Selected rides opening from 11:00am - Reversed

[djtruefitt]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Well I think alot of people thought this would happen as its happening across the other Merlin sites. How do these rides compare to the ones that open late at Lego, Thorpe and Chessie?

 

[Scott]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

This is far more preferable to shutting down attractions but it has still been done in an unacceptable manner! The choices of ride seem utterly bizarre! I assume the idea is that each area of the park will still have one major attraction open from 10, but it would have been preferable to shut an area like DF until 11 and to compensate, add Air to ERT..,

Air and Th13teen ALWAYS have a large queue forming before 10 now, waiting for the queue line to open. If they do not sort the ERT faff then this new directive will make queues even worse!

Are these changes well publicised online? Will they be we'll publicised at th gate? I can see this causing so much damn confusion!

When the Skyride decision was overturned, I said that it wouldn't be long until the next cost-cutting plan was put into place... It seems like this one will be here to stay.

 

[Croftybaby]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I wondered why so many Kiosks were closed on Sunday, Now I know why. I was going to call Varney on the Prat Phone to let him know.

 

[PeteA]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Personally I think this is a shocking decision. Also if any of you think that this will be last of the cuts you have got another thing coming. If they can get away with this, they will get away with other things.

So on the 34 dates between September and the end of the season that the park closes at 4pm, certain rides, including 2 major roller coasters, will only be open for 5 hours per day.

This is shameful.....

 

[Aly]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

This is far more preferable to shutting down attractions but it has still been done in an unacceptable manner! The choices of ride seem utterly bizarre! I assume the idea is that each area of the park will still have one major attraction open from 10, but it would have been preferable to shut an area like DF until 11 and to compensate, add Air to ERT..,

Air and Th13teen ALWAYS have a large queue forming before 10 now, waiting for the queue line to open. If they do not sort the ERT faff then this new directive will make queues even worse!

Are these changes well publicised online? Will they be we'll publicised at th gate? I can see this causing so much damn confusion!

When the Skyride decision was overturned, I said that it wouldn't be long until the next cost-cutting plan was put into place... It seems like this one will be here to stay.

You raise a realy good point about the queues that always form for Air & Th13teen during ERT prior to the rides opening at 10. It's all just going to cause so much confusion on park in the mornings! :-\

 

[Poisson]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Why?? Bloody 'eck Merlin listen! No more cuts.

 

[Croftybaby]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I Much prefer this decision. OK it may not sit well with some of the hardcore who arrive at 8:30 and have every ride done by 10:45 but to the majority of guests who I imagine arrive between 9:30 and 11am it won't make much difference.
The only concern would be the choice of rides as they are all split up. it will mean a lot more walking to do any rides that were missed earlier and more time taken up.
I'd much prefer it to be one area as Ben said X-Sector to save people doubling back.

I'm happy with most of the F&B closures such as queue line Toffee Crisp upselling, although Waffles and Ices was closed on Sunday which seemed to be a bit of an odd decision.

 

[Ollie]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Well I think alot of people thought this would happen as its happening across the other Merlin sites. How do these rides compare to the ones that open late at Lego, Thorpe and Chessie?

Thorpe Park has Detonator, Flying Fish, Depth Charge and Storm in a Teacup closed until 11am at present, whereas Chessington closes Wild Asia until 11am except on busier days.

 

[BigAl]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Why couldn't they just do what Chessington have done with Wild Asia and Mystic East (or was it just Wild Asia?) and just close two areas for a limited time? I mean, no closures at all would be better, but Merlin are obviously having none of it.

Merlin are only hurting themselves with these cuts. Yes, you're earning a bit more at the moment, but what about the long term effects when people see the prices going up but the amount of attractions on offer at certain times going down, as well as the maintenance of theming and paintwork across all of their parks being more or less nonexistent.

A shame, really. Merlin could be something really special, but they just can't help themselves. :/

 

[Scott]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

You raise a realy good point about the queues that always form for Air & Th13teen during ERT prior to the rides opening at 10. It's all just going to cause so much confusion on park in the mornings! :-\

If they don't change ERT again (which doesn't look likely) then this will be chaos. They need to go back to the old system or too many people will be getting angry and irate as they wait in line for fewer attractions to open as those waiting for Air and Th13teen will now be adding to the crowds around Rita and Nemmy pre-10am.

 

[Croftybaby]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

All those are in close proximity.

Regarding staffing, Won't it prove more of a problem for staff to get to the park for 10:30 - 11am due to increased traffic? A lot of late warnings? lol

 

[Stevie]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Oh come on people, chill out. It's an hour after the park opened, a HOUR..That's it! The Sky-ride never used to open until 11 anyway, along with The Flume and Rapids.

I know that this isn't a great decision, but it's just the way it has to be. And we are just gonna have to face it. It is a bit bad that they're raising prices and lowering the things you can do. But obviously the park are struggling, and they are trying their best to save money...

 

[Scott]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

But obviously the park are struggling, and they are trying their best to save money...

The point is that they shouldn't need to! Merlin are supposedly second in size to Disney and are raking in the cash! Yet their theme parks seem to need to cut things left, right and centre. It's a worrying state of affairs that should not be happening.

 

[Ollie]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Oh come on people, chill out. It's an hour after the park opened, a HOUR..That's it! The Sky-ride never used to open until 11 anyway, along with The Flume and Rapids.

Everytime I've been this year the Skyride has been open at 10? Thing is, we are not mad that they are closing some rides until 11, we are moaning that they could have closed other, similarly staffed attractions without causing faff.

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I hope nobody likes noodles...



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[Badgy]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I'm a little perplexed by who's decision this is. Certainly Merlin have asked for cost cutting, but if I was in Merlin management team and was given a proposal to restrict opening on what is AT's latest major investment that appeals to more of the target market than others then I would be asking them to come back with a better answer.

Surely closing X-Sector would make more sense.

Badgy


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[siralgenon]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

It's like a different stupid idea each week!

Although i'm not surprised to be honest. I give it a week, two at the most, before the public go mental once again and everything goes back to normal...

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Something has to stick and, honestly, with exception to the two coasters, I don't see a major issue with this, so long as all are temporary measures.

I believe Charlie may be closed until 11 too, but not 100%.

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[Stelios]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Out of interest, what happens with regards to staffing? I know the ride now doesn't open for the first hour but are the staff who are due to work on that ride on a certain day now getting their hours reduced?

I shudder at the fact thinking that they may be used selling some merchandise on the go at Towers Street.

 

[Aly]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

You raise a realy good point about the queues that always form for Air & Th13teen during ERT prior to the rides opening at 10. It's all just going to cause so much confusion on park in the mornings! :-\

If they don't change ERT again (which doesn't look likely) then this will be chaos. They need to go back to the old system or too many people will be getting angry and irate as they wait in line for fewer attractions to open as those waiting for Air and Th13teen will now be adding to the crowds around Rita and Nemmy pre-10am.

Yeah, I would agree with you that they really do need to look at how the manage ERT again if they are proceeding with these reduced ride opening times.

I'm not against this move at all, I understand that as a business they need to cut costs due to the horrific footfall being experienced this year. I just think there's better ways of managing it.

I get the impression these decissions keep getting made last minute and rushed out. I'm sure if they had consulted more senior staff some of the issues we have raised would have been realised. For example, the queues that form during ERT etc.