Attraction Source Forum

Was there today, rides were down for about 3 hours, mainly Dark forest and surrounding area.


Thirteen was evactuated from the top of the lift

[quote=""TheWraithWithNoFace""]Was there today, rides were down for about 3 hours, mainly Dark forest and surrounding area.


Thirteen was evactuated from the top of the lift[/quote]


The rides were down for 1 hr at the most, and the power cut affected the whole resort

^ Not thirteen i was in the queue for it and its was down at least 2 hours

Even though a powercut can be relatively short, the time taken to evacuate and restart a ride can vary greatly. Such an abrupt loss of power can cause problems to computers etc unfortunately, as seems to be the case with the more technical rides such as Th13teen.

[quote=""AaronSmith""]Ride close was supposed to be 18.00pm tonight anyway.[/quote]

Actually, it wasn't. It was due to be 5.30pm - with the same tomorrow.

We had just arrived at the entrance to the th13teen queue when the power went down. The staff at the ride entrance did a fantastic job despite been bombarded with questions form people who don't seem to realise that it's out of their control!

The reports state power was returned in about 40 minutes, but it was a good hour before the lights in the shops were back on. Then all the technical testing had to be done. They had Rita running after another half hour, then about 1 hr 45 after the cut started we were allowed into the queue. From the people who had stayed in the queue during all this we still had an hour of queueing left to do!

Annoyingly we went to oblivion next and that had its own mini failure though only for a few minutes!

On the way out we stopped off at guest services where managers were signing tickets to revalidate them for a future visit in the year and parking charges were weived.

Alton Towers have been faced with a difficult situation today and have done the best they can to resolve it today. As for the comment on genrators, they do have emergency generators for ensuring all guests are safe in these situations. The amount of power they would have to generate to power the whole park though is a huge amount!

I wouldn't mind gettin stuck in the dark on duel! I don't know what's going on with power cuts lately, I live in Coventry and yesterday at my work we had no power for an hour, we had a powercut for around 2 hours at my house today and our marks and spencer in town has had no power for past 2days. Might be related As all in midlands?

I find the comments on the Alton Towers Resort facebook page about this whole matter, quite frankly, infuriating

Not due to a power cut but me and my wife got stuck on air a few years ago for about 40mins.
Does get a little uncomfortable after a while, but they dropped the seats down and got a long metal platform for people to stand on when they released the restraints a row at a time.

Never worried about power cuts at a theme park as I know the rides are designed to fail in a safe way, so you are not left dangling upside down.

When the ride looses power, its very similar to someone pressing the Emergency stop. The ride will cut out and will stop in a safe manor. Each ride is slightly different, but all the rides are designed for this to happen. Its hardly breaking news and obviously sky just dont have anything else exciting to talk about.

[quote=""And.""][quote=""AaronSmith""]Ride close was supposed to be 18.00pm tonight anyway.[/quote]

Actually, it wasn't. It was due to be 5.30pm - with the same tomorrow.[/quote]

Alton must of decided to alter the times because the website said 5:30pm for yesterday but when we arrived the signs said 6:00pm close which was great to see

Just thought I'd share the post I've put onto the Alton Towers Facebook...

"I know that you guys are going to get a lot of flack from people that should probably know better. But I think you did a pretty amazing job with the power situation... Just as you did last year too! I wonder if the Tussauds of 2004 - 2006 would have made as much of an effort to keep guests satisfied than Merlin have over the last 2 years. The bitter truth is that you can give as much away as you can, but people will still not be satisfied. As if free tickets, extended opening and free parking wasn't enough, people are still demanding more. Shear greed I say! But none-the-less, well done guys.. Well done."

Thats all so true daboywunda (rep points added) and i also left you a comment saying i agree on facebook. Im sure ull agree that some of the facebook page posts are disgusting and greedy - does my head in

haha, thanks jomo!

I was just trying to put out an alternative viewpoint out there in a world where every-one is so quick to whinge and moan but never to compliment!

I was at the park today, and was in the Flume queue when the power went. Very odd experience for everything to suddenly go silent and stop - the staff went into immediate action, literally running to various points of the ride to aid guests. They eventually evacuated everyone on the ride and in the queue.

We then went for a walk after being given exit passes. A member of staff told us that the whole park and resort was down. People began to make their own fun, cheering the staff evacuating Battle Galleons for example. Since all the rides were closed we wondered into Cloud Cuckoo Land, where ride staff were entertaining kids even though the rides were closed.

We were eventually informed by a helpful stuff member that all the rides would reopen at the same time after the final evacuations of the major rides were completed. In all I would say that it took 1 1/2 hours to get most of the rides open - others, such as Thirteen took 2 hours.

Guests were given one hour extra ride time, the car parking charge was wavered, and everyone had their tickets revalidated for another visit. Fantastic customer service and a very professional response to a hectic and unexpected event. Well done Alton Towers!

Yeah I wouldn't mind getting stuck in duel! Think of all those points you would score

Also, Im not sure if anybody else is aware, but my local themepark Wicksteed Park had a power cut at the exact same time as Altons. Quite a coincidence. Just thought I would share that with you

[quote=""elmerfudd""]Yeah I wouldn't mind getting stuck in duel! Think of all those points you would score
[/quote]

How would you score points if there was a powercut?

^that I didnt think of! hahaha
Dont take this away from me!

Duel has lights that run on batteries in case of an emergency. The Batteries are charged by the mains power during normal operation and are activated in a fire or power cut.

[quote=""AaronSmith""]Duel has lights that run on batteries in case of an emergency. The Batteries are charged by the mains power during normal operation and are activated in a fire or power cut.[/quote]
All buildings, by law, have these emergency lights.