Park Hours: Updates and Discussion

[Matt.GC]

Controversially, I'd much prefer some of-peak closed days if it meant that the days they do open on they are able to offer a decent experience.

But we know they won't do that. They'll be flanked with 10-4 days of hour + queues on either side, with many of the rides not opening until the afternoon.

 

[rob666]

With the number of "we have got your money" pass holders, I think early/late season weekday closures are inevitable now.

 

[venny]

I can’t get onboard with the argument that weekday closures are expected. Last time they were implemented was after the Smiler crash when the park was in freefall. Or perhaps were saying they’re expected because the park is in a similarly bad situation now?

Either way, if you provide a poor product, then you’ll get less visitors. Income then drops. More cuts are then made. Rinse. Repeat.

The doom spiral continues.

 

[jon81uk]

I can’t get onboard with the argument that weekday closures are expected. Last time they were implemented was after the Smiler crash when the park was in freefall. Or perhaps were saying they’re expected because the park is in a similarly bad situation now?

Either way, if you provide a poor product, then you’ll get less visitors. Income then drops. More cuts are then made. Rinse. Repeat.

The doom spiral continues.

I think with the later Easter it’s not surprising though, some seasons they opened later into March instead.
The other option would have been to open on 22nd March with no closures I expect.

 

[jon81uk]

Found a post I made in January about the fact there was no buyout days in March 2024

Also 16th March is reasonably early for opening, although it is often that weekend its probably the earliest possible date (its been 22nd, 20th 19th, 25th, 17th, 23rd, 20th, 19th March in the last ten years).

With a late Easter in 2025 they could have done as they have in the past and started the season on the 22nd March with the buyout days on the 15/16th. But I’m assuming there won’t be buying days in 2025 and therefore that weekend is just open to the public.

 

[AT86]

Also, if they want to bring back Alton After Dark in 2025 they need to get those dates in before the clocks go forward on 30th March.

Structuring the opening weeks as they have means they get 3 Saturdays when AAD could return. The previous aligning of the start of the season with Easter would have meant that wouldn’t work for this event.

 

[Dave]

The fact it’s only March and they are opening fairly early considering Easter is late I wonder if this is less a cut and more a “weekend open” then close Monday to Thursday to work on any issues. Bit like the buyout days used to be (those would previously occur around mid-March.)

If it was a cut I think they would have closed days throughout the season or just open later in March. Feels more operational than financial.

 

[Alexsniff7]

Looking forward to another best season ever then. Great signs

why did everyone take that phrase so seriously???

they aren't gonna say "this season will be an improvement on last year but still a long way to go" that's not how you market

 

[BarryZola]

I didn't take it seriously. It's just amusing to me how it went spectacularly wrong. If people stop making spurious claims then it won't get laughed at.

 

[QTXAdsy]

In all fairness, had they known all the issues they were going to have from Hex to Skyride all having more issues than imagined not to mention just the list of all the other issues then they would have said nowt, alas by the time that promo video was released it was too late to make changes as then was likely when everything started going wrong so all they could do was pray and hope for the best in which clearly God didn't hear them as this season has shown.

 

[Mick]

I’ve got absolutely no evidence to back this up, but I’ve always assumed those early season weekdays to be pass holder enthusiast central, and that to staff a full park must just leak money.

I’ve always wondered how Merlin allocate the annual pass money into budgets for each individual attraction too.

 

[AstroDan]

Easter is really late, the park would probably have opened later than usual - so in fact it's probably nothing alarming.

 

[Matt.GC]

It seems a very early season opening with such a Late Easter. Like being kneecapped by a drug dealer then entering the London marathon.

Similar to the "off-peak" days (which don't really seem to exist anymore now that they've closed or removed many of their attractions), should they rush to put the key in the shutter lock if they're not ready to open?

This season has clearly been a disaster. Spa binned off, Hex closed, Retrosquad canned without replacement, Skyride closed, events cancelled. Yet they committed to a season longer than the previous one, and came out from the start with late night opening. It's been so crap that they're now having to resort to cutting ride hosts and slashing Scarefest hours because no sod is buying their crappy product. The ambition didn't seem to match the reality.

History seems to be repeating. They want to open early doors next year, but lord knows what nasty surprises will be in store when it does.

 

[Bowser]

Also, if they want to bring back Alton After Dark in 2025 they need to get those dates in before the clocks go forward on 30th March.

Structuring the opening weeks as they have means they get 3 Saturdays when AAD could return. The previous aligning of the start of the season with Easter would have meant that wouldn’t work for this event.

After the disaster that was AAD this year I can’t imagine people would be rushing back if they did.

 

[Dave]

It seems a very early season opening with such a Late Easter. Like being kneecapped by a drug dealer then entering the London marathon.

Similar to the "off-peak" days (which don't really seem to exist anymore now that they've closed or removed many of their attractions), should they rush to put the key in the shutter lock if they're not ready to open?

This season has clearly been a disaster. Spa binned off, Hex closed, Retrosquad canned without replacement, Skyride closed, events cancelled. Yet they committed to a season longer than the previous one, and came out from the start with late night opening. It's been so crap that they're now having to resort to cutting ride hosts and slashing Scarefest hours because no sod is buying their crappy product. The ambition didn't seem to match the reality.

History seems to be repeating. They want to open early doors next year, but lord knows what nasty surprises will be in store when it does.

Historically they have had the buyout days, this gave them a weekend of operation then a week closed to iron out any issues. This seaaon they didn’t have that and they went from closed to full operation. I wonder if this isn’t actually designed to give them a slow ramp up into full operation to avoid major issues.

 

[rob666]

I think they have finally realised that they just can't make money selling overpriced dodgy food and expensive tat merchandise to cheap passholders on quiet termtime weekdays.
They are pretty much the only people on the park, with a nice flask of hot dogs and buttypack.
Blackpool was shut yesterday, and today.
The park generally is not what it used to be, and everyone knows it by now.
Either mon/tues, or tues/wed closures, in the cooler weather termtime months, next year.

 

[AT86]

The full opening calendar and ticket availability is loaded next year for Alton Towers, Legoland and Chessington.

Outside of the few days in March there are no closed days at Towers.

Legoland and Chessington have closed days in March/April/May/Sep/Oct as usual with them catering primarily to the school age market.

 

[rob666]

Well that told me then!

Give it time...

 

[Steve74]

After the disaster that was AAD this year I can’t imagine people would be rushing back if they did.

Why was Alton After Dark a disaster? I thought it was very well received.

All I know that went wrong was Nemesis went down about 7.30 on the first Saturday/opening day (I know as I was in the queue!). The other 2 Saturdays were a success weren't they?

 

[Alphe86]

Why was Alton After Dark a disaster? I thought it was very well received.

All I know that went wrong was Nemesis went down about 7.30 on the first Saturday/opening day (I know as I was in the queue!). The other 2 Saturdays were a success weren't they?

There was a lot of negative press on the usual places about weather and long queues. Like the typical punter expected it to be a dead day with walk on night rides