E-Lockers

[Magrathea]

Guys, seriously?!
They're looking like a really good addition. However much they cost to use, you can't argue that it's a better use of the space than using them for nothing.

Yes, the costs are a little steep, but these are optional lockers! I would hardly call the added convenience of being able to store your bags somewhere which isn't Guest Services "Yet another reason to avoid the Towers!"

These lockers aren't going to come running from their shelter and yell in your face "HEY GAIZ, D'YOU WANT TO BUY SOME LOCKER SPACE?", they are simply going to sit there and make money, which, believe it or not, Alton needs.

The time to criticise Alton making money is when, like the sellers on Towers Street, it detracts from your experience and is an inconvenience. I personally think the lockers are a fantastic idea, but it's not up to me, the GP will vote with their wallets .

[Vicki]

The ice rink at Altrincham has lockers like this. The system is VERY simple, which is great because I don't see how it could break, and also you can easily ask a mate to grab something or share a locker. BUT, I agree about the hour use thing. When I go skating I pay the full day rate (£3), as I'd worry about someone stealing my stuff if I forget to put more money in.

[Mike]

[quote=""Magrathea""]Guys, seriously?!
They're looking like a really good addition. However much they cost to use, you can't argue that it's a better use of the space than using them for nothing.

Yes, the costs are a little steep, but these are optional lockers! I would hardly call the added convenience of being able to store your bags somewhere which isn't Guest Services "Yet another reason to avoid the Towers!"

These lockers aren't going to come running from their shelter and yell in your face "HEY GAIZ, D'YOU WANT TO BUY SOME LOCKER SPACE?", they are simply going to sit there and make money, which, believe it or not, Alton needs.

The time to criticise Alton making money is when, like the sellers on Towers Street, it detracts from your experience and is an inconvenience. I personally think the lockers are a fantastic idea, but it's not up to me, the GP will vote with their wallets .[/quote]

Completely agree

That said, I'd argue that the other UK Merlin attractions need them more - Legoland especially (as they have so few and the ones they do have look quite small) - as AFAIK Alton is the only place with lockers at Guest Services.

[PeteB]

[quote=""LCWatAlton""]Here are some photos I took of them today!





[/quote]

Not bad really, but I seriously hope they have relocated the shooting game in dark forest. I love it.

Perhaps this is the way forward, getting rid of crappy HB leisure stalls and replacing them with something more practical. I think the air ones in FV are a bit sparse are they not? Surely they need to add another set of lockers somewhere else, perhaps up near Nemesis.

Just thinking how busy the area gets.

[fredward]

I like this addition, it's an easier solution then what they have already. I hated waiting in a massive queue at the end of the day!

The park has clearly shown that they have put some effort with the signs, and i'm glad the old free fastrack booths are given a purpose! Next step the black hole tent!

£10 is a bit exessive but £5 is the same price as it was before, think we get to use AP discount?

[Vanessa Feltz]

I believe it to be a good adition, I believe it will be used quite a lot by the public as I already hate carrying a bag around, However, I do think the price is a little too high, though that's what has already been charged in Guest Services.

Time will tell how extensively they are used.

[.Will]

The new lockers look fantastic and are using space that was once wasted. Good move AT, well done.

[Crofty]

They look great but I have a sinking feeling that they may force people to use them in future by not allowing bags on rides or in the queue line. They wouldn't go to all this trouble for some lockers that really won't get used that often otherwise.

[AstroDan]

There would be nowhere near enough of them if they did that.

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[UltimateDingbat]

Personally I dont take anything to a theme park that I want to leave in a locker. I take a small rucksack that I can carry around and place in the on ride rockers. That carrys the basics.

[djtruefitt]

I think it would be a lot of work for Alton to stop letting people take bags on rides full stop, you would need lockers in every area of the park and outside pretty much every ride. Also you would need some way of enforcing it, the only way I could see is having someone at the front of each queue telling people, which surely would be a waste of staffing costs. Otherwise they cant really turn you away from a ride with a bag if you have just queued for an hour.

I imagine the lockers will be well used. When I was at Thorpe a few weeks back they have lockers dotted around the park and my friend took quite a while trying to find some that were empty.

[AstroDan]

Thorpe have thousands of.lockers that until recent years, were entirely free of charge!

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[Coke]

Didn't Alton used to have some as well, by Nemesis in a portacabin thing?

[Adam]

[quote=""djtruefitt""]I think it would be a lot of work for Alton to stop letting people take bags on rides full stop, you would need lockers in every area of the park and outside pretty much every ride. Also you would need some way of enforcing it, the only way I could see is having someone at the front of each queue telling people, which surely would be a waste of staffing costs. Otherwise they cant really turn you away from a ride with a bag if you have just queued for an hour.

I imagine the lockers will be well used. When I was at Thorpe a few weeks back they have lockers dotted around the park and my friend took quite a while trying to find some that were empty.[/quote]

Thats what Universal Studios Florida does. I remember on rides The Mummy and Men in black (and a few others) you have to leave your stuff in a locker before you enter the queue line. A staff member is at the queue line entrance to enforce this.

Those lockers are free while your on the ride though.

[PeteB]

[quote="".Adam""][quote=""djtruefitt""]I think it would be a lot of work for Alton to stop letting people take bags on rides full stop, you would need lockers in every area of the park and outside pretty much every ride. Also you would need some way of enforcing it, the only way I could see is having someone at the front of each queue telling people, which surely would be a waste of staffing costs. Otherwise they cant really turn you away from a ride with a bag if you have just queued for an hour.

I imagine the lockers will be well used. When I was at Thorpe a few weeks back they have lockers dotted around the park and my friend took quite a while trying to find some that were empty.[/quote]

Thats what Universal Studios Florida does. I remember on rides The Mummy and Men in black (and a few others) you have to leave your stuff in a locker before you enter the queue line. A staff member is at the queue line entrance to enforce this.

Those lockers are free while your on the ride though.[/quote]

As for staffing, Alton already have people at the ride entrances - on the main rides anyway. Usually 1 at the standard entrance and 1 at fast track.

So really they are 95% of the way there to implementing that system at Universal. All they need is a few more lockers and the addition of free storage for ride-time.

No bags on rides would also free up a few members of staff in each ride station.

[Adam]

I would welcome that to happen personally.

I think the system works much better! I never trust my stuff in those cages, after hearing about how much is stolen.

Would make things much easier and secure.

[PeteB]

[quote="".Adam""]I would welcome that to happen personally.

I think the system works much better! I never trust my stuff in those cages, after hearing about how much is stolen.

Would make things much easier and secure.[/quote]

Agreed. I take no issue with the system they use in Florida and would welcome it at Alton Towers.

Should be financially sound as well if you consider for example that Th13teen has 2 staff members on baggage duty, 1 on Rita. Both rides already have staff at the entrances and would share the same lockers so loose the 3 staff on baggage duty, saving at least £150+ per day. Then you also have the earning potentional for people who want to use the lockers beyond the free ride-time.

It all adds up when you cover the whole park. Win-win situation I think, and the kind of clean money making tactics I'd rather see.

Who said TTF'ers couldn't run themeparks?

[Crofty]

I agree. The locker system in Universal is a very fair way of doing things and I wouldn't have a problem with leaving stuff at the lockers, it would make throughput a lot quicker.

[Islander]

Hmm, am I the only one who doesn't really want to queue for ages without my bag?

[captain]

[quote=""Islander""]Hmm, am I the only one who doesn't really want to queue for ages without my bag?[/quote]
No you're not! If I am in a queue for say an hour and a half, I don't want my bag to be at the front of said queue. Furthermore, if I require some water or food in the wait, it's good to have it with me in the queue. Having lockers at the front of the queue means that the only way to get a drink would be to buy it from a queueline kiosk, something I'm sure the park would love. Personally I've never had a problem with carrying a bag around all day or leaving it in the station lockers. Anything valuable I leave in my pockets, something I can see would be difficult with say an SLR.