Graeme Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 Winter Season in Europa Park has longer hours.... With days during summer season or open season as we know it here being a MINIMUM of 9 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 On 10 January 2017 at 6:45 PM, Coaster said: It's also awful that they haven't released the 2017 ride lineup yet, but I don't expect it will be announced until the MAP sale ends in line with tactics Merlin have used so many times before. Very, very sad to see Alton in this state. Agreed - but didn't they do the same last year regarding not announcing the ride line up until after the sale? There must have been people who had bought an annual pass to then discover multiple ride closures and been a bit miffed. The rumours of ride closures were circulating for a while on social media but AT did not confirm it until after the sale which is a bit sneaky. I only visited AT once last year, in April - and whilst the park was relatively quiet and queues weren't horrific, I really missed The Flume, Ripsaw and Hex. And as for the new opening times - are they for real? For a park the size of AT those hours are not long enough especially when you factor into the equation when the park has relatively big queues. I've not checked but have they increased the entrance price again this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 Gate price has gone up but online advanced tickets have been lowered by something like £3. So there is very little change in price. The hours are just so abismal it's not worth visiting. I'd spend more time getting there and going home than the park is open. All this cost cutting is running the park into the ground and I'm sure it will start hurting gate figures soon if it hasn't already done so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 https://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/ Hex and Driving School are back out of the ones closed last year, however Toadstool is closed (but listed under refurbishment) and Ice Age is also off the list... Terry and Charlie remain closed, though Terry remains on the list... pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 At this rate the whole park will shut for refurbishment in 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingNemesis Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 15 minutes ago, Benin said: https://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/ Hex and Driving School are back out of the ones closed last year, however Toadstool is closed (but listed under refurbishment) and Ice Age is also off the list... Terry and Charlie remain closed, though Terry remains on the list... It's weird how some they say are unavailable and some they take off the website, very interesting consistency.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Yay, welcome back Hex. Sorely missed. pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 I would hazard a guess that perhaps those removed from the website are gone for good, whilst NST is perhaps undecided, in a Loggers Leap style predicament. I think they should just admit defeat with NST to be honest and replace it with an HB Leisure side show Good to have Hex back though EDIT: Just realised - Didn't Ice Age have some "TLC" done to it recentlyish? What was the point of that if it's shut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Great to have the UK's greatest experience back open again. I thought it was going to be sealed for two centuries with the way things are going. The rest of the mothballs just confirm how things will continue to go on, even if the minority enjoy Charlie and Ice Age. Not me. The toadstall closure is clearly more budget cuts as thinking a simple flat takes a whole season to get refurbished is quite laughable. But if it means Hex can open in current situations, so be it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 What's the state on that Lego rumour for CCL? Could have a new 4D movie, Lego dark ride and the little flats can be quickly changed over. Move Toadstool back to Dark Forest so that has a flat. At least there is still an ounce of hope for Sub Terra though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Colour me surprised they haven't milked the return of Hex and Driving School with 'BACK FOR 2017' or 'REFURBISHED FOR 2017' slogans plastered over them. Not that I'm complaining! The loss of Toadstool is actually reasonably major though given how few rides there are for the market it targets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 8 minutes ago, BaronC. said: Colour me surprised they haven't milked the return of Hex and Driving School with 'BACK FOR 2017' or 'REFURBISHED FOR 2017' slogans plastered over them. Yet... MattyMoo, Matt 236 and Kerfuffle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh3103 Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Yay Hex is Back!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 19 hours ago, MattyMoo said: EDIT: Just realised - Didn't Ice Age have some "TLC" done to it recentlyish? What was the point of that if it's shut... They painted faces on the eggs or something like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Didn't Ice Age have a meltdown last year? I remember talking to the poor girl who was having to tell all the screaming kids that it would be closed for the rest of the day and she said it wasn't likely to reopen for quiet a while. It also suffered 'technical difficulties' while we were in it earlier that week too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 2 hours ago, ChessingtonSam said: They painted faces on the eggs or something like that Painting is a generous description, it was more like a bored ride op or chav scrawled the faces on with a sharpie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Glad Hex is returning but Twirling Toadstool closed for TLC? For over a year? Do they thing the general public are idiots?! I really hope NST makes a come back at some point - I've only experienced it once and didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised. And it's only a few years old SmilerGeorge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 The general public are idiots, hasn't anything in the last year taught you that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 32 minutes ago, Ian-S said: The general public are idiots, hasn't anything in the last year taught you that? Hmm yeah you may have a point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 I wouldn't be surprised if winter maintenance has found some issues with toadstall that mean it can't return and needs significant work or replacing. That thing is ancient, isn't it? It could just be cost cutting, but it must be one of the highest throughput to lowest staffing requirements going so would be an odd choice if it were. I think it's a shame about iceage, I really quite liked it. It's another one with a relatively low cost though, unless they have to pay each time they show the film? It can't be knackered already, can it? 2012's investments really didn't work out well, did they! Yay for Hex! I wonder what improvements will have been made with a whole years of TLC? My guess is none. Although none of this really matters to me as I won't be going with those opening hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Indeed. Toadstool at 33 is now one of the oldest rides at the park now with the Blade (37) being the only attraction which is older. It's probably a combination of high maintenance and 'smoke screen' budget cuts as to why it's closed given the closed Season isn't 4-5 months for nothing. A future revamp for Cloud Cuckoo is highly essential given it feels neglected, derelict and dated. Rebuilding the area from scratch in future would be nice (but somewhat unlikely). The park hours are certainly a dire embrassment not just for Merlin, but UK park's and are now clearly the worst of any major/secondary theme park in Europe. Even Blackpool & Pleasure Wood Hills have better openings now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Glad that Hex is reopening, but a shame to see yet more cuts to the lineup meaning it'll still be a sparse offering in 2017 (both in terms of rides and opening hours). Ice Age is yet another IP attraction to close soon after opening. Also if I recall correctly, wasn't CATCF closed "for TLC" last year? If so, why has it just been removed from the website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 31 minutes ago, Coaster said: Glad that Hex is reopening, but a shame to see yet more cuts to the lineup meaning it'll still be a sparse offering in 2017 (both in terms of rides and opening hours). Ice Age is yet another IP attraction to close soon after opening. Also if I recall correctly, wasn't CATCF closed "for TLC" last year? If so, why has it just been removed from the website? I guess if we were to be pedantic, we're not seeing "more cuts to the line up", just a different reduced offering - two attractions are (re)opening, and two attractions are not running instead. So it's the same level of offering as 2016. What other IPs have closed soon after opening? I wouldn't count CATCF as a 10 year stint (which was the rumour contracted length) is a reasonable time frame in my opinion, and I can't think of any others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 3 minutes ago, BaronC. said: I guess if we were to be pedantic, we're not seeing "more cuts to the line up", just a different reduced offering - two attractions are (re)opening, and two attractions are not running instead. So it's the same level of offering as 2016. What other IPs have closed soon after opening? I wouldn't count CATCF as a 10 year stint (which was the rumour contracted length) is a reasonable time frame in my opinion, and I can't think of any others? True, however it's more cuts in terms of different rides closing. Saw Alive at Thorpe, and I was thinking of IAC (though that only closed on a temporary basis over FN). It just seems that a lot of Merlin's more recent investments (not only IP ones) are short term with no longevity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Just now, Coaster said: True, however it's more cuts in terms of different rides closing. Saw Alive at Thorpe, and I was thinking of IAC (though that only closed on a temporary basis over FN). It just seems that a lot of Merlin's more recent investments (not only IP ones) are short term with no longevity. I guess the way I'm seeing it is that it's not "more" cuts, in the sense that less money is being pumped into running the attractions. I would assume that Hex and Driving School require more staff, and are more costly to run, than Toadstool and Ice Age? So in comparison to 2016, there aren't any 'cuts'. Obviously we can make the argument that the 'cuts' are still there because rides are closed, but I just don't see them as any 'more'. Saw Alive is a weird one, since it still opens, though I did forget about that. IAC feels a bit of a non-point since it just doesn't open over FN; it's not 'closed' and a fair few theme parks do choose not to open some attractions over their Halloween events for various reasons (be that the space is used by FN attractions, operational demands, or whatever). Do agree that a lot of Merlin's recent investments, especially the smaller scale stuff, do seem to be more short-term focused though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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