But this isn't just about where Towers has gone wrong. This is about the Merlin group and their approach as a whole to running their theme parks.
I haven't got the experience of visiting Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington WOA or LegoLand as a child (though I can claim Parc Asterix and DLP). My visits have all been as an adult after the turn of the millennium. So I can't talk of the 1990's heyday, nor can I be accused of rose tinted memories of youth.
I live within 45 minutes drive of 3 of Merlin's parks and public transport travel of their London Midways - but I haven't had a MAP for almost four years. And sadly, I haven't missed not owning one. There were times in the past we considered popping along for the South meets (but only Thorpe) and inevitably by the time we were about to set off everyone had moved on somewhere else, which kind of proves the issue. These parks are not able to sustain us for a whole day. They don't keep us there from the moment we arrive to closing time. My last few visits, we wouldn't bother arriving for opening time either. They are not able to provide an enjoyable enough atmosphere or experience to gloss over the odd ride having a breakdown, certainly in the cases of Chessington and TP. And even when they're not, everyone hits the coasters, do a few other bits and move on.
There's few or none decent eateries to sit down and chill for a while in. Not enough flat rides and indoor attractions. No shows to be sitting near and get drawn in by enough to say: 'lets hang on and watch the end'. This is an issue across all of the parks, which indicates an issue with the strategy of Merlin management.
I did enjoy my last visit to Thorpe (Fright Nights) but my abiding thoughts of the place are of the actual guest experiences I've had. How the queues are often appalling and how FastTrack is so heavily prioritised over the regular queue - those who haven't forked out yet more money are pushed down to second rate. I felt it as an AP holder, so how regular Joe Public who has shelled out for the entry ticket feels is no doubt far worse. They do have a fairly decent line up of rides, some great coasters - but it's not been enough for me to invest in a TP pass.
Chessington benefits by being a pleasant park in terms of landscaping but chronic underinvestment in the rides is clearly obvious with the ones I enjoy the most are now a shadow of their former selves with nothing new to pull me to visit. Yes, they have put a lot into their zoo and animal attractions, which costs a lot and that's clear where all the money has gone, but I can go to better (and cheaper) zoos. Last time I visited I was also charged to park on a field. For no reason.
I don't even bother with Lego Land (which is ironic as a fan of Lego and Theme Parks).
I returned to Alton Towers for the first time since 2012 (so pre-Smiler being completed!) for this years fireworks. Reasons for not returning have included the ridiculously short opening hours (it puts you off when you have to travel a considerable distance). I personally keenly felt the loss of Hex of all the closures. I didn't bother riding Rita because of the horrendous queue time. 30 mins queuing outside for Woodcutters was a farce (though at least the food arrived quickly once ordered). The hotel experience hadn't changed in the slightest. Not enough 'non-family' space, unsatisfying restaurant choices. I stay in them for convenience and the social aspect, not because I particularly like the hotel. The highlights: of course Nemesis, the beast that will always lure us back in. Socialising with everyone. Riding Thirteen with a newbie who had no clue
Going back to AT was like an old friend, that one you can not see for many years and still be as if nothing has changed between you. But will I be buying a MAP again? No.
My main gripes with all the Merlin parks?
Too much paid for Fast Track. Prioritising said Fast Track to the detriment of the queues. Poor ride running leading to said terrible queues.
Too much reliance on IP's. I have no interest in 'I'm A Celebrity', Derren Brown, and why further destroy the charm of Bubbleworks for rebranding as The Gruffalo and completely alienate a section of your visitors altogether? The joy of an original, own theme is that it's timeless. It doesn't age, instead your audience ages with it.
Gimmick, gimmick, gimmick. See previous point, the Worlds 'XYZ' will soon enough be bettered by someone else. Sure, it may always be the 'first' but it needs more to back it up. You need that solid ride and theme beneath it that will last across the years.
TLC needs to happen ALL THE TIME. We notice when things look tired, in all parks (DLP has been a culprit of this of late just as much). We notice when rides are closed. We notice the cuts in opening hours. We notice the food outlets being shut (people will complain about poor food more than anything!) and the lack of the small unexpected things such as a random actor, a piece of theming, the ability to stand and watch others enjoying themselves on a ride too. It leads us to feel we are not getting the same value for our money that we did before.
A theme park should be an immersive experience. It should be a place to forget the real world for a while. It's escapism, pure and simple. You may capture a child's imagination and create 'magic' for them, but the people you really need to win over are the cynical adults who make the decision whether to visit and spend their money on the place. Merlin seems to have wholly forgotten this fact. It is a case of profiteering for the shareholders over a genuine interest in the product. What they should do is give the parks a much freer rein to make decisions on operations, investment etc. (and have better contracts for staff as well while they're at it).
