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Alton Towers £5 Car Park charge

I tend to get there before the park opens so never have to wait for more than 10 mins.

I agree though that at the end of the day it can take to long to queue for it, but its only a 15 min walk anyway.
 
Or just walk on the woodland walk which brings you out in the garden of the AT hotel.

Takes about 15mins and is a nice walk.
 
But i mean, come on. 5quid might not sound alot, but when you think about it, including the tickets, its coming up to nearly 40 quid a person. Thats just for 1 day. Its not as if its a really good american park is it, because lets be honest, the parks there **** on the ones here, so mayb its right to pay in america, but considering weather factors and everything in england, i think they should at least get away with free parking. Thorpe park does.
 
^ No, but its the best we got.

Besides, this isn't even half of what some theme parks charge to park. Hell, if you're not staying at a Disneyland Paris resort, its 15 euro to park!
 
Look at the difference in car parks between Thorpe and Alton. I would rather pay £5 at Alton for a proper car park than park on that gravel that you get stuck in when it rains.

Again if you dont want to pay to park use the train and a bus, I am sure that will cost more than sharing a car and spliting the cost of the car park.

£5 for the day is still cheaper than parking in a town and some other places.

If a family is spending £130 for a day out they wont miss an extra £5. A car of 5 works out £1 each thats not a big deal.

I think in Orlando it was $5 to park at Disney and Universal.

Alton Towers is still a world class theme park, yes we might prefer other parks but its well known over the world due to the coasters it has.

If we take what you are saying about the £5, why should I pay £1.50 for the Dartford Bridge when I could get the ferry over and do an extra 20 miles? Why should I pay £7 for the Seven bridge when again I can drive 50 miles and get over for free, and again another example would be the M6 toll road.

Whilst people are paying no one will change and if people are not refussing to pay parking then they will charge. I dont think people have complained before.

As I said there is a choice pay to park or use public transport. You choose to drive then you are happy to pay the £5.

Hope that makes sence.
 
southend_marc said:
As I said there is a choice pay to park or use public transport. You choose to drive then you are happy to pay the £5.
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Any other theme park and I would have agreed with you. Except with Alton Towers the public transport is ridiculous. I once worked it out to go from Grays (My home town just outside the east side of the m25) to Alton using solely public transport and arrive for opening (or even a CF Live) would mean that I have to leave the day before and sleep overnight on a train platform (or a travel lodge if you have extra cash).

For me, as a non driver, public transport was still never an option. Hence the fact I used to meet up with people like Ian via Northampton and get a lift the rest of the way. If that wasn't possible, I wouldn't have done it. Simple as.

You could compare this to the fact that Disney charges, but let's be honest, their transport network knocks ten shades of **** out of most public transport systems worldwide, let alone theme parks. They have a bus network that runs so frequently and from door to door, hotel to park etc. I believe they even have coaches that take you over to non disney parks that run locally too! It is a totally different kettle of fish.

Yeah the £5 charge is cheaper then that of public transport and so on, but I still don't think it is that fair, considering the lack of alternatives. They are charging because they are fully aware of this lack of alternatives and they know the majority will be driving. You would have no other choice but to pay the £5 and lump it because of the lack of alternatives and I believe they call this a monopoly!

Now, if they were to announce that the £5 charge was to help fund a bypass to Alton that meant you could avoid the death trap of some of those roads. Alternatively if it was to fund improvements in creating a much better and much more frequent FREE service that runs from various trains stations to the park then ok. (If they charge for the bus service then it pays for itself anyways) But when they don't It just further lines their pockets and put you in a position where you have no other choice.

If anyone should charge for parking I actually think Thorpe should on the proviso that it pays to have the car park paved instead of those dodgy pebble lanes!
 
Disabled drivers/parkers get to park in the Express Car park for free I believe?
 
^Yeah. Blue badge holders get in the express parking. Right next to the entrance, for free. Usually this costs £10 for regular guests. :)
 
That sucks ass.
I will not be going to Alton Towers again until they get a new ride. Unless someone else is paying. :wink: I just can't afford it. :(
 
Screaming Coasters said:
Besides, this isn't even half of what some theme parks charge to park. Hell, if you're not staying at a Disneyland Paris resort, its 15 euro to park!
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15 Euro? Wow. I was going to bring up the most expensive amusement park general parking fee I've ever seen:

Tokyo Disney Resort: 2000 yen, flat. That's about $20 US, for a non-preferred, non-valet parking spot. If my mental conversion is right, then DLP is actually more.
:shock:

Even WDW is only $12 a day.
 
It seems that theme parks today see parking as a privilege not a right. In my opinion this is a very warped view. If you are a paying customer then parking should be expected not offered as an extra. You wouldn't expect to pay to get a seat in the dentist's waiting room nor would you a toilet in a resturant.

Many parks today are not looking after their customers and one day people will not be able to afford the 'luxuries' of parking and therefore will not go to Alton Towers.

Businesses cannot afford to abuse their customers, especially in today's finacial climate. I predict these increase in prices will have to cease or Alton Towers will bitterly regret them.
 
It sounds like a couple of parks charge to use their car parks and all of a sudden it's the end of the world,
£5 is still cheaper than BPB's £7 for the north car park.

It's not going to stop anyone from going, particularly with finances the way they are. If noone can afford to travel abroad, they are going to start looking a little closer to home.
 
The thing is it's fairly easy to get to parks like Thorpe & Chessington by public transport within reason. And Blackpool has a train station next to the park.

Alton Towers has a rather ****ty bus service to some random stations but force you to get to the park slightly late and leave early!

There only way to really get there is by car, and people arriving without knowing you have to pay are going to be really pissed by finding it's gone up to £5. Especially with most people being a bit tighter with their money atm.
 
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