Selected rides opening from 11:00am - Reversed

[BigAl]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Or in Wobble World's case 12-4 (that range of time bring back memories for anyone else?)

What I think is also really sad as a result of these cuts, petty as it sounds, is that ALL the seating from outside Noodles and Rehydrator has been removed, eliminating seating options from these areas and for seemingly no good reason!

I should imagine that this has killed the atmosphere outside Sonic Spinball and Squirrel Nutty, somewhat? That area was always filled with people and the move to wipe this out to save money seems to go against what Alton Towers ought to be striving for. The closure of the Beastie didn't help, and now this! :/

 

[DiogoJ42]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Why remove the seating? It's almost as if they want their guests to be as uncomfortable as possible.

 

[Rob]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I guess they just didn't think when removing the seating and assumed that if there is no food outlet open then people will not make use of the seating, which obviously is not the case. I'd like to think it has been put to good use elsewhere on park but I doubt that it has unfortunately.

 

[Sazzle]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

There are barely any seating options in the park as it is, unless you're a smoker! Thankfully I quit eight months ago, but now I can't sit down for five minutes if I get a bit tired.

The Rita shop was nearly completely empty of stock yesterday, and looked a little on the sorry side with its shutters down - as did everything else that was closed!

I did find it perplexing that All Day Dining was still clearly marked on Towers Family Restaurant.. when the doors were locked!

Wobble Word is presumably shorter opening because its unpopular? I've always thought it sparse, dark and unfriendly with a temporary feel. I'm sure with a bit of effort (move all the Dung Heap equipment into there?) it could be a fairly busy hive of fun!

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[delta79]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Also looks rather tatty having outlets closed and the shutters down. Get enough of that walking through many a high street. Not what you expect to see when visiting one of the UK's premier Theme Parks

Just had a practical joke idea. sticking some to let or for sale signs on the closed units. then it dawned on me, it would be better theming than other parts of the park ;D

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Wobble World is awful in every way. It reminds me of the Dodgem building in Camelot.

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[Sam]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

While I disagree with the rest of the closures, thank god they've finally seen sense with Battle Galleons.

For years it was inexplicably on ERT, and every morning you could watch the little boats looping round for an hour without seeing a single guest.

I have no problem with that ride opening late, opening it any earlier than 11 is a waste of staff!

 

[Rob]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I did find it perplexing that All Day Dining was still clearly marked on Towers Family Restaurant.. when the doors were locked!

I didn't see the All Day Dinging advertisement marking or whatever it was (in fact I've not really seen any of them around the park in detail so don't know what they say) but I'm guessing that the reason the marking still being present here is that you are still able to make use of All Day Dining in the Towers Family Restaurant for breakfast as I saw people doing this yesterday morning. Though if they are promoting it as an eatery for all day, they need to change this.

 

[Fredward]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Now my business knowledge is not fantastic... But surely the idea of a shop is to make more money... This doesnt work if the shops closed...

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[James]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Now my business knowledge is not fantastic... But surely the idea of a shop is to make more money... This doesnt work if the shops closed...

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True. Although they have probably gone around this by looking at the places that do not make the most money, or do not have the most guests using it. So the Rita shop may be the quietest shop on park. While the shop only uses one staff member it saves roughly (based on £4.98 minimum wage for 18-20 year olds - wages may vary as I'm not sure what staff earn at Alton) £209.16 a week. Over the course of the year it all adds up and Alton make quite a saving. Add to this electricity savings and you've got quite a bit of money that does not need to be spent.

Chances are too that guests will still spend the same money, although the traffic of guests may now be more confined to Towers Street or other shops on park.

 

[Fredward]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I suppose when you look at it like that it makes sense,

Towers street gonna be more packed at the end of the day I'm guessing...

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[pluk]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Now my business knowledge is not fantastic... But surely the idea of a shop is to make more money... This doesnt work if the shops closed...

Chances are too that guests will still spend the same money, although the traffic of guests may now be more confined to Towers Street or other shops on park.

That's where I think they are wrong and making a mistake. Not many people go to a park thinking 'I really must buy a teddy bear in a Nemesis T-shirt today'. They are impulse buys, and with no shop there the impulse isn't going to take anyone. It is of course right to close them if they are actually operating at a loss, but I can not believe that is the case.

Food and drink is a bit different I suppose, if you are hungry or thirsty you will seek out the food and drink however hard they make it. But there is also a lot of grazing going on where you are waiting around for something and buy a cuppa or a cake you don't really need just because it is there, it won't be there any more so you won't buy it.

This all looks a bit short sighted to me.

 

[Scott]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I'd like to know the amount of money taken by parents waiting for their kids to ride or by members of groups not willing to go on something?

I know that when I've been with my family in the past, my parents have gone off into an arcade or to grab a cuppa or some chips or something while they wait - something that costs money. Same with me and I've been with people who wanted to ride things I didn't...

For example, I've sat and eaten chips from Fresh Fish & Chips in FV because a few of us didn't want to go on Ripsaw. I wonder how often that happens during the day? This is why I would have thought takings from noodles and Rehydrator would be higher - as they are in prime position for those waiting around.

 

[James]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

That's where I think they are wrong and making a mistake. Not many people go to a park thinking 'I really must buy a teddy bear in a Nemesis T-shirt today'. They are impulse buys, and with no shop there the impulse isn't going to take anyone. It is of course right to close them if they are actually operating at a loss, but I can not believe that is the case.

Food and drink is a bit different I suppose, if you are hungry or thirsty you will seek out the food and drink however hard they make it, but there is also a lot of grazing going on where you are waiting around for something and buy a cuppa or a cake you don't really need just because it is there.

This all looks a bit short sighted to me.

I agree that they are impulse buys, although this only works to a great extent when you force your guests to walk through a shop. Such as Th13teen, Air and Duel - guests have no choice but to walk through there therefore are more likely to buy an item.

The Rita shop is probably one of the shops that isn't as noticed as much as the others. As it is opposite the ride and not very prominent in the area. So I see why they have gone the way about closing the Rita shop as opposed to any other shop on park.

Shops differ to guests with that it is more of a choice more than anything else. In the case of food and drink those are two necessaries that the majority of guests need while on park to keep energy levels going. Shops are a choice. Some people take 'spending money' with them with the intentions of buying merchandise on park, whereas others do not - and them you have those guests that will impulse buy while on park. The Rita shop is one of those that will not be missed greatly. However I cannot deny it does not look good on the park having a building not in use.

 

[Rollercoasters4Life]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Other known cuts for 2012
"Magic 5 minutes" has been removed, so rides now close exactly at the advertised time

What is this Magic 5 minutes thing? I don't get what has changed on that aspect?

The Rita shop is probably one of the shops that isn't as noticed as much as the others. As it is opposite the ride and not very prominent in the area. So I see why they have gone the way about closing the Rita shop as opposed to any other shop on park.

I never understood why they laid out the on-ride photo and shop directly across the way from the rides exit. Surely a better thing to of done was add a railing that comes off of the exit now that directs you left and that game they have in the building on the left as the on-ride photo and shop booth and move the pay game across the way or get rid of it and put something else there completely (as I never really see anyone play it, same for the one in Forbidden Valley next to Air's lift hill). It would of made so much more sense. The desk could of been built further back into the shelter so there is more room for people and the shop would of been as you walk out and would of stop people walking straight past people entering and leaving the Dark Forest.

Here is what I mean (bearing in mind this is just a quick photoshop, and has been done with google streetview images that were done before dark forest):

 

[Islander]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

Other known cuts for 2012
"Magic 5 minutes" has been removed, so rides now close exactly at the advertised time

What is this Magic 5 minutes thing? I don't get what has changed on that aspect?

Queuelines (on the whole) used to always close five minutes after the advertised closing time. It was an ingenious idea, as it meant that if you had mere seconds to 'closing time', and were rushing like mad to make one last ride on something, you'd make it, 'cause of the magic five minutes. It left such a great impression on guests ("Thought I wouldn't make it, but I managed one more ride on Nemesis!!!" etc.), and was also rather useful for those that knew about it .

It's been cut, though - queue closing time is now exactly when queues close.

I never understood why they laid out the on-ride photo and shop directly across the way from the rides exit. Surely a better thing to of done was add a railing that comes off of the exit now that directs you left and that game they have in the building on the left as the on-ride photo and shop booth and move the pay game across the way or get rid of it and put something else there completely...

That's how a lot of attractions in other parks do it, but it does create a bit of a bottle neck, and you want Rita's offload platform to empty out quickly so you can send the train to onload. Just a guess...

 

[Tom]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

How soon until the last monorail back is brought forward?

 

[GAGrathea]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I believe pretty much all season the reason that Last Monorail times have been so prominent on the queue line information boards is because they are actually sticking to it now, as opposed to just clearing the queue.

It's still an hour after ride close though, and I'd be surprised if it was brought forward as I believe the cuts we have seen were in place of the suggested cutting of the monorail altogether

 

[Scott]

Selected rides opening from 11:00am

I believe pretty much all season the reason that Last Monorail times have been so prominent on the queue line information boards is because they are actually sticking to it now, as opposed to just clearing the queue.

I'd love to see what would happen were there a substantial amount of people still waiting at 6pm... Would they just tell them all to walk?

 

[AstroDan]

Re: Selected rides opening from 11:00am

In recent years, the Monorail has simply remained open with demand. If it has been 1 hour after ride close, and there have still been lots of people around Towers Street, it has stayed open.