-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
Ride Availability 2018
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
- Status
WickerManiac
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Colossus
5 major coasters down now. Towers is becoming like Thorpe.
Austin Towers
TS Member
What a shambles. Beyond belief.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Matt, I admire your optimism. I would be concerned if Wicker Man continually had a 3 hour queue; opening weekend was somewhat of a one-off with the vast majority of people there determed to get a ride. Operations and reliability of the ride, combined with a huge fastrack queue, meant that the throughput for the main queue was woeful. I still wouldn't call 120 minutes short!
Ride breakdowns do indeed happen, and it is not always Towers' fault. However it seems far worse this season, and yet again ride's are opening later than they should be because Towers do not have the resource available to get the work done.
The fact that Oblivion, The Smiler, Nemesis and Galactica are all down at 11.15am is quite simply unacceptable. Not to mention the 4 family rides that are also down. What on earth is going on, is there only one techie available to work today!?
By all accounts their technical team are stretched thin, otherwise they wouldn't be having problems opening rides at their advertised times. When other other breakdowns occur during the 10-11am period or they are slow getting a ride running in the morning it sounds like that they end up playing catch up and they don't have the staff to keep on top of things (and I imagine they are probably being instructed to prioritise keeping Wicker Man open as much as possible which is probably a drain on resources given its teething problems).
I just don't understand how the operations have got so bad?
How did Alton/Merlin think that they could make cuts during a season that launched a major new ride to attract more guest through the gate and not expect it to have an impact on the guest. I really don't know how Alton are thinking that they can get away with all this?
Guest expectations and needs are clearly not being met this year. People go to a theme park to ride the thrill rides, not to wander around trying to find out whats open or spending their day queuing.
This should be a year that Alton should be winning back its guest, and they have clearly blown it.
I've got my pass, they got my money, but I'm thinking why should I visit, not worth the effort to visit just for a few measly rides
How did Alton/Merlin think that they could make cuts during a season that launched a major new ride to attract more guest through the gate and not expect it to have an impact on the guest. I really don't know how Alton are thinking that they can get away with all this?
Guest expectations and needs are clearly not being met this year. People go to a theme park to ride the thrill rides, not to wander around trying to find out whats open or spending their day queuing.
This should be a year that Alton should be winning back its guest, and they have clearly blown it.
I've got my pass, they got my money, but I'm thinking why should I visit, not worth the effort to visit just for a few measly rides
MakoMania
TS Member
Just imagine a route of the average guest:
Walks to Wicker Man, 110min queue, I'll come back later. Walks through Katanga Canyon to the Rapids, closed, then to the Mine Train, closed. Starts to get a bit frustrated but that haunted house thing looks cool. Walks to Duel, closed. The anger is boiling now, so they walk to Forbidden Valley where there must be something to enjoy, Nemesis closed, Galactica closed.
How do they possibly expect to maintain a decent reputation!? The place is a mess!
Walks to Wicker Man, 110min queue, I'll come back later. Walks through Katanga Canyon to the Rapids, closed, then to the Mine Train, closed. Starts to get a bit frustrated but that haunted house thing looks cool. Walks to Duel, closed. The anger is boiling now, so they walk to Forbidden Valley where there must be something to enjoy, Nemesis closed, Galactica closed.
How do they possibly expect to maintain a decent reputation!? The place is a mess!
Austin Towers
TS Member
I hate to say it but it' time they got some bad press.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Update: Now only two of the family rides are unavailable! Excellent! Maybe we'll get down to zero by the afternoon!
Also, Galactica only has a 30 minute queue! And the Wicker Man queue is down to 80 minutes!
However, on a less positive note, Thirteen has a 75 minute queue and Rita has an 80 minute queue. Park must be unusually busy today considering it's a weekday.
Also, Galactica only has a 30 minute queue! And the Wicker Man queue is down to 80 minutes!
However, on a less positive note, Thirteen has a 75 minute queue and Rita has an 80 minute queue. Park must be unusually busy today considering it's a weekday.
Or maybe just that Oblivion and Smiler are still closed so everyone heading to X Sector has gone to Dark Forest instead?
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Why on earth is that excellent? It is still very poor.
I'm not surprised there are queues for the coasters that are open with 3 headline coasters currently down. I wouldn't say it is unusually busy either, it is still the Easter holidays in some areas. But as I have said before, queue times this season cannot be used as an indicator how busy the park is, certainly not when so many rides are down.
SirDossa
TS Member
I haven't visited Towers in a few years now and was thinking about going later this season to ride Wicker Man but given how woeful operations appear to be across the park, I'm not sure I could put myself through it . It's embarrassing that this is supposedly the UK's number one Theme Park.
. It's embarrassing that this is supposedly the UK's number one Theme Park.
MakoMania
TS Member
Does anyone still believe that?
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
Only Merlin staff.
SirDossa
TS Member
We are hardly spoilt for choice here in the UK, but there is no doubt that AT is the most renowned and recognised park in the UK. I feel sorry for people visiting from afar, and having to experience such shambolic operations.
- Status