Ice Skating this Xmas at Alton Towers.

[AstroDan]

Somerset House is in the middle of London, where everything is daylight robbery.

Alton Towers is a resort, where people are paying perhaps £200 for a family to stay for one night to enjoy the resort.

£5.00 therefore is just another "cost" when really, they should include it.

They had Snow Tubing a few years ago, that was included!

[Voke]

But is it value for money for people who have already forked out £200+ for a few nights at the hotel, and then they have to pay a £5 (each) charge on top of that?!?! Which could easily amount to around £20 for a family.

[Benedique]

I think that hotel guests should get the ice skating for free, resort visitors who aren't staying over should pay.

[Mike]

Personally, I reckon its a great addition to a Resort which, lets be honest, doesnt represent value for money for hotel guests over closed season IMHO.

I'm in the same camp as others who think that hotels guests should get one go free per day - it's unfair for them to have to pay for it as should be part of the whole resort experience. If they moved it inside the part, so it felt more like being at Towers, I reckon they could justify charging for attractions though, and that just doesnt just apply for the lake, I reckon they could put all the Christmas attractions ronud the lake, and charge £10 for entry and unlimited use of their Christmas attractions. They could also open Towers Street Restaurant to serve Christmas dinner even maybe, this generating more revenue?

[Vicki]

Anyone know if there's provision for guests with disabilities? I asked on the Facebook page but they've not answered yet.

[Voke]

[quote=""Vicki""]Anyone know if there's provision for guests with disabilities? I asked on the Facebook page but they've not answered yet.[/quote]

You don't ussually get a reply from Alton on the Facebook page. If I was you i'd ring up costumer service on 0871 222 3330.

[G-Force]

its a step in the right direction but i wudnt say it would be a specific reason for people coming

especially with the snowdome being not that far down the road where its only about £6 for 3 hours of ice skating where there is 2 rinks and the ice track aswell

[Anonymous]

It's a late addition to the line up - which could only be added if it was self funding as it wouldnt have been in the original project scope. It wont make any profit, so in which case its either have it and pay or don't have it... I know which i'd prefer

[AstroDan]

Indeed. Although let's hope the Christmas offering develops into a wider park affair in the next few years!

Hopefully with the 2011 project, this is on the cards with more indoor/year round attractions - and also the mooted Black Hole plans for 2012.

[Merlin]

[quote=""Vicki""]Anyone know if there's provision for guests with disabilities? I asked on the Facebook page but they've not answered yet.[/quote]

They have a small sleigh that you can sit on whilst being pushed around by by another person. They did say that they will allow a wheelchair on the rink.

For kids, they have push along penguins to help with balance.

The rink is not all that big, about double the size of my bedroom. There is no real ice, you skate on a plastic flooring.

I agree with a lot of the above post, £5 is too expensive for a 30minutes skate. It should be included as part of the Hotel package, but it is a nice addition though.

[Vicki]

Cheers for that, was thinking of going with my mate who uses a wheelchair. Now, reading it's a fiver for half an hour and isn't even actual ice, I don't think we'll bother.

[NickT04]

[quote=""Vicki""]Cheers for that, was thinking of going with my mate who uses a wheelchair. Now, reading it's a fiver for half an hour and isn't even actual ice, I don't think we'll bother.[/quote]

It's probably iced over at the min though lol!

[SEALIFE]

A photo for anyone thats not seen the rink.

[AstroDan]

Wow. How festive they've made that look!

[James]

Lmao, AstroDan's summed it up in one me thinks. :P

Seriously, what are guests paying for? My local park could pull of a more festive rink than that. This is supposed to be the UKs number one resort. They really need to get back to the drawing board and think these things through, people are paying for near enough nothing, what a utter waste of money.

[NickT04]

Sometimes, it'd be less embrassing not to bother.

At least the Penguin's have arrived to work wearing dickie bows.

[SEALIFE]

[quote=""AstroDan""]Wow. How festive they've made that look!

[/quote]

Oh they have indeed Dan! Haven't you noticed the 2 LED lights on each side of the tent?

[moog666]

So its...um...Plastic skating then?

Chavasse park in Liverpool 1 can manage a proper outdoor REAL ice rink so it suprises me that they have gone for that cheap nonsence [-X

[James]

I bet it's a second hand rink they found in a skip.

There events team meeting probably went like this:
"I found a ice rink in a skip yesterday, so you think we could use it?"
"Ooo, that's a great idea, we could use it for the winter event."
"That such a great idea, how about we charge guests £5 a go!"
"Wow, yes lets do that, mmmm, money, money, money."

[NickT04]

We should start a thread called "The Downsides to Merlin Ownership" this can be the first contribution!