2014 End of Season Review

[Lee]

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The Annual End of Season Review - Alton Towers

As the Alton Towers Resort draws the curtain on the 2014 main season, sweeps away the end of season fireworks, and packs away the rides bunting; we'd like you to take a look back at your personal highlights and low points of the season. Did you feel the resort performed well this season? Did anything particularly impress you and were you blown away by the Fireworks Spectacular event? Whatever your opinion; whether it's on the fantabulous events, the resort's fantastical attractions or the spellbinding shows - we'd love to hear it. We'll be selecting our favourite submissions which we be included in a bumper article on the front page of the website.

[SuperWill]

The 2014 season for me has been a fantastic one! The high points of the season were the CBeebies Land opening day, Scarefest, Nemesis' 20th Birthday and the Fireworks! This season was also my first season being a passholder and I must say I loved it! Roll on Feb Half Term!

[Ryan.B]

Well, it's been the best season for me, I've been to every special event, done Scarefest twice and fireworks, got a lot of rides in over these past months and all in all been a great season with The Smiler not having any really big problems apart from queueline drainage and cbeebies land is the perfect area for younger audience, I enjoyed taking my younger cousin on the rides, must say top quality theming!
Surprises
.The announcement of Cbeebies Land, I figured out the farm was going sooner or later, I just expected an original theme or a different IP, it's actually better than an original theme at the moment, just keep updating it!
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Hex improvements
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The ride seems to have had better projectors, better screens and most times, smoke coming from the branch! Seems a lot better than previous seasons to me and also parks a bot better I think.
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New trains on Nemesis
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I didn't think this would happen for a couple of seasons yet, but they really have made it feel better, looks cleaner and rides slightly more comfortable, good for me!
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Duel fixed
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In the 2013 season I went on duel and quite a lot of it wasn't working and it seemed to stop quote a bit, when I first rode it this season I got an huge surprise! The trommel tunnel was working, something I haven't seen before this year, also seemed like haunted hollow had a spruce up, now there are new monsters/demons in there!
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Katanga Canyon improvements
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The area seems to be a lot more immersive and livelier than previous years to me, the mine train and rapids have been running well all season, not many breakdowns at all and there is smoke effects when the train comes out of the tunnel at Scarefest and fireworks!
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General park upkeep
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The park seems to have been kept really clean, queues seem more pleasant and smoking seems to have been stopped quite a lot of the time with the smokers sometimes being sent off to the designated areas, the whole park seems cleaner and fresher this year, structural problems with the smiler have been improved and it just seems that the magic is back
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Staff
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I have not bumped into one bad staff member this season, they all seem happy doing what they're doing and interact with guests, on almost every ride I've heard catchphrases and ride slogans used; Choo Choo, your spin is about to begin, sit back it's fright time and at Scarefest, one of the ride ops jumped out and shouted PREPARE TO DUEL! Which was absolutely fantastic, all the actors at Scarefest pushed themselves to the limit to scare people in the mazes and it was just a great year with lots of surprises! Scary Tales and Cbeebies land were my high points of the season, both being top quality! That's it for the high points I think, as well as all the trips and rides I went on!

[daveclarkedaveclarke]

Its been another very good season for me, my highlights being the fireworks. Having never done them before I will be back next year for thew 2015 performance

[Kirsty25]

I think it's been a pretty good 2014 season for me, a whole lot of rides, didn't manage fireworks this year which was the only real let down and I only rode the smiler a couple of times all season! Still don't believe it is worth the queues it is attracting! Here's to a good 2015!

[Aidan Lowe]

So this season, at the beginning of the year I only had plans to visit the park once and that was in May. That trip was good, it was midweek and queues were 25-30 mins on all attractions.

Then come the VIP Annual Pass which I bought, it was an impulse buy. Limited number, good value for money providing I knew I could make lots of trips. It has paid for itself 4x now the amount of money I've saved. Since when I bought it and close season I've made around 20 trips to Alton Towers, on my own which is a bit boring but I cannot imagine going to AT without my friends in tow having fast track of some kind.

Can't say I've had a bad visit, the majority of rides had good up-time. Only two that did have regular issues were Th13teen and Rita which aren't a major part of my day anyway although I try to get on them once per visit. Only visited once for Scarefest & Fireworks events, scarefest was just awesome this year first time I've done Sanctuary & ToTT, shame I didn't do them extreme as they weren't very effective otherwise. I did pass by and witness the fireworks while queuing to get back into x-sector, didn't feel they were as good as 2013 but still a good show. A note about the whole rush to x-sector after the fireworks, it was actually quite disgusting behavior, there was so much pushing and shoving with not a care in the world for the welfare of kids.

Food on park especially in the fast food chicken and burger kitchens is sub-par, found food very cold on occasions, overcharged etc.

Not bumped into a bad member of staff during my visits, pretty much all quite friendly even though I know they cannot wait for the days to end and everyone to get lost.

Overall a good season. I'm satisfied.

[TheBeast]

Great season guys, keep up the good work.

Originally when I came last February i was slightly disappointed at the amount of scrutiny I was under because I didnt own a paid-refill cup. Queues were reasonable, although truth be told with Alton they generally are. Shockingly, prices had gone up again, like Merlin needed extra money, but being Merlin they obviously don't. Staff were rather grumpy and gave a general outlook of "I'm here because I needed an easy job" (no offense to any workers on this forum, just my opinion). Alton was a money magnet, nothing more.

However, i saw a rather noticeable change in this. Obviously, queues stayed as queues but the staff become more friendly (I remember Mohammed from the Dark Forest drinks booth most), trying to improve guests days. I also found that the park had adopted a more Thorpe Park atmosphere - lively and fun. In my opinion the Scarefest and Fireworks were the best ive seen them, especially the Scarefest as I could do my first mazes (not counting Saw, I was only young when I did that). Overall I think that there was a notable improvememt- it appears as the queue for the Smkler of the Smiler kncreases, so does the staff generosity and kindness

Sadly the final Fireworks spectacular was the last I will see in the next three years, as of all the rides...my family fight when we are there so they have opted not to get Merlins for the next few years. I long for the day I can return and fight my Nemesis!

[Dom]

Having only spent two days at Alton Towers this year (Being a southerner does apparently have a down side), i must admit i wasn't sure if i should post in here. But i've decided to anyway.

I went this year for the TowersTimes Summer Sizzler event. It rained a lot. So not much sizzling, more soaking. But i had an amazing time. Finally got to do front row on Nemesis which was a huge bonus. Exclusive ride time on Air was amazing. Yes i know, its sounding more like an event review then an end of season review. We had a look round Cbeebies Land which i must say i was actually pleasantly surprised by. So much thought has gone into the area and the themeing. A really good job. Lets hope things continue in the same way in the future.

I have never had an issue with staff. They have always been amazing. The lady who served me and brother and his friend on the Sunday in a shop on the outskirts of Mutiny Bay was lovely. She was upbeat and happy and actually made the Sunday morning for me. Also the staff in the hotel were very helpful and even went out of their way to source a fan for our room. Apparently they were all being used so we was lucky to get one.

Overall, Alton Towers will always be a really amazing place.

[jjoverrun]

Well sadly I only went twice this season but when i went the rides reliability was great. Only things that had downtime for me was a ten minute delay in rita. Other than that I went in summer and and just after spring and the largest queue was 30 mins for air. The staff were incredibly nice and the sub-terra phalanx staff were just great. For me I think this is the best season yet. One of the best parts was the new restraints on nemesis and the Oblivion queues were midget

P.S first post