Ride photo pickup charge.

Wed Jun 19, 2013 1:15 pm

Hi guys.

Just bought a ride photo on smiler, and when asked to pick it up later was greeted with a £1 charge.
When did they introduced that money making scam?

Its not exactly difficult to take a pile of photos to towers street at a set time if the day. Although I bet all those £1s mount up.

Wed Jun 19, 2013 1:17 pm

When Michelle and I last visited on 9th, this wasn't in place, but we did ask after the transaction was closed.

Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:36 pm

Oh honestly, that is just ridiculous! Is there anything that they won't charge for now? It costs nothing extra for them to simply transport merch from one location to another.

Wed Jun 19, 2013 11:43 pm

This really is the pits, I have only bought one photo this year (Smiler) I don't plan to buy any more this year which is a shame as I bought over 100 last year as they had the pricing right, digital downloads, and the MAP discount on the photo passes. (Plus 5 not 4 photos)

Merlin/Picsolve really are trying to squeeze every penny out of us, which I'm sure will get a lot worse once they float on the stock market.

Don't they realise that when people believe and know they are getting ripped off, they stick their heels in, don't go back and go out of their way not to spend money.

I refuse to eat at Legoland as the Pizza Pasta is way more expensive that Chessie, and Alton

What next... a toll booth to get into the X-Sector?

Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:32 am

Photo prices in general this year are disgusting. Paid £20 for 5 pictures at Thorpe last year. Yet Alton want £8 a picture, £2 for a download code and now £1 to collect them at the end of the day?

Disgusting, tbh.

Kirsty25 · Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:08 am

djedwardsmith wrote: Photo prices in general this year are disgusting. Paid £20 for 5 pictures at Thorpe last year. Yet Alton want £8 a picture, £2 for a download code and now £1 to collect them at the end of the day?

Disgusting, tbh.

Thorpe Park is still £20 foe 5 pics no MAP discount.

This admin charge is disgusting. Beyond ridiculous to be totally upfront.

Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:37 pm

bensaund wrote:
What next... a toll booth to get into the X-Sector?

Dont give them ideas.

Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:20 pm

Last year I got a photopass (5 photos) with AP discount. This year I got a photopass (4 photos) without AP discount. This charging to collect thing used to happen at Thorpe Park. That seemed to change, I believed they used to do it at AT for a while? They seem to drop and pickup this idea so often I have to ask if it'll cost me when I buy.

Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:46 pm

Kirsty25 wrote:
djedwardsmith wrote: Photo prices in general this year are disgusting. Paid £20 for 5 pictures at Thorpe last year. Yet Alton want £8 a picture, £2 for a download code and now £1 to collect them at the end of the day?

Disgusting, tbh.
Thorpe Park is still £20 foe 5 pics no MAP discount.

This admin charge is disgusting. Beyond ridiculous to be totally upfront.

Still? GG Thorpe Park then, that deal is a comparative bargain which I'm glad me and my gf took full advantage of.

Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:01 pm

djedwardsmith wrote:
Kirsty25 wrote:
djedwardsmith wrote: Photo prices in general this year are disgusting. Paid £20 for 5 pictures at Thorpe last year. Yet Alton want £8 a picture, £2 for a download code and now £1 to collect them at the end of the day?

Disgusting, tbh.
Thorpe Park is still £20 foe 5 pics no MAP discount.

This admin charge is disgusting. Beyond ridiculous to be totally upfront.
Still? GG Thorpe Park then, that deal is a comparative bargain which I'm glad me and my gf took full advantage of.

Thorpe Park has had this on the website for the last month

Ultimate Thrill Combo

Great savings to be made on ride photo products by purchasing the Ultimate Thrill Combo. Four vouchers to be redeemed against selected photography products. Valid for 2013 only. Subject to availability

When did you buy the photopass kirsty25?

Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:23 pm

I wanted to buy my on ride photo from Vampire at chessy... £10!!

That price was set for magnets, key rings and just the photos. Such a rip off! I remember when they were a fiver each.

Kirsty25 · Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:03 pm

My ex bought them back end of April. 99% sure there were 5 pics.

Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:56 am

At Thorpe a few months ago a friend made a note of the codes of the photos he wanted then bought them all from the desk in the dome at the end of the day. They could access all photos from all rides and print what you wanted.

Unfortunately I think Alton Towers isn't as sophisticated, so they have to print the photo at the ride, last year we were they cannot print other rides at Towers Street.

I rarely buy photos though as I think £8-£10 is extortionate!

Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:04 pm

jon18uk wrote: At Thorpe a few months ago a friend made a note of the codes of the photos he wanted then bought them all from the desk in the dome at the end of the day. They could access all photos from all rides and print what you wanted.

Unfortunately I think Alton Towers isn't as sophisticated, so they have to print the photo at the ride, last year we were they cannot print other rides at Towers Street.

This is how the process works at PortAventura too, so the technology is there - perhaps they can use the £1 'delivery' charge to pay for the software?! (Wishful thinking)

On the same lines, do they currently do 'we'll take it to your hotel room for you'? That would be even better!

As far as digital downloads go, can you buy them without buying the hard copy print? This would make much better value as there are a number of internet sites which would allow you to print them cheaper! Our recent Disney trip we got a Disney Photo CD after using the Disney PhotoPass and got all of our 'around the park' as well as some ride photos for $169.99 which sounds a lot, but there were over 150 photos from the two weeks (including water park ones!)

Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:47 pm

jon18uk wrote: At Thorpe a few months ago a friend made a note of the codes of the photos he wanted then bought them all from the desk in the dome at the end of the day. They could access all photos from all rides and print what you wanted.

Unfortunately I think Alton Towers isn't as sophisticated

Last season I went to collect my 5 photos at the end of the day at Alton Towers (when it was free to collect) and my AIR one had gone missing, so they printed a new one off for me, so I reckon they could do it.

OR, to save money and if you have time, memories the numbers throughout the day and pop back to the photo desks of each ride at the end of the day and buy them.

Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:22 pm

Thorpe always had a 50p charge

Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:40 pm

Not when I brought a bucket load last year

Sat Jun 22, 2013 8:53 am

I don't understand getting ride pics to be honest. There normally half full of random people u don't know
And show u looking like a freak with ur hands in the air.

Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:32 am

I think people get them to prove that they went on the ride. I did this in 1996 and hate looking at it 17 years later. The only other towers photo I brought was the last day of Corkscrew.
I wouldn't pay £8 now when you think you get get a digital photo done at Tesco's for 15p each.

Kirsty25 · Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:20 am

I wouldn't pay to collect them as I invariably have a satchel with me anyway. The first ride pic I got was saw in march as I chickened out of going on it in 2009. I got 1st ride on the smiler (my group took up 5seats) and rita. I do plan to get oblivion in October as there will be 8 of us taking over a row!