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Quick Questions

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Speed at Oakwood has a 1.25m height restriction and is incredibly forceful on the last helix. It's similar in size and length to Saw with the same trains and restraints.

Great starter coaster for kids considering every other coaster of this type in the UK has a 1.4m restriction.
 
Why do parks only ride roller coasters on one train or at a reduced capacity? I've often been to a theme park where you have to wait 30 mins + to get on a roller coaster that's only operating one train. I always begrudge waiting when a ride could be working at a higher capacity.

Surely the amount of staff required is the same? What is the actual cost to the park - the cost to physically move the train around the track (through the station, up the lift hill etc. or is it wear and tear?
 
Some rides can have reduced staffing when on low capacity (Air is an obvious example, but I believe the same is true of many of Thorpe's coasters which require an extra ride host on 2 trains compared with 1).

There'll be other costs too, generally associated with maintenance (in part, more trains to check = more staff to check them, but also wear and tear).

I'm sure there are other reasons too, though it's infuriating when parks misjudge it and low capacity result in longer queues during the week than at weekends.
 
AirFAN said:
Why do parks only ride roller coasters on one train or at a reduced capacity? I've often been to a theme park where you have to wait 30 mins + to get on a roller coaster that's only operating one train. I always begrudge waiting when a ride could be working at a higher capacity.

Surely the amount of staff required is the same? What is the actual cost to the park - the cost to physically move the train around the track (through the station, up the lift hill etc. or is it wear and tear?
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There would be wear and tear on the wheels of the train, they have to be replaced every so many "miles" of use, so running one train will save a small amount of money on parts and labour.

There are also minimum staffing levels for two train operation as John says, this is due to things like having to staff the exit area to clear people out the way while the second train comes into the station.
 
In the grand scheme of things likely to be a minimal cost?

During peak days will they start with maximum capacity? I.e would there be three trains on air from the get go or would a third train be introduced as the queue gets larger?
 
AirFAN said:
In the grand scheme of things likely to be a minimal cost?

During peak days will they start with maximum capacity? I.e would there be three trains on air from the get go or would a third train be introduced as the queue gets larger?
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The wear and tear on wheels is going to be quite a small cost, it is the labour costs that are high. Also with regards to the minimum staffing levels, if they need extra staff to run the extra train, but that member of staff isn't scheduled to start until 12pm then they cannot run two trains 10am to 12pm. I think this happens very rarely at AT anyway, it is more a Thorpe Park thing.
 
Big 6 Challenge,

So, this has been stopped, but do any know if those who have alreadycompleted it and have a band can go back on 4th Nov?

Too late to tweet Towers now, they all had home exhusted from answering stupid questions like this :)
 
Big Six challenge has been postponed. Although if you have completed the challenge and have a band you can still come back on 4th November.
 
Considering they've pulled the promotion I imagine Nov 4th will be even quieter now there won't be as many people who will have completed the challenge.
 
I think there has been about 5000 people who had completed it according to the website before it was removed.

On the website it now says it's been cancelled, so I assume it won't comeback, unless they re launch it next season.
 
Can anybody tell me how the MAP capsules work? If you buy one, do you get refills for 75p every day, or just the day you purchased it? Also, can you use them at Chessington and Legoland too (assuming they are the same design).
 
MichelinMan said:
Can anybody tell me how the MAP capsules work? If you buy one, do you get refills for 75p every day, or just the day you purchased it? Also, can you use them at Chessington and Legoland too (assuming they are the same design).
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You pay the £2 or whatever it is now for the capsule, then every refill is 75p. I'm sure you can use them at the other Merlin parks too. :)
 
They are £1.99 and you can buy them from the box office at towers. And then it's 75p to fill them up. You can fill it up as many times as you like that year (or if the design is the same, probably next year as well!).

They also also valid at Thorpe, legoland, chessie and Warwick castle. Same price.
 
djtruefitt said:
They are £1.99 and you can buy them from the box office at towers. And then it's 75p to fill them up. You can fill it up as many times as you like that year (or if the design is the same, probably next year as well!).

They also also valid at Thorpe, legoland, chessie and Warwick castle. Same price.
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Cheers - I should be quids in then. Going to AT for 3 days, Chessington another couple of days and a day at Legoland too during our summer hols this year.

I screwed up last time we stayed at AT - we were there 10 nights (we used it as a base for a holiday in the peak district), but didn't realise about the MAP drinks until our last day.
 
MichelinMan said:
Cheers - I should be quids in then. Going to AT for 3 days, Chessington another couple of days and a day at Legoland too during our summer hols this year.

I screwed up last time we stayed at AT - we were there 10 nights (we used it as a base for a holiday in the peak district), but didn't realise about the MAP drinks until our last day.
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10 nights in the Towers hotels? Must have cost a bomb!
 
And I saw his final* performance in ATH. ;)

*Think he's returned to do a few one-off shows since, but this was his official last one. :p
 
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