AstroDan Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 OK, I am making an attempt to bring together all known "front of house" cuts, as they stand. Note that there may be additional cuts to these below, and I am not able to state all of this with 100% accuracy: Rides and Attractions: The following rides and attractions open at 11:00am, 1 hour later than usual: Th13teen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Ride Driving School Battle Galleons The Flume Congo River Rapids Duel Air Skyride The following will now open between noon and 4:00pm only: Wobble World Food and Beverage The following outlets are now closed entirely, for the duration of the 2012 season: Rehydrator Bar Spinball Noodles The following outlets are subject to partial or full closures during some or all days: Towers Family Restaurant (closed from noon) Kiosks (such as Ice Cream and Donuts) Trolleys and Karts Ben and Jerry's Scoop Shop Coffee Baaaar Retail The following outlets are now closed for the rest of 2012: Rita Shop Other known cuts for 2012 "Magic 5 minutes" has been removed, so rides now close exactly at the advertised time Park opening times have been reduced since 2011 on a considerable number of days Water Park - outdoor slide opening hours cut Mark9, Luke_A, Fred and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Thanks for the round up Dan. It's safe to say that if the park can't be bothered to run its park properly, then I'm not prepared to do the drive up there for a disappointing day. Really sad for the park. I've stayed in the hotel every year since 2005 but frankly, I don't see the place as value for money anymore and don't deserve my custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 It is diabolical. Especially that Alton are not even the worst performing park in the group at present. That's Thorpe. But, I guess with overheads higher at Alton, there is more to cut...It's so sad when you look around and see effort being made in other areas, also... Duel and Hex, for example, haven't looked as good in years. Merlin Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Tapatalk Stokesyboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Some of those closures are very uninteresting, namely the Kiosks and Units which always are on and off with opening... However, closing Towers Street after 12? Erm... Sorry? That makes no sense for anyone who might wanna eat there... Ride wise, only really Air and Thirteen make no sense, as they as the most popular and highest throughput rides respectively at the park... Rita Shop closing meh, it was in a stupid position anyway, but having no snackage in X Sector and the Farm is annoying really... But this is what happens I guess when it comes down to not having the other options being done... Still, at least it's not as annoying as having a park open at 9 and having NO rides open... Least people can ride some stuff but it's still probably gonna affect a fair few guests whilst some will also just not really care... Some rides like Charlie and Driving School not opening on time make sense, as few families might set off straight there, whilst the water rides have been opening since 11 for a long time... I dunno, apples and oranges really... Though eventually will the applecart be upset a little bit too much for the majority of paying guests? That's what will determine the future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Thing is, as much as much of what you say about most families not going to Charlie etc. first, that's the thing. "Most". Therefore, "some" will. And everyone is paying the same, expensive rates of admission and parking... regardless. It just looks bad. Especially when Merlin have just announced yet another new Legoland in Japan, and there's one under construction in Malaysia. Yet they can't afford to run the ones they have! Merlin installed Battle Galleons, Th13teen and Wobble World. None of which are now open with the park. How ironic. I said some time ago that when Merlin came in, we thought these days of cuts would be over. Nobody expected the late Tussauds style to return. But actually, the cuts now are even bigger than those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 In the cases of some other parks though (let's take Plopsaland for example), the park opened at 10, with some rides opening at 10:30, then another load at 11:00, then one ride randomly opening at 13:00... It happens in quite a few parks this staggered opening stuff (Chessie of course introducing it earlier, which really did make sense, although so would closing the park midweek to save MORE money), just naturally, it's unheard of in the UK, and like the parking charges, has come in (although for very different reasons) and has caused the usual backlash... For the smaller rides like Duel and Battle Galleons (which both never get a queue anyways) it is slightly understandable, I just can't see why Air and Thirteen are chosen at all, because that will cause the most uproar from guests, as those are two of the park's biggest rides... That's the biscuit I think, if those two weren't touched people wouldn't be minding it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 I agree that had it only been a handful of smaller rides, then there wouldn't really have been any issue. I do take issue with Duel, though - because it's directly on the way to/from Fordbidden Valley and with the Skyride closed until 11am, lots of people will be walking through Gloomy Wood. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 This is so annoying, I always start my Alton towers day with Duel, Nemesis, Air and now Sub terra after air. It's been messed up! Why the hell have they closed two of their major attractions though, it just doesn't make sense at all! Air always gets a big queue from opening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Th13teen's queue the weekend before that, at 10am, was queuing from the entrance back down across where the Ug Swinger used to be and then off down the pathway/road that heads towards the kiosk at the front of the ruins. I believe that is fairly typical on weekends and holidays. I feel sorry for the staff whose hours are being cut, yet still have to pay their rent and bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 Why the hell have they closed two of their major attractions though, it just doesn't make sense at all! Air always gets a big queue from opening! It makes lots of sense if you've got some nice expensive farcetrack tickets to sell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_A Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 As with the majority of the Alton Towers cuts this year, the late ride opening times have now been scrapped. Cutting things which directly effect guest experience is a risky route to go down... Let's hope the next lot of cuts (they're bound to happen following the ones which have occurred already, let's face it...) aren't noticeable to guests or as unnoticeable as possible. Alton Towers reverse late ride openings. Just over a week since TowersStreet broke the news that several of Alton Towers attractions would open an hour later than the rest of the park we can reveal that the decision has been reversed. For 5 days the following attractions did not open until 11am: Air, Th13teen, Duel, Skyride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wobble World, Battle Galleons and the Driving School. At present the only attractions which will open at 11am are the Flume and Congo River Rapids, as has been the case for several seasons. TowersStreet members were critical of the move which was believed to have been introduced as a cost-saving measure. The reasons behind the reversal has not been confirmed, however it is believed to have been a strong negative reaction from the public. This is not the first time this season a controversial decision has been overturned, initially Enterprise and Submission were going to be closed for several months and the sky ride faced closure on off peak days however both of these decisions were changed late on. Source: TowersStreet AstroDan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saz Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I suppose this was innevitable. I do, however, think that there are ways to save money efficiently. For example, only running the monorail an hour before and after the opening hour and then an hour before and after the closing hour. Another idea would be to open some of the smaller food outlets later on in the day - I doubt many guests buy doughnuts the first second they arrive at the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornflakes Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 As with the majority of the Alton Towers cuts this year, the late ride opening times have now been scrapped. Cutting things which directly effect guest experience is a risky route to go down... Let's hope the next lot of cuts (they're bound to happen following the ones which have occurred already, let's face it...) aren't noticeable to guests or as unnoticeable as possible. Source: TowersStreet I think the next cut could be the slashing of entire opening days, Legoland has multiple days in the season when it's not open, but once again, if they did something like that, the desicion would be reversed in a heartbeat. Alton really need to find a cut that won't effect guest satisfaction, but still saves money, and I hate to say this, but the quencher sellers on Towers street ruin the first impressions on the park anyway, surely it would save some money just to eliminate that job, since I've never actually seen anyone buy them from the sellers at Towers Street anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Getting really bored of this now. It makes Towers management look ridiculous and ineffectual if everytime they make a cut they reverse it 5 days later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 With all these reversals, you do have to wonder that if SW7 is poorly received, if Alton would close it after a week and decide to build a different coaster instead... pluk and Coaster 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 I agree that Alton Towers look ridiculous. They are the UK's number one theme park but they keep announcing cuts and then revoking then is an absolute joke. I am wondering, it's almost as though they're proving to Merlin that cuts results in a reduction of guest satisfaction? So they trial something for a week, then can say "this didn't work - what else do we do?". I worry for Fireworks now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidders Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 I worry for Fireworks now. I worry for Chessington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokesyboy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 So Alton Towers are now deciding to shut at 5pm on PEAK days... What a joke, I feel sorry for the people paying full admission price just to get 7 hours on park. If each ride has an hour queue then they'll only be able to do 7 in a day which is nothing and definatley not worth the money!! I suppose fastrack will be hovering around the entrance of rides a lot more now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Your forgetting lunch as well - say 30 mins. They seem to just throwi these ideas out to save money and then cancel them when everyone rages - pretty poor planning imo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 So Alton Towers are now deciding to shut at 5pm on PEAK days... What a joke, I feel sorry for the people paying full admission price just to get 7 hours on park. If each ride has an hour queue then they'll only be able to do 7 in a day which is nothing and definatley not worth the money!! I suppose fastrack will be hovering around the entrance of rides a lot more now...Where did you see that? Says 6pm when I look on the official website. http://www.altontowers.com/events/opening-times/#tab-themepark-aug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokesyboy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 I read it here: http://www.towersstreet.com/news/view/?article=1341933440 Credit Towers Street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Alton Towers reversed this today. Basically, the hours altered on Monday or Tuesday, to 5 and 5:30pm depending on the day. This has now been returned to 6:00pm. Liam T 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam T Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 One day, Merlin will learn, One day. Stokesyboy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Alton Towers reversed this today. Basically, the hours altered on Monday or Tuesday, to 5 and 5:30pm depending on the day. This has now been returned to 6:00pm. :lol: AND NO ONE SAW THAT COMING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 What the hell. WHY EVEN BOTHER DOING THESE BLOODY CHANGES IF YOU KNOW THEY'LL END UP BEING REVERSED. I am not enjoying towers decision making 2012. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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