Ride Availability/Operations 2022-24

[rob666]

I'd like the park to be open longer but I can see why they don't bother is what I'm saying. On the weekdays queues have been 5-25 mins normally and most rides take no more than 15 so I think you could easily get everything you want done

The four close does dump most of the visitors out into peak traffic on the way home though.
Half five closure would mean much better roads for the non locals on their way home.
Later opening would be much better for those not lucky enough to be bloody locals mate!

 

[Rob F]

Tbh by being tight on opening hours they restrict the secondary spend on F&B etc resulting in lesser income and profit…. A longer day will mean people want a snack meal and a major meal…. Akin to the disney offerings would be amazing… I'm sure we would all appreciate a Plaza gardens style restaurant at towers…

 

[Rick]

Tbh by being tight on opening hours they restrict the secondary spend on F&B etc resulting in lesser income and profit…. A longer day will mean people want a snack meal and a major meal…. Akin to the disney offerings would be amazing… I'm sure we would all appreciate a Plaza gardens style restaurant at towers…

That's the theory but all the discussion on these forums is about how the food is too expensive and low quality for one sitting, let alone two !

 

[badaz52]

Opening hours should be 10am-6pm, that should be the standard 8 hour day just like any other work place all the time apart from weekends, bank holidays and school holidays when it should be 10am-7pm or 8pm especially in the summer months. 10am-4pm is unnecessarily restrictive when they have problems managing numbers and queue times as it is. The real problem I suspect is with the park being so big and queues getting out of the car park so they need to make sure they have got everyone out so even though the park shuts at 4pm for example the staff are there and paid for an hour or two after that.

 

[Rob F]

Opening hours should be 10am-6pm, that should be the standard 8 hour day just like any other work place all the time apart from weekends, bank holidays and school holidays when it should be 10am-7pm or 8pm especially in the summer months. 10am-4pm is unnecessarily restrictive when they have problems managing numbers and queue times as it is. The real problem I suspect is with the park being so big and queues getting out of the car park so they need to make sure they have got everyone out so even though the park shuts at 4pm for example the staff are there and paid for an hour or two after that.

Think what potential the towers have for a projection mapping show in the evenings in the summer….. I mean merlin have enough IP’s to create something that will appeal to most to create a great show

 

[Connor98]

10-5 should be the absolute minimum for a park of towers’ size. I’m visiting Poland next week and Energylandia will be absolutely dead but still have hours of 10-6. I understand what @Ethan is saying regarding just doing the main attractions, but it really makes it hard when it’s 10-4 to have a full day, soak up the atmosphere, few drinks/food and do some filler attractions.

 

[rob666]

I think the minimum wage in Poland is about half that of the UK...they can afford the longer hours staffing wise.

 

[badaz52]

10-5 should be the absolute minimum for a park of towers’ size. I’m visiting Poland next week and Energylandia will be absolutely dead but still have hours of 10-6. I understand what @Ethan is saying regarding just doing the main attractions, but it really makes it hard when it’s 10-4 to have a full day, soak up the atmosphere, few drinks/food and do some filler attractions.

That is the biggest issue like you say you don't feel like you enjoy it as you have to rush around and eat your food in the queue line to not take up any time, you almost don't have time for a toilet stop if you want to get on everything!

 

[rob666]

There is nothing in the thoosie rule book that says you have to "get on everything".
You can have more fun when you take your foot off the accelerator and enjoy the view and surroundings.
If a weekday in low season isn't very quiet, they should open until 5 on that day...simple.

 

[Connor98]

There is nothing in the thoosie rule book that says you have to "get on everything".
You can have more fun when you take your foot off the accelerator and enjoy the view and surroundings.
If a weekday in low season isn't very quiet, they should open until 5 on that day...simple.

Nail hit on the head, I’ve had days at parks I’ve frequented where I’ve maybe been on 2 or 3 rides but still had one of the best days just enjoying the company I’m with and the atmosphere etc. I understand people will say you could just do that on a 10-4, but the point is it’s nice to have the option and not be constrained by a ridiculously early closing time.

 

[rob666]

I sentence you all to go dance on the "hidden" stepping stones at the top of the gardens at least once on your next visit.
And do what I do usually and fall in.

 

[Ethan]

Nail hit on the head

Talking of nails, or hitting them, I'd recommend on an off peak day to have a walk through the gardens. You could quite literally here a nail being dropped no one is ever in them and it's so peaceful. You wouldn't believe its in a theme park

 

[Craig]

Not much ride availability and operations discussion going on here..

Back on topic please!

 

[rob666]

Talking of nails, or hitting them, I'd recommend anyone on an off peak day to have a walk through the gardens. You could quite literally here a nail being dropped no one is ever in them and it's so peaceful. You wouldn't believe its in a theme park

Done that for four decades...first stroll was with my mum, after the Swiss Cottage lunch, before the afternoon Corkscrew ride.
The gardens were bigger, better, well maintained, lots of bedding, no weeds, and about twice as "deep" as they are now, for another half mile down the valley after the bottom fountain.
But yes, the gardens are stunning when you have them on your own, soaked my feet in the bottom pagoda lake, completely on my own, many times.
Edit...sorry Craig...again...well timed!

 

[Ethan]

Ops pretty good so far today. Been on all 6 coasters and queues have been low. I'll do the order in which I did the rides and dispatches per hour:

Smiler- 4 trains (51 dispatches, no baggage)

Oblivion- 4 shuttles 1 station (40 dispatches)

Rita- 2 trains (38 dispatches)

Th13teen- 3 trains (51 dispatches, no baggage)

Wicker man- 3 trains (41)

Galactica- 2 crafts 1 station (28)

Therefore based on the readings the hourly throughput figures were:

Smiler 816

Oblivion 640

Rita 760

Th13teen 1020

Wicker man 984

Galactica 784

 

[Mikw]

Ops pretty good so far today. Been on all 6 coasters and queues have been low. I'll do the order in which I did the rides and dispatches per hour:

Smiler- 4 trains (51 dispatches, no baggage)

Oblivion- 4 shuttles 1 station (40 dispatches)

Rita- 2 trains (38 dispatches)

Th13teen- 3 trains (51 dispatches, no baggage)

Wicker man- 3 trains (41)

Galactica- 2 crafts 1 station (28)

Therefore based on the readings the hourly throughput figures were:

Smiler 816

Oblivion 640

Rita 760ava

Th13teen 1020

Wicker man 984

Galactica 784

Yeah, was there today, availibility was actually decent. Other than Hex, and Skyride of course.
Only issue i noted was Oblivion opening late and going down a few times in the morning. All good in the afternoon though.
Tiny Queues, did everything i wanted multiple times and still time to sit around and make some new friends

 

[badaz52]

Thought it was great today managed 18 rides never waited longer than 10 mins. Wicker man broke down when returning to the station when I was on it at 4pm but I wasn't bothered, didn't want to leave anyway!

 

[BarryZola]

Yeah, was good yesterday in general. Only one with a slightly annoying queue was Rita, in my experience. Spinball whizzer broke down but that worked to my advantage as I sat down and ate some sandwiches on the benches opposite and by the time I'd finished they were just re-opening it with zero queue. Thirteen operations were great. And the weather was pretty decent too.

 

[Danscott22]

Just nipping on here to say how awfully Galactica is being operated currently - most awful operations I think I’ve ever seen. Been on all retro squad and even they have had better operations

 

[Danscott22]

Thought I’d elaborate a bit on today’s ops now I’m at home (sorry for double posting). The operations across most rides have been absolutely magnificent.
The Smiler was running 4 trains and actively had 3 running round the track - we were coming into the final turn, and one was on each lift. Phenomenal ops on this one.
Thirteen - 3 train ops, yet again, stellar ops, absolutely throwing trains out like I’ve never seen before.
Rita - I’m not sure if this is just me but genuinely I’ve never seen Rita operated as quickly as today. They were doing a fantastic job. Has anyone else noticed how much quicker the ops on there seem this season?
Wicker Man - quickest ops on a three train service I’ve ever seen on here. Constantly getting a train onto the lift hill as one is just passing through the structure for the third time. Brilliant from Team Wicker Man
Oblivion was on one station and 4 shuttles but they were actually doing a pretty good job.
Galactica unfortunately is where my positivity on the coaster ops ends. Two stations and 2 crafts, waited 15 minutes from just outside of station 2!!! I know that’s not a long time but it shouldn’t even be 5 minutes from that point. Genuinely abysmal ops.
Retro Squad ops were not as bad as every one makes out I don’t think. The mostly fantastic ops allowed me to get in 22 rides today in just 6 hours, but Galactica desperately needs its third craft back