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The Fantastical Express

Okay, I've had a bit of clarification on the matter from someone who was able to guide my fuzzy little head. The process is as follows:
  1. Facebook users nominate their town, and a winner is chosen based on the reasons 'why' they should have a visit from the Fantastical Express. For example the last winner (due for a visit this weekend) has been decided because they've suffered floods and therefore need a break (says this on the official page).
  2. Once the town is chosen, users visit www.altontowers.com/escape and enter their details. Ten people are chosen each week based on the reasons given, and those ten people are permitted to choose four other people to visit the park with them on the bus.
  3. Guests arrive BEFORE park opening at 10am for a briefing. This means the Fantastical Express is leaving Alton Towers Resort at very early times in order to reach its destination, collect its passengers, and return to the Resort on time. This explains why the event isn't as far reaching as most would like... I believe we have a resident coach company director who runs trips from Scotland, anyway? ;)
  4. A video was made on Saturday (whoops, missed it on Facebook until it was pointed out to me!) and there are indeed plans for more videos, and little extras to go along with the campaign :).
  5. The campaign is receiving a fairly good response - there is a lot of activity on the Social Networks side, with many users posting to nominate their towns, and there has also been press coverage in the local areas where the Fantastical Express has visited.

Feeling a little more versed in the subject, now! Looking forward to some of the new sidelines that will come from the campaign in the next few weeks!

And as it happens, I guess this is better than a Speedos Ban, or a Gnome campaign... right? ;)
 
Well I just find it altogether pleasant that the Resort are prepared to offer people the chance to, quite literally, escape, where they might otherwise never get that opportunity. We all know how expensive it is for a day out, we all know there are people without the disposable income or means to visit, and we all know there are some people who could have just a really rough ride in life lately.

I'm not in any way saying the way it's been pulled off is amazing, but its a nice sentiment.

Hopefully in the next few weeks, our minds will be changed and we'll see it as a strong campaign :) don't forget this is all rolled under the "Summer of Escapes" umbrella, which did exceptionally well with the £1000 giveaways publicity (regardless of how we felt with cost vs. Resort budgets!).
 
well sourced Saz!

Reading what you said the sentiment certainly is there, and using towns that 'need a break' is quite a lovely idea.
It's just a shame non of this has been publicised very well.

Also I realise there is novelty in a custom bus, but surely to make it fair they could have hired the local towns companies to open out the competition to all towns (and probably save some money too).

I'm still underwhelmed by this stunt, its really half baked, and having to get clarification on how it works really shows how badly its been organised.
 
I like the concept of this, however feel that it could have been opened up more to include towns and cities further away from the Alton Towers Resort.

I really could have benefited from being able to travel by coach to the Alton Towers Resort for free! ;)
 
With over half of the votes this week, Chester has been chosen as the fourth stop on the Alton Towers Resort’s Fantastical Express summer tour! Enter our competition now if you live near Chester and want to win Tickets and a place on the bus this Saturday...

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With over half of the votes this week, Chester has been chosen as the fourth stop on the Alton Towers Resort’s Fantastical Express summer tour! Enter our competition now if you live near Chester and want to win Tickets and a place on the bus this Saturday...

376605_10151146299546201_2019169837_n.jpg


By the looks of the map, I think it could probably head somewhere south next time round.
 
I really really like this idea, I just wish they were giving it more coverage in the form of pictures/videos etc and little diaries from each place visit, but obviously personal complications may have delayed certain things being posted. Within a local area, however, I expect the fact that a large group of people were picked up and 'escaped' to Alton Towers for FREE will be great publicity for the park within that area :)
 
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Milton Keynes has been chosen as the final stop on the Alton Towers Resort’s Fantastical Express summer tour! Enter our competition now if you live near Milton Keynes and want to win Tickets and a place on the bus this Saturday... http://www.altontowers.com/escape/
 
OOohhhh, looked like the Destinations page of the Escape section has been expanded :) videos from the trips so far, information regarding the towns, and also a brief description of the trip along with a few photos. Not massively obvious if you're not looking for it, but the information is there!
 
Anyone would think the marketing team were reading the forum and utilising our suggestions.

So as MK is the final stop, do we thin the fantastical express will make a fantastical return next year or be stuck on the hard shoulder waiting for the AA?
 
I'm hoping if it does return next year, then it lasts for a lot longer than just the summer period. Maybe run this again during school holidays, Scarefest & the fireworks. I would also hope that it goes a lot further out, potentially into Scotland and Wales.
 
I'm almost certain that it won't return this year. The marketing "theme" this summer is the summer of escapes. First of all we had the £1000 giveaway and now we have the Fantastical Express. I'd imagine that next year there will be a completely different marketing campaign/strategy; at least I'd like to think there would be. I still think the All Time Greats campaign last year was far better than this.

Also in regards to the Fantastical Express going as for as Scotland for example, this wouldn't happen due to it simply not being feasible. The coach has to leave Alton Towers in the morning so that it can pick people up and get back to the park in time for opening, this just wouldn't be possible if they went too far away as they would have to leave at a stupid time in the middle of the night.

:)
 
Notice how all the towns where pretty much in the Midlands.

M£rlin not wanting to spend too much on fuel money?
 
Adz95 said:
Notice how all the towns where pretty much in the Midlands.

M£rlin not wanting to spend too much on fuel money?
Click to expand...


Sazzle said:
  • Guests arrive BEFORE park opening at 10am for a briefing. This means the Fantastical Express is leaving Alton Towers Resort at very early times in order to reach its destination, collect its passengers, and return to the Resort on time. This explains why the event isn't as far reaching as most would like... I believe we have a resident coach company director who runs trips from Scotland, anyway?
Click to expand...
 
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