Ride photo collection charge

[GaryH]

I've been hearing stories of people saying that Alton have now introduced a £1 charge to collect your ride photo from Towers Street at the end of the day - is this correct? If so its beyond belief...

 

[Dave]

I've been hearing stories of people saying that Alton have now introduced a £1 charge to collect your ride photo from Towers Street at the end of the day - is this correct? If so its beyond belief...

I disagree with the practice but it's not beyond belief... this is a Merlin run theme park afterall



Seriously they will be trying to make maximum profit at the moment due to the companies flotation. I would guess Towers is trying to make up for lost revenue based on the Smiler delays.

Still a stupid decision though, but expect many more like it across all the Merlin parks.

 

[GaryH]

Its just getting beyond a joke now. If you read through tripadvisor, while most people enjoy their day out there, nearly every review mentions their disgust at the £6 parking charge. This is another one of those ridiculous charges when photos are already £8, and I believe £2 if you want a digital copy.

While us lot have our MAP's and are aware of these scams, its hardly making Joe Public want to return back. I worked it out the other day, its cheaper for a family of 4 to go to Egypt for a week in a 5 star hotel all inclusive, than it is to stay in ATH for 2 nights during a summer weekend with park entry.

 

[Wilsy]

I thought there has been a charge for this for years?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[James]

My post from the general topic:

Just back from the resort! Had a really good day but someone implements things without thinking of the impact on guest satisfaction. I purchased an on ride smiler photo and asked to pick it up later as I always do - they now charge a £1 for this service per ride. Shameful.

Whhhaaaaatt? Is this for real or a wind up???

They've been doing this for years (I say years, at least since 2010 if not 2011). It was 50p a few years ago although went up to £1 in 2011 or last season.

I remember seeing it years ago and having a massive rant to a friend about it. Money grabbing at its very best (or worst rather)!

It's nothing new. I usually have merchandise sent to the hotels (when I stay on resort) to pick up in the evenings, as it has always been a useful service and saves hassle on the day. Although a couple of years ago, 2010 at the very earliest, I saw that they had started charging for this service - initially at 50p. Then in 2011 or last season it hiked up to £1.

Utter joke.

 

[NF2]

Surely this would be Picsolves doing and not Merlins...

I know it's easy to jump on the "Merlin Money grabbing" bandwagon but I'm fairly sure all the ORP services are handled independently. Either way though, I think I must stand alone here regarding the following opinion but as far as I'm concerned the only charges guests HAVE to pay are entry and parking. Everything else is an optional purchase so as far as I'm concerned they can make as much money as they want off souvenirs and photos etc. I don't know why so many members seem to be adverse to the idea of Merlin trying to make as much money as possible.

Yes, you could say it isn't really the best for guest satisfaction, but people don't run theme parks as a gesture from the heart, it's a business at the end of the day. Of course it's frustrating to see everything being bumped up and additional charges being added, but I know if I ran a theme park, or any business for that matter, I'd be looking to make as much as possible. Once again, if you don't like people flogging you drinks bottles at the entrance, expensive merchandise or optional extra charges such as Fastrack or the £1 for photo collection - dont buy them.

TL/DR - Price rises are frustrating and rising entry and parking costs are wrong as they increase the compulsory cost for visitors. Souvenirs and additional charges aren't as bad as people make out, as at the end of the day it's where a business makes money and customers can vote with their feet if they don't like it.

 

[josht]

I think I used this system at Thorpe park back in 2008 and there was a charge then aswell

 

[Tom]

This is just the tip of the iceberg, once they become public, you can expect charged toilet and monorail use.

 

[James]

I've done a bit of digging to find out when this first rolled out. Looks like it was either on trial or rolled out in the later half of the 2007 season and then from 2008 it became a set-in-stone extra charge. Started at 50p then between 2010 - 2012 went up to £1 for the service.

 

[Dave]

I thought there has been a charge for this for years?

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I don't buy merch or photos so no idea

 

[TheMan]

This is just the tip of the iceberg, once they become public, you can expect charged toilet and monorail use.

Toilets? I doubt it lol, so I will take that post with humour.

However, the Monorail, I would not put that past them, which would be a disgrace quite frankly.

I actually think a quid is ok, unless it is for each item (at different locations), then it's absurd.

 

[GaryH]

Stayed in the hotels last year and had photos sent there with no extra charge, in fact I've nver been charged to collect them later.... Maybe I've been lucky

 

[Scott]

I can understand why they might charge but I totally disagree with it... It just seems a massive rip off for a very simple service that, if it were free, would seem like great customer service and make people happy.

The £2 digital photo charge on top of the £8 printed price is also bloody ridiculous, but that's for a different topic.

 

[TheMan]

I can understand why they might charge but I totally disagree with it... It just seems a massive rip off for a very simple service that, if it were free, would seem like great customer service and make people happy.

The £2 digital photo charge on top of the £8 printed price is also bloody ridiculous, but that's for a different topic.

Mentioned this at the start of the season when I noticed it, outrageously bad.

I call these "Stealth" increases, and they're everywhere across park.

 

[smidgey]

This is just the tip of the iceberg, once they become public, you can expect charged toilet and monorail use.

I actually think a quid is ok, unless it is for each item (at different locations), then it's absurd.

This is what it was. Bought a picture at the smiler and was charged a £1 to collect it later. Bought a picture at Rita and was charged an additional £1 to collect it later.

About a month ago numerous people in the group and me bought pictures and there was no charge to collect them later.

The staff member in the smiler said the charge was introduced this week!

 

[James]

The charge has existed for a good few years, spoke to both my parents and they both certified that it's been around at least since 2007.

May be they dropped the charge for a short while and have brought it back?

 

[GaryH]

Must have because every year since visiting (1993) i've never ever been charged to collect a photo at the end of the day, or to have it delivered to the hotel. I love Alton, but these extra charges are beginning to get a joke!

 

[thefatone]

Tbf, I've been surprised the collect it later hasn't been charge for..

The southern parks, definitely thorpe, have been charging for collect later since at least 2006. And that park is absolutely tiny. Towers is a bit of a trek and that service charge is more than justified in my eyes.

 

[AstroDan]

It may well be "justified" but it's a pity that you have to pay for everything. If it were free, it would simply look good. As a customer service driven business... you'd think it was important.

It's free at plenty of other parks I have been to, including Europa-Park - who will deliver it to either the main entrance or any of the 5 hotels for you.

It is quite simply another example of something which the park used to offer free, which is now charged for. Parking, photo collections, fastrack... the list goes on.

 

[GaryH]

..... toilets next.