Promised changes under delivered, increasing ride downtime, price hikes on food and merchandise, events cancelled and scaled back, operating hours reduced and rides still SBNO… it’s been one hell of a season for all the wrong reasons, what on earth is going on?! Oktoberfest is an event you can enjoy with great friends but even one of their strongest event has been scaled back despite promises to the contrary… Prost 🍻
@LiftHillsandThrills I agree. As for the Rap passes don't get me started. Been trying to book online for the past 8 weeks. Saying its fully booked. Every vlog I've seen park gas been almost empty. Went to guest service in Saturday to get my sin a new pass as he's had expired. Told me to come back at lunchtime when I had received a text. So couldn't do any rides until then as my son can't wait in queues for long. Bloody nightmare. They need to sort their priorities out or people with autism etc won't be able to go. Rant over lol xx
Started well for bianca but things have definitely gone backwards imo seriously abroad is so much better in every way imaginable no imagination tbh in our parks is so boring and us as customers or really being ripped off bad it's going to go full circle on these merlin parks if the new universal is built tbh merlin need some competition
Unpopular opinion, but Oktoberfest is a waste of time at Alton Towers unless you're staying at one of their on site hotels. Glorified p*ss up that encourages drink driving thanks to the expensive accommodation and lack of transport options to the park. Hoping they scrap it and invest more into Scarefest going forward.
Encourages drunk driving?? Maybe just have some self control 🤷♂️ we got a hotel for £160 on a Saturday evening using Merlin Pass discount. Also disagree, it's a decent event, though they should have kept the courtyard.
Good for you booking a hotel, but not everyone will be as responsible and will go down the "it's only a few drinks route". Seen it far too many times before. Personally, I don't drink alcohol in theme parks and have had about 5 alcoholic drinks all year, money is better spent on trips abroad.
@@LiftHillsandThrills😂 What?? Absolutely not. If you feel the need to drink alcohol so badly either you have a drinking problem or just book a hotel if it's so important. Plenty of people I socialise with don't feel the need to drink, especially when at a theme park.. I'm not defending Alton's decisions on a lot but as far as the alcohol debate goes that's a very bold assumption to say 99 percent of visitors feel that, especially considering the amount of family groups.
I must say, you are the most honest, sincere, candid and genuine Theme Park content creator from Staffordshire! Not a hint of brown nosing or boot licking!
I've heard from a member of staff that they are trying to sacrifice capacity on ride if it saves staffing costs. for example closing baggage holds more frequently and only using one half of oblivions dual load station ect
Makes sense, a few angry staff members have said quite a few things this season. Hard to know what’s true and what’s not but if they’re angry, they’re angry for a reason!
You've hit the nail on the head Sean. I'm a rap user and we usually visit alot more but I can never get a slot. Was due to come opening day booked on my Merlin pass in advance didn't know about the rap until two days before and I couldn't get in so had to cancel. Thinking of cancelling our merlin membership next year as I can't visit as often as I'd like to
@@CoasterSarah I genuinely find it disgusting, we were given assurances this wouldn’t happen at the beginning of the season yet the everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, I really feel for RAP users and as some of my friends have it, it’s hard not going to the parks with them as much or when they can go they can’t get RAP and can’t queue up with us etc, horrible, hate it
Spot on. I really feel for RAP users who want to book accommodation and then have a nervous wait for RAP. Forces you towards cancellation insurance and stress. Disgusting!
Such a shame about the courtyard ! My favourite Oktoberfest memory was getting soaked on wickerman , going to courtyard getting a pint , listening to the entertainment whilst two blokes danced in the rain 😂
Yup, the atmosphere there was ALWAYS better than on the lawn with the covering. The event ends too early to really bring out that true Oktoberfest atmosphere long into the night
It is odd how Towers seem to be struggling. Food & drink is still very inconsistent and very expensive now. Thorpe Park have had their problems as well but have not made as many cutbacks as Towers. I think saving up and going abroad next year might be better than renewing the annual pass. I really want to ride Voltron.
@@Stuntman707 Europa Park know how to run a theme park and there’s no big corporation behind them pulling the strings for sure. Thorpe have had a great season in comparison and if they don’t win the UK best theme park award this year I call BS
I was there today and it was terrible availability once more. Wickerman closed all day and every other ride going down multiple times. Got to 3:30 and everything was shut due to ‘an electrical storm detected in the area’ even though it was blue skies… instead of waiting an hour to see if anything re opened, I just went home.
It's disappointing to see things slip. Yesterday (12th) the ride availability was horrendous. Galactica, Sub Terra, Rita, Spinball, 13 and Wicker man all closed when I arrived just before 11. It was 12 before most opened, and Wicker Man was closed all day. The exit lift was still broken on sub terra, lots of stuff not working in the curse. A staff member said it was an unusually quiet day with less than 3000 people on park, but there were still 40 minute queues for some rides because of the downtime. Clear staff cuts too, no staff at ride entrances and most rides didn't have staff at the end of the queue so it was a free for all. I also noticed the merch prices have creeped up again across the park. Resins are now £20, pretty sure they were £18 a few weeks ago! Hope things improve!
I've been a rap holder for a few years now and i think really the system would be fine even if they released triple the amount of rap slots or more. The most i've ever waited in a rap queue is 10 minutes this year aside from opening day and that was on an alton after dark day. I think also maybe switching to a virtual queue system would be good for rap. They could even do the machines like at disney for rap holders that dont get a prebook slot, which could help with the lack of signal around the park which could stop them from just doing it like chessington.
I agree they need more pre booking slots, if you’re lucky enough to get a slot the wait times have considerably been reduced which is great for those lucky enough to get a slot but horrendous for the hundreds missing out on visiting their favourite parks
The rap situation is so bad this year we usually visit at least monthly but this year we've been twice, it's fine if you can book months ahead but we can't always do that... Oktoberfest looks the same as last year so don't feel were missing out too much
Spot on Re: RAP passes. Quite frankly it's discriminatory to disabled passholders. Why should they pay the same amount as a normal passholder to have limited access to the park? (Both Thorpe and Alton are no-goes for RAP passholders who work a monday to friday job now). Merlin as a whole are in the pits right now. Saying the right things outwardly, but the fact is on the ground in the parks it's just reduced offering after reduced offering. Some of the things they fail on are just so simple, the penny pinching to fund the CEO's next super yacht should not be THIS noticeable to guests.
I can’t comment on the last bit because myself (and you) don’t know the full picture and I actually respect Scott and what he stands for but what I can’t respect is how RAP has been handled, it’s disgusting, truly disgusting how alienated people have been from their beloved parks this year and that needs to change ASAP
We went Yesterday and whilst there was some highlights, It wasn't a great day at all. Overpriced food that was stone cold, pest problems that hadn't been thought about, and the worst ride availability I've seen all season (almost every major ride had some form of downtime during the day) and that was before any storms so that definitely can't be blamed. I genuinely hate having to give bad feedback but at the end of the day, I'm a paying customer and the experience I paid for was vastly under delivered yesterday. Really struggling to put Yesterdays vlog together with it just being 20 mins of me complaining my tits off
I’d suggest posting it, too many people already out there censoring their opinions not wanting to say a bad thing about the park out of fear they’ll lose a friendship or a press invite. Say what you please, how will the parks ever learn if everyone kisses their ass 24-7
@@LiftHillsandThrills oh it's going up for sure, It's just no fun editing the videos of the bad days so takes me a bit longer to get motivated to do it 👍🏻
Although Merlin-owned, it's a beautiful and well-operated park. The Oblivion drop is not quite as intense as AT, but still has a great kick to it. And the chance to try Raptor, the first ever wing coaster, is worth going for. See how much business class flights to Verona are...
@@DiveCoaster85 I'm happy to also go economy aha it's only long haul where I NEED a sleep... it's not out of luxury it's more out of necessity with my condition
I went today the only two rides open on time were oblivion and smiler. Other coasters starting opening from 11, and wicker man didn’t open at all! Even Rita operated for about 1 hour of the day and that’s it. Rides did all close due to a storm at one point not the parks fault Ofcourse but the ride availability before this was truly shocking. They activated a return for free day but honestly I won’t bother coming back the park has lost its spark. The new indoor coaster being delayed, no water falls on nemesis which we were promised. Hex reopened which we were promised not happened it’s simply god dam awful
I used to go. Stay in the hotel, x2 platinum fast passes but the ride times... 11 till 4. No thank you. I'll go Thorpe Park or save up and visit the EU. Recently went to Energylandia & Phantasialand. THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THEMEPARKS !!! ❤
We’ve done the Santa Sleepover a few times at Alton Towers, even last year with no Lightopia. This year was a definite no from us due to how much they are charging for the same offering as Christmas 2023. The price this year was more expensive for a Moon Voyage room for a family of four than it was for the Cadbury themed room last year (and that’s via Merlin Holiday Club). Would seem that less people are attending so prices are being hiked to offset this, however less people will attend if it’s not good value for money 🤷🏻♂️
@@LiftHillsandThrills no Christmas Market and very scaled back, entertainment staff were amazing (as always). We’re looking at other options for this year and take our money elsewhere. Really sad though as AT is the park I’ve been going to since the late 80s as a kid. I’m going on the 24th September for an off-peak weekday visit. Be interesting to see what ride availability is like then
@@markgawne5919 I’ve never been more disinterested in visiting Towers and there’s people out there still posting that it’s amazing etc it’s becoming a losing battle unfortunately
been to the roller coaster restaurant about a month ago. The food quality was shocking. I brought this to the attention of the staff as i find it only fair to let them know before posting any reviews. I am not fussy or picky but it was honestly terrible.
Aramark are physically incapable of making good food and anytime you question them about it they just reel off how much $$ they’re making which is the wrong answer, expensive 💩 springs to mind
It is such a shame to hear this. We normally come up from the south to visit at least once a year and with all the poor ride availability it’s not worth bothering to travel. Plus the added complications with the RAP pass. We have just got back from Parc Astérix, what’s total difference. Amazing Parc, their RAP services were excellent and every ride on park was operational 🎢🎡🎠 would take driving over to Europe any day at the moment then heading to a UK park….it such a shame 😳
Yup... many people are in agreement with this, with cost of living etc many would rather spend at a park where you get value for money... I'm not sure how true the cutback rumours are with staff etc but if that's legitimate then that's another worry for the park but you can understand why it's happening if indeed true
@@LiftHillsandThrills i understand in the current climate the need for many businesses to make cutbacks, but if you cannot staff rides and open them, maybe they need to look at opening less in the less busier times if that makes sense. When they are open, make it the best experience it can be rather than spreading themselves thinly over a vast park. Or is this the start of Merlin’s pullback of capital investment in the UK 🤔 uncertain times ahead
Isn't the end of the lease on the land pending? I've been convinced they're winding up for closure for some time and any investment is just for footfall for the remaining time. Very sad.
@@LiftHillsandThrillsI hope so, for many years was my happy place! It's such a naturally magical location so a well run park would make it a world class destination. Love the way the channel is going btw.
@@timtynan4204 Thanks man.. it's such a slog... the channel is so strange.. it floats at mediocre views for a few weeks then those videos just take off there's no instant impact on the views which is always strange to me. I'll keep going but certainly need to explore other avenues of content distribution. I now have representation too which is great so hopefully moving forward there's bigger and better things to come in 2025! Appreciate you watching
Completely off topic. Hoping to visit my first scare attraction this year. If we can only visit one, where would you recommend. Based near Oxford. Nearby places I can find are Avon Valley, Twinnlakes, Tulleys and Thorpe Park.
At the start of the season it really felt like the park was changing for the better and then its all just sort of fallen short. Was talking to someone in the voltron queue earlier who did a UK trip recently and said Blackpool was the highlight of their trip. If that's not a damning reflection on Merlin then i don't know what is.
I was never under the impression that Mardi Gras as scrapped to allow for its budget to improve the other events, even if that was what was said by Towers (if it was, I missed it!) In my opinion, Mardi Gras and Festival of Thrills was scrapped to allow for the ridiculously over-long Cbeebies celebrations to take place. Interesting to see if they return next year - I hope so as they need an event in May/June to spread out their event calendar. I think Thorpe is still riding the Hyperia hype train regarding attendance and maybe their budgets to allow them to open late/not cut staff etc was built into the Hyperia budget. Will be interesting to see how they fair next season. Towers is probably suffering a bit because of that but also the cost of living is probably hitting them hard too with less people affording a visit. In fairness to Merlin, ticket prices haven't risen much (considering how much inflation has) so prices to get in can't really be to blame. It's hitting the whole sector hard - there's a popular pub by me that has announced it's closing in October and re-opening in April because there is not enough custom to allow them to open over winter like there once was even a year ago.
They events were scrapped to further improve the line up they were offering, this was confirmed many times by the park at events etc Prices of food / merchandise have shot up this year despite ticket prices not moving too much, it’s a shambles across the board and cost of living has been proven time and time again in studies to not have affected the consistent increase in attractions popularity / attendance
I predicted this would happen when they started wayyy above inflationary price increases. It's simply not an affordable day out for people who are already tightening their belts. Unfortunately rather than admitting they got it wrong and fixing the root cause they are swaying around like a drunk man making irrational decisions that will make matters worse
Leave them to it I say, my enthusiasm was at an all time high after a great Pirate Takeover event, Reborn looking great if albeit with a shitty queue line but since then… the downward spiral has well and truly set in
That merch in the shop is old merch from previous years so probably explains why they hide it at the back of the store haha didn’t sell last year or year before so not likely to sell this year 🤣
The Towers and other UK themeparks need to understand they are not a public service, they are in the entertainment industry, so if somebody has a bad experience because none of the rides aren't working, they simply won't go again and season pass holders won't renew. Towers visitor numbers held up by school parties, which isn't going to keep the park open in the long term. Ultimately, they are going to need to put their prices up, in return, that there ARE going to need new rides, with plans and concept art where they rides are going so visitors will think, that looks good, I will come back next year when its done. The speculation is great for us enthusiasts, but the general public doesn't understand it. Rant over..
Or just keep bringing back old rides all the time which won’t draw any new crowds to the park it’s just rehashing old ideas as they can’t think of many original ones for themselves 😧 controversial… I know 😂
Getting rid of the Bierkeller/Courtyard stage is a step backwards. Also Robert Burton accordion is only weekends and he's the best/most traditional of the entertainment, I've been every year but won't be back next year.
Towers has definitely had our pants down this season ... I feel cheated after what was said at start of season (especially by bianca)..oh well travelling to Manchester later before early morning flight to basel for a week in europa park to see how a theme park should be operated😂
You’re not the only one who shares that opinion, yeah EP know how to run a park infact I don’t think I’ll be visiting many UK parks at all next year, Paultons and Thorpe and that’s about it for content. Towers I won’t be recording much next year, it just doesn’t seem worth it anymore
I think they spent too much money on the Nemesis referb and the GP dont really care about it. Now that it hasn’t given them the return they’d hope for, they have had to cut back elsewhere. I took some friends the other day who arnt enthusiasts and they thought the Eye was always there and just given it a paint job. Just like bringing back Ripsaw, i dont think the GP will care as it’s nothing new…
I agree with this, GP we’re never going to care it’s basically a repainted nemesis in their eyes. All that campaigning for the same ride… we were shown a concept of what other ride they were going to add just incase Nemmy was removed… safe to say a lot of people agreed that it looked EVEN better than what we have now. Bringing back old rides won’t increase attendance that’s for sure… Black Hole 2 next 😂
The rap pass is awful. Sadly, my merlin pass ran out this August, and I don't see much point in renewing it as I can't go. I love the park, but sadly, I won't be going for the rest of the year.
Don’t blame you, it’s alienated people and once again I was standing in person when my friend was REASSURED there would always be slots / space and people wouldn’t be alienated and the absolute opposite has happened it’s a joke, it’s discrimination and a lot of people have suffered this year not being able to go to the one place that brings them that joy and escapism (no matter how poor it’s been)
Even though this season has been weak, I will say the start of the Season there was still some magic, however its clear its the magic has disappated over time, hopefully 2025 can be much be much better. I still think peripd between 2016 and 2017 was worse for the fact there were more rides SBNO and or removed with very little additions. The biggest highlights for me this season have been the return of Nemesis Reborn and the return of Single Rider.
@@LiftHillsandThrillsI found it hard to swallow this season Alton Towers the park that got me into rides in such a state really upsetting. I have had an idea to raise money and buy Alton from Merlins hand and make the park run by enthusiasts and people who care once again
Was looking forward to Oktoberfest but after this watch I’m not bothered I missed the first weekend, I’ll get to it at some point but very disappointed, courtyard gone is sad, no Darwin is a crime and typical crazy upcharges. Thanks for sharing!!!
@@CoasterChickenScarefest doesn’t look any different and by the looks of it one building has been constructed for the event but is going to be empty as they seem to have run outta budget (just a guess) fireworks is the only safe bet with Towers as it’s an external company who know what they’re doing, that is one event I’m always confident in year after year
@@LiftHillsandThrills Yeah the situation with that other building is a weird mystery… I just gotta have hope they’ve got more planned than they’ve shared. Ahh good old fireworks
@@Wickerlad_2002 if it’s all new to you, you’ll enjoy it as you won’t have seen the cutbacks etc like I say it’s a great event because of the people you go with so as a first timer it’s a solid product it’s just we were promised many things and absolutely none of them have come to fruition
What do you think the reason for the cut backs are Sean, are Merlin struggling or pumping the money elsewhere? Have cuts been seen at the other UK parks aswell?
Merlin have said they’re taking investment overseas it was reported a few months ago as the UK market is a bit all over the place, but it’s been declining for quite some time so.. who knows I guess…
Strange, because last I checked Merlin ran 3 of the biggest theme parks in the country, if the market is all over the place then that’s largely their own doing. There’s so much appetite for theme parks but their offering is not satisfactory! I have to say, I went to Gardaland back in 2022 and I thought that was terrible too, and the general consensus from locals is that Merlin have ruined that park. Just down the road from Gardaland is Movieland Park; half the price, better food and with truly original attractions, it really puts it to shame! Merlin care about money, not their guests - it’s really that simple.
@@edbrown2998 I can’t really comment too much on how Merlin look at things because after speaking to Scott etc he really does seem to care and comes across well it just seems to be the case that their UK offering just isn’t up to scratch with their other stuff overseas… from my perspective anyways
@@LiftHillsandThrills I think it’s probably the case where the individuals working for Merlin want to do a great job for people, but they’re being given budgets / parameters etc where their jobs are incredibly tough. And I think we’re seeing generally in the industry that a big company mentality is struggling a bit at the moment (Six Flags wasn’t doing well, Disney is being criticised for various decisions and price increases and attendance isn’t what it’s been in the past) - whereas some of the family owned smaller parks such as Europa Park, Phantasialand, Paultons Park - these places are thriving because they’re wanting to make an amazing park rather than an amazing accounts sheet. All we want is a great day out where we don’t get bled dry through upcharges for inflatable axe throwing - treat us well and we’ll return, and that’s the recipe for winning in the long run!
Such a shame that Alton Towers have scaled back so much, and increased prices for everything. It's a 9 hour round trip for me to visit, and it doesn't make me want to make the trip at the moment I must admit. What are these letters being sent out to vloggers regarding Project Ocean?
Not sure how much I can say on the letters front but someone was warned not to take photos of a ride broken down (not even joking) so you get a rough idea of some of the sillyness going on 😅
@@LiftHillsandThrills I'm pretty sure you can take photos of what you like, I know they don't want things getting out to the public before they announce anything but surely they need to do more to hide stuff if they don't want it getting out into the public domain.
Honestly such a shame. They seem to have put so most of the budget and effort into the newly themed Forbidden valley that other areas are suffering cos of it. It's my favourite park but my god it feels like the biggest rip off a times especially when over Merlin parks and attractions have better ride availability, cheaper food etc. The flagship park should feel like a flagship park.
The thing is with Oktoberfest it’s not a family or orientated event top of the event you go with your mates and have a few beers. This is why I don’t understand why towers and Thrope park do this event
I mean with the folks Towers invite to their press things nowadays it’s NOT family friendly in the slightest… eek… Thorpe’s event this year was strange, like Xmas in the alps for Oktoberfest…
Can we have a video discussing project horizon? With it being mid September and no work seeming to have begun, it’s now either a 2026 opening or cancelled. Towers needs a new coaster ASAP. There coaster lineup is starting to seem quite lacklustre all of a sudden. Smiler riding like a shopping trolley and 2-3 rides now approaching 20 years old. They need a standout modern coaster.
@@callummiddleton1600 it definitely hasn’t been cancelled, there’s been a big change of plans with the ride system that was going in PH now going to Chessington. A big events page were spreading the rumours all over the internet the last couple of days so I’m sure the consultation will confirm what they’ve been sending out.
if everyone could get RAP the queues would be terrible like previous years and if you can wait 60+ mins in a RAP queue do you really need RAP ? , maybe they should keep back 25% and release them 7 days before , or use a electronic system where it gives you a time slot , i hear a lot of people moaning but not coming up with a solution , what would you suggest to make it fairer ?
@@deanos102 Before any of that even takes place there needs to be a crackdown on who and who can’t apply. Theres many people abusing the system and this needs tackling first and foremost before anything else takes place. The decision to do this has been highly discriminatory and it’s a lottery on who can and can’t go, how is that fair? Address the numbers first then implement the solution once all the false applications / pass misuses have been addressed
@@LiftHillsandThrills yes there is a lot of abuse in the system and a lot of people that don’t need it using false documents on the old system to get a RAP , i was offered a RAP for £100 they would apply for it for me using false documents so god knows how many people are abusing the system , not sure if it’s harder with Nimbus to use false documents
@@deanos102 someone on hyperia opening day waited 4hrs in main queue then used his rap in the afternoon as fastrack ! I’m sorry if you can wait hours for a ride with no side effects or symptoms after … you do not need rap !
@@EmilyDoesAccessAllAreas absolutely, that person clearly does not need RAP , unfortunately loads of people abusing the system making it difficult for genuine people that need it
I do like how they have a marquee up this year for the main stage, i dont recall that in previous years. Always enjoy the old umpah guy 🎶 they have annually over alot of the other oktoberfest entertainment. Inknow its only small but are blackpool doing one this year? I agree, its totaly about who you go qith that sets the vibe for these events 😅 🍻
05:11 I agree it’s bad ! Towers is 10-15 mins from me it’s my local park and I’ve been unable to go due to the rap situation ! I’ve contacted Merlin’s accessibility manager and said I’m cancelling my Merlin pass because of this and they couldn’t care less there just pushing disabled people away !
Personally, no. I think putting yourself out there as the 'face' of the park was a bold move and that does make me worry that IF anything does go horribly wrong there's now a face to blame (if that makes sense) but after hearing her discuss how they pitched for Nemmy Reborn etc it sounds like quite the process to get anything approved from the higher ups so I imagine it's a struggle. The meet and greets etc and all that fluff I don't really agree with, whilst I love the interaction with enthusiasts etc it's not a comic con, she has a job to do and she does it very very well I just have a feeling that being more publicly out there than many other people in her position beforehand does leave her vulnerable to being criticised personally as opposed to AT being criticised as a collective. There's a few things behind the scenes I don't agree with and there should be a fine line between catering for enthusiasts Vs being friends with them but that's the same at quite a few parks but her heart is in the right place I just feel as though hands are tied with regards to many of the things they'd like to do but can't execute for whatever reason.
Scaled back… story of the season. I’ve lost a lot of love for Towers this season and I don’t intend on visiting too much next year I’d rather take my money to parks like Thorpe who are still victims of these Merlin cut backs but still manage to overcome that and deliver a solid product
The RAP system this year is terrible. It feels like an extreme sport booking months in advance to guarantee a slot, and one time I visited thorpe park I couldn't find where to get one and guest services didn't open until 1. When it did open they gave me paper and not card which led to it being confiscated when I used it
Thorpe across the season have been MILES better in regards to this excluding current circumstance. They’ve been the only Merlin park this year that truly gives a s**t
I can't confirm that as I'm not on park / have access to the app but even something like this doesn't surprise me... it hasn't been a great season and the quicker it ends the better. I'm sure whatever was happening to Galactica has been postponed or cancelled too... slap some vinyl on it...
We are off to scarefest on the 12th and when we booked the hotel for one night we were going to book the same hotel as last year in September but found that when we went the room had a double bed and bunk beds and cost us £150 for one night so though great we will do the same but because we have our two boys with us to get the same sort of room again with a double bed plus bunk beds it was going to cost more than last time near £300 because we have two other people with us so your not paying for the room, your paying for the amount of people who are sleeping in it plus how many nights now we know it will cost more the more nights you spend there but how can they charge more for the same room still a double bed and bunk bed, and still amazed you don't get tickets to the park with the rooms why are you going to sleep in their hotel and not go to the park very odd
@LiftHillsandThrills I don't how they can warrant the room being more just for two extra people when the beds are already there and when me and fiona paid £150 for one night and we are doing the same one night but with two extra yeah I can imagine we are paying for the breakfast aswell but a full English doesn't cost that much lol
@@fam_ventures1 I gotta stay there in a few weeks as my mate wants to go for his bday, I’m not sure he’ll be in a rush to stay again after he goes, I certainly wasn’t 😅 the things I do for my friends… 😂
@LiftHillsandThrills yeah it's not the greatest and cost a bloody fortune I want a motorhome so we can travel and not have to pay for hotels, I also want to add van life to the channel, I'll get you in the motorhome and we can do a stealth camp somewere
Hope your visiting scarefest buddy i want to see a couple of honest opinions (scott's is other vlog i hope happens)seeing as i am swerving it for first time in many years due to last years crap..hopefully it will be a positive experience for you which could well persuade me to return next year..i know you always give credit where its due same as you give negative comments if thats the case
The RAP prebook has been a total disaster for guests this season. Sure, you’re laughing if you get one, but you’re laughing because a lot of people are not able to. Discriminatory in the extreme, and I’ve been in a long and vocal insta quest to highlight issues with this, only to be largely ignored and unfollowed by management. Sadly.
Management have been largely unfollowing a lot of people lately, it’s always the honest ones as opposed to those who darent utter a negative word for fear of being excluded. A sad state of affairs
People getting letters? Wonder what the letters state, i know they like things top secret......but if they're building something somewhere slap bang in the middle of the park in season. People are going to be curious......a lot of things i watch is to get updates on project ocean.
Definitely one rule for some one rule for another, depends how many friends you have working there I suppose. Too much politics, us enthusiasts are a mere thorn in the side most times and are treated as such despite all the free promo
I’ll be getting a pass incase I need it but I’ll be away doing much better parks than the shambles of my local park next year. I’ve never been so disinterested in it from the back room drama to how they’ve operated this year, I’m actually ashamed of how certain things have been allowed to continue but also understand their hands might be tied across the board but if that’s the truth then why are Thorpe managing ok? 🤷♂️
Regarding RAP, the problem is that without the cap the access queues would be 1hr + like before it was introduced. It's a choice of either a) being able to go whenever you want but having to wait an hour or more with a pass that's supposed to take the physical queueing element mostly away, or b) having to prebook and plan when you're going in advance but having much shorter physical waits, and therefore a much less stressful day. I think it's purely down to the sheer number of users, and removing the cap and/or widening the eligibility criteria would be absolutely catastrophic. I say this as a legitimate ambulant user myself. The system is broken and I just don't see how it can be fixed. Any change will be controversial so Merlin cannot win either way.
System is very broken and they can very easily win by addressing the fraudulent claims and increasing stricter criteria. I personally have seen people queue up for an hour or two then use their RAP to ‘fast track’ their second re-ride and it’s those who should be clamped down on
@@LiftHillsandThrills Not sure how true it is but there are rumours of some disability organisations having court cases against Merlin, and they're trying to get the cap removed and want more people eligible for the RAP. As I said, increasing the eligibility criteria would cripple the system even more. Also, I can't do queues of more than half an hour, but if a queue is short or walk-on I'll use it as stairs or walking is not an issue (it's crowds for me, and I am prone to meltdowns/distress). And on quiet days (or if a ride is walk-on) I don't like using RAP as I feel I'm taking it away from those who need even more than I do.
The RAP has been awful this year. I have a RAP and can’t go on rides without it. Since Alton Towers brought in the pre book system, people have been booking every weekend, even if they don’t go. Usually we go every other weekend but this year, we have only managed to get in three times. How can there be no spaces when the parks are almost empty. Deep breath moan over.
Promised changes under delivered, increasing ride downtime, price hikes on food and merchandise, events cancelled and scaled back, operating hours reduced and rides still SBNO… it’s been one hell of a season for all the wrong reasons, what on earth is going on?! Oktoberfest is an event you can enjoy with great friends but even one of their strongest event has been scaled back despite promises to the contrary… Prost 🍻
@LiftHillsandThrills I agree. As for the Rap passes don't get me started. Been trying to book online for the past 8 weeks. Saying its fully booked. Every vlog I've seen park gas been almost empty. Went to guest service in Saturday to get my sin a new pass as he's had expired. Told me to come back at lunchtime when I had received a text. So couldn't do any rides until then as my son can't wait in queues for long. Bloody nightmare. They need to sort their priorities out or people with autism etc won't be able to go. Rant over lol xx
@@sarahsthemeparksandattractionsNothing short of disgusting this season. Utter grim
@LiftHillsandThrills I agree. Only been 3 times this year. Xx
@@sarahsthemeparksandattractionsI normally go a LOT and I haven’t been more than 10 times this year, I’ve got better things and better places to do
Started well for bianca but things have definitely gone backwards imo seriously abroad is so much better in every way imaginable no imagination tbh in our parks is so boring and us as customers or really being ripped off bad it's going to go full circle on these merlin parks if the new universal is built tbh merlin need some competition
Unpopular opinion, but Oktoberfest is a waste of time at Alton Towers unless you're staying at one of their on site hotels. Glorified p*ss up that encourages drink driving thanks to the expensive accommodation and lack of transport options to the park. Hoping they scrap it and invest more into Scarefest going forward.
A valid opinion that mate, a very valid one!
Encourages drunk driving?? Maybe just have some self control 🤷♂️ we got a hotel for £160 on a Saturday evening using Merlin Pass discount. Also disagree, it's a decent event, though they should have kept the courtyard.
@@leeroyleeroy Self control goes out the window when it comes to the British public 99% of the time where alcohol is involved..
Good for you booking a hotel, but not everyone will be as responsible and will go down the "it's only a few drinks route".
Seen it far too many times before.
Personally, I don't drink alcohol in theme parks and have had about 5 alcoholic drinks all year, money is better spent on trips abroad.
@@LiftHillsandThrills😂 What?? Absolutely not. If you feel the need to drink alcohol so badly either you have a drinking problem or just book a hotel if it's so important. Plenty of people I socialise with don't feel the need to drink, especially when at a theme park..
I'm not defending Alton's decisions on a lot but as far as the alcohol debate goes that's a very bold assumption to say 99 percent of visitors feel that, especially considering the amount of family groups.
I must say, you are the most honest, sincere, candid and genuine Theme Park content creator from Staffordshire! Not a hint of brown nosing or boot licking!
@@win33adam haha I’ll take it! From Staffordshire 💪🏻 aha
I've heard from a member of staff that they are trying to sacrifice capacity on ride if it saves staffing costs. for example closing baggage holds more frequently and only using one half of oblivions dual load station ect
Makes sense, a few angry staff members have said quite a few things this season. Hard to know what’s true and what’s not but if they’re angry, they’re angry for a reason!
You've hit the nail on the head Sean. I'm a rap user and we usually visit alot more but I can never get a slot. Was due to come opening day booked on my Merlin pass in advance didn't know about the rap until two days before and I couldn't get in so had to cancel. Thinking of cancelling our merlin membership next year as I can't visit as often as I'd like to
@@CoasterSarah I genuinely find it disgusting, we were given assurances this wouldn’t happen at the beginning of the season yet the everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, I really feel for RAP users and as some of my friends have it, it’s hard not going to the parks with them as much or when they can go they can’t get RAP and can’t queue up with us etc, horrible, hate it
Spot on. I really feel for RAP users who want to book accommodation and then have a nervous wait for RAP. Forces you towards cancellation insurance and stress. Disgusting!
Such a shame about the courtyard ! My favourite Oktoberfest memory was getting soaked on wickerman , going to courtyard getting a pint , listening to the entertainment whilst two blokes danced in the rain 😂
Yup, the atmosphere there was ALWAYS better than on the lawn with the covering. The event ends too early to really bring out that true Oktoberfest atmosphere long into the night
Yeah I 100% agree 😊
I’m doing Thorpe Oktoberfest next week but I’m only interested in hyperia and a big German sausage 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@nikki827827 😂
It is odd how Towers seem to be struggling. Food & drink is still very inconsistent and very expensive now. Thorpe Park have had their problems as well but have not made as many cutbacks as Towers. I think saving up and going abroad next year might be better than renewing the annual pass. I really want to ride Voltron.
@@Stuntman707 Europa Park know how to run a theme park and there’s no big corporation behind them pulling the strings for sure. Thorpe have had a great season in comparison and if they don’t win the UK best theme park award this year I call BS
I was there today and it was terrible availability once more. Wickerman closed all day and every other ride going down multiple times. Got to 3:30 and everything was shut due to ‘an electrical storm detected in the area’ even though it was blue skies… instead of waiting an hour to see if anything re opened, I just went home.
Gees…. Sadly a story that’s happening over and over again this season
I was there today too and a massive thunder storm did roll in. They’ve given everyone free return tickets too.
@@havaska fair enough I’d left before it arrived probably.
Free tickets are no good to pass holders.
@@callummiddleton1600 I only go once a year so they’ll be useful for my visit next year :)
Yes i was there to that day what a crap day i had a chat with the ball game stand he said its all the time now . new mangers,
It's disappointing to see things slip. Yesterday (12th) the ride availability was horrendous. Galactica, Sub Terra, Rita, Spinball, 13 and Wicker man all closed when I arrived just before 11. It was 12 before most opened, and Wicker Man was closed all day. The exit lift was still broken on sub terra, lots of stuff not working in the curse. A staff member said it was an unusually quiet day with less than 3000 people on park, but there were still 40 minute queues for some rides because of the downtime. Clear staff cuts too, no staff at ride entrances and most rides didn't have staff at the end of the queue so it was a free for all.
I also noticed the merch prices have creeped up again across the park. Resins are now £20, pretty sure they were £18 a few weeks ago!
Hope things improve!
Jesus… what a mess
I've been a rap holder for a few years now and i think really the system would be fine even if they released triple the amount of rap slots or more. The most i've ever waited in a rap queue is 10 minutes this year aside from opening day and that was on an alton after dark day. I think also maybe switching to a virtual queue system would be good for rap. They could even do the machines like at disney for rap holders that dont get a prebook slot, which could help with the lack of signal around the park which could stop them from just doing it like chessington.
I agree they need more pre booking slots, if you’re lucky enough to get a slot the wait times have considerably been reduced which is great for those lucky enough to get a slot but horrendous for the hundreds missing out on visiting their favourite parks
The rap situation is so bad this year we usually visit at least monthly but this year we've been twice, it's fine if you can book months ahead but we can't always do that... Oktoberfest looks the same as last year so don't feel were missing out too much
Awww 🫶✨🥰so glad you like the pop badge and everything you mentioned about ocktoberfest-spot on!🙌
Lovedddd it thank youuuu
Thank you very much for talking abt the rap pass it is horrendous this year they could genuinely get sued for that
@@themeparkpovs128 I honestly wouldn’t blame anyone who did
Spot on Re: RAP passes. Quite frankly it's discriminatory to disabled passholders. Why should they pay the same amount as a normal passholder to have limited access to the park? (Both Thorpe and Alton are no-goes for RAP passholders who work a monday to friday job now).
Merlin as a whole are in the pits right now. Saying the right things outwardly, but the fact is on the ground in the parks it's just reduced offering after reduced offering.
Some of the things they fail on are just so simple, the penny pinching to fund the CEO's next super yacht should not be THIS noticeable to guests.
I can’t comment on the last bit because myself (and you) don’t know the full picture and I actually respect Scott and what he stands for but what I can’t respect is how RAP has been handled, it’s disgusting, truly disgusting how alienated people have been from their beloved parks this year and that needs to change ASAP
@@LiftHillsandThrillsas it stands, RAP prebook had opened for next season…so that’s not promising.
We went Yesterday and whilst there was some highlights, It wasn't a great day at all. Overpriced food that was stone cold, pest problems that hadn't been thought about, and the worst ride availability I've seen all season (almost every major ride had some form of downtime during the day) and that was before any storms so that definitely can't be blamed. I genuinely hate having to give bad feedback but at the end of the day, I'm a paying customer and the experience I paid for was vastly under delivered yesterday. Really struggling to put Yesterdays vlog together with it just being 20 mins of me complaining my tits off
I’d suggest posting it, too many people already out there censoring their opinions not wanting to say a bad thing about the park out of fear they’ll lose a friendship or a press invite. Say what you please, how will the parks ever learn if everyone kisses their ass 24-7
@@LiftHillsandThrills oh it's going up for sure, It's just no fun editing the videos of the bad days so takes me a bit longer to get motivated to do it 👍🏻
Oblivion is the ride that got me hooked on coasters, so glad it got a positive mention here! Have you tried Oblivion: The Black Hole at Gardaland?
It’s on the list! Never been to Gardaland!
Although Merlin-owned, it's a beautiful and well-operated park. The Oblivion drop is not quite as intense as AT, but still has a great kick to it. And the chance to try Raptor, the first ever wing coaster, is worth going for. See how much business class flights to Verona are...
@@DiveCoaster85 I'm happy to also go economy aha it's only long haul where I NEED a sleep... it's not out of luxury it's more out of necessity with my condition
I went today the only two rides open on time were oblivion and smiler. Other coasters starting opening from 11, and wicker man didn’t open at all! Even Rita operated for about 1 hour of the day and that’s it. Rides did all close due to a storm at one point not the parks fault Ofcourse but the ride availability before this was truly shocking. They activated a return for free day but honestly I won’t bother coming back the park has lost its spark. The new indoor coaster being delayed, no water falls on nemesis which we were promised. Hex reopened which we were promised not happened it’s simply god dam awful
I don’t believe we were promised the waterfalls in their defence but it still maybe make an appearance, everything else is a shambles
I used to go. Stay in the hotel, x2 platinum fast passes but the ride times... 11 till 4. No thank you. I'll go Thorpe Park or save up and visit the EU. Recently went to Energylandia & Phantasialand. THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THEMEPARKS !!! ❤
@@tinseltits9855 They really do! Phantasialand is just phenomenal
@@LiftHillsandThrills F.L.Y. & Taron = 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@@tinseltits9855 Agreed!
We’ve done the Santa Sleepover a few times at Alton Towers, even last year with no Lightopia. This year was a definite no from us due to how much they are charging for the same offering as Christmas 2023. The price this year was more expensive for a Moon Voyage room for a family of four than it was for the Cadbury themed room last year (and that’s via Merlin Holiday Club).
Would seem that less people are attending so prices are being hiked to offset this, however less people will attend if it’s not good value for money 🤷🏻♂️
Agreed, last Xmas was a disaster, worst Xmas event I’ve ever seen at Towers
@@LiftHillsandThrills no Christmas Market and very scaled back, entertainment staff were amazing (as always). We’re looking at other options for this year and take our money elsewhere. Really sad though as AT is the park I’ve been going to since the late 80s as a kid. I’m going on the 24th September for an off-peak weekday visit. Be interesting to see what ride availability is like then
@@markgawne5919 I’ve never been more disinterested in visiting Towers and there’s people out there still posting that it’s amazing etc it’s becoming a losing battle unfortunately
been to the roller coaster restaurant about a month ago. The food quality was shocking. I brought this to the attention of the staff as i find it only fair to let them know before posting any reviews. I am not fussy or picky but it was honestly terrible.
Aramark are physically incapable of making good food and anytime you question them about it they just reel off how much $$ they’re making which is the wrong answer, expensive 💩 springs to mind
@@LiftHillsandThrills the bill surely was impressive! glad i got no kids or i need a mortgage to visit them…..
It is such a shame to hear this. We normally come up from the south to visit at least once a year and with all the poor ride availability it’s not worth bothering to travel. Plus the added complications with the RAP pass. We have just got back from Parc Astérix, what’s total difference. Amazing Parc, their RAP services were excellent and every ride on park was operational 🎢🎡🎠 would take driving over to Europe any day at the moment then heading to a UK park….it such a shame 😳
Yup... many people are in agreement with this, with cost of living etc many would rather spend at a park where you get value for money... I'm not sure how true the cutback rumours are with staff etc but if that's legitimate then that's another worry for the park but you can understand why it's happening if indeed true
@@LiftHillsandThrills i understand in the current climate the need for many businesses to make cutbacks, but if you cannot staff rides and open them, maybe they need to look at opening less in the less busier times if that makes sense. When they are open, make it the best experience it can be rather than spreading themselves thinly over a vast park. Or is this the start of Merlin’s pullback of capital investment in the UK 🤔 uncertain times ahead
4:11 it’s a bloody up charge 😂😂
Unbelievable
Towers and merlin have just ran out of ideas!! The events need a complete overhaul.. fresh ideas and new ideas are totally needed..
@@trickyuk386 agreed
Isn't the end of the lease on the land pending? I've been convinced they're winding up for closure for some time and any investment is just for footfall for the remaining time. Very sad.
I don't believe that to be true Tim, there's plans in place for the next 5+ years and beyond including new coasters / additions beyond Project Horizon
@@LiftHillsandThrillsI hope so, for many years was my happy place! It's such a naturally magical location so a well run park would make it a world class destination.
Love the way the channel is going btw.
@@timtynan4204 Thanks man.. it's such a slog... the channel is so strange.. it floats at mediocre views for a few weeks then those videos just take off there's no instant impact on the views which is always strange to me. I'll keep going but certainly need to explore other avenues of content distribution. I now have representation too which is great so hopefully moving forward there's bigger and better things to come in 2025! Appreciate you watching
Completely off topic. Hoping to visit my first scare attraction this year. If we can only visit one, where would you recommend. Based near Oxford. Nearby places I can find are Avon Valley, Twinnlakes, Tulleys and Thorpe Park.
@@CoasterJames out of those I’d go Tulleys it’s the closest to a US scream park we have
At the start of the season it really felt like the park was changing for the better and then its all just sort of fallen short.
Was talking to someone in the voltron queue earlier who did a UK trip recently and said Blackpool was the highlight of their trip. If that's not a damning reflection on Merlin then i don't know what is.
Wow.. Yeah that’s a mad one as Blackpool haven’t had a great season either but defintiely better than most Merlin parks for sure
Well I didn’t make it in to the vlog in person. But the beer I brought made many appearances on my behalf 😂😂😂😂
😂😂
Great vlog sean keep it up 😊.
I’ll try
if they do not fix this its going to be R,I,P Alton Towers
🤷♂️
I was never under the impression that Mardi Gras as scrapped to allow for its budget to improve the other events, even if that was what was said by Towers (if it was, I missed it!) In my opinion, Mardi Gras and Festival of Thrills was scrapped to allow for the ridiculously over-long Cbeebies celebrations to take place. Interesting to see if they return next year - I hope so as they need an event in May/June to spread out their event calendar.
I think Thorpe is still riding the Hyperia hype train regarding attendance and maybe their budgets to allow them to open late/not cut staff etc was built into the Hyperia budget. Will be interesting to see how they fair next season. Towers is probably suffering a bit because of that but also the cost of living is probably hitting them hard too with less people affording a visit. In fairness to Merlin, ticket prices haven't risen much (considering how much inflation has) so prices to get in can't really be to blame. It's hitting the whole sector hard - there's a popular pub by me that has announced it's closing in October and re-opening in April because there is not enough custom to allow them to open over winter like there once was even a year ago.
They events were scrapped to further improve the line up they were offering, this was confirmed many times by the park at events etc
Prices of food / merchandise have shot up this year despite ticket prices not moving too much, it’s a shambles across the board and cost of living has been proven time and time again in studies to not have affected the consistent increase in attractions popularity / attendance
I predicted this would happen when they started wayyy above inflationary price increases. It's simply not an affordable day out for people who are already tightening their belts. Unfortunately rather than admitting they got it wrong and fixing the root cause they are swaying around like a drunk man making irrational decisions that will make matters worse
Leave them to it I say, my enthusiasm was at an all time high after a great Pirate Takeover event, Reborn looking great if albeit with a shitty queue line but since then… the downward spiral has well and truly set in
That merch in the shop is old merch from previous years so probably explains why they hide it at the back of the store haha didn’t sell last year or year before so not likely to sell this year 🤣
I didn’t recognise the hoodie from last year but the other rubbish makes sense
The Towers and other UK themeparks need to understand they are not a public service, they are in the entertainment industry, so if somebody has a bad experience because none of the rides aren't working, they simply won't go again and season pass holders won't renew. Towers visitor numbers held up by school parties, which isn't going to keep the park open in the long term. Ultimately, they are going to need to put their prices up, in return, that there ARE going to need new rides, with plans and concept art where they rides are going so visitors will think, that looks good, I will come back next year when its done. The speculation is great for us enthusiasts, but the general public doesn't understand it. Rant over..
Or just keep bringing back old rides all the time which won’t draw any new crowds to the park it’s just rehashing old ideas as they can’t think of many original ones for themselves 😧 controversial… I know 😂
Getting rid of the Bierkeller/Courtyard stage is a step backwards. Also Robert Burton accordion is only weekends and he's the best/most traditional of the entertainment, I've been every year but won't be back next year.
He didn’t stand out too well on the main stage whereas in the courtyard he always got the crowd going, he’s the highlight of the event!
@@LiftHillsandThrills Absolutely, they've downgraded the event imo.
@@MatthewWilkinson They sure have, downgraded the park this season too
Towers has definitely had our pants down this season ... I feel cheated after what was said at start of season (especially by bianca)..oh well travelling to Manchester later before early morning flight to basel for a week in europa park to see how a theme park should be operated😂
You’re not the only one who shares that opinion, yeah EP know how to run a park infact I don’t think I’ll be visiting many UK parks at all next year, Paultons and Thorpe and that’s about it for content. Towers I won’t be recording much next year, it just doesn’t seem worth it anymore
I think they spent too much money on the Nemesis referb and the GP dont really care about it. Now that it hasn’t given them the return they’d hope for, they have had to cut back elsewhere. I took some friends the other day who arnt enthusiasts and they thought the Eye was always there and just given it a paint job. Just like bringing back Ripsaw, i dont think the GP will care as it’s nothing new…
I agree with this, GP we’re never going to care it’s basically a repainted nemesis in their eyes. All that campaigning for the same ride… we were shown a concept of what other ride they were going to add just incase Nemmy was removed… safe to say a lot of people agreed that it looked EVEN better than what we have now. Bringing back old rides won’t increase attendance that’s for sure… Black Hole 2 next 😂
The rap pass is awful. Sadly, my merlin pass ran out this August, and I don't see much point in renewing it as I can't go. I love the park, but sadly, I won't be going for the rest of the year.
Don’t blame you, it’s alienated people and once again I was standing in person when my friend was REASSURED there would always be slots / space and people wouldn’t be alienated and the absolute opposite has happened it’s a joke, it’s discrimination and a lot of people have suffered this year not being able to go to the one place that brings them that joy and escapism (no matter how poor it’s been)
Even though this season has been weak, I will say the start of the Season there was still some magic, however its clear its the magic has disappated over time, hopefully 2025 can be much be much better.
I still think peripd between 2016 and 2017 was worse for the fact there were more rides SBNO and or removed with very little additions.
The biggest highlights for me this season have been the return of Nemesis Reborn and the return of Single Rider.
I think this may be the first comment of yours I've 100% agreed with
@@LiftHillsandThrillsI found it hard to swallow this season Alton Towers the park that got me into rides in such a state really upsetting. I have had an idea to raise money and buy Alton from Merlins hand and make the park run by enthusiasts and people who care once again
Was looking forward to Oktoberfest but after this watch I’m not bothered I missed the first weekend, I’ll get to it at some point but very disappointed, courtyard gone is sad, no Darwin is a crime and typical crazy upcharges. Thanks for sharing!!!
Just another notch on the downward spiral of me giving up on my local park 😞
@@LiftHillsandThrills They really need a strong Scarefest. Also what’s going on with hex?
@@CoasterChickenScarefest doesn’t look any different and by the looks of it one building has been constructed for the event but is going to be empty as they seem to have run outta budget (just a guess) fireworks is the only safe bet with Towers as it’s an external company who know what they’re doing, that is one event I’m always confident in year after year
@@CoasterChicken there are a lot better Oktoberfest events that happen now in the UK
@@LiftHillsandThrills Yeah the situation with that other building is a weird mystery… I just gotta have hope they’ve got more planned than they’ve shared. Ahh good old fireworks
Ive never been to the event so im looking forward to my very first Alton Towers Oktoberfest event as it will all be new to me!
@@Wickerlad_2002 if it’s all new to you, you’ll enjoy it as you won’t have seen the cutbacks etc like I say it’s a great event because of the people you go with so as a first timer it’s a solid product it’s just we were promised many things and absolutely none of them have come to fruition
@@LiftHillsandThrills Im also doing the VIP Oktoberfest experiemce which im interested to see what its like
What do you think the reason for the cut backs are Sean, are Merlin struggling or pumping the money elsewhere? Have cuts been seen at the other UK parks aswell?
Merlin have said they’re taking investment overseas it was reported a few months ago as the UK market is a bit all over the place, but it’s been declining for quite some time so.. who knows I guess…
Strange, because last I checked Merlin ran 3 of the biggest theme parks in the country, if the market is all over the place then that’s largely their own doing. There’s so much appetite for theme parks but their offering is not satisfactory! I have to say, I went to Gardaland back in 2022 and I thought that was terrible too, and the general consensus from locals is that Merlin have ruined that park. Just down the road from Gardaland is Movieland Park; half the price, better food and with truly original attractions, it really puts it to shame! Merlin care about money, not their guests - it’s really that simple.
@@edbrown2998 I can’t really comment too much on how Merlin look at things because after speaking to Scott etc he really does seem to care and comes across well it just seems to be the case that their UK offering just isn’t up to scratch with their other stuff overseas… from my perspective anyways
@@LiftHillsandThrills I think it’s probably the case where the individuals working for Merlin want to do a great job for people, but they’re being given budgets / parameters etc where their jobs are incredibly tough. And I think we’re seeing generally in the industry that a big company mentality is struggling a bit at the moment (Six Flags wasn’t doing well, Disney is being criticised for various decisions and price increases and attendance isn’t what it’s been in the past) - whereas some of the family owned smaller parks such as Europa Park, Phantasialand, Paultons Park - these places are thriving because they’re wanting to make an amazing park rather than an amazing accounts sheet. All we want is a great day out where we don’t get bled dry through upcharges for inflatable axe throwing - treat us well and we’ll return, and that’s the recipe for winning in the long run!
Such a shame that Alton Towers have scaled back so much, and increased prices for everything. It's a 9 hour round trip for me to visit, and it doesn't make me want to make the trip at the moment I must admit. What are these letters being sent out to vloggers regarding Project Ocean?
Not sure how much I can say on the letters front but someone was warned not to take photos of a ride broken down (not even joking) so you get a rough idea of some of the sillyness going on 😅
@@LiftHillsandThrills I'm pretty sure you can take photos of what you like, I know they don't want things getting out to the public before they announce anything but surely they need to do more to hide stuff if they don't want it getting out into the public domain.
Honestly such a shame. They seem to have put so most of the budget and effort into the newly themed Forbidden valley that other areas are suffering cos of it. It's my favourite park but my god it feels like the biggest rip off a times especially when over Merlin parks and attractions have better ride availability, cheaper food etc. The flagship park should feel like a flagship park.
Alton Towers does not feel like a flagship park anymore… other than FV and Gloomy Wood everywhere else feels a mess
The thing is with Oktoberfest it’s not a family or orientated event top of the event you go with your mates and have a few beers. This is why I don’t understand why towers and Thrope park do this event
I mean with the folks Towers invite to their press things nowadays it’s NOT family friendly in the slightest… eek… Thorpe’s event this year was strange, like Xmas in the alps for Oktoberfest…
Hello Sean and Hayley!
👋 once again Chris couldn’t make it as he was working so I’m sure he’s waving too! Aha
Went today. Great day
Thw band was fab but HEX IS STILL NOT OPEN???
Glad you had a good day Gemma and nope... still half arsing over there as per
Can we have a video discussing project horizon? With it being mid September and no work seeming to have begun, it’s now either a 2026 opening or cancelled.
Towers needs a new coaster ASAP. There coaster lineup is starting to seem quite lacklustre all of a sudden. Smiler riding like a shopping trolley and 2-3 rides now approaching 20 years old. They need a standout modern coaster.
@@callummiddleton1600 it definitely hasn’t been cancelled, there’s been a big change of plans with the ride system that was going in PH now going to Chessington. A big events page were spreading the rumours all over the internet the last couple of days so I’m sure the consultation will confirm what they’ve been sending out.
if everyone could get RAP the queues would be terrible like previous years and if you can wait 60+ mins in a RAP queue do you really need RAP ? , maybe they should keep back 25% and release them 7 days before , or use a electronic system where it gives you a time slot , i hear a lot of people moaning but not coming up with a solution , what would you suggest to make it fairer ?
@@deanos102 Before any of that even takes place there needs to be a crackdown on who and who can’t apply. Theres many people abusing the system and this needs tackling first and foremost before anything else takes place. The decision to do this has been highly discriminatory and it’s a lottery on who can and can’t go, how is that fair? Address the numbers first then implement the solution once all the false applications / pass misuses have been addressed
@@LiftHillsandThrills yes there is a lot of abuse in the system and a lot of people that don’t need it using false documents on the old system to get a RAP , i was offered a RAP for £100 they would apply for it for me using false documents so god knows how many people are abusing the system , not sure if it’s harder with Nimbus to use false documents
@@deanos102 someone on hyperia opening day waited 4hrs in main queue then used his rap in the afternoon as fastrack ! I’m sorry if you can wait hours for a ride with no side effects or symptoms after … you do not need rap !
@@EmilyDoesAccessAllAreas absolutely, that person clearly does not need RAP , unfortunately loads of people abusing the system making it difficult for genuine people that need it
I do like how they have a marquee up this year for the main stage, i dont recall that in previous years. Always enjoy the old umpah guy 🎶 they have annually over alot of the other oktoberfest entertainment. Inknow its only small but are blackpool doing one this year? I agree, its totaly about who you go qith that sets the vibe for these events 😅 🍻
I don’t think PBR have done one this year, we certainly haven’t seen or received anything to suggest otherwise
@LiftHillsandThrills ahh fair enough, always looks like laugh at BPB hub oktoberfest. Apologies for my bad typing, had eye surgery recently
@@HolyFreakinDragonSlayer wishing you a speedy recovery!
@@LiftHillsandThrills thankyiu man, appreciate it 🙏 ❤️ x
05:11 I agree it’s bad ! Towers is 10-15 mins from me it’s my local park and I’ve been unable to go due to the rap situation ! I’ve contacted Merlin’s accessibility manager and said I’m cancelling my Merlin pass because of this and they couldn’t care less there just pushing disabled people away !
:(
Did you see today’s ride closures? At one point out of the big rides, only sub terror was open.!!!
I did indeed!
Do you think Bianca is the one responsible for this season being weak or do you think its something else
Personally, no. I think putting yourself out there as the 'face' of the park was a bold move and that does make me worry that IF anything does go horribly wrong there's now a face to blame (if that makes sense) but after hearing her discuss how they pitched for Nemmy Reborn etc it sounds like quite the process to get anything approved from the higher ups so I imagine it's a struggle. The meet and greets etc and all that fluff I don't really agree with, whilst I love the interaction with enthusiasts etc it's not a comic con, she has a job to do and she does it very very well I just have a feeling that being more publicly out there than many other people in her position beforehand does leave her vulnerable to being criticised personally as opposed to AT being criticised as a collective. There's a few things behind the scenes I don't agree with and there should be a fine line between catering for enthusiasts Vs being friends with them but that's the same at quite a few parks but her heart is in the right place I just feel as though hands are tied with regards to many of the things they'd like to do but can't execute for whatever reason.
I really enjoyed it. Just a shame everything was on the green this year ❤❤
Scaled back… story of the season. I’ve lost a lot of love for Towers this season and I don’t intend on visiting too much next year I’d rather take my money to parks like Thorpe who are still victims of these Merlin cut backs but still manage to overcome that and deliver a solid product
The RAP system this year is terrible. It feels like an extreme sport booking months in advance to guarantee a slot, and one time I visited thorpe park I couldn't find where to get one and guest services didn't open until 1. When it did open they gave me paper and not card which led to it being confiscated when I used it
Ridiculous
You seen Thorpe park’s maintenance page. It looks like it’s just Merlin. They need a good sorting out
Thorpe across the season have been MILES better in regards to this excluding current circumstance. They’ve been the only Merlin park this year that truly gives a s**t
apparently every roller coaster is closed right now ?
I can't confirm that as I'm not on park / have access to the app but even something like this doesn't surprise me... it hasn't been a great season and the quicker it ends the better. I'm sure whatever was happening to Galactica has been postponed or cancelled too... slap some vinyl on it...
Fearing for cuts to the rest of the event lineup. If Xmas is cut anymore it’ll be closed!
It’s never a good Xmas at Towers, they ruin it every single year I’ve ever been there
We are off to scarefest on the 12th and when we booked the hotel for one night we were going to book the same hotel as last year in September but found that when we went the room had a double bed and bunk beds and cost us £150 for one night so though great we will do the same but because we have our two boys with us to get the same sort of room again with a double bed plus bunk beds it was going to cost more than last time near £300 because we have two other people with us so your not paying for the room, your paying for the amount of people who are sleeping in it plus how many nights now we know it will cost more the more nights you spend there but how can they charge more for the same room still a double bed and bunk bed, and still amazed you don't get tickets to the park with the rooms why are you going to sleep in their hotel and not go to the park very odd
Very odd indeed!
@LiftHillsandThrills I don't how they can warrant the room being more just for two extra people when the beds are already there and when me and fiona paid £150 for one night and we are doing the same one night but with two extra yeah I can imagine we are paying for the breakfast aswell but a full English doesn't cost that much lol
@@fam_ventures1 I gotta stay there in a few weeks as my mate wants to go for his bday, I’m not sure he’ll be in a rush to stay again after he goes, I certainly wasn’t 😅 the things I do for my friends… 😂
@LiftHillsandThrills yeah it's not the greatest and cost a bloody fortune I want a motorhome so we can travel and not have to pay for hotels, I also want to add van life to the channel, I'll get you in the motorhome and we can do a stealth camp somewere
Hope your visiting scarefest buddy i want to see a couple of honest opinions (scott's is other vlog i hope happens)seeing as i am swerving it for first time in many years due to last years crap..hopefully it will be a positive experience for you which could well persuade me to return next year..i know you always give credit where its due same as you give negative comments if thats the case
I’m not sure if I’m visiting, it’s a copy and paste line up with the new mazes looking very underwhelming… we shall see
The RAP prebook has been a total disaster for guests this season. Sure, you’re laughing if you get one, but you’re laughing because a lot of people are not able to. Discriminatory in the extreme, and I’ve been in a long and vocal insta quest to highlight issues with this, only to be largely ignored and unfollowed by management. Sadly.
Management have been largely unfollowing a lot of people lately, it’s always the honest ones as opposed to those who darent utter a negative word for fear of being excluded. A sad state of affairs
@@LiftHillsandThrills not just me then!
@@Coastsandcoasters management couldn’t care !
@@EmilyDoesAccessAllAreas I’m sure they do, it’s just a lot of other things behind the scenes that seem to be causing issues
People getting letters? Wonder what the letters state, i know they like things top secret......but if they're building something somewhere slap bang in the middle of the park in season. People are going to be curious......a lot of things i watch is to get updates on project ocean.
Definitely one rule for some one rule for another, depends how many friends you have working there I suppose. Too much politics, us enthusiasts are a mere thorn in the side most times and are treated as such despite all the free promo
I wonder if there mentality at the moment is Short term pain for Long term gain.
Popcorn at the ready for when Universal teaches a valuable lesson in theme park management
Welcome back to the s**t that is Uk theme parks . Gonna knock Merlin pass on the head next year as going Orlando for 3 weeks 😂
I’ll be getting a pass incase I need it but I’ll be away doing much better parks than the shambles of my local park next year. I’ve never been so disinterested in it from the back room drama to how they’ve operated this year, I’m actually ashamed of how certain things have been allowed to continue but also understand their hands might be tied across the board but if that’s the truth then why are Thorpe managing ok? 🤷♂️
Tell Hayley she made it really easy to find Wally in that outfit😂🔴⚪
@@chrismasterson3968 I shall!
9:02 💀
@@yourexperienceguide God forbid I take a photo of a broken down ride
@@LiftHillsandThrills Plenty to pick from usually
Regarding RAP, the problem is that without the cap the access queues would be 1hr + like before it was introduced. It's a choice of either a) being able to go whenever you want but having to wait an hour or more with a pass that's supposed to take the physical queueing element mostly away, or b) having to prebook and plan when you're going in advance but having much shorter physical waits, and therefore a much less stressful day. I think it's purely down to the sheer number of users, and removing the cap and/or widening the eligibility criteria would be absolutely catastrophic. I say this as a legitimate ambulant user myself. The system is broken and I just don't see how it can be fixed. Any change will be controversial so Merlin cannot win either way.
System is very broken and they can very easily win by addressing the fraudulent claims and increasing stricter criteria. I personally have seen people queue up for an hour or two then use their RAP to ‘fast track’ their second re-ride and it’s those who should be clamped down on
@@LiftHillsandThrills Not sure how true it is but there are rumours of some disability organisations having court cases against Merlin, and they're trying to get the cap removed and want more people eligible for the RAP. As I said, increasing the eligibility criteria would cripple the system even more.
Also, I can't do queues of more than half an hour, but if a queue is short or walk-on I'll use it as stairs or walking is not an issue (it's crowds for me, and I am prone to meltdowns/distress). And on quiet days (or if a ride is walk-on) I don't like using RAP as I feel I'm taking it away from those who need even more than I do.
@@LiftHillsandThrills100% spot on!! Thankyou for bringing this up. My son is RAP user and we notice exactly the same!
Where am I :(
Nothings been edited out so I guess you didn’t jump into frame!
What beer did you try?
That new Oktoberfest one - Fantastisch or whatever it’s called 🤮 grim
The RAP has been awful this year. I have a RAP and can’t go on rides without it. Since Alton Towers brought in the pre book system, people have been booking every weekend, even if they don’t go. Usually we go every other weekend but this year, we have only managed to get in three times. How can there be no spaces when the parks are almost empty. Deep breath moan over.
@@paulrobinson291 yup… it’s genuinely horrific how RAP users have been treated this season