Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire, UK release official update surrounding their ongoing delayed opening due to the current pandemic.
Earlier today (18/05/2020) Alton Towers Resort – the UK’s most prestigious theme park resort released an official update surrounding the actions they were taking regarding the current pandemic and their ongoing delayed start to their 40th anniversary season.
This update also came in line with other Merlin based attractions and details surrounding the actions they are all taking to officially prepare for their openings which is still aimed as being within 2020.
The official announcement read as follows and this information can also be found readily available on the park’s official website for which we will include the link to at the bottom of the post;
“Since the Resort closed on 20th March, we’ve been working tirelessly to make sure that when it is safe to reopen, we are absolutely ready to welcome guests back to Alton Towers.
As part of the team at Merlin Entertainments, we’ve been taking advice from colleagues across the globe on how best to reopen in line with new safety guidelines. Our expert teams have created a comprehensive plan: from enhanced cleaning regimes to social distancing measures, we’ll be doing everything we can to make sure that you have a brilliant, safe visit.
Following the latest Government guidelines (issued on 10th May), and given the continued uncertainty about when we will be able to reopen, we are now asking guests with short breaks booked between 1st June up to and including 3rd July to move your booking free of charge. Please see the FAQs below for information about how to do this. Our teams will be moving bookings in date order, so please bear with us. We will get back to you as fast as we can, but we must prioritise guests whose reservations are imminent.
Guests with pre-booked theme park tickets for dates when the Alton Towers Theme Park is closed will be able to use their tickets on any other day during the 2020 theme park season (excluding Fireworks events on 6th, 7th and 8th November). Further information for guests with pre-booked and promotional tickets will be published on our website prior to opening.
In our 40th Birthday season, we are determined to be here for you and your families, offering awesome thrills and fantastic memories, as we have done for decades and will continue to do for many more.
We’ll be sharing our full plans soon. In the meantime, please keep smiling, clapping and supporting each other. See you soon! #AltonTowersTogether”
Although any official re-opening date is yet to be set we feel it fair to say that the park are currently targeting the beginning of the summer season as their time frame for re-opening and if this does become the case this should mean that Alton Towers will still be left with plenty of time this season to still celebrate their 40th anniversary and help our great nation of thrill seekers get their much longed after 2020 thrill fix after all! This would also fall in line with the government’s proposed time frame for the commencement of ‘Phase 3’ in which it is outlined that a small amount of the hospitality industry would be permitted to return to work.
We will however continue to keep you posted as the situation develops and we have also been informed by the park themselves that all pre-existing season passes purchased before today’s date will extended as a gesture of good will up until 30/06/2021 to compensate their customers for the inconvenience they have suffered as a result of the current delayed opening which is down to the government’s ongoing response in combating the current pandemic.
As also advised in the above statement the park have also been working very closely with their colleagues across the globe to ensure that once the time does arrive for the resort to officially reopen it will be done in the safest and most practical way possible to ensure the upmost safety of their park guests and staff alike! This in our opinion really does show the park’s level of commitment to ensuring the safest environment possible for all who will likely choose to visit the resort post-opening and for this reason we can’t wait to return ourselves!
Finally any visitors who have a pre-existing booking or short break booking between 01/06/2020 – 03/07/2020 are advised to contact the resort’s booking teams and information for this can also be found on the park’s official website as well.
As we are all now starting to feel the withdrawal of not being able to visit Alton Towers and other UK based parks we definitely welcome any future announcement regarding an official opening date, therefore as soon as this drops we will be sure to share those details with you immediately!