Waterpark: General Discussion 2012

[CoasterCrazyChris]

I've only ever been in once and that was for a couple of hours for which I paid the full £15 for. And that was at 4pm - no reduction despite being two hours to closure and with the outdoor area shut.

I only paid it because I had wanted to go in the waterpark ever since it first opened when it was advertised on the TV. Everybody else in my party had opted to stay in the theme park as they did not want to give up hours in the park for a waterpark which they thought was not worth the money to go in.

The Master Blaster and Wacky Waterworks are really the only notable features of Cariba Creek. Yes, it is very highly themed, but it really lacks good substance to be a true waterpark. The main pool is far to small and nowhere near deep enough and subsequently always crowded. The lazy river has water features galore, but sat in a ring you go nowhere as there are no jets to push you round. Again, like the main pool it is far too small and very crowded. I really don't understand why they didn't build it to go around the perimeter of the waterpark like most places, that way it could be nice and long and disperse crowds properly.

Rush and Rampage are average at best, with the splash down at the end being the only fun part. I cannot comment on the outdoor pools and slides. The hot tub pools are not inviting either due to crowding.

The most annoying thing however is having to queue half a lifetime to pick up a ring for the Masterblaster and then having to join another long queue for the slide itself where you spend the other half of your life.

All these problems simply boil down to the fact Cariba Creek is being used for a purpose it was not designed for.

What it needs is expansion, extended opening hours and time allocations for guests and non-guests.

[siralgenon]

I still hope that some day, before it gets to its 10th birthdat, that they'll bother investing in a new attraction. Can all hope

1 Thing that waterpark is missing is a space bowl That would be a good 10th birthday present.

A bigger expanded pool would be nice too

Anyway considering the major refurb last year I was not expecting too much this year.

How would a space bowl fit in to a Caribbean waterpark?  :P

[CoasterCrazyChris]

What they need is some Wild Water Rapids like at Center Parcs.

Then the waterpark would be a must do for any Alton Towers visit.

[Rowe]

What about annual passes? do they get the locker thrown in?

No, unfortunately. Which is a shame as it's a missed opportunity for a little perk.

[siralgenon]

Has anyone got any pics? 

[Matthew144]

I have just got back from the waterpark now (annual pass holder) and all I will say is what have they been doing for three weeks. Fine a splash of paint and changing the main bucket but I cannot see much else. I guess it took a while to change all the locks on the lockers! Which is chaos as 2 supervisers were in there retreaving money from broken lockers that had swallowed the money but would not lock.
They have cleaned the masterblaster outside section which is now not totally dark so spoils the ride but have still not put signs on the staircase directing you to the correct slide so you still have people Queueing up with the wrong rings.
I guess there not too bothered about spending money on it though as it was still rammed full of people.

[Matthew144]

Has anyone got any pics? 

That unless staff would be hard.

Matthew, how do you feel about the locker charge? You could gain free use of 1 until your pass expires, Just explain to the manager how you are not happy that there was no locker charge in place when you bought your pass.

It would be an easy system to do as well, Just issue each passholder with a trolley coin that they can get back at the end of the day when emptying lockers.

I did speak with the shift manager who said they were looking at introducing a system for annual pass holders but couldn't say any more in case nothing happens, I won't hold my breath.
I am going to email the waterpark GM though as I think it's a rip off when I have already payed best part of £200.
The reason they wont do anything about it though is this has been done specifically to raise funds from the annual pass holders and discount ticket holders as well as full price payers.

[NickT04]

Oh dear oh dear. Makes me glad someone had forgotten to take their £1 back last year when I went, so made money on my locker!

The first time I went to the waterpark was courtesy of a hotel stay that was won by a friend on beacon FM and given to my family, I think I spent three to four hours in there on my first visit. I then returned their in the October with a friend during Scarefest, I think I ended up spending around about two hours in there. Thankfully because Alton had dished out so many theme park tickets and waterpark wristbands when we had stayed earlier in the year neither visit cost me a penny, so my view on the waterpark was a good one.

Roll the years forward to 2011 and the Saturday of the fireworks. We'd stopped over the Friday night and planned to spent the day in the waterpark before hitting the theme park at night for the fireworks. After we'd done everything and got fed up we left, and again it had only been two hours! I thought £12 was bad for two hours with my discount - but I can't imagine I'm the only one that's got fed up after that amount of time and paid full whack of £15! Now it costs to have a locker on top of that, I won't be returning to the waterpark again until a new slide or similar large investment is made!

[siralgenon]

Has anyone got any pics? 

That unless staff would be hard.

Matthew, how do you feel about the locker charge? You could gain free use of 1 until your pass expires, Just explain to the manager how you are not happy that there was no locker charge in place when you bought your pass.

It would be an easy system to do as well, Just issue each passholder with a trolley coin that they can get back at the end of the day when emptying lockers.

That's a good idea about the token, it would keep Annual Pass holders more happy! (me being one of them)

[djtruefitt]

Now I wish I had kept all the trolley tokens we had at work!

[NoseyElephant]

Charging for a locker is ridiculous. I cant name another swimming pool or water park that i know of that charges for a locker.
Not only is it an insult to those that have paid the very expensive entrance fee, but its a giant kick in the teeth for the people who have paid to stay in the hotel, then have to pay to enter the water park, then have to pay for a locker!
Utter Madness!!

[Matthew144]

Charging for a locker is ridiculous. I cant name another swimming pool or water park that i know of that charges for a locker.
Not only is it an insult to those that have paid the very expensive entrance fee, but its a giant kick in the teeth for the people who have paid to stay in the hotel, then have to pay to enter the water park, then have to pay for a locker!
Utter Madness!!

It's like Ryan air charging for a seat! Hold on a minute maybe Michael O'leary got shares in Merlin.

[djtruefitt]

Im surprised they havnt introduced fast track on the slides! Im guessing it would be hard to do as people dont carry money in their swimming shorts :P

[garyh]

When are people going to realise - now that Merlin are in charge only one thing matters - and thats profits.  Who cares about value for money and people having a good time, Merlin want your money people.  You only have to visit one of their attractions to get that "ive been ripped off" feeling and Alton Towers unfortunately is no exception.

The majority of the money they have invested in the park has gone on things to make them money, eg. this crazy locker system, new car park barriers, new car parking token machines, the endless amount of sweet stalls, cookie stalls, toy stalls around the park etc etc.

The roads around the park are an absolute disgrace, pot holes everywhere, so the money from the car parking isnt obviously going into the roads which in my opinion it should be.  The hotels are charging a fortune, but the money isnt going on the rooms, many are falling apart, beds need replacing, windows dont close or open, and as AstroDan said, the bathrooms are plain and bare, and the rooms dont even have air con!!!

This £1 charge for a locker just reinforces the money grabbing attitude of Merlin - I remember when Cariba Creek first opened, where towels were free but surprise surprise we now have a £1 charge,  I remember when youcould take your own food and drink in but not anymore.  and now you even have to pay to use a locker.  Shocking!  If I were a hotel guest who had paid £300+ to stay in the hotel for a night, and then have to pay extra for little things like this I would be really annoyed. 

The waterpark is good for about 2 hours max, even small kids get bored with the slides very quickly and the majority of the water "cannons" fire less water than a 1 year olds water pistol.  The outside pools tend to close early and the water last year was pretty cold (obviously turned down a few degrees to save money).

I used to love alton towers, would go 9-10 times a year and come away happy and feeling like i'd had a good day.  That was before Merlin got their thieving hands on the place.  Poor Mr Broome who created a place which did once genuinely have magic.  What has it become now?  Its a place where even with an annual pass I come away feeling robbed.  I just dread to think how families must feel or indeed how they would afford a weekend there.

Alton are resting on their laurels, and falsely believe they can continue to scam people like this but believe me the next few years, given this economic climate will be their downfall.  Just so sad what has become of the park which was once a truely magical place

[Blaze]

Yeah, not like DIC, Tussauds, or anyone else who's ownder the park, or any other business. They're not a charity. Of course they want money, like everyone else does.

Majority? Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt those stalls, barriers, lockers etc cost anywhere near as much as, say, N:ST, let alone the two SWs they've built and are building.

Alton don't own those roads. They said the car parking money would be used to help pay for the repairs but it's up to the council whether it happens or not. As for the rooms, the Splash rooms are getting worked on this winter, as confimed by the management, on this very site infact.

I love when people say how there's no magic anymore, but in the same paragraph say they used to visit almost a dozen times a year. Well no wonder it's not the same anymore!

Can I ask everyone why it is that when Alton/Merlin do something good, there's a quick little well done, but they do one thing bad, and they get massively slated for it and pretty much everything else they've ever done. And it's almost always Merlin's fault, not Altons. Do people really think Merlin went down to the waterpark and told them to specifically to start charging a quid to use the lockers? Really? I'm pretty sure they have bigger things to deal with.

[garyh]

Alton don't own those roads. They said the car parking money would be used to help pay for the repairs but it's up to the council whether it happens or not. As for the rooms, the Splash rooms are getting worked on this winter, as confimed by the management, on this very site infact.

Do people really think Merlin went down to the waterpark and told them to specifically to start charging a quid to use the lockers? Really? I'm pretty sure they have bigger things to deal with.

I thought Alton Towers was private property?  Therefore, the roads would belong to Alton, and not the council.  I doubt the council would allow Alton Towers to paint happy and sad faces on their traffic lights.......

And yes I do believe Merlin told Alton to start charging for lockers - Alton wouldnt do any development without approval from Merlin.  Every money making scam is a Merlin idea - just look at any other attractions they own.

As for giving them praise, if they do something good at Alton then yeah i'll give them praise, but of late, nothing springs to mind.  No developments in the water park for 10 years and the last major ride being a huge disappointment (with huge queues to match). 

And yes, Alton did have a genuine magic about it, regardless how many times you would visit!!

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Of course Tussauds, DIC, John Broome and the rest of them wanted to make money.

Heck, John Broom made MILLIONS off of the back of Alton Towers.

The simple fact is they were just better at making the money than Merlin is. They realised, with the exception of DIC, that effective maintenance, attention to detail and continued investment is a more effective way of making money than cheap gimmicks such as game stalls and fasttrack tickets.

[Blaze]

Been on Duel recently, Chris? That ride has had continuous improvements and more work done in the past two seasons than it probably ever had. 2011 is the only season they haven't put a new ride and area in, and the next two seasons have pretty major investments coming.

Sorry Gary, but Alton have their own mind. They started to charge for the lockers, not Merlin. You just sound paranoid of Merlin is you say every little thing that costs money is down to Merlin, making out Alton is some poor little trapped being in the giant, evil hands of Merlin.

That last major ride may have disapointed you, but it still cost more than any other investment they've ever made and had a very expensive and complicated element that had never been attempted before. The ambition was there, even if the ride didn't work as well as it could have, and half of the blame is Intamin's not the park/Merlin.

[Dormiens-Dave]

Charging for a locker is ridiculous. I cant name another swimming pool or water park that i know of that charges for a locker.

WaterWorld is Stoke does, infact quite a lot do.

As for the road owning thing, everything beyond the main gate is owned by Alton Towers, Last year a large section of the road was resurfaced. The waterpark last year had a complete overhall, with the water guns fixed and the pools resurfaced. Not hugely obvious work but expensive and needed. On the downside the waterpark has had no major new attraction in quite a while.

Blaze as for negativity, people here used to be called "fanboys" and blind to Alton Faults but in the last few years they have really done bad things persistantly: Mediocre coaster, No new attraction in 2011, Fanta sponsorship, deceptive pricing structure to penalise BOGOF vouchers, poor Scarefest. Compared to what was good.... They got rid of Fanta and a great fireworks show.

I personally think Garyh points are a little harsh but he is entitled to his oppinion. This year we have what i think will be a great mid-investment dark ride AND a decent 4D cinema. However there is the loss of 2 flatrides (needed for construction or not it shows how pathetic their thrill flat line-up is). This £1 charge for lockers seems pathetic and its these little things that leave a bad taste in visitors mouths but thats the risk the management will take. Again on a positive dsteel has commented that lots of work will be happening on the hotels this year so maybe overall they will geta  resounding thumbs-up. Personally i'm not willing to mark Towers scorecard before the season has begun, last year was a resounding fail of a season... i think 2012 might be quite good.

As for Duel, early season lots of work done, end of season pillor demon out of action for most of the last 4 months and lots of effects not working. that said there is hope this closed season it may get some attention.

And i don't think people are overly negative Blaze (obviously some individuals are but across the board not) i just think you notice the negative comments more than the positive ones... SW7 topics are full of positivity

[garyh]

I went on Duel last year several times and loads of stuff inside wasnt working - for example they still havent fixed the flame effect behind the zombie which is supposed to be in the furnace - its been like that for over a year now.

I would be surprised if Alton really implent changes to business strategy without approval in some form from Merlin.  Sure the manager of Alton will have some control of their own about what he can do there, but things relating to business strategy which may impact visitor numbers - approval would of had to have come from high up.  I may be wrong but i'd be surprised if alton are making such big decisions themselves with Merlin being aware.

Dormiens-Dave makes a valid point in that a lot of people are fan boys who will not let a bad word be said about Alton.  I apologise if some of my points seem harsh, but I also try and view the experience of the park from the point of view of a non-enthusiast and how they would feel after a visit.

Anyways - I think we are going off the topic slightly which was initially about the waterpark!!!!!