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Park Hours: Updates and Discussion

Thameslink Rail said:
Not quite "rides in the dark" but still nice

I'm now going to suggest that the topic title should be changed as the opening hours are now definitely not the shortest in the world!
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I agree overall opening hours are certainly no longer the shortest in the world so far this season, so maybe 'Opening Hours - the most inconsistent and reactionary in the world?'

The following week still very much advertises potentially some of the shortest single day operating hours of any "major" theme park on the planet. Whilst it's certainly welcome news that the following few days hours seem more reasonable, they're still clearly contemplating 4pm closes and see them as acceptable.
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The week of my week visit (Thursday 24th) now has the Monday at 6, Tuesday-Thursday at 5 and Friday at 6. I'd say increases on the 5pm's may be likely on the day/shortly in advance again.
 
Matt.GC said:
I agree overall opening hours are certainly no longer the shortest in the world so far this season, so maybe 'Opening Hours - the most inconsistent and reactionary in the world?'

The following week still very much advertises potentially some of the shortest single day operating hours of any "major" theme park on the planet. Whilst it's certainly welcome news that the following few days hours seem more reasonable, they're still clearly contemplating 4pm closes and see them as acceptable.
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It's become quite clear that hours on the website more than a 7-10 days in advance are to be disregarded in the majority of cases.

It all depends on presale numbers.

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AstroDan said:
It's become quite clear that hours on the website more than a 7-10 days in advance are to be disregarded in the majority of cases.

It all depends on presale numbers.

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Completely agree. I doubt very much they'll end up actually going through with those hours. But this is only quite clear to people like us. Joe public still logs on to the website and sees 10-4 before being asked for their credit card number. This is what they believe they are buying at the point of sale. This damages the brand. Brucie bonuses are well and good but this is the way the park markets itself.

It's also become quite clear that AT see 10-4 as the default opening hours. The default opening hours - in a 910 acre so called "major" and "leading" theme park.

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Matt.GC said:
Completely agree. I doubt very much they'll end up actually going through with those hours. But this is only quite clear to people like us. Joe public still logs on to the website and sees 10-4 before being asked for their credit card number. This is what they believe they are buying at the point of sale. This damages the brand. Brucie bonuses are well and good but this is the way the park markets itself.

It's also become quite clear that AT see 10-4 as the default opening hours. The default opening hours - in a 910 acre so called "major" and "leading" theme park.

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They csn only be the default hours when the park is quiet enough. The crowds during last midweek this week just don't justify anything less than 6pm, which is why they would've changed it to that
 
They would almost be better putting open on the website rather than the hours, something I’m sure they did previously when they hadn’t decided on their hours.

It seems at the moment we get 7 or 8 at weekends and 5 or 6 in the week, with the odd 7 or 8 if it’s been busy.

Will be interesting once Mardi Gras ends if that continues, but I imagine it will with school trips beginning and summer holidays coming up.
 
djtruefitt said:
They would almost be better putting open on the website rather than the hours, something I’m sure they did previously when they hadn’t decided on their hours.

It seems at the moment we get 7 or 8 at weekends and 5 or 6 in the week, with the odd 7 or 8 if it’s been busy.
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Well that would be preferable. On the website, rather than have a closing time they could have "Park Opens at 10:00" so that people know what time to arrive. On the day they could have "Today's Ride Close is at ......"

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Matt.GC said:
Well that would be preferable. On the website, rather than have a closing time they could have "Park Opens at 10:00" so that people know what time to arrive. On the day they could have "Today's Ride Close is at ......"

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Similar to Europa’s system minimum ride close would suffice, with actual posted on the day
 
Rob F said:
Similar to Europa’s system minimum ride close would suffice, with actual posted on the day
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I was about to suggest the same. A 'we will open, as a minimum 10-5' leaves the park with options to close on time if quiet and extend if necessary.
People as a rule are optimistic and will hope for better but won't feel bad if they get the minimum promised. Underpromise and deliver rather overpromise and disappoint.
 
Matt.GC said:
But first and foremost, it has to be accepted that a 10 - 4 default day in a park the size and stature of Arlon Towers is completely unacceptable.

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How is it unacceptable? It has been more than enough to smash out rides tbh. There has been very few busy 10-4 days, as when it's been busier in the week they've changed it to 10-5 or 10-6. You can't moan about the lack of hours when your reasoning is ' I don't want to rush around I just want a chilled day'. Well if that's the case why would you even go on a shorter hour day? Just go at a weekend where you have the time to take it slow
 
Come on now let's not say "how is it unacceptable?" You surely don't need an explanation to figure out why. Also you're not thinking again that some people can't go on shorter days out. My mind boggles at times o_O Moaning at lack of hours is perfectly acceptable. Yes, we all know they've been extending recently but there shouldn't be ANY 10-4 hours. What if you like 6 hours away and have to go on a 10-4. Let's not try and justify it lol
 
Ethan said:
How is it unacceptable? It has been more than enough to smash out rides tbh. There has been very few busy 10-4 days, as when it's been busier in the week they've changed it to 10-5 or 10-6. You can't moan about the lack of hours when your reasoning is ' I don't want to rush around I just want a chilled day'. Well if that's the case why would you even go on a shorter hour day? Just go at a weekend where you have the time to take it slow
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You have clearly read most of this thread so why are you asking me to regurgitate it all again?

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Matt.GC said:
You have clearly read most of this thread so why are you asking me to regurgitate it all again?

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Because I'm wondering what sort opening hours you would like on a weekday. If it's busy, they extend it to 10-5 or 10-6, if it's quiet it remains as 10-4. Don't think towers will bother staying open until 5 every weekday if its not busy
 
How about reasonable opening hours? Ones any average visitor would expect? Ones you would think a park their size (no matter how quiet they are) would offer? If they "won't bother" staying open until a minimum of 10-5 I'm not sure they deserve any visitors. Anyway I'm kinda bored with everyone having to repeat the same things week after week so let's move on
 
The constant bleating from some folks about the 10-4s being unacceptable is getting tiresome to be honest.

Yes it's rubbish. It was rubbish in 2020. And 2019. And 2018. And 2017. And in 2016 when it was introduced.

But, really. If it matters *that much* to you - you have every opportunity through either a day off or booking a day's leave to *not* go on a day when the park is open 6 hours. Nobody is forcing anybody to go on any particular day. There are plenty of days this season when you can go and the park is open late. I re-arranged a holiday Stateside some years ago to ensure that a day at Silver Dollar City was a 10-10, rather than their usual 10-6. We made some alterations so that we had better hours. It was a bit of a pain to do so, but the extra hours mattered to us a lot so we did it. Simple.

These dreadful 10-4 days have been a thing now for 5 years. It is nothing new. It is the way it is. There has been page after page of whinging about it, including from myself, but nothing is giving. Ultimately, Merlin are in charge and Alton make operational decisions based on budget, staffing, guest flow, hotel room take-up and weather. What algorithm specifically is used, who knows.

At least this year, unlike those before, we're actually seeing a lot of these days extend to 5pm or later and some days really have shown closing times unlike any we have ever seen.

Move on.
 
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I mean I'm just responding to the posts above - maybe it is getting tiresome, but I'm pretty sure it's also getting tiresome for the ones of us who keep having to make the other sided argument too?
 
Danscott22 said:
I mean I'm just responding to the posts above - maybe it is getting tiresome, but I'm pretty sure it's also getting tiresome for the ones of us who keep having to make the other sided argument too?
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To be clear, just because my post came below yours doesn't specifically mean I am responding to you. I am not.

:)
 
AstroDan said:
To be clear, just because my post came below yours doesn't specifically mean I am responding to you. I am not.

:)
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No, you're responding to me. Hence why I said above in the interest of nothing new being debated, I have no wish to repeat.

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