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Towers Loving Care

Oh I know, and I get that. Like I said, most people on here like at least one thing about Towers and would happily visit every year, yet still see flaws with the park and how it's run. I would pay to enter the park for Nemesis alone, yet I don't like Merlin and many of the decisions they make.

However, the person I was initially replying to seems to actively hate the park and everything it stands for these days, so I was just curious as to why they'd still visit.
 
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I think for most people, when you've been visiting Towers since the 90s (or 80s), it becomes a big part of your life, if you visit frequently (I've visited every year since 1996) it almost becomes a habit to visit. So even though you see areas of the park falling apart, stuff happen that you don't like and you see some strange and awful decisions over the years, it's still the park you've followed most of your life, it's a bit like a brother or sister, you grow up together.

For the UK Alton Towers is still a pretty good day out. It's not a great park, it's no longer a European or world contender, it's just a good park where you can have a decent day out. I'm sure for many it's more the people you go with that makes it enjoyable rather than the park itself.

As someone who has 'grown up' with the park and seen it evolve over the years, I can't say I like where Towers is heading under the ownership of Merlin. Even during the DIC years (possibly the worst time in the parks history) there was some kind of scope, vision and ambition. I think 'one step forwards, two steps back' applies here. Merlin have done some good things with Towers and there is clear investment into the park, although where that money goes, and where these severe cuts come into it, you wonder whether the park is really moving forwards or not.
 
Linked in with TLC there is lots of new audio around the park, it was discussed about the new audio around Oblivions drop zone, but here are some other additions this year.
- new speakers near X sector toilet/smiler extension queue line playing Smiler music
- old TS music from Spinball up past the towers and in fountain square, and then all the way to mutiny bay.
- new speakers around Katanga area
- speakers now play audio in Rapids queue line and station
- Gloomy Wood music plays on the path leading to it
- New music leading from gloomy wood to forbidden valley and also around the burger kitchen and outlets there.
- Some speakers around Nemesis have also been replaced
- Spinball is a lot louder than ever before, and most speakers around there has been replaced.
 
andeyhart said:
However, the person I was initially replying to seems to actively hate the park and everything it stands for these days, so I was just curious as to why they'd still visit.
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Pretty much bang on, although my gripes are more with Merlin. Having said that, the park itself has the issue with lack of consistency from year to year. I think that comes down to the fact managers or influential people seem to stay at Towers for only a couple of years and then leave to move through the ranks at Merlin. In comes somebody new with a whole bunch of different ideas and we're back to square 1.

There are a few exceptions to this, one person in particular has been at Towers for quite a few years, seems to make great progress with the entertainments, but is constantly overpowered and thwarted by marketing and bean counters.

James said:
I think for most people, when you've been visiting Towers since the 90s (or 80s), it becomes a big part of your life, if you visit frequently (I've visited every year since 1996) it almost becomes a habit to visit. So even though you see areas of the park falling apart, stuff happen that you don't like and you see some strange and awful decisions over the years, it's still the park you've followed most of your life, it's a bit like a brother or sister, you grow up together.

For the UK Alton Towers is still a pretty good day out. It's not a great park, it's no longer a European or world contender, it's just a good park where you can have a decent day out. I'm sure for many it's more the people you go with that makes it enjoyable rather than the park itself.

As someone who has 'grown up' with the park and seen it evolve over the years, I can't say I like where Towers is heading under the ownership of Merlin. Even during the DIC years (possibly the worst time in the parks history) there was some kind of scope, vision and ambition. I think 'one step forwards, two steps back' applies here. Merlin have done some good things with Towers and there is clear investment into the park, although where that money goes, and where these severe cuts come into it, you wonder whether the park is really moving forwards or not.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on that. I feel like Towers has been a massive part of my life over the 27 years I've been visiting, and so I'm extremely bitter about the way the park is now. I too once thought the DIC years were dark times but I'd happily go back to 2005 over what we've got now.

djtruefitt said:
Linked in with TLC there is lots of new audio around the park, it was discussed about the new audio around Oblivions drop zone, but here are some other additions this year.
- new speakers near X sector toilet/smiler extension queue line playing Smiler music
- old TS music from Spinball up past the towers and in fountain square, and then all the way to mutiny bay.
- new speakers around Katanga area
- speakers now play audio in Rapids queue line and station
- Gloomy Wood music plays on the path leading to it
- New music leading from gloomy wood to forbidden valley and also around the burger kitchen and outlets there.
- Some speakers around Nemesis have also been replaced
- Spinball is a lot louder than ever before, and most speakers around there has been replaced.
Click to expand...

Noticed pretty much all of that. Someone did a good job! :)

Don't think Nemesis has new speakers, it looked as if they've just turned the volume back up since Sub Terra is no longer running. Also one of the speakers on the entrance tower now points inwards towards the plaza area so the queue gets better coverage. Slight disadvantage is you can clearly hear the Nemesis music roaring out over the car parks! None issue if you like that kinda thing though. :D

I was wondering also if they've abandoned Bose? Seems all the new audio kit around the park is Ohm and another brand I didn't catch the name of.
 
PeteB said:
There are a few exceptions to this, one person in particular has been at Towers for quite a few years, seems to make great progress with the entertainments, but is constantly overpowered and thwarted by marketing and bean counters.
Click to expand...

And the person I think you might be referring to has just left/is leaving this year!

:)
 
A lot of companies don't like employees to be too good at what they do. Talent requires brains, and intelligent people know when they are being taken advantage of. Much better to keep the lower ranks full of dumblings who don't question orders.
Also, if you're too good, you make everyone else look bad... see Hot Fuzz.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
A lot of companies don't like employees to be too good at what they do. Talent requires brains, and intelligent people know when they are being taken advantage of. Much better to keep the lower ranks full of dumblings who don't question orders.
Also, if you're too good, you make everyone else look bad... see Hot Fuzz.
Click to expand...

This is very true and obvious throughout every sector sadly.
James said:
I think for most people, when you've been visiting Towers since the 90s (or 80s), it becomes a big part of your life, if you visit frequently (I've visited every year since 1996) it almost becomes a habit to visit. So even though you see areas of the park falling apart, stuff happen that you don't like and you see some strange and awful decisions over the years, it's still the park you've followed most of your life, it's a bit like a brother or sister, you grow up together.

For the UK Alton Towers is still a pretty good day out. It's not a great park, it's no longer a European or world contender, it's just a good park where you can have a decent day out. I'm sure for many it's more the people you go with that makes it enjoyable rather than the park itself.

As someone who has 'grown up' with the park and seen it evolve over the years, I can't say I like where Towers is heading under the ownership of Merlin. Even during the DIC years (possibly the worst time in the parks history) there was some kind of scope, vision and ambition. I think 'one step forwards, two steps back' applies here. Merlin have done some good things with Towers and there is clear investment into the park, although where that money goes, and where these severe cuts come into it, you wonder whether the park is really moving forwards or not.
Click to expand...

For me, it is still a great park. I've visited for the past 20 years now and I still enjoy visiting the park more than anywhere in the UK. The future is certainly worrying in regards to Merlin's lack of vision, but currently I feel the good outweighs the bad. I get the point of how visiting Towers becomes a habit after so many years of visiting, but I'd have stopped visiting years ago if I felt things had gotten truly bad. I grew up with Chessie but gave up on it years ago, as it's no longer worth it.

And whilst I love the company of the people I go with, the park hardware will always be the main attraction for me - hence why I often go on some of the rides on my own from time to time.
 
oh,no. He is a brilliant man, really on top of his craft. I hope he is moving on to bigger things.
 
Sorry, but I know literally nothing about the staff themselves. Was he ents and creative lead?

(And the man in the smiler shop videos and TotT adverts?)
 
Well they've pretty much removed all ents outside of Scarefest so I'd be surprised if he had much to do anyway!

Have they replaced him or has the role been removed entirely?
 
He has left Sub Species for us though! ;) I'm hoping some of the stuff he was involved with is still used in the future, as Towers high point in 2015 was entertainment. If it wasn't for that, all atmosphere would have gone. Traffic Patrol, the pirate that drove around, mutiny bay show, scarefest etc.
 
Although he has left Towers he still is still responsible for the planning of this years Scarefest and possibly fireworks. He was always very passionate about what he did and gave us a gem in Sub-Species last year. You can't blame him for moving on though seeing as his department at Towers was being cut away left right and centre.

:)
 
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