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Sunday 20th October

C

craigwest

TS Member
The Alton Towers website Scarefest page says

"Join us for our terrifying Scarefest event during 19th October - 3rd November and ride your favourite rides after dark!"
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But at the bottom of the page it says

As in previous years, we will be running the additional security presence on Sunday 20th October. The activity will involve scanners at the main turnstiles, additional PPS and police.

In addition, alcohol will not be on sale at any of the Theme Park outlets on Sunday 20th October.
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Why is that? What's different about Sunday 20th to the rest of the Scarefest period?

Thanks

Craig
 
The first Sunday of Scarefest has, for a number of years, seen an increase in anti-social behaviour across the park due to a select group of individuals, and these measures have been put in place to try and reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour.
 
Thanks guys.

Was trying to work out whether to go this Sunday 20th or next Sunday 27th.

This information helps! ;D

Craig
 
Yep, didnt see any on the 19th until the evening where a few of them appeared in the usual brightly coloured velvet tracksuits, caked in make-up, fake tan and with their boyfriends wearing nothing but a t-shirt while everyone else is in coats. A few of them were in the hotel last night (ATH) and we noticed a lot more security people there and the metal detector at the entrance to the towers.
 
My advice to anyone (unless you have an annual pass I suppose) would be to stay as far away from the resort as possible during the first Sunday of Scarefest. The park is not a nice place and just has a horrible atmosphere, especially in the evening.
 
djtruefitt said:
My advice to anyone (unless you have an annual pass I suppose) would be to stay as far away from the resort as possible during the first Sunday of Scarefest. The park is not a nice place and just has a horrible atmosphere, especially in the evening.
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Totally agree. The path in front of the towers was totally blocked pretty much all day by a mass gathering - plus lots of antisocial, aggressive behaviour was witnessed in the queuelines for oblivion, rita and nemesis.
 
GaryH said:
Why doesn't AT just ban this lot?
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Because it would not only cause uproar but also because quite a few behave in a manner that does not offend or hurt anyone.
 
GaryH said:
Why doesn't AT just ban this lot?
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It brings up a whole load of arguments about discrimination. While I would happily see gypsies banned from the park it will never happen. Even though Alton in their every right can ban them.
 
They can't ban the whole traveller community as it is classed as a ethnic minority group. also this would be unfair to the community members that behave in a manor fitting a family park.

The only way the towers can ban on a individual basis. then we enter the problem area of groups defending one of its number. which may cause major disruption to park operations, distress and fear in other park goers and injury to staff. or worse case, closer of a area of the park and intervention of riot police.

This would not be the image that merlin would want for it flagship attraction. and is a very difficult area to deal with.
 
It is called 'Scarefest'. Maybe the park employs all of these people for one day during the event to worry people just a bit more? Sounds like they're doing a great job ;)

Towers have done an excellent job of keeping this tactic a secret for such a long time ;)
 
I know others may disagree with me, but I felt that Towers dealt well with the situation today (with regards specifically to this group of people, other issues weren't dealt with so well!).

Yes, the park was completely overrun with travellers, but the obvious security presence made me feel safe, and I'm a complete wuss! I didn't feel particularly intimidated, and personally I didn't see any trouble. I'm sure it could have been very different.
 
I didn't attend this day last year, but I did two years ago (an experience which was not at all pleasant), and the difference between then and yesterday to me was stark.

Yes there were plenty of travellers on park, and yes I heard tales of one or two incidents (though thankfully didn't see anything myself), but on the whole I did not see any particularly noticeable issues myself. Security presence was high and very visible, which I suspect deterred many from causing problems, and overall the atmosphere wasn't too different from a normal day.

To be honest, the weather was a far bigger issue!
 
There were some security at both of the hotels. I tried to enter Spalsh Landings but they refused me entry because I wasn't a guest. Although the I was allowed into the main hotel.

I didn't realise it was travellers weekend until after I left the park and got back home last night. Never saw any major incidents though.
 
I heard that there was rather a lot of fuss over people being refused bar service in the hotels because they weren't guests? Did this continue or was it resolved?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.
 
Yes Saturday afternoon we went to the hotels to have a drink (after the awful morning on park), some of the group got served by one staff member but the other staff member serving was asking for room cards, and stated they were only serving alcohol to hotel guests. Dan went to the reception and asked them, they said it was a new policy for Scarefest and we couldn't have any. We asked for the manager, he took one look at us and just walked to the bar and said we could get served.
 
Actually, this was something I forgot to mention.

After the downpour, Ste and I were soaked to the skin. We decided to go back to the car for dry clothes and get changed in the hotel. I grabbed clothes and went down to ATH where I was refused entry to the hotel. It was quite obvious that I wasn't a traveller, in my baggy jeans and uni hoodie! I explained that I just wanted to get changed because I'd got soaked on park, and that I was a MAP holder and regularly used the hotels after a day on park. The woman on the door wanted me to go and use the monorail toilets to change. To be honest, I understand if they had a policy and stuck to it for everyone, but a) that wasn't the case as other forum members got into the hotels yesterday, and b) she was incredibly rude about it. I was upset as I've never been treated like this by AT staff.

So...I ended up getting changed (and I mean everything), in the car. Apologies to anyone who was walking past and saw more than they wanted to! :-[
 
Sounds pretty disgusting treatment. HOWEVER, if it is purely a blanket policy for that specific weekend, given past experiences (and the hideous expense of actually staying in hotels being potentially ruined) then we have to cut them some slack.

If it is one rule for one, one for another, they can easily been seen to be prejudice. I have found some of their "service" an absolute disgrace this season, but on this matter I actually can see why they did it.

This is why I chose to avoid Sunday
 
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