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Park Hours: Updates and Discussion

I imagine the cost of running the park with the reduced ride line up is significantly less for this period - making longer hours a more economical possibility.

They will also be receiving revenue from the Christmas market stall holders who are paying to be at the event, further boosting the budget.
 
Yeah they could probably get away with 12noon to 8pm really. Although maybe those with younger children won’t want to stay late so an early start is better for them. I guess you get two types of group, those doing 10-6 at most with CBeebies age kids and those doing the later hours with older kids (or no kids).
 
I've decided to revive this thread because it feels like Towers are going back into old habits for opening times. Luckily looking at upcoming opening hours they're not planning to close at 4pm in July again (remember that?), but closing at 5pm on a Saturday just isn't a good idea, especially when there is substantial downtime across the park. What do you folks think about the current opening hours?
 
Thameslink Rail said:
I've decided to revive this thread because it feels like Towers are going back into old habits for opening times. Luckily looking at upcoming opening hours they're not planning to close at 4pm in July again (remember that?), but closing at 5pm on a Saturday just isn't a good idea, especially when there is substantial downtime across the park. What do you folks think about the current opening hours?
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I think they should be disgusted with the hours today to be honest. Anyone can feel free to disagree but a 5pm close that was arguably busier than opening Saturday, with ride downtime and multiple rides closed, including the one that is being heavily marketed right now, is just completely unacceptable from all angles.
 
Just found this post by @AstroDan from 2014:
AstroDan said:
Park hours at Alton Towers have long been a bone of contention amongst enthusiasts, going back many years. Sometimes you get the ridiculous "they should be open till 10pm every night", but in practise, we know full well that would be absurd, not make business sense and nor is it necessary.

However, it is true to say, and I am sure Alton Towers themselves would privately acknowledge, that park hours over the past two years have not always been what they should have been.

I'll give an example.

Last season, it was a warm weekend day, and the park was moderately busy - with 45-60 minute queues for most rides (far longer for The Smiler). Yet, in spite of this, the park closed at 5pm - with many rides still sporting 30+ minute waits, including The Flume. Leaving the park was horrendous, as a mass of guests a) didn't want to leave and b) found themselves all heading to the monorail at the same time. It was awful.

Yet, of course - on some days, closing at this hour is fine.

What I would like to see is a commitment from the park as follows:

ERT
Early Ride Time should be flexible, to suit demand. This is the case at some other parks, including Europa-Park in Germany. During quieter periods, only 2 or 3 rides may be operating on ERT. During busier times, more rides are added. This way, the park can cut costs when it is quiet, and therefore save money to use when it's busier. Logical.

5:00pm ride close
Applies during school term time week days only. Some smaller family rides could be cut from ERT during selected periods in order to save money to put towards later opening at other times. This would be extended when a certain threshold is passed (around 10,000 guests).

5:30pm ride close
Applies on all Sundays through the year, apart from those Sundays when it's a bank holiday weekend or school holidays (see below). This would be extended when a certain threshold is passed (around 12,000 guests).

6:00pm ride close
Applies on all Saturdays through the year, all bank holiday Sundays and bank holiday Mondays, the entirety of the school Easter holiday and May half term. This would be extended when a certain threshold is passed (around 15,000 guests).

6:30pm ride close
This would not be pre-advertised, but this would be the closing time if the park was closing at 5/5:30/6:00pm and a threshold between 15 and 18,000 was reached.

7:00pm ride close
The standard during the 6-week school summer holiday. This would be extended when a certain threshold is passed (around 20,000 guests).

7:30pm / 8:00pm ride close
The absolute maximum during the season, with 20-22,000 guests correlating with 7:30pm and 22-25,000 guests with 8:00pm. Over 25,000 guests which would be incredibly unlikely, then the park could go later.

9:00pm ride close
Scarefest and Fireworks, as exists.

I do not believe the above is too much to ask. It is asking the park to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the additional guests which visit the park during holiday periods and weekends. They have not always acted as such in recent years. If the park is particularly busy, they should allocate the funds to extend ride close, increase guests satisfaction and allow for extra spends on food, beverage and retail.

I don't want the park to close at 10pm every night, I don't think it's needed. But they do need to be more flexible, they should make ERT more flexible too, and they should alter ride closes as required. However, the benchmarks should be what is set out above.

Thoughts?
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Nine years on I largely agree with this although admittedly I can't see ERT returning (shame). It also doesn't help that ride availablity is generally poor currently which makes the park feel busier than it actually is.
 
5pm closes yesterday with multiple rides at 1hr+ waits.

Systems. Procedures. Hard and fast rules.

Should be in place to enforce a closing of at least 6pm on such days.

Years later, no such protocol appears to exist.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk
 
AT86 said:
First ride close extension of the season - tomorrow has been extended from 4pm to 5pm.
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Well based on this post just made the decision on the spot I'm going for the afternoon. I didn't think 2-4 was worth it but 2-5 I'll absolutely take that. I'll be able to get 8-10 rides in 3 hours I reckon
 
rickstar171 said:
Seen that the 17th April has been given an extra hour, with a 5pm close. Inset day? Because of the "festival of thrills" event? Oh mysterious Alton Towers, come forth and give us your knowledge!
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It’ll be inset days. It’s pretty common for the first day back from school hols to be busy, as everyone has the same idea and delays their trip until the inset day.
 
AT86 said:
It’ll be inset days. It’s pretty common for the first day back from school hols to be busy, as everyone has the same idea and delays their trip until the inset day.
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Ah thought that was the case. I'll take an extra hour for the park to be slightly busier than our normal mid-week visit
 
Tomorrow has been extended to a 5pm close, it’s a teacher strike day, good to see them extend, as they didn’t on the last strike day and queues were pretty long.

As it stands next Monday (bank holiday) is listed as a 4pm close - hopefully that is just an oversight and it will be updated shortly.
 
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I find it odd they are so short-term with closing times. The park is once again the worst for hours in Europe across any major theme park resort.

It is astounding we have had a BH weekend and yesterday and today were only 5pm closes.

It is not unreasonable to expect the park open until a minimum of 5pm off peak, 7pm Saturdays and 6pm Sundays and other holiday dates, or later. Even all of that would still be some of the poorest hours in Europe.

2021's hours seems an era away.
 
AstroDan said:
I find it odd they are so short-term with closing times. The park is once again the worst for hours in Europe across any major theme park resort.

It is astounding we have had a BH weekend and yesterday and today were only 5pm closes.

It is not unreasonable to expect the park open until a minimum of 5pm off peak, 7pm Saturdays and 6pm Sundays and other holiday dates, or later. Even all of that would still be some of the poorest hours in Europe.

2021's hours seems an era away.
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The last 4pm close until September looks set to be 20th May.

June’s hours are min 5pm with all weekends and half term at 6pm. I know it’s not worthy of getting the party poppers out, but it is moving in the right direction.
 
AT86 said:
The last 4pm close until September looks set to be 20th May.

June’s hours are min 5pm with all weekends and half term at 6pm. I know it’s not worthy of getting the party poppers out, but it is moving in the right direction.
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There is a wretched engrained culture of mediocrity in so much of what this place does.

I hope the new management team can grab this ethos and shake it hard until every last drop is in the incinerator.
 
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