As has been pointed out, any regular visitor just isn’t going to have the time to appreciate the entertainment and food offering when they’re under such pressure to rush from one ride to the next just to feel like they’ve gotten value for money.
AT86
TS Member
It is certainly getting busier midweek as the weeks go on. Two or three weeks back midweek did seem dead, with walk on rides etc, it was only Mon/Fri that were showing higher crowds.
Now it seems to be busier across all days with 40/45min queues across multiple rides not uncommon. It is really poor that they are sticking with 4pm closes - especially as schools are due to finish for exam years at the end of May and Uni’s will also be finished, combined with lock down removals and the fact you can barely go anywhere abroad for holidays - it all stacks up to increased midweek visitors as we head towards the summer holidays.
Now it seems to be busier across all days with 40/45min queues across multiple rides not uncommon. It is really poor that they are sticking with 4pm closes - especially as schools are due to finish for exam years at the end of May and Uni’s will also be finished, combined with lock down removals and the fact you can barely go anywhere abroad for holidays - it all stacks up to increased midweek visitors as we head towards the summer holidays.