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Alton Towers 2013

Going by personal experience, if I go to a new park I'll always grab a map on the way in. However, I have never used one to actually navigate a park. I use them to make sure that I'm not missing anything, and to get a rough idea of where things are.

It's a theme park, not a **** ing expedition.
 
MouseAT said:
The problem is, a map is supposed to serve multiple purposes. First and foremost, by definition, it's supposed to be a navigation guide, otherwise it wouldn't be a map. Yes, it's also a marketing tool, and a piece of art, but if it fails in its primary purpose as a navigation tool, it fails, period.
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Id agree with you under most circumstance, but the navigation aspect of a theme park map is redundant. Parks are realising this, but the vestigal "map" element of that peice of paper is kept alive by expectation of guests wanting one (even though they do not use them as a map barely ever, because they agent designed in a way which allows that. You could count the guests who attempt to in a day on one hand). Even parks with no need for a map have them... Why?

The map became more than a map, and now is in some examples extremely removed from one. It's a visual representation if what attractions and facilities a park has, and internal advert, a souvenir to become external advertisement ( money off deals on them), etc.

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Still not announced their opening times a week before the start of the season. Awesome.

There's a rumour X Sector will be closed until The Smiler is open, also.

They are offering a return visit for £1 if you visit before The Smiler opens, which would seem to fit with mitigation of the above if it's true.
 
Big john called them, he posted it some where on here and Alton told him x sector will be closed.
 
^^I'm assuming that's if you've already paid full price to get in? Most of those types of offers normally depend on that and let's face it not many people actually do.

As for the opening times, I'm guessing that Alton are covering their back. Quite often, the closing time will be changed on the day itself, and they might be keeping them back in case they're planning to reduce their opening times like last year.

And then there's the map argument. As Joey says, a map is becoming less and less like a map. In my opinion, as long as it shows you reasonably clearly where things are in relation to each other, then it does its job. Realistically, not every path is going to be on a theme park map. If the relative distances between attractions are fairly true to those in real life, then I say let the rest slide. Sometimes they can become a bit too cramped to the point where they're not really conveying much information at all though.
 
I preferred that Habbo Hotel style map they did a few years back. It had a cute little plane flying across the sky <3
 
^Oh yeah, that was cool. Wasn't there even an animated version on the website too?

I'm really confused as to why they haven't posted opening and closing times yet.
 
Personally the map is used to figure out in what area to head for which ride etc...

Obviously it'd be silly to expect the map to show you ride entrances, exists etc... but they're handy and always used by myself or family to find the nearest toilets or in what direction to head for each ride.

Dual-purpose, for sake of contributing to the argument.
 
I'd go with the 'I use a map to find out if I'm missing anything' one. Like, especially a park such as Disney (if you've never been), or the weirder European parks like Phantasialand and Efteling, they have a lot of hidden stuff and unless you read the list of rides printed on the maps then you wouldn't even know they existed. Hell, I didn't even find ALL of the rides when I went to Europa Park for my birthday!

But I agree, I've never seen a park guest do an RCT and stop, unfold map, look around and head in a certain direction. It's more they meander around and join the queue of whatever takes their fancy or they ask a member or staff.
 
Wait, of course people use maps to navigate, that's ridiculous.

I don't believe anyone that says they wonder around a new park aimlessly looking for the loos or food rather than just whip the map out. Or if you do, you're an idiot.

Maybe not rides so much as they're usually obvious (although I've seen so many people look at a map to find the way to the new ride etc), but definitely conveniences etc.

Everywhere big has maps; museums, universities, art galleries, nature parks, zoos... They're not to be arty or souvenirs, that comes second, it's to help people find their way. Joey, I think you need to accept that sometimes drawings serve a practical purpose rather than just to look pretty.

And on that note, that map is **** appalling.
 
I LOVE that the 'Alton Towers 2013' discussion almost instantly turned into a three page discussion about the purpose of park maps, so goony.
 
The pretty drawing DOES have a purpose, its an advert, which Is why its pretty. :P

I can honestly say that I have never used a map to navigate, other than the the general direction on RARE occasion.

But I do consult maps to see what I've missed and thats why the rides have to look interesting!

I'm not saying that a map shouldn't be designed as a practical map in some sense, but there are other priorities. In Altons case, there really isn't much choice.

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It's a map. It's primary purpose is for navigation. If I'm at a new park, of course the first thing I do is look at the map, see what rides I want to do and what the best order to do them and route to take is.

I usually do pick up 2 maps though as I like to take one home and I'll have always destroyed the first by the end of the day from using it as a map
 
Mysterious Sue said:
It's a map. It's primary purpose is for navigation. If I'm at a new park, of course the first thing I do is look at the map, see what rides I want to do and what the best order to do them and route to take is.
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Yep, same here.

I'm a man though and therefore asking for directions is a sign of weakness and inability to read a map.

I'd rather piss myself in front of 2,000 people than to ask one of them where the nearest toilets are ;)
 
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