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Ride Availability/Operations 2022-24

Call_um said:
In answer to the question re Stealth getting a higher throughput than Rita, the team on Stealth just always smash it. But the team also made some changes to improve dispatch times;

- Installed new self closing exit gates on the offload platform, to speed up the offloading process
- Changes to the announcement on the offload platform, and making it louder to speed up the offload process
- Fixed the countdown timer on the load platform, for a target to work towards on each dispatch
- Installed a new barrier between the load and off-load platform
- New signage on the offload platform

The above changes made the average launch time decrease from 101 seconds to 69 seconds, so pushing the hourly throughput to over 1000pph.

They've also added a screen in the queue just before you reach the platform, to display pre loading information to further increase throughput. I'm not sure if this is yet in operation though.
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This is absolutely clear today, the Stealth team were smashing it. The screen does now have audio in operation, not yet video.
 
AstroDan said:
I worked on Rita in 2007. That year, 1000 was the target. The hourly record was 1060.

Then, we had three additional staff:

1. Entrance host to check heights before queue entry.
2. Platformer
3. Platformer

Having two extra platform hosts meant it was much quicker to check a train.

It massively frustrates me when parks have rides that can achieve certain throughputs but due to their own decision making, they get nowhere near.

Rita now routinely gets 700/h. Inadequate for a major ride at Alton made even worse by FT/RAP.
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Anyone would think that by cutting staffing costs on rides, therefore reducing efficiency and throughput clearly, would be extra profits for the park owners, as it will actually increase fasttrack sales.
With the increase in sales of cheap annual passes, creating larger queues, this is a real hard right capitalistic trick...higher profits for less staffing.
Double bonus for the organisation, lower standards for the poor punter.
Very Merlin.
 
rob666 said:
Anyone would think that by cutting staffing costs on rides, therefore reducing efficiency and throughput clearly, would be extra profits for the park owners, as it will actually increase fasttrack sales.
With the increase in sales of cheap annual passes, creating larger queues, this is a real hard right capitalistic trick...higher profits for less staffing.
Double bonus for the organisation, lower standards for the poor punter.
Very Merlin.
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It is interesting where you see parks take the opposite approach (eg Paultons, Europa). Higher entry price, no FastPass, emphasis on ride availability and throughput.

Greater customer satisfaction doesn't seem to be adversely affecting their bottom line.

We visited CWOA at the weekend and we came away thinking "let's try somewhere else" due to the constant disappointment.

If people have a limited budget, all Universal need to do is run a park competently and i suspect they're going to steal a sizeable portion of the annual pass market.
 
rob666 said:
Merlin have followed six flags with their race to the bottom with cheap passes, hitting the poor punter with a forced secondary spend.
What do you want for a hundred quid a year, actual good service?
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Passes used to £89 for premium and not for the same type of pass £229...so 2.5 x the cost but reduced service...
 
I did mean the Discovery pass, which is now £99.
I would have got one this year, but the skyride mess meant vote with your wallet.
 
Every major coaster had downtime today except for nemesis & smiler, with, Rita & wicker shutting numerous times and oblivion shut for hours, but still managed to get a ride on them all

I also take back what I said about Rita, operations were pretty fast today!
 
They could have done it two years ago, but other rides were prioritised.
If the ride had been maintained properly, we might not be in this mess.
If a full initial assessment of the work required had been done at the outset, it might have taken a single year.
They could have handled the whole situation far better from an accessibility/customer service perspective.
The company could have been a little more open and honest about the situation...I have struggled planning a visit for over a year.
I had to leave the park after only half a day because of mobility issues, just the other week.
So mess, yes.
Not seen many rides recently with a lengthy legal excuse for closure at the front.
...but this circle is not being spun again...
They didn't get my money for a pass, because of the skyride mess.
My humble opinion, and reason, for voting with my wallet.
No pass this year, for any park, because they do not deserve my money.
Very liberating...and economic.
 
Smiler is finally on 4 trains which is great to see. Tell you what Nemesis and Smiler are running like absolute monsters today they’re both unbelievable rides
 
Ethan said:
Smiler is finally on 4 trains which is great to see. Tell you what Nemesis and Smiler are running like absolute monsters today they’re both unbelievable rides
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Just one train left to fix at Thirteen and the mess that is Galactica before peak now then
 
Last year from what i remember Galactica was on 3 for most of the summer the seats for 13s 3rd train was under its lift hill last time i went if you look over on rita you can see it when entering the first set of trim breaks.
 
Next week is the last 4pm closes until September, I guess that means they are forecasting higher visitor numbers from 18th May onwards as school and uni exams finish, then school trips season etc.

It would make sense they are working towards increasing rides to maximum capacity as that date approaches to align with higher visitation.
 
I was on park for an hour or so yesterday, Smiler was on 4 but often double stacking due to the bag store being closed. It did at least mean those using SRQ could reliably get to the station as the merge host didn't have to worry about people waiting to deposit bags.

There was also a bizarre delay on RMT as the loading gates wouldn't open for some reason. The op kept trying to sort it by locking and releasing the restraints which had no effect and nor did sending the train round empty for a single lap. I don't know how long it took to fix as I bailed for Nemesis at the point it became clear there wouldn't be enough time to do both
 
AT86 said:
Next week is the last 4pm closes until September, I guess that means they are forecasting higher visitor numbers from 18th May onwards as school and uni exams finish, then school trips season etc.

It would make sense they are working towards increasing rides to maximum capacity as that date approaches to align with higher visitation.
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Hopefully no more 4pm closes but I've had 2 occasions where they cut the hours short at towers this year and 1 occasion at Thorpe, I've got to say though if it's busier than expected then extending the hours is a good thing but once you've sold tickets to people you shouldn't be then shortening their day.
Anyone else noticed this?.
 
George W said:
Hopefully no more 4pm closes but I've had 2 occasions where they cut the hours short at towers this year and 1 occasion at Thorpe, I've got to say though if it's busier than expected then extending the hours is a good thing but once you've sold tickets to people you shouldn't be then shortening their day.
Anyone else noticed this?.
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I haven’t noticed it, but this is quite shady behaviour. Not only does it impact guests who like to plan their routes and meal times based on park opening hours, but for the staff paid hourly, they’d no doubt lose an hours pay at the last minute.

Meanwhile, salaried managers and directors would be unaffected.
 
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