Skyride General Discussion

[Dave]

Yeah I was going to say, the weather being the reason in my opinion would be ridiculous. Would they have not run it if the temperatures were feeezing?

Anyway, with the amount of time it’s been shit (should say shut but I’m leaving this here for dramatic effect and is it wrong) and how much money they’ve spent on it they should have whacked some AC on top of each gondola.

They clearly don’t feel confident with the product if ‘the weather’ is forcing them to delay the opening.

I don’t think it’s the weather that is causing this delay but there isn’t a Skyride product with AC, Disneys cable car in Florida doesn’t have AC, indeed Towers have retrofitted a small number of gondolas with the Florida passive vents over its closed period.

AC requires some significant power to run and the gondolas cant carry batteries with that storage and stay within weight limits.

 

[shaun3]

Frankly, it's outrageous that AT waited until the day before opening to announce this. This is really really poor customer service. I've seen people saying on here people want them to fail and are moaning. No, imagine if they had announced the day before Toxicator opened to say it wasn't. There would be outrage. Especially when April 30th was already a silly date, as they'd already previously delayed it and claimed April. It's obvious they just said the 30th because they could then say they delivered it. It's a poorly run park and this is just another example of it.

 

[Ash]

My shayla…as the kids would say

 

[rob666]

Hot weather always has always an issue with the Skyride, so if this is the real reason it is nothing new and they are simply putting guests health and safety first - after all would you want to be stuck in a gondola where internal temperatures would be above 30C for half an hour or more if there was a power cut or other reason they couldn't get your gondola back to a station?
...

As one of the most vocal critics of Merlin regarding access via the skyride...and I do have a full and happy life...the above is completely correct.
The skyride stops running in very hot weather.
It always has, hasn't it?
The weather for the next few days is very hot.
Simple.

First day of public operation, very hot weather, recipe for disaster in the tabloids.
And I bet 99% of the grumbling thoosies won't be there to see the "failed" opening.

 

[Benzin]

Frankly, it's outrageous that AT waited until the day before opening to announce this. This is really really poor customer service. I've seen people saying on here people want them to fail and are moaning. No, imagine if they had announced the day before Toxicator opened to say it wasn't. There would be outrage. Especially when April 30th was already a silly date, as they'd already previously delayed it and claimed April. It's obvious they just said the 30th because they could then say they delivered it. It's a poorly run park and this is just another example of it.

I mean, if they only made the decision yesterday that it wouldn't open when could have they announced it?

Still a frustration sure, but unless someone has a crystal ball they couldn't predict that either it wouldn't necessarily be ready in time or that we would get some decent weather more than what, a week in advance at most?

Poor customer service would be not providing any advance notice at all or posting it now. Though it's not like the vast majority of people would've been charging down to the park today to experience NEW Skyride.

 

[Poisson]

They clearly were planning to open it, the stations were being given a thorough clean the other day when I was there and it was testing a lot.

 

[Alphe86]

It’s temperature related for sure. The boards outside state it won’t operate in high temperatures do they not?

 

[Dobba]

Excusing this as weather-related feels rather generous.

Go and sit in a greenhouse with the windows and door shut this afternoon and see how long you manage it.

 

[Ash]

It’s temperature related for sure. The boards outside state it won’t operate in high temperatures do they not?

If it was, why would they just say as much?

Seems a missed opportunity.

 

[Bowser]

I know this is England but a skyride that can't operate above 23c would be farcical.

I'm sure those with mobility issues will be delighted at having to make their own way across the park in the sun instead.

 

[James]

Go and sit in a greenhouse with the windows and door shut this afternoon and see how long you manage it.

Is this greenhouse 200 feet in the air, moving, and has its windows open (because why are they closed)?

-

Skyride has operated in hot weather before. While these next few days are forecasted to be warm, it's not exactly a freak heatwave.

 

[Dobba]

Is this greenhouse 200 feet in the air, moving, and has its windows open (because why are they closed)?

-

Skyride has operated in hot weather before. While these next few days are forecasted to be warm, it's not exactly a freak heatwave.

Windows that don't exist would have a job being open.

 

[venny]

The high in Alton today is forecast to be 24 degrees. If we’re saying that Skyride cannot operate when it’s a bit sunny, that’s a failure of design/operation.

The alternative explanation is the park just failed to achieve their own deadline.

Neither are a great reflection on the park.

 

[flyingguitar]

Skyride has operated in hot weather before. While these next few days are forecasted to be warm, it's not exactly a freak heatwave.

it isn't just the temperature, when rides are first opened they are typically less reliable compared to after operating for a while, AT wants to avoid the potential for people to get stuck for a long periods of time, that is likely to happen is within the first few months of operation

 

[Steve74]

Is this greenhouse 200 feet in the air, moving, and has its windows open (because why are they closed)?

-

Skyride has operated in hot weather before. While these next few days are forecasted to be warm, it's not exactly a freak heatwave.

Yeah but as I've said before, it's not while its moving that's the problem, it's if it breaks down and stops for a long period of time. Those gondolas could easily reach 30C+ when stopped in direct sunlight when the outside temperature is 23C - even at that outside temperature you're told not to leave animals inside cars for the very same reason that it is extremely dangerous.

 

[dave___]

I'd prefer it to be delayed a day or two to make sure it's fully working rather than ending up being stuck above the valley in a greenhouse for ages and ages. I assume they will be doing everything they can to get it open this weekend with it being a bank holiday.

Only hope they don't end up in a Hex situation where it opens for a day or two and then drops off the face of the earth.

 

[Smiley]

Only hope they don't end up in a Hex situation where it opens for a day or two and then drops off the face of the earth.

Not a great quote for the Skyride....! Only in the UK would we build a ride that can't operate when it's over 20c. Or with a bit of wind.

 

[dave___]

Not a great quote for the Skyride....! Only in the UK would we build a ride that can't operate when it's over 20c. Or with a bit of wind.

Could get a job as their social media manager with a faux pas like that couldn’t I…

 

[Dobba]

Not a great quote for the Skyride....! Only in the UK would we build a ride that can't operate when it's over 20c. Or with a bit of wind.

It's not about not operating above 20C.

It's about not having your first public riders in years facing the possibility of teething issue downtime whilst in a greenhouse hanging over the gardens.

 

[Danscott22]

It’s not hard to contemplate the thought of the ride breaking down in sweltering heat after being down for so long, leaving guests trapped. 20 degrees outside would quickly turn higher than that inside a trapper gondola exposed to the sun, it’s just common sense. Whatever the reason for it being closed for longer, it should have been communicated further in advance, however.