Make The Gardens A Future Attraction Once More?

[roary01]

Okay so I've been watching the amazing/informative videos by Altontowersmemories on YouTube...

Gothic Temple - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_uREeH0IPU
Conservatory - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zBkXcSH0f4
The Dovecote/Pigeon House - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuujAIwrcs0
Pagoda Fountain- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0LDqm52t5Y

How hard would it be to restore the remaining garden features, and actually put information boards next to them explaining what they are and their history? Even with the possibility of reopening some (Gothic Temple, The Dovecote/Pigeon House).

I watched the video about the Dovecote/Pigeon house, when it was cleared in 2007 the space around it would make a perfect picnic area with benches/tables, and put in information boards it would make a really nice area to relax. It also wouldn't have to stop at the gardens, the rooms in the Towers could have information boards with pictures explaining what they used to be for/how they used to look. It would definitely add something extra as well as the rides and would give people the opportunity to delve more into the history of the estate.

I know some may say the cost, but surely it's not that expensive to make up some information boards to start with? Then over time refurbish parts of the gardens. If there was more information around it, it would make people more interested to look around and read about these areas as at the moment people don't always know what they actually are.

Thoughts?

[PhoenixStudios]

Alton Towers is a conservation area, and I very rarely see people actually spending time in The Gardens; most people just walk through it to get somewhere else  :P

It would be nice if they did, but I wouldn't put my hopes on it.

I think the picnic area idea might have a few people walk around and have folks more interested. I don't know to be brutally honest.

[Themeparksandy1981]

I have been going to Alton Towers 20 years and I only really looked round the gardens once. The only other times have been to get to the Dark Forest or Forbidden Valley when the Sky Ride has been out of action.

Guests don't pay £46, even with 2 for 1 tickets, to spend time to look round the gardens. My parents wouldn't do the same either, if they wanted to look round big gardens they would go to a National trust site.

[swalesuk01]

Hi I was saying something similar to my brother on our last visit when we cut through to dark forest and I remember the house on the terrace and was saying that its a shame its used as storage now rather than a tea house. You could even look to use it for wedding with it being secluded and easy to make exclusive little corner. I would love to get more info on the towers and more chance to walk around. As for the gardens they could look at using it for things like easter egg hunts or nature trails for educational visits. The one thing I would love is if they brought the train back maybe look at putting that around the gardens something different for the little children and big kids.

[Zac]

I made a similar comment to my friends recently in regards to the pagoda fountain I think it's called, I remember how colorful this used to be and how grand it's fountain was, it was a stunning sight even as you travelled over it on the sky ride, I haven't seen this work for several years now and is such a shame!

[roary01]

The cost of a day used as an excuse for not to look into the history gets me. Some people who stay on the resort more than a day, or elderly guests and even general guests i have seen do go around the house & gardens. The thing is to guests these days they are just buildings, statues, or bare rooms in the towers. I know people would pay more interest if there was information points/maps telling people the rooms/statues and there history.
They could even charge people during closed season on select days to have house & garden days, where your given a map and able to go to the numbered areas. Also it gives people that are staying on the resort to delve into the history and give them another thing to be able to do. "The history trail of Alton Towers." discover the glory days of the historic house & gardens.

[Dom]

That actually seems like a really good idea. It would give a whole new meaning to the towers, giving it a more personal note, plus it would give Merlin a reason to open during closed season and let them earn money.

[samham]

I would definitely visit the gardens during the winter season (when the rides are closed). I think opening the gardens up to the public in the winter would pull in a nice amount of visitors. Ghost walks through the gardens and towers on summer evenings would be another great addition. Alton Towers has so much potential to pull in more crowds and be a world-class an even more amazing resort than it is already! The history is rich and interesting enough for the gardens to be popular like it was many years ago.

[Chris]

It would be good if they could take a little more care of the structures in the garden - maybe more people would bother to see them if they looked presentable? They put a lot of effort in to the vegetation but not the fountains etc.

What has always appealed to me about AT is that it caters for everyone - and saying people do not visit the park for the gardens is not really accurate. On family visits my parents would slope off and spend a couple of hours in them.

I have always had an image of the old restaurant reopening - or at least as a coffee shop. I just don't think it would do well as the footfall is too low, mainly due to the above.

[tallicay2k]

New toilets would have to be put in and eating facilities, because let's face it, it's quite a walk to any of them from the garden.

Disabled access would have to be improved also.

[cookiee_munster]

Up in Scotland during the autumn they have something called the enchanted forest, where they use lighting, sound and projector effects as well as other things to bring a forest and garden area to life at night. I'd love for the park to do something similar in the gardens during the fireworks nights and maybe beyond that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoumTWgvo7s

[12344321]

A number of staff are currently involved in looking into this very idea of information boards at key sites in the gardens and house. It isn't too expensive but still has to provide a commercial case. The fountains, such as the Pagoda Fountain, are in full working order, however have had to be switched off due to an air/water born disease that is affecting some of the plants. It would be nice if signs were put up to explain this so people didn't just think they were broken.

[bensaund]

We have an issue in that the entry fee is so high to get into the park that it is currently only attracts theme park guests. To be honest for £48 entry you can get a National Trust pass which gives you access to so many more places.

Now the wristband option would be a way around this, if people want to do rides, then they will need a wristband which will be a high price, if people only want to see the Towers and Gardens and maybe watch their kids/grand kids on the rides, then say a flat entry of £10 would be an idea, this would attract more people to the Gardens and Towers.

But I can not see a change in policy. Currently they are doing the minimum to keep the gardens going, but their main focus is on the rides and millions of theme park guests. Plus the Towers are not open all year due to Scarefest, so if you paid to go in the towers to find they were closed and you could only see the gardens, you would not be happy.

[Fish777]

Now the wristband option would be a way around this, if people want to do rides, then they will need a wristband which will be a high price, if people only want to see the Towers and Gardens and maybe watch their kids/grand kids on the rides, then say a flat entry of £10 would be an idea, this would attract more people to the Gardens and Towers.

Would be perfect. Can't see it happening, but my parents would take me more if they did this

[schmatt]

I can only really see the gardens being used for events such as scarefest. Gutter out the debris inside the house towards Dark Forest and use the building as a scaremaze.
Add a zipwire running from the bridge near the towers down to the bottom of the gardens then charge it as a premium attraction. Possibly attempt to make it the Uk's Longest or something.
The Large Glass house style building could be turned into a Cafe as its not too far off the main path. Or Have it as the new Hospitality Suite to replace the one currently by Spinball, I'm sure many business' would be happy with the change. It can then be rented out for events such as wedding Receptions and frees up space in Adv. Land.
As others have mentioned Easter egg hunts and other similar events could also be used.

[Thorpe Towers 13]

I love the gardens, they are beautiful and would love to see them being put back into use as an attraction. However, on the whole most people want to go on the rides not the garden and especially with entry price I cant blame them. Perhaps outdoor activities rather than big ride, someone else said about a zip wire (great idea) but could have outdoor play area, climbing wall etc etc. Nice place to have a picnic in.

[jmed]

So, looking through the recent 'Churnet Valley Report' by Staffordshire Moorlands, they state that the Alton Towers Gardens could be considered for a separate access or ticketing option (quote and link below).


''Zone 9 - The Gardens
Protection and enhancement of existing gardens. Consideration should be given
to separate access to the gardens or ticketing options to allow for separate
admissions. When considering visitor circulation within this area consideration
should be had for the impact on the historic gardens.''
http://www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/sites ... 0cover.pdf

So, what would this mean for the towers. Is it a good thing? would it put an end to any dreams of the cross valley coaster? Would it actually get much revenue or would people not bother travelling to visit the gardens? lets be honest, they're a nice peaceful place away from the park, but to people keen on nature and gardens, they're still smack bang in the middle of the busiest park in Britain, hardly tranquil.

Thinking outside the box, could this be that start of developing a second theme park? start with a small railway, etc, just as AT did originally

your thoughts?

[lf2001]

Like other comments, people pay lots of money to visit the park. They obviously want to go on the rides, not spend all day walking through the gardens. I only really go through the gardens to shortcut to Forbidden Valley.

[Burniel]

I think I may be the only one, but I sometimes go on the skyride just for the gardens

[RedStar98]

I think it would be good to bring in a picnic area and maybe a small cafe or hot drinks/ice cream stall with some seating. Also maybe a wooden children's playground that wouldn't look too out of place in the setting. Potentially there could be a small bird enclosure, possibly like the parakeet enclosure they have at Chessington. I think that would increase the popularity of the area (by bringing in families with small children who can't use the large rides) without damaging the area to any great degree.