Themed uniforms across resort

[Secret Weapon]

Does anybody else think that there should be a bigger variety of staff outfits at Alton Towers?

The Smiler staff have their own distinct uniforms, and so do the Forbidden Valley staff and Curse staff, but should:-

- Mutiny Bay staff dress as pirates

- Project Horizon and/or Galactica dress as astronauts

- Katanga Canyon staff dress as safari explorers

- Thirteen and Wicker Man staff dress as druids

- Rita staff dress as... I don't know what the theme is

(Honourable mention goes to: Ug-Land staff dressing as cavemen - although some of them looked like they may have unintentionally done this anyway, to be honest)

Team edit: New topic created to discuss themed uniforms split from general discussion

 

[Thameslink Rail]

I'm going to be unpopular and say I'd rather they didn't because I find it harder to spot staff amongst those wearing merchandise or cosplay in areas of the park where staff dress differently (particularly Smiler since there is quite a large cosplay community surrounding the ride's aesthetic).

 

[Secret Weapon]

I'm going to be unpopular and say I'd rather they didn't because I find it harder to spot staff amongst those wearing merchandise or cosplay in areas of the park where staff dress differently (particularly Smiler since there is quite a large cosplay community surrounding the ride's aesthetic).

I've been told that I am wrong, but I vaguely remember hearing that it has also caused visual inconsistencies when Smiler staff have to cover for Oblivion, because their outfits don't match and thus they look out of place.

With wickerman they already dress to look... haggard.

I didn't realise that this was intentional... I thought Merlin simply weren't paying them enough :|

 

[Blackrock]

Does anybody else think that there should be a bigger variety of staff outfits at Alton Towers?

The Smiler staff have their own distinct uniforms, and so do the Forbidden Valley staff and Curse staff, but should:-

- Mutiny Bay staff dress as pirates

- Project Horizon and/or Galactica dress as astronauts

- Katanga Canyon staff dress as safari explorers

- Thirteen and Wicker Man staff dress as druids

- Rita staff dress as... I don't know what the theme is

(Honourable mention goes to: Ug-Land staff dressing as cavemen - although some of them looked like they may have unintentionally done this anyway, to be honest)

From a staff safety perspective it’s a no go imo. I wouldn’t want to be in some weird uniform, get off the bus in Hanley or wherever else and have to walk through town dressed like god knows what

 

[rob666]

There are things called staff changing rooms...

 

[Benzin]

From a staff safety perspective it’s a no go imo. I wouldn’t want to be in some weird uniform, get off the bus in Hanley or wherever else and have to walk through town dressed like god knows what

Wouldn't think they'd stand out much given my experiences of Friday nights in Stoke.

 

[Poisson]

I don't exactly go to work dressed head to toe in Hi Viz, there will be ability to get changed.

 

[Blackrock]

There are things called staff changing rooms...

Never seen any myself, unless the toilets count

 

[Craig]

Does anybody else think that there should be a bigger variety of staff outfits at Alton Towers?

The Smiler staff have their own distinct uniforms, and so do the Forbidden Valley staff and Curse staff, but should:-

- Mutiny Bay staff dress as pirates

- Project Horizon and/or Galactica dress as astronauts

- Katanga Canyon staff dress as safari explorers

- Thirteen and Wicker Man staff dress as druids

- Rita staff dress as... I don't know what the theme is

(Honourable mention goes to: Ug-Land staff dressing as cavemen - although some of them looked like they may have unintentionally done this anyway, to be honest)

Personally, OTT themed uniforms right across everything only works at a true theme park. It’s nice we’ve had new uniforms for the new big attractions, but I don’t think there’s really areas at Towers which are truly large scale and fully immersive to really warrant going all out with it at the moment. You’ve already pointed out multiple areas (Galactica/Nemesis, Rita/Thirteen, Mutiny Bay/Wickerman) where the themes are literally within mere metres of each other.

If they went more cohesive with themes in specific areas in future, along with roaming entertainers to increase immersion, then sure. But if we’re being honest, I think Towers has trended more towards that middle ground between amusement and theme park than a truly immersive experience for guests that would warrant it.

 

[Dave]

They should bring back the red blazers and tie for entrance area.

The current generic uniform is very scruffy.

 

[Secret Weapon]

From a staff safety perspective it’s a no go imo. I wouldn’t want to be in some weird uniform, get off the bus in Hanley or wherever else and have to walk through town dressed like god knows what

There are things called staff changing rooms...

Never seen any myself, unless the toilets count

I'm pretty sure that I saw staff members walking towards the bus home whilst still wearing Smiler outfits in 2024; I'm not sure if this is because they didn't have dedicated changing areas, or they simply wanted to get home as soon as possible!

They should bring back the red blazers and tie for entrance area.

The current generic uniform is very scruffy.

I wasn't even aware that they had a uniform? On opening day this year, they seemed to be wearing their own clothes with a hi-viz vest on top.

Speaking of the red blazers: I think these were sold in the gift shop, which would have made it easy for somebody to impersonate a staff member...

P.S. Does anybody think that the staff in Walliams Land should dress as David Walliams*? (please don't answer this question seriously!)

(*Given that he often dressed as old women in Little Britain - or often simply wore no clothes at all - maybe it's for the best that they don't)

 

[Plastic Person]

I'm pretty sure that I saw staff members walking towards the bus home whilst still wearing Smiler outfits in 2024; I'm not sure if this is because they didn't have dedicated changing areas, or they simply wanted to get home as soon as possible!

The staff allocated to work on The Smiler are contractually obliged to remain in character as employees of the Ministry of Joy, even outside of established shift patterns. It was the subject of a high-profile employment tribunal some time ago, Smiler vs Stoke, in which the Ministry's 'correction procedures' were ultimately deemed to be legal post-Brexit. It remains a divisive subject on here, so the mods prefer it to be left dormant, but I'm just mentioning it this once for reference.

 

[Craig]

Speaking of the red blazers: I think these were sold in the gift shop, which would have made it easy for somebody to impersonate a staff member...

You could argue the current Smiler cosplay obsession does the same thing mind!

I’m not too fussed about blazers coming back, they’re very “of their time”. I do agree there needs to be something that looks a little more professional, although that could be done with a more modern approach than the blazers of old.

But then it’s only worth having themed uniformed staff when you can operate as a theme park. The resort is very far away from that at present - they have to fix the basics before the nice to haves!

 

[Secret Weapon]

The staff allocated to work on The Smiler are contractually obliged to remain in character as employees of the Ministry of Joy, even outside of established shift patterns. It was the subject of a high-profile employment tribunal some time ago, Smiler vs Stoke, in which the Ministry's 'correction procedures' were ultimately deemed to be legal post-Brexit. It remains a divisive subject on here, so the mods prefer it to be left dormant, but I'm just mentioning it this once for reference.

I could actually believe that all of this happened, as I think certain entertainment properties require their staff to remain in character at all times, or - at the very least - not to contradict it (e.g. pro wrestlers in the old days, and reality TV stars on social media).

Certain rollercoaster themes are a product of their time (e.g. Nemesis alien perhaps overlapping with X-Files and Roswell, and the unbuilt Secret Weapon ride perhaps playing off the Cold War), and so perhaps you are right that the dystopian Smiler theme might have worked better in 2020 (post-Brexit and COVID) than in 2013 !

(Films such as War of the Worlds and Saw were allegedly also a product of international political hostility at the time)

 

[AT86]

They should bring back the red blazers and tie for entrance area.

The current generic uniform is very scruffy.

I think the Efteling approach would work well for entrance/Towers St staff - smart waistcoats.

 

[rob666]

Never seen any myself, unless the toilets count

No.
Cloakrooms are required by law if you have to wear a uniform, Workplace Regulations 1992.
Used these rules myself at work, when "training away", when using my bike for transport.
I was expected to change in very small grotty toilets, I refused on grounds of hygiene, so sat in sweaty cycling kit all day.
Rules changed by the very next day after a gentle complaint.
They even fitted showers in the end...five years after I left of course.

 

[Poisson]

I think people need to be careful with what they expect staff to wear. Overalls they put on Nemesis staff near the end were a terrible idea as they're ROASTING.

 

[Secret Weapon]

I think people need to be careful with what they expect staff to wear. Overalls they put on Nemesis staff near the end were a terrible idea as they're ROASTING.

Poor old Henry Hound must have gotten hot...

P.S. Does anybody think that the staff in Walliams Land should dress as David Walliams*? (please don't answer this question seriously!)

(*Given that he often dressed as old women in Little Britain - or often simply wore no clothes at all - maybe it's for the best that they don't)

...at least nudity would solve the problem of overheating!

 

[Blackrock]

No.
Cloakrooms are required by law if you have to wear a uniform, Workplace Regulations 1992.
Used these rules myself at work, when "training away", when using my bike for transport.
I was expected to change in very small grotty toilets, I refused on grounds of hygiene, so sat in sweaty cycling kit all day.
Rules changed by the very next day after a gentle complaint.
They even fitted showers in the end...five years after I left of course.

That may be true but I’ve never seen any, they had a couple in the uniform department in HQ but that’s obviously not sufficient for the amount of staff on park.

So when I needed to get changed because I was going to the pub or whatever else it’d be the staff toilets, a ride ops cabin or some other nook like the room below the rapids Ops cabin. They certainly weren’t cloakrooms, but maybe it’s changed and they have these now.

 

[Secret Weapon]

I was expected to change in very small grotty toilets, I refused on grounds of hygiene, so sat in sweaty cycling kit all day.

Wouldn't staying in cycling gear be even more unhygienic than changing in the toilets?

Or was it to make a statement and pressure management into changing the policy?

Rules changed by the very next day after a gentle complaint.

Your moral stand obviously worked, as they built a changing room within only 24 hours! (either that, or your colleagues found your cycling outfit unbearable!)

P.S. I used to change into cycling gear in the toilet cubicle - but I initially made the mistake of not washing my hands immediately afterwards and so onlookers mistakenly may have thought that I'd used the toilets without going to the sink...