Ride Availability/Operations 2022-24

[Dave]

One thing i forgot to mention about Friday, whilst we were waiting in The Smiler's shop for the lift just in case it opened, I asked the members of staff we were talking to why staggered openings had come in. One of them said they had no idea it was a thing until they got to work that morning, so they hadn't even been told, which I find utterly ridiculous. To not even tell your own staff that rides would be on staggered openings really gives off where we are currently at with Alton/Merlin

They have a rota, I’m fairly sure they were told.

If I had a pound for every time someone at my work said they hadn’t been told something and then I produced the 5 email notifications with their email address in the sent list and minutes of two meetings telling them of the thing they just said they hadn’t been told about I would have a lot of pounds…

 

[Danscott22]

Doesn't mean they were told though, it sounds exactly like something that would happen at Alton. I think I'll go with what I was told, they couldn't believe they'd not been told about it either

 

[Mick]

Despite doing a few things to p*ss off the customer this season, most of them can be explained fairly logically - for example a 4pm close on a quiet day might seem awful but if the parks at 10% capacity and you can get everything you want done it makes sense. Opening Walliams World late makes sense if they have the data that proves that nobody goes up there early on in the day.

But this staggered coaster opening is so so poor for customer experience. It’s a lottery which rides will open on time anyway so this staggered opening has now halved the odds. Admittedly with the park now being open until 8 or 9pm you should get opportunity to do all the rides you want, but when you add scaremazes and shows in it’s such a poor first impression. Would’ve genuinely preferred a whole park 11pm opening which might sound backward.

 

[Bowser]

Would’ve genuinely preferred a whole park 11pm opening which might sound backward

Sounds like a late night for all involved.

for example a 4pm close on a quiet day might seem awful but if the parks at 10% capacity and you can get everything you want done it makes sense

You as a customer have no idea how busy the park is though. As long as the hours are advertised it is what it is but I think it’s been the mid season changing of hours that has riled people.

 

[Mick]

Sounds like a late night for all involved.



You as a customer have no idea how busy the park is though. As long as the hours are advertised it is what it is but I think it’s been the mid season changing of hours that has riled people.

Oops - think of those night rides though!

And yes agreed it’s still poor form to reduce the hours that people have booked on, just saying it’s understandable if you give the park a bit of leeway. Far better to underpromise and overdeliver than the other way round, the park may have been over ambitious this season in their initial hours, which is quite sad to say when you think we’re only talking about 5pm and 6pm closes. Suspect we’ll see less of then initially next year.

 

[Ethan]

Time for some cedar point style opening times. 12-12 yes please midnight riding

 

[rob666]

What planet are you actually on Ethan?
Not a chance in a million years.

 

[Ethan]

What planet are you actually on Ethan?
Not a chance in a million years.

Towers have driven me to this insanity. Jokes aside I can see these staggered openings being a trial for next season. Hoping if these staggered openings do return that they think about what rides more logically. Need 2 coasters in an area opening at the same time ideally. Probably on the lines of Wicker Spinball at 10, X sector 10:30, dark forest 11 and Valley 11:30. It’s like 2018 all over again

 

[BarryZola]

And if they close completely on a Monday-Wednesday just think of all the maintenance they could get done every week! Massive cut in staffing costs too. Could be like a half-way house trial run for when Universal opens and they lose market share and end up closing completely

 

[AT86]

Looking at the app this morning - have they done away with these staggered openings already? Or is the app just wrong?

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Looking at the app this morning - have they done away with these staggered openings already? Or is the app just wrong?

The app at the weekend was advertising the staggered opening times, it could be that they've scrapped them. I guess we'll find out in the next half hour or so. It could also be that on earlier closing days, they're not staggering the ride opening times.

 

[Secret Weapon]

Looking at the app this morning - have they done away with these staggered openings already? Or is the app just wrong?

I also noticed this morning that all rides were allegedly scheduled to open at 10 a.m. - but once the park opened, the staggered queue times appeared to return (see screenshot attached).

 

[Joel3]

Well it’s 10:49 and all the coasters are open, Hex, Walliams and Sub-terra aren’t yet open however. They look to be opening for 11.

 

[AT86]

Yep it seems the staggered openings are still in place, must have been an error with the app.

Looking at the opening times though Rita opened at 10.20 (13 was open from 10am so it wasn’t a ‘swap’ in this instance). Spinball also opened at 10.40 and not the advertised 11am.

It does suggest these staggered openings are tech service related and not cutting staff hours? Otherwise why would the ride staff be in and ready to open a ride 40 mins early for example?

Still not acceptable - but perhaps a different underlying cause than the other cut backs / changes seen this season.

 

[spinba11]

Has hex reopened?

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Has hex reopened?

Hex has reopened and it's also been removed from the Ride Availability Planned Maintenance page.

 

[Dave]

As before I don’t think these staggered openings are budget related, more ability to get tech services to sign off rides on time, hence why they are opening earlier on some days.

That doesn’t however justify them, having enough tech services staff is just basic theme parking.

 

[Jemmo]

It's my first visit for a few years this Friday, having previously been a "two visits a year" prior to ruddy kids (who I have waited patiently for til one will come with me now).

A few of you are suggesting the park is opening before 10 now, even though it says 10 opening time. Is that right or have I misread it?

And is it possible to find out the staggered opening times before arriving?

Ta

 

[Connor98]

It's my first visit for a few years this Friday, having previously been a "two visits a year" prior to ruddy kids (who I have waited patiently for til one will come with me now).

A few of you are suggesting the park is opening before 10 now, even though it says 10 opening time. Is that right or have I misread it?

And is it possible to find out the staggered opening times before arriving?

Ta

The park allows guests to enter the park around 9am in my experience. But rides will not open until the stated times. So if you are an early riser you can grab a coffee or some breakfast and head to the first ride in time for queues opening.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

It's my first visit for a few years this Friday, having previously been a "two visits a year" prior to ruddy kids (who I have waited patiently for til one will come with me now).

A few of you are suggesting the park is opening before 10 now, even though it says 10 opening time. Is that right or have I misread it?

And is it possible to find out the staggered opening times before arriving?

Ta

The actual park opens its gates at 9am, the rides don't start opening until 10am. Presently there is a staggering, with all rides being open from 11am.

More information about the staggered ride openings can be found on the app or here:

https://support.altontowers.com/hc/en-us/articles/22146299398301-What-time-do-the-rides-and-attractions-open-during-Scarefest