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Sustainability Efforts at Alton Towers

Craig said:
This goes back to what @AT86 was saying - whilst it's a free item to remember your trip, it doesn't make them any money. The map is static, it does nothing but show you pictures and text. They push the alternative - the app because it can be used dynamically. They can upsell stuff before your visit, when you're there they can push adverts to you to encourage you to visit places and afterwards they can ask you how your visit went to gain insights into their guests.

Getting rid of the map is a direct cost saving in the first place, but the sheer amount of potential revenue/data the app brings is far more valuable too.
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Oh I know it's cost saving but do you think they are hiding behind the sustainability front to actually just cost cut?
 
Maybe I'm old school but getting rid of park maps was a mistake. For me, part of the theme park experience is standing there with map ride open, trying to see what is where, find out more about food options, and just generally use as a reference. I do still use the good old fashioned park map when visiting new theme parks, just as a reference to start the day.

They are also nice little collectables.
 
I always used to enjoy collecting park maps! If ever I go to a theme park with a paper map on offer, I still add it to my collection; Paultons Park and (surprisingly) Legoland Windsor still had them post-COVID, and I had a field day visiting Europa Park, as the park had both a paper map and a map-sized brochure on offer in Baden-Baden airport!

I do understand the environmental impact of them, however.
 
If the park cares so much about the environment, why can't we use Coke frestul refil cups from any parks?

The park would still get it's re-activation fee, and would cut down on the number of single use bottles on park.
 
The park maps going must be saving them a fortune at the printers but a sad day when they went with the silly Covid excuse. I don't use park maps anymore, but always take one home with me for preservation and memories of good trips I've had as a souvenir. Where would we be now without all the excellent momentos of the park of the past? I never miss an opportunity to study one in online archives.

I hardly think a piece of paper will do anything to heighten a parks green credentials in the grand scheme of things. A theme park by its very nature consumes masses of energy. Towers in particular have watered down dining choices in favour of packaged stuff in vending machines or encouraging people to stuff disposably packaged fast food down their gob whilst in queue lines rather than a sit down meal. The lack of permanent lighting necessitates the need for diesel generators every scarefest.
 
Not really a piece of paper though is it...it is a couple of million pieces of paper a year.
Every little helps.
Should still have them for the cave dwellers without mobiles though.
I have to take old maps with me , or I get lost.
 
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Not sure why they couldn't carry on printing them, but just sell them in the shops for a nominal fee (say £1). Then if people want them they can buy one - ideal for collectors and less tech-savvy people who don't want to use the smartphone app. But it would cut down on littering and waste because people who weren't that bothered about them wouldn't take them.
 
I remember when I was younger studying the park map for weeks after my visit. It was my way of remembering a magical day and looking forward to the next trip.

Park maps were never just about finding your way around the park. Not for me at least. I remember looking at each ride on the map and remembering what it was like to ride it, hoping my next visit was never too far away.
 
NuttySquirrel said:
Not sure why they couldn't carry on printing them, but just sell them in the shops for a nominal fee (say £1). Then if people want them they can buy one - ideal for collectors and less tech-savvy people who don't want to use the smartphone app. But it would cut down on littering and waste because people who weren't that bothered about them wouldn't take them.
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I'm sure Chessington (and maybe somewhere else?) did this for a bit. It was extremely unpopular, as you can imagine...
 
I did create a thread for the environmental impact of theme parks but it appears @Craig doesn't search before creating a new thread ;) Maybe it can be merged here...

But my thoughts are they need to get rid of all the single use plastic, replace the merchandise with sustainable alternatives (less plastic tat), refilled soap dispensers in the hotels rather than those small bottles, electric vehicle charging points, on-site solar or wind generators, using rainwater to flush the toilets... there's loads of scope for improving.
 
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Alsty said:
I did create a thread for the environmental impact of theme parks but it appears @Craig doesn't search before creating a new thread ;) Maybe it can be merged here...

But my thoughts are they need to get rid of all the single use plastic, replace the merchandise with sustainable alternatives (less plastic tat), refilled soap dispensers in the hotels rather than those small bottles, electric vehicle charging points, on-site solar or wind generators, using rainwater to flush the toilets... there's loads of scope for improving.
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Oh I know we had that one 😉. But this one is related to what Alton Towers specifically are doing (or...not!) rather than a general overview of what parks are doing as a whole. I won't merge them as it'll make things a little confusing here, but it's worth a read as there's a few ideas there!
 
The lighting for events on park cannot be permanent. Planning restrictions will not allow for it (locals were concerned the park wouldn't turn them off, hence light pollution)

The Freestyle cup issue is annoying. I've got one floating about from Parque Warner Madrid, why does it matter what it says on it if I'm paying Towers for activating it? That and they don't supply full sugar Mezzo Mix or Coke in them.
 
Islander said:
I'm sure Chessington (and maybe somewhere else?) did this for a bit. It was extremely unpopular, as you can imagine...
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It depends on how its done. If you're going to suddenly start charging for something that used to be free in a way that seems like profiteering I can see why people would be cheesed off. On the other hand, if you're doing it as part of a sustainability drive and the choice is between charging or removing them altogether, anyone who genuinely wants one shouldn't be put off paying a nominal £1 fee for a map. People moaned about having to pay for plastic bags at first but then they just sucked it up and now it's completely normalised.
 
I think a key thing with the 50p map charge at Chessington was that it was before the era of every park having its own app. Nowadays they could just say "park maps £1, or download our free app" and no-one would be particularly bothered about it.

Back at Towers, it seems odd they're seemingly unwilling to even pay lip service to the idea of sustainability. A lot of places are trying to capitalise on public attitudes towards environmentalism but Towers (and Merlin in general) don't seem to have really done anything at all in that regard.
 
I reckon Towers could get away with charging £2-£2.50 for maps and have them in Towers Trading/various shops as a 'souvenir map' aimed at enthusiasts.
 
It amazes me this topic is focussed on maps and not the wider issues.

More public transport, solar panels, collecting rain water for toilets, less plastic, more plant based food …..

The list could go on.

The nature of the beast is very energy consuming, but it seems that Merlin don’t give a monkeys about sustainability.

Probably because there is no ROI!!
 
The thing is, being a leader on things like this is actually marketable. People do want to hear about corporate responsibility.

The converse is also true. By not taking it seriously now there's a risk there could be negative publicity in the future. Could you imagine if Watchdog ran an article about it on prime time TV, or the mainstream media (which have never been on Alton Towers' side), or the environmental/wildlife charities ran a public campaign? It could be very damaging. It's something that Merlin should take seriously.
 
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