AstroDan

The reasons why Alton Towers is closing Blade and doing staggered openings is entirely different to why Thorpe Park have 5-6 rides closed. Of course, both are regrettable. There are explanations for everything, as you have given. Of course, each explanation is perfectly plausible by itself. But that does not therefore make it acceptable that these rides are all closed. After all, rides are the sole reason Thorpe has guests! There should be adequate buffer periods and time management built into the programme of work over winter so that the park is ready for opening day. Had there been 1 ride closed, I doubt anybody would be complaining too much - but 5-6 is pretty much unheard of at a major park (except Thorpe where, over the past decade, it has been quite common). There is obviously something not quite right about something within the management of the maintenance at TP. If you don't blame Thorpe Park for ride closures, who on earth do you blame?

It's poor here at the moment. Long queues with 1 train operation and 6 rides shut.

I'm here. Lots shut and Swarm has a 70 minute queue with 1 train. Love Thorpe.

I have ridden 4 Screamin' Swings and Rush is generally the best. It's not as good as it was, though.

Alton Towers had practically 3m guests last year. It's doing brilliantly well. Madness.

It all adds up! ;p

Blackpool is a hovel. But the view over the sea is lovely!

This sort of lacking availability has become pretty much the norm at Thorpe Park at the extreme ends of the season. Once the park closed, one would anticipate the target date for rides to be ready would be 2 or 3 weeks prior to opening in order to allow for training. This consistently fails at TP and has done for a decade.

Why DO Thorpe Park open for the main season 1 1/2 weeks before Alton Towers? I always wondered why. Perhaps an extra week and a half would make all the difference.

I indeed recall riding it when it was in Fantasy World! But that is a long... long... time ago, back when AstroDancer was in town, too!

Yes. Merlin provide a budget to the park. Alton Towers have the highest overheads of all the UK attractions. Therefore there is more to be slashed.

The cuts are because the budgets have been cut from on high.Alton Towers have no wish to close their rides whatsoever. Corkscrew? A good ride? It had no place in a modern Alton Towers. I fully disagree with the changes but many of your other examples, Jamie, are ill informed.

Regardless of the work done, the rides should be open. Slammer aside, the other rides are chalk and cheese.

As you know, I disagree. Krake sends me to sleep. Absolutely LOVE Griffon! However this is about theming which looks superb.

Do they simply not plan winter maintenance adequately?

There are cuts to the operations budget at Alton Towers in spite of a roaring 2014 season. There'll be more cuts evident soon.

Blade will eventually be retired but this season it is purely financial.

Blade will be closed all season under the guise of 2017 coaster but is in fact cost cutting.

Why would the rapids not be ready?

Back in 2012, Alton Towers gave 40 of us a free lift hill walk on Air. We just asked nicely. How times change.

They will offer Ultra-VIP. A member of staff on minimum wage will accompany you all day, whilst licking the boots of every passholder - once every 30 minutes.

The idea that Alton Towers have been forced to allow VIP passholders to access CBeebies Land rides and attractions without queuing infuriates me. There is no Fastrack option at CBeebies Land, period, for any level of paid-Fastrack - because the throughputs are too low. Priority passes are different as these are only used when a ride breaks down, or in response to a guest complaint. These are the reasons why the parks detest the VIP pass. But Merlin are forcing it upon them.

It is absurd that there are a lot of rides across the 4 parks that don't offer a regular Fastrack option, yet VIP passholders can skip any queue. Surely the VIP pass should only allow you to skip queues on rides which actually have a Fastrack option? Thank you for sharing the info, Paul.

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Visit Europa-Park ahead of Disneyland Paris.