• 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/Operations 2022-24

venny said:
Just when you think we’ve reached the bottom of the barrel, there’s yet another round of cuts.

The best season ever, really does keep on giving
Click to expand...
1) The rapids at this time of year arent worthwhile operating
2) The cut to hours is justified in Williams world because it’s a ghost town before 11
3) Rapids is expensive to run so reducing hours on that also makes sense
4) Hex has been closed for the best part of 2 years so to me it’s no longer an existing ride so that being closed doesn’t really matter anymore
5) Skyride was in a state and is getting some much needed Tlc and refurbishment
6) The lineup may be lacking in flats but the dark ride and coaster collection is the best I’ve seen it
7) Downtime and poor availability is inevitable if Towers are struggling to recruit. The remote location will make it far more difficult to employ than a park like Thorpe
8) The park still has the most well rounded and balanced lineup in the Uk. It has stuff for the kids, for families and also the thrill seekers.
 
Ethan said:
1) The rapids at this time of year arent worthwhile operating
2) The cut to hours is justified in Williams world because it’s a ghost town before 11
3) Rapids is expensive to run so reducing hours on that also makes sense
4) Hex has been closed for the best part of 2 years so to me it’s no longer an existing ride so that being closed doesn’t really matter anymore
5) Skyride was in a state and is getting some much needed Tlc and refurbishment
6) The lineup may be lacking in flats but the dark ride and coaster collection is the best I’ve seen it
7) Downtime and poor availability is inevitable if Towers are struggling to recruit. The remote location will make it far more difficult to employ than a park like Thorpe
8) The park still has the most well rounded and balanced lineup in the Uk. It has stuff for the kids, for families and also the thrill seekers.
Click to expand...
The fact it takes 8 points to attempt to justify how these cuts are acceptable is exactly the problem!! Not a pop at your thoughts more so how the operations of the park have drastically fallen.

As many topics have already discussed, Towers has become a budget park in terms of guest experience & operations that is charging 5* prices. Universal is the only solution to kick Merlin into an investment cycle for AT.

The general public don’t care about the intricacies of running a resort, what they expect is a decent stay in the onsite accommodation & a ride line up which offers value for money i.e. ride uptime!
 
On another operational observation from yesterday, they desperately need to get that 4th tower back open on Sub-Terra, and do something over winter that allows all seats to be filled, as it's really hurting the rides capacity. Queued 30 minutes from about half way down that final long stretch of queue line, which it should absolutely not be taking that long. Vibrating floors also still not working which just leaves it flat at the end
 
Today availability was really good. Some sort of issue that prevented Gangsta Granny opening on time, along with a breakdown each for one of the Intamins and Galactica were the obvious ones. The park feels like the OPEX budget is nothing but the CAPEX budget is decent. It's an odd one.
 
Last edited:
Ethan said:
1) The rapids at this time of year arent worthwhile operating
2) The cut to hours is justified in Williams world because it’s a ghost town before 11
3) Rapids is expensive to run so reducing hours on that also makes sense
4) Hex has been closed for the best part of 2 years so to me it’s no longer an existing ride so that being closed doesn’t really matter anymore
5) Skyride was in a state and is getting some much needed Tlc and refurbishment
6) The lineup may be lacking in flats but the dark ride and coaster collection is the best I’ve seen it
7) Downtime and poor availability is inevitable if Towers are struggling to recruit. The remote location will make it far more difficult to employ than a park like Thorpe
8) The park still has the most well rounded and balanced lineup in the Uk. It has stuff for the kids, for families and also the thrill seekers.
Click to expand...

Yet they still charge you the same amount to enter. Nah, I am not buying it, pun intended.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ash
Some truly baffling operations on Oblivion on Saturday. The queue was advertised at 40 minutes and did appear to be relatively long, and then a staff member comes over the PA system in a rather loud and aggressive manner informing guests at the back of the queue that despite the best efforts of staff, your queue time will be in excess of 30 minutes.

Turned out the queue was only 15 minutes. They don't even seem to be helping themselves at times!
 
DanJB said:
Guess the Smiler won’t be running today 🤣
IMG_4518.png
Click to expand...
The BBC Weather app has been having issues this morning, notably saying that hurricane force winds will be everywhere in the UK.

The following X post was shared by @Alix on Discord this morning, explaining the issue.1000010155.png

Edit: Here's a report from The Guardian, going into more detail, and confirming the hurricane error.
www.theguardian.com

‘Bit of a glitch’: BBC Weather app forecasts 15,759mph winds in UK

‘Do not be alarmed,’ says weather presenter after queries about app’s warning of hurricane-strength winds
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Last edited:
10.30am for galatica probably isn't far off best of days yet smiler ?

The cuts continue!

*edit * just seen the 11am openings

Appalling
 
Can't even do both rides in an area back to back now. If you want to start with TH13TEEN at 10, you've got to wait until 11 for Rita. 10 for Oblivion, 10:30 for The Smiler. People wanting to do Nemesis, Galactica & Sub-Terra have got to wait a whole hour inbetween (you probably wouldn't have to in a morning normally as the queues wouldn't be long enough). Not a fan at all!

We always start with The Smiler at Scarefest but I'm having to re-organise a different plan for tomorrow. Really, really poor
 
Mattie boy said:
10.30am for galatica probably isn't far off best of days yet smiler ?

The cuts continue!

*edit * just seen the 11am openings

Appalling
Click to expand...
If you’ve been looking at queue times on and off like I have throughout the season, these staggered openings aren’t far off from what has happened all season in my eyes. I used to rush to The Smiler first thing only to still be in the queue gone 10am waiting for it to open. Spinball Whizzer and Rita opening at 11am is a bit shite though.
 
s_g_k said:
If you’ve been looking at queue times on and off like I have throughout the season, these staggered openings aren’t far off from what has happened all season in my eyes. I used to rush to The Smiler first thing only to still be in the queue gone 10am waiting for it to open. Spinball Whizzer and Rita opening at 11am is a bit shite though.
Click to expand...
Yes I agree with that yet overall it's still poor especially with the 8pm on some days too when some of us like to go when it won't be so manic
 
I wonder if these aren’t driven by a push to reduce operating costs but an attempt to alleviate pressure on tech services?

Opening Smiler and Galactica open 30 mins later for example doesn’t feel like it will save much in staffing costs - however it could give tech services that bit extra they need to get stuff open and avoid complaints at ‘late opening’.

I’m not saying it acceptable, just wondering if it’s not all about reducing costs.

Opening Thirteen at 10am and literally everything else on that side of the park at 11am seems ridiculous though.
 
Danscott22 said:
1728580403961.png
some operational changes for Scarefest, feel they're taking the mick a little bit now
Click to expand...
Thanks for this. I am going tomorrow and that really throws a spanner in the works for ticking off a whole area first thing as normally you would do Th13teen and Rita first. That's really going to make it challenging now.
 
Danscott22 said:
Can't even do both rides in an area back to back now. If you want to start with TH13TEEN at 10, you've got to wait until 11 for Rita. 10 for Oblivion, 10:30 for The Smiler. People wanting to do Nemesis, Galactica & Sub-Terra have got to wait a whole hour inbetween (you probably wouldn't have to in a morning normally as the queues wouldn't be long enough). Not a fan at all!

We always start with The Smiler at Scarefest but I'm having to re-organise a different plan for tomorrow. Really, really poor
Click to expand...
It may be best to go to Wickerman first, and then go up through Katanga Canyon getting on RMT and The Curse of Alton Manor and walk up to Forbidden Valley? As that's the only combination I can think of rides that are close together that all start at 10am, according to the list.
 
I think I've decided to start at Wicker Man, then do Oblivion, and it should be 10:30 by then for The Smiler, then go to TH13TEEN and Rita and everything should be open as normal. Not the usual way we'd do stuff, but the best way I can make it work I think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top