Alton Towers Winter Opening

[lucozade]

With other European parks staying open year round, even in the same climate. (Phantasiaisland Germany)

Would you like to see AT open in the winter months?

Maybe with cheaper ticket prices & weekend only tickets.

[LevSusenka]

I would certainly like to see it open later in the year if not all the time but I dont think its financially sensible for Merlin to do so. We have seen many times that as soon as snow falls it shuts the place down even walking around and they wont want to pay staff to be on site or on call when they might have weeks closed due to weather. Plus of course the down time allows for work to be carried out.

Maybe a reduced cost for a less operational park would be a happy medium but thats still a lot of staff to pay and security to mind the closed areas.

[Themeparksandy1981]

Now C beebies land is here I can see then opening it for winter events. Maybe even the 4D cinema but not the rest of the park.

[Danny]

I don't get it, the rides must be able to operate in cold weather, so why can't they stay open longer?

[Dan]

I don't get it, the rides must be able to operate in cold weather, so why can't they stay open longer?

All attractions (particularly coasters) have a minimum temperature that they can operate in (I believe that if it drops below 3 degrees then most coasters wont operate but some rides do react differently)

[sw7nutter]

I dont know about alton but i know saw and colossus cant operate below 5. NI and swarm cant below 2, and stealth depends on how warm the machinery is which varies from -2 to 2 degrees. The smiler will be similar to saw as it stalled a lot during testing so will be around 5 degrees. Also winter opening doesnt happen because of the need of winter strip down and checks. There is a lot to check of a ride which requires a lot of time.

[lucozade]

How does phantasialand in Germany or Disney in Paris stay open all year? Paris has very similar weather (slightly warmer on average by a couple if degrees in winter) but phantasialand is actually colder in winter!

[Themeparksandy1981]

I been Disneyland Paris in Jan and it had snow on the ground in places. Disney can open as they know guests will visit 365 a year and 90% of the attractions are indoors. Now Drayton Manor open up the 4D Cinema, Jolly Bucaneer, Dodgems, The Carousel, The Big Wheel, Ben 10 Rollercoaster, The Zoo and Thomas Land. for there Christmas event which runs from the 22nd Nov to the 31st Dec.