2012 operational cuts

[hex4ever]

Hey, it wouldn't be unlike them to make it a pay per attraction and then give the disabled a wrist band to get them on for free. Lets face it, it's not impossible and would mean they could class it as an 'iconic attraction' to justify it.

[Big Dave]

Well to be fair AstroDan....Yes! The biggest cost to the park is staff wages. Streamline the staff a bit and you can make a big saving. Its not the solution, but its a start and I'd start from the top down as well!

Also they can save money by not wasting it on stupid projects that don't work. Look at yourday and those TV screens! Sell them off and get some cash for them instead of letting them rust or spending loads to try and get them back running.

[AstroDan]

They definitely wouldn't make it a pay attraction. The uproar from guests would be unthinkable.

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[Kenzie2012]

It was only a couple of years back when they stopped running the Momorail on peak days too - this was soooo annoying

[AstroDan]

It was more than a couple. I recall 2005-6 ish.

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[Kenzie2012]

Sept 09 - we came for a few days, Tues / Weds / Thurs, each day they said the Monorail was closed because it wasn't busy enough to run.

[AstroDan]

Odd. I had no idea the park were closing the Monorail so recently.

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[Kenzie2012]

I've not encountered it since and we always visit mid September - It always boiled my blood, that walk does nothing to inspire any "Magic" before your day or to carry it on after....

I hope the Skyride doesn't close, i only really go on off peak days now.

[AstroDan]

Sunday visits are quiet enough usually, but not off peak. It could be a good bet.

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[hex4ever]

Surely the practical and sensible thing to do is increase footfall in the off-peak season to increase profits rather than put people of visiting in the first place.

[Kenzie2012]

You would think so - from a business point of view it is a very lazy approach

[thefatone]

Surely the practical and sensible thing to do is increase footfall in the off-peak season to increase profits rather than put people of visiting in the first place.

It's something they do do - you get far more people offpeak than you used to even a few years ago.

[Jordan]

Surely though, the cost cutting is a vicious circle of decline? Things like the Skyride being closed are extremely noticeable, and when the perceived-price of visiting Towers is so high (two-for-ones or not), people are far more likely to feel in a position to criticise things like that and visit less, probably leading to further cost cuts from higher up.

Towers' value-for-money satisfaction level so far this year is just below 10%. Closing the Skyride often will just make this worse.

[James]

I would assume so far cutbacks have been made behind the scenes, in parts of the operations that are not notably noticed by guests. It was only going to be a matter of time before ride operations would be hit by the cutbacks.

I highly doubt the managers at Alton want the Skyride closed anymore than we do. They've just got to take these risks in order to comply with the budget cuts ordered by Merlin. In a way, if closing rides/attractions creates that much of a problem it shows to Merlin at least that the amount of cutbacks is doing worse for the business, not better.


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[AstroDan]

I now believe this is definitely going ahead. The Skyride looks set to be closed more days than it is open.

I guess Alton will publish something on their website so people who are less mobile can make a choice when to visit.

More terrible news from the company that prides itself as second to Disney.

[PeteB]

I now believe this is definitely going ahead. The Skyride looks set to be closed more days than it is open.

I guess Alton will publish something on their website so people who are less mobile can make a choice when to visit.

More terrible news from the company that prides itself as second to Disney.

Lock n load! Bullets are ready for the AT Facebook page.... 

[djtruefitt]

As long as they dont start cutting the opening of the monorail like a few years back, that really would annoy many guests.

[AstroDan]

The thing is, as much as I agree that such decisions should result in complaint and lobbying of either Alton Towers or Merlin, it's yet more evidence of things being done that completely fly in the face of good customer service. The theme park prides itself on good staff, who go the extra mile to make their guests have a great day out - yet these ridiculous, damaging decisions are made which then cause abuse and bad press.

Whether it is closing at 4:00pm, proposing the closing of Submission and Enterprise, changing the Annual Pass perks, upselling left, right and centre, closing Skyride, cutting entertainments, cutting opening hours of selected food outlets - these all combine to create a bad impression.

It's almost out of Alton Towers' own hands. And that in itself, is deeply worrying.

[Dormiens-Dave]

Its almost like going back 6 years isn't it...

Just before the park got sold to Merlin

[Jordan]

Alton Towers aren't owned by an attractions operator, they're owned by a venture capitalist firm.

Nick Varney is looking for a quick exit, and when he does go, he's taking the UK theme park business for every penny with him.