Let's see Paramount London open with a £10 parking charge and see what happens ;-)
(Of course we have no idea what they will actually charge but £10 is in line with USA parks & Disney Paris)
Think that would be the minimum charge, and rightly so. They are using a new train station with transport from there to the park. There will be plenty of buses and even probably a river transport.
So unlike Alton there are other transport options, so you will have a choice.
Think that would be the minimum charge, and rightly so. They are using a new train station with transport from there to the park. There will be plenty of buses and even probably a river transport.
So unlike Alton there are other transport options, so you will have a choice.
I don't have a problem with chessington increasing it. At least some goes to charity. Alton's got no excuse to charge so much.Should Chessington also increase parking to £10? They have a very good train service from Waterloo and good bus links to the surrounding area.
As you have to take a bus from Staines to Thorpe Park (which always felt quite expensive for the length of the journey) I don't feel their transport links are as good as Chessington.
Be interesting to see if Paramount charge, they could take advantage of having free parking as a positive over the other Merlin parks...
Assuming they'll be wanting to draw people to them over Merlin, I wouldn't be surprised if they did initially go for free parking for the first season or so...
Will Towers ever invest in new electronic timed lockers, I thought they were really good when visiting Universal.
If anybody doesn't know what I'm on about, they have lockers in front of or in most attractions which you have to place your bags in, then you get however long you will be on the attraction for free. And are charged if you overrun. It was pretty nifty, you didn't need t worry about your bags as they where secure, and quickened up both the line and the throughputs. And it must save a small fortune in staffing costs.
There's no way that they will go for free parking. They will be wanting to encourage guests to arrive via public transport rather than car. Free parking isn't going to do that.
Don't get me wrong i think Paramount will be a good thing and all that but why is everyone assuming they will be some sort of Robin Hood of the theme park world? They have to raise at least £3 Billion from ALOT of different investors. They wont be charging parking out of some altruistic concern for the environment, just like Merlin they will be aiming to make as much money as humanly possible.
Paramount may if we are lucky drive up the quality of the UK industry but i very much doubt it will drive down the price.
I have stopped visiting the towers now. Its an ugly dated park that seems to represent a traveling fair in the way its run and maintained. (Look how dated it is, late openings, rides closed then reopened. (Blade)).
Well I've never once paid for parking at Towers. Never will. I don't know why other people do it. It's entirely optional.
Precisely the reason why I've almost completely stopped visiting the park. It IS just a glorified fairground, and a total sh!thole. They had my custom for over 20 years and enough is enough. I only visit in exceptional circumstances now.
As soon as Paramount Park opens, if I can get a train from Newcastle to there in a reasonable amount of time then all of Merlin's parks will become a thing of the past for me.
Not too concerned about pricing. High prices are always worth paying if the quality matches, but I think for the first few years it will be reasonable. They'll be looking to siphon as many guests from other parks as possible.
Precisely the reason why I've almost completely stopped visiting the park. It IS just a glorified fairground, and a total sh!thole. They had my custom for over 20 years and enough is enough. I only visit in exceptional circumstances now.
As soon as Paramount Park opens, if I can get a train from Newcastle to there in a reasonable amount of time then all of Merlin's parks will become a thing of the past for me.
.
I know Merlin bashing is popular and all that (god knows i love it) and i agree the parks have all got worse over the last 10 years but i have to say:
1) Towers is not a glorified fairground, having traveled to quite a few parks it is still in my top 1/3 when it comes to appearence and for operations the top 10 (doesn't do well on opening times and price).
2) It's a big assumption that A) Paramount will open and B ) that it will be any good. It's heading towards having more investors attached to it than Merlin and they will want a quick buck.
There are so many worse parks out there, i worry for Towers future but a fairground it aint.... Yet
1) Towers is not a glorified fairground, having traveled to quite a few parks it is still in my top 1/3 when it comes to appearence and for operations the top 10 (doesn't do well on opening times and price).