Alton Towers ride closures

[gavin]

I'm actually GLAD that they're expensive. If they were cheap, every bastard would get them and the regular queues would be so much worse.

Remember, these things don't work in the same way that Six Flags and Cedar Fair do, where you're reserving a place in line instead of physically standing in it and therefore, in theory, not increasing waiting times for anyone else.

Merlin's system just means that people directly bypass the queue, making the waiting time longer for the vast majority of guests. The fewer people that have them, quite frankly, the better it is for everyone.

The price is ludicrous, but if people have got the money/are dumb enough to throw it away on this, then good luck to them. The whole point is that it's a "luxury" upgrade; it's not supposed to be for everyone. Sorry, but that's f**king life!

 

[JoshC.]

Yeah, the higher the price the better in my opinion.

Worried to see that Galactica is getting Fastrack straight away. The queues for that are going to be obscene come summer, even if the park isn't that busy..m

 

[Chris Brown]

I remember getting the platinum pass or the Thorpe equivalent for fright night a few years ago. I think i paid around £50 and was extremely reluctant even then, no chance i'd pay even £50 for a normal day, you simply dont get enough time to make the most of it! £95 quid is simply a joke though. Im not sure if alton are going down the route of closing rides in an attempt to make remaining rides busier and thus sell more fast tracks? I guess there are no over heads associated with fast tracks so they are just pure profit.

 

[spicy]

There were some dark days and cheap installations at the end of the Tussaud's era, but nothing comes close to Ripsaw being replaced by the Forbidden Sweep.

A new RMC Station better sit in that spot in a couple of years, although not much hope of that.

I agree about the fast track prices though, in theory they can put them as high as they like and will keep the queues lower for the average guest.

One shot queue jumps were £4.00 on Spinball last season and £5.00 - £6.00 for the others. If you only there for the day and wanted to ride Spinball without queuing an hour thought £4.00 was pretty good value to maximise your day. Bet it won't be that this season though.

 

[Ben]

It should never be a case of '**** it people will pay it'

A theme park is a guest experience, that's all that matters - the guest experience of seeing something so ridiculously overpriced is 'oh what money robbing ****'

If they were so concerned about not making the queues longer they'd scrap the things. Either make them remotely obtainable and cap the amount you sell so as not to effect queues too badly or admit you're being a **** about it.

They're being ****, plain and simple. And in a year where guest experience should be paramount, that's not good! They can bleet on about their No Scrubs programme all they want but they're closing rides and ass **** the guests - not how you rebuild!

 

[shawnoc]

Problem is people will keep paying, Merlin will keep this **** up. It's not about guests anymore, it's about how much we can get out of them.

 

[Zac]

Meanwhile over at Gardaland, owned by the same people, anyone can pay 80 euros (£63), which gets you unlimited fasttrack for a year. Not saying that having it that cheap is a good thing (it really isn't), but honestly £55 (cost of two tickets) for fasttrack is absolutely insane.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I agree with Gavin, but also Ben... It just looks bad to see a number that high as a guest.

 

[owentaylor121]

It's even worse because that £95 doesn't even get you on all the rides it used to due to these ridiculous closures!

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[Martyn B]

So the biggest negative coming from Alton at the moment, is the hurrendous queues to get some grub.

All food outlets in the Dark Forest have been boarded up, plus most of them in Mutiny Bay and others dotted around the place. Some people have even been saying it's that bad, you're best to take your own food...

 

[wolfwynd]

So the biggest negative coming from Alton at the moment, is the hurrendous queues to get some grub.

All food outlets in the Dark Forest have been boarded up, plus most of them in Mutiny Bay and others dotted around the place. Some people have even been saying it's that bad, you're best to take your own food...

I didn't find it too bad last Sunday. Yeah, it was busy but it didn't take me too long to get food, as in no longer than usual on a Sunday in the park. But then I guess it'll get worse the more people go. But yes, they've shut quite a few of the food places now.

 

[Mysterious Sue]

Yeah it wasn't that bad for food last weekend. However...we went to the fake chicken place in X-Sector and they were doing a 'win your meal for free' competition whereby every customer was asked to pick a number and then press a bit red button they'd installed in front of the till and see if it came up. The time it takes to explain this to everyone could start to have an impact on busier days. Plus it looks tacky as ****.

 

[owentaylor121]

Yeah it wasn't that bad for food last weekend. However...we went to the fake chicken place in X-Sector and they were doing a 'win your meal for free' competition whereby every customer was asked to pick a number and then press a bit red button they'd installed in front of the till and see if it came up. The time it takes to explain this to everyone could start to have an impact on busier days. Plus it looks tacky as ****.

They've had that for a few years now, I remember doing it a few times last year, tbh I think it's a nice touch.
The park yesterday seemed to be very busy with Smiler and Glacactica regularly over an hour and even Nemesis hit 40 mins at one point! But the biggest shock wasn't the ride queues it was the queue for the food places! The amount of food places shut around the park is terrible, I took my own food as I'm not waiting half and hour plus for some food when the parks opening hours are limited as it is.

Photo credit: Merlin Mania (facebook)

 

[furie]

I don't know what is more disgusting in that photo... The queue, or the fact the guy at the back clearly has a picnic in his capacious bag and is queueing anyway.

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[SaiyanHajime]

I know someone who went yesterday and only waited 30 for Air, so they may be overestimating the impact headsets are having. I hope so!

That queue for pizza pasta is gross though, but you've got to remember that sit down places like that tend to suffer worse on quieter days (look how empty the path is otherwise) because people have time to waste.

It could also be slow start of season staff freaking out under the pressure of having guests in large numbers for the first time. Been there.

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[Ben]

Yeah Nemesis hitting 40 minutes on Good Friday is not busy xD

 

[Robbie]

A well-managed food outlet should be a money maker yet tight Merlin would rather shutter them - even on Bank Holiday weekends. More bizarre management decisions.

 

[Sandman]

I know someone who went yesterday and only waited 30 for Air, so they may be overestimating the impact headsets are having. I hope so!

What's Air? Do you mean that brand new VR coaster?