Full Information to Visiting Alton Towers

Should you’re considering of visiting Alton Towers, you’re in the appropriate place. We’ve put collectively this detailed information that will help you plan your go to to one of many UK’s best-known theme parks.

Alton Towers is positioned in Staffordshire England and is at the moment the biggest and most visited theme park within the UK, that includes all kinds of rides and points of interest from youngsters’s rides to thrilling curler coasters. This information goes to cowl quite a bit, and relies on our private experiences visiting Alton Towers.

We’ve visited Alton Towers various occasions, my first experiences had been as an adolescent and twenty-something previous.  Most lately I visited with Jess and with mates who on the time of our go to had a three-year-old and a six-year-old.

My mates have additionally visited Alton Towers a number of occasions, and we’re going to be incorporating their experiences and ideas of visiting Alton Towers into this information. So hopefully we can provide you some ideas from the views of younger single folks, a married couple of their 30s and 40s, and of a household with younger youngsters.

We’re going to undergo every part you want to know to have an superior time at Alton Towers. Whereas most of you studying are most likely residing within the UK, a visit to Alton Towers will also be a enjoyable expertise for worldwide guests as properly!

We’ll cowl all of the rides and what to anticipate from every one, recommendations on methods to profit from your time and get probably the most time truly using relatively than queuing, share our ideas on the Alton Towers lodging and eating, and hundreds extra.

Whether or not you’re visiting as a household, a pair, with mates, or by yourself, this information goes to offer you every part you want to know on your Alton Towers go to. Let’s get began.

Alton Towers Overview & Historical past

Alton Towers (technically known as Alton Towers Resort) is the most-visited amusement park within the UK. It’s additionally greater than a theme park, because it additionally has a collection of motels, a water park, a spa, and a mini-golf course.

The theme park is discovered on a big property which was as soon as the house of the Earls of Shrewsbury and was owned by the Talbot household from 1412 till 1924. In addition they owned the close by Alton Citadel which dates again to the eleventh century.

The mansion home on the Alton Property, which largely dates to the 18th century, continues to be there, though it’s in a ruined situation. There’s additionally a big lake and landscaped gardens on website.

Alton Towers has been open to the general public not directly because the nineteenth century, when guests had been in a position to pay to tour the gardens. Points of interest had been added all through the twentieth century together with a boating lake, mannequin railway, and chairlift. My mom remembers visiting Alton Towers throughout her childhood within the Nineteen Sixties and having a stunning day trip.

So if you find yourself visiting right here you’re on the grounds of what was for hundreds of years the massive property and residential of the Earls of Shrewsbury. The magnificent ruins of the house and a few of the outbuildings and follies, in addition to the landscaped backyard are nonetheless there. You may nonetheless stroll via elements of the gardens.

In some locations you’d don’t know you’re in the midst of an amusement park because it seems like you’re in a park or forest. A really distinctive and British setting for a theme park!

The theme park as it’s identified at this time, with thrill rides and everlasting points of interest, actually began in 1973. At the moment, Alton Towers is operated by the Tussauds Group, who additionally function areas together with Thorpe Park, Madame Tussauds London, and the London Eye.

At the moment, the theme park is likely one of the most well-known and in style theme parks within the UK, with one thing to supply everybody from youngsters to adults alike.

It has had various spectacular journey accomplishments, together with the world’s first dive coaster, the world’s first “flying” rollercoaster, the curler coaster with probably the most inversions on this planet, and Europe’s first inverted rollercoaster.

There’s a large quantity to see and do at Alton Towers, greater than sufficient to fill two or three days even. That stated, you possibly can positively do quite a bit with simply in the future at Alton Towers if you happen to plan correctly.

 

Easy methods to Get to Alton Towers

Alton Towers is within the county of Staffordshire close to the village of Alton in England. The handle is Farley Ln, Alton, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4DB.

It’s basically between Manchester (44 miles drive to the north) and Birmingham (47 miles drive south).

Listed below are the principle choices for attending to Alton Towers:

 

Driving to and Parking at Alton Towers

The simplest technique to get to Alton Towers is certainly to drive. It’s pretty near each the M1 and the M6 motorways, though the final stretch is on smaller roads.

When driving, after leaving the motorway we suggest following the brown “Alton Towers” indicators relatively than your sat-nav or GPS.

It’s because the agricultural location of the park implies that there are quite a lot of small nation lanes across the park. The brown indicators will preserve you on the bigger roads which is able to often be faster.

 

Parking at Alton Towers

There may be quite a lot of on-site parking obtainable, and stewards will often direct you to the closest automotive park as you arrive. This does depend upon how busy the day is and what time you arrive.

There’s a price to park at Alton Towers, relying on the place you park, which is as follows:

• £7 for a day in the usual parking, 15-25 minutes’ stroll from the principle entrance
• £19 for a day in categorical parking, 1-3 minutes away from the principle entrance

There are additionally methods you may get free parking at Alton Towers.

• Resort friends staying in a single day within the resort can park within the designated resort carpark, after which both enter the park from the resort visitor entrance (close to the Galactica journey and Rollercoaster Restaurant) or take the monorail to the park entrance.
• Friends staying at CBeebies resort can park without spending a dime within the Specific Parking zone
• Holders of Gold, Platinum or Premium Merlin passes can park without spending a dime in normal parking. They will improve to Specific parking for £12.

Parking may be booked on-line prematurely right here. That is obligatory for Specific Parking, aside from CBeebies friends, who should present resort affirmation on arrival.

You may as well usually add automotive parking to your buy when shopping for your theme park entry tickets.

 

Public Transport to Alton Towers

Alton Towers is in a comparatively rural location, so while it’s doable to achieve the resort by public transport it’ll contain some good planning.

The closest practice station is in Uttoxeter, which is 10 miles from the station. From right here you possibly can take a bus to Alton Towers. The X41, operated by D&G Bus, runs from Uttoxeter to Alton Towers Resort. You may see the schedule right here.

You may as well take a taxi from Uttoxeter practice station, which is a couple of 20-minute drive from Alton Towers.

Different comparatively shut practice stations are Stoke on Trent (15 miles from Alton Towers) and Derby (25 miles from Alton Towers). Nevertheless, you’ll need to take a taxi from each of those areas to achieve the resort.

You may guide taxis on-line prematurely right here.

If you’re counting on public transit, you would possibly need to take into account developing the night time earlier than and taking the D*G bus or a taxi from a close-by practice or bus station to an Alton Towers Resort resort.

Then you possibly can stroll from any of the resort’s motels to the park within the morning (or take the Monorail) with no need to depend on a taxi or public transit to get round.

 

Alton Towers Opening Dates and Occasions

Alton Towers is open seasonally in addition to for sure holidays and faculty breaks. It’s usually open from March via to November. Exterior of this time the resort has particular themed opening occasions, usually for the Christmas interval and in addition for college half phrases.

By way of opening hours, the park usually has the next opening hours:

• Theme Park opens at 9am (rides open at 10am).
• Theme Park closes at 6pm throughout peak occasions and on weekends, and at 4pm on off-peak days.

It’s vital to notice that the closing time is the time that the journey queues shut. When you have joined a queue earlier than theme park closing time, it is possible for you to to complete queuing and full your journey even after closing time.

You may examine the most recent opening dates and hours for Alton Towers on-line right here.

For particular occasions park hours do change so you will need to examine what they’re earlier than visiting. Additionally throughout the vacation and particular opening intervals, some sections of the park will not be totally open so make sure you examine which rides and points of interest are open.

Be aware that the Alton Towers Waterpark and Extraordinary Golf mini golf are subsequent to however separate from the park and function with completely different hours.

The Alton Towers Waterpark (positioned within the Splash Landings resort) is open the vast majority of the 12 months.

The Extraordinary Golf course (subsequent to the Splash Landings resort) can be open the vast majority of the 12 months, and is commonly open fairly late into the night. Resort friends usually obtain a complimentary spherical of mini-golf as a part of their keep.

Be aware that each the above points of interest may be visited individually from the theme park and also you don’t want a theme half ticket for these points of interest, that are charged individually.

 

Easy methods to Get Round Alton Towers

The primary means most individuals get round at Alton Towers is on foot. The park is pretty unfold out, however there are footpaths in all places.

One factor to pay attention to is that there are usually not quite a lot of indicators or maps across the park, and so they additionally not supply paper park maps. As an alternative, you’re anticipated to make use of the cell app.

That is truly a fairly first rate cell app, and the map a part of it has in-built navigation. It even enables you to keep away from steps. Nevertheless, it may be a battery drain, so we’d recommend bringing a USB battery pack like this to keep away from operating out of juice midway via the day.

Be aware that these visiting in wheelchairs and people with mobility points ought to try the accessibility data for the park right here.

There are two extra choices for getting round Alton Towers. These are the Monorail and the Skyride.

 

Alton Towers Monorail

The Alton Towers Monorail runs from the principle park entrance to the resort space. It’s additionally near a few of the automotive parks. This solely has two stops, one close to the motels and extra distant parking heaps, and one on the principal entrance to the theme park.

Use of the Monorail is free for all park friends. It could positively be a fast technique to get from the resort and a few of the automotive parks to the principle theme park entrance, nonetheless there are some caveats.

On busy days, and particularly within the mornings and evenings, the monorail will get very busy. Queuing occasions can exceed 40 minutes. On condition that it’s a couple of 15 – 20 minute stroll from the Monorail station to the principle theme park entrance, whether it is significantly busy it’s usually faster to only stroll.

Moreover, Alton Tower Resort resort friends are eligible to enter the park from a park entrance close to the motels. That is simply previous the Monorail station, and brings you into the park subsequent to Galactica.

We might positively suggest resort friends who have already got their park tickets think about using this entrance relatively than take the Monorail if there’s a lengthy wait.

 

Alton Towers Skyride

The Alton Towers Skyride is a gondola model cable automotive journey which offers transport across the park.

There are three stations, one close to the principle park entrance on Towers Road, one close to the Blade journey within the Forbidden Valley, and one within the Darkish Forest close to Rita.

The Skyride is certainly helpful for getting throughout the Gardens when travelling between the Forbidden Valley and the Darkish Forest as in any other case there are numerous steps up and down if you happen to take probably the most direct route.

The Skyride is free to all park friends. Nevertheless, in our expertise it tends to be closed for upkeep pretty repeatedly and in reality the Skyride is closed for the rest of 2023.

 

Alton Towers Map

It is a picture of the map in Alton Towers in 2023. Nevertheless, we’d suggest utilizing the map within the Alton Towers app.

Confusingly, the map within the app is inverted in comparison with the bodily maps on indicators within the park. On the bodily maps, the doorway is on the backside, within the app it’s on the prime (as it’s geographically).

So simply preserve this in thoughts if cross referencing between the maps within the park and the map within the app, because it’s straightforward to get confused (as we all know from private expertise)!

 

Alton Towers Ticket Data

We’ll now undergo the principle ticket sorts obtainable for Alton Towers in addition to how a lot they value and the place to purchase them.

Pricing info is appropriate as of August 2023, however costs can differ so do examine the most recent costs on-line right here.

 

How A lot Are Alton Towers Tickets?

Alton Towers ticket pricing varies relying on whether or not you buy prematurely or on the day.

Pricing additionally varies relying on the date, with peak dates usually costing a bit extra. Peak dates are usually throughout vacation intervals in addition to at weekends.

At present, pricing is as follows:

• £34 – £39 for a 1-day go for ages 3 and up (£68 on the day)
• £46 – £51 for a 2-day go for ages 3 and up (£80 on the day)
• £29 for a dad or mum and toddler go. Toddlers are outlined as being underneath 5, and an extra underneath 5 may be added for £5. This go is barely obtainable on weekdays exterior of vacation intervals.
• Free for these underneath 3 and carers

There are additionally occasional promotional costs and gross sales on the web site, which you’ll be able to see right here.

The pricing for in-person purchases may be twice as costly as shopping for on-line, so we extremely suggest shopping for on-line to economize!

 

Low cost Alton Towers Tickets

There are usually not that some ways to get discounted tickets for Alton Towers, though some choices do exist.

Should you don’t qualify for a reduction, then one of the simplest ways to economize on Alton Towers is to purchase tickets prematurely from the official web site as it is a lot cheaper than shopping for tickets on the day.

You may as well save by visiting on a weekday exterior of vacation intervals as these have a tendency to supply the bottom costs.

 

The place to Purchase Alton Towers Tickets

The 2 principal choices for buying Alton Towers tickets are both on-line on the official web site right here or in-person on the resort.

We might extremely suggest shopping for on-line as the costs are considerably decrease and then you definately additionally don’t want to attend within the ticket strains.

 

Passes Which Embody Alton Towers

There are two principal passes which embrace entry to Alton Towers. These are finest if you happen to both plan on visiting Alton Towers a number of occasions a 12 months, or if you happen to plan on visiting the opposite included points of interest. The passes are as follows:

• Alton Towers Annual Cross. This gives yearlong entry to Alton Towers (with some peak date exclusions) in addition to reductions on food and drinks and different advantages. Out there from £99 for a 12 months.
• Merlin Annual Cross. This go gives entry to all the principle Merlin points of interest within the UK, together with Alton Towers, The London Eye, SEA LIFE centres, Chessington World of Adventures and extra. Begins from £99.

The Alton Towers go can positively be value it if you happen to plan on visiting Alton Towers a number of occasions in a 12 months (at the very least three I’d recommend), though it would be best to examine which dates are excluded earlier than buying.

The Merlin Annual go is sensible if you happen to dwell within the UK and plan on spending your 12 months visiting the Merlin points of interest across the UK. There are quite a lot of these (see full record right here), however you’ll positively need to examine which days you possibly can go to prior to buying.

If you’re solely planning on visiting Alton Towers as soon as or perhaps twice in a 12 months, then an everyday ticket will probably supply the most effective worth.

 

Alton Towers Fastrack Passes

One technique to doubtlessly improve your Alton Towers expertise is to spend money on a Fastrack go.

A Fastrack go offers you entry to a particular Fastrack line for a lot of rides which has precedence boarding, and which may considerably reduce your queuing time.

In our expertise, on a really busy day the place normal journey queue occasions may be 1 – 2 hours, the Fastrack line might be between 3 and half-hour.

This can after all depend upon what number of Fastrack passes have been offered and the way busy the park is, however in our expertise on a busy day a Fastrack go can considerably reduce queue occasions and allow you to spend extra time using and fewer time queuing.

 

Fastrack Cross Variations at Alton Towers

There are completely different variations of the Fastrack passes, as follows:

• Particular person Fastrack tickets for particular rides. These may be purchased on the day via the Alton Towers app.
• Fastrack Bronze Cross – permits you to be part of the Fastrack line as soon as for 4 rides: Congo River Rapids​, The Curse at Alton Manor​, Runaway Mine Practice, and Spinball Whizzer
• Fastrack Silver Cross – permits you to be part of the Fastrack line as soon as for six rides: Wicker Man​, Oblivion, Rita, TH13TEEN​, The Smiler, and Galactica
• Fastrack Gold Cross – permits you to be part of the Fastrack line as soon as for fourteen rides: Wicker Man​, Oblivion​, Rita, TH13TEEN​, The Smiler, Galactica, Spinball​ Whizzer, Gangsta Granny,​ The Curse at Alton Manor, Hex,​ Marauders Mayhem​, Battle Galleons​, Rapids​ and Runaway Mine Practice
• Fastrack Platinum Cross – permits you to be part of the Fastrack line as many occasions as you want for the next rides: Wicker Man, Oblivion, Rita, TH13TEEN​, The Smiler​, Galactica​, Spinball​ Whizzer, Gangsta Granny​, The Curse at Alton Manor, HEX​, Marauders Mayhem​, Battle Galleons​, Rapids​ and Runaway Mine Practice

Aside from the person Fasttrack tickets, all the opposite passes may be purchased prematurely on-line, in particular person on the park from the customer support workplace, or via the Alton Towers app.

Be aware that Fastrack Passes can promote out, so if that is one thing you’re positive you need to spend money on on your go to, we suggest shopping for them on-line prematurely of your go to on the official website right here.

 

Fastrack Cross Pricing at Alton Towers

The pricing for the passes is as follows. Be aware that this doesn’t embrace park entry, so you’ll nonetheless want a park entry ticket to entry the park.

Fastrack is legitimate for a selected day, so if you’re visiting Alton Towers throughout a number of days and wish Fastrack on all of them, you’ll need to purchase a go for every day you go to.

 

How Fastrack Works at Alton Towers

With all of the Fastrack passes the method is sort of easy. When you could have a Fastrack go, no matter sort it’s, as a substitute of becoming a member of the common line, be part of the Fastrack line. This might be clearly signposted. Be aware it isn’t the identical because the Experience Entry line (that is for holders of Experience Entry Cross tickets solely).

Relying on the journey, somebody will examine your Fastrack ticket while you enter the queue or while you get to the journey boarding space, so have it prepared. They are going to usually scan the barcode on the go to validate it.

Relying on the go you could have, the way it works will differ barely.

With the person Fastrack go, purchased on a per-ride foundation, that is solely good for one journey on one attraction.

With the Bronze, Silver and Gold passes these entitle you to at least one Fastrack per attraction. So you possibly can journey all of the rides included on the go utilizing the Fastrack as soon as. If you wish to journey a journey once more, you’ll have to be part of the common queue or purchase a person Fastrack ticket for that journey.

You may share these passes in a bunch, so if one particular person desires to do one journey and one other particular person desires to do a distinct journey, this generally is a good choice.

For the platinum go, this can be utilized for as many Fastrack rides as you need on the included rides, however it might solely be utilized by one particular person.

On a current go to to Alton Towers on a really busy faculty journey day in July we invested in 4 Gold Passes. This positively saved us quite a lot of time, and meant that we had been all in a position to journey all 13 rides working that day (Hex was closed).

On condition that queue occasions for the most well-liked rides had been over 2 hours at some factors on the day we visited, that will positively not have been doable with out the Fastrack. For us, queue occasions on the day assorted between 1 minute and half-hour with our Fastrack.

Should you’re questioning if Fastrack passes are value it on your go to, see the steadily requested questions part on the finish of this information the place we go into our ideas on Fastrack in additional element.

 

Rides at Alton Towers

We’ll now undergo all of the rides at Alton Towers and what you possibly can anticipate from every journey. There are quite a lot of several types of journey at Alton Towers.

Everybody likes several types of journey. For instance, I want rides with a drop and am much less eager on being spun round. Jess loves being spun round however doesn’t like being dropped! On our current go to, one of many youngsters hated scary rides, while the opposite child was usually wonderful with them.

On this part we’ll define the principle options of every journey. I’ll additionally embrace an thought of how scary the journey is and the way thrilling the journey is.

For the scare issue, this refers as to if the journey has components which may make you leap or which may be much less appropriate for youthful riders. In fact, it will differ by particular person.

For the joys issue, this refers to how thrilling the journey is. So if the journey spins you round, drops you, or inverts you, I’m going to offer {that a} larger thrill issue than a extra sedate journey expertise. Once more, these scores are very subjective as everybody finds various things thrilling.

This could assist you to resolve which rides to go for and which rides you would possibly need to keep away from, relying on the kind of journey you want. We’ll additionally present our ideas on the journey expertise.

Be aware that this part could comprise journey spoilers so if you wish to be stunned on the rides you would possibly need to skip it.

For this part the rides are grouped collectively by which space of the park they’re in. See extra concerning the areas of the park within the part of this information on park areas, which fits into extra element on theming.

 

Forbidden Valley Rides

A post-apocalyptic themed space with a mixture of household pleasant and high-end thrill rides. Rides are as follows:

 

Galactica

Galactica is a flying rollercoaster which debuted at Alton Towers in 2002, though again then it was known as Air. It was rebranded to Galactica in 2016, though the journey expertise stays the identical.

Galactica is certainly a enjoyable thrill curler coaster. After you board, the seats truly rotate 90 levels so you’re basically dangling underneath the coaster rail, trying down on the flooring. This allows you to do your finest flying impression, therefore the title flying rollercoaster.

The journey itself is sort of high-octane as you whizz across the monitor, experiencing as much as 3.5G. It additionally inverts you twice, and may be pretty disorienting, though nothing to match to Smiler.

Personally I do take pleasure in Galactica though I’m not an enormous fan of being inverted and spun round so it’s not my favorite journey at Alton Towers. It’s positively thrilling although, and beneficial for these of you who like high-speed coasters.

One tip – if you’re staying within the motels on-site, there’s an unique resort visitor entrance which brings you in proper subsequent to Galactica. So if this journey is a precedence, you may get right here earlier than the vast majority of different riders arrive and get on shortly, even with no Fastrack go.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Silver, Gold & Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 5/5
Experience sort: Flying Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 40 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.4m

 

Nemesis Sub-Terra

To not be confused with the at the moment closed Nemesis journey, Nemesis Sub-Terra is a darkish drop journey themed across the mysterious Phalanx and Nemesis Creature. It initially opened in 2012, however closed in 2015, and reopened in 2023.

The journey has you getting into a darkened space with a small group the place you’re given some backstory and directions from a Phalanx operative.

After a brief video, you enter an elevator and are transported all the way down to a room the place everyone seems to be strapped into chairs round a central podium containing a mysterious alien egg.

As soon as everyone seems to be secured, the expertise continues. There’s enjoyable lighting and results, as inevitably the alien breaks free and “assaults” the viewers. There’s an awesome drop (sure, I screamed), and enjoyable results all through together with water, prodding ,and leg tickling.

After the drop, it’s important to “escape” the journey via a scary elevate and a small maze earlier than bursting again out into the true world.

Total, it’s a enjoyable journey expertise with a number of completely different elements which is a bit completely different to many of the different rides. Should you don’t just like the considered a scary journey, being trapped in a elevate, or are claustrophobic, it may be one to skip.

Included on Fastrack: No Fastrack obtainable
Scare issue: 5/5
Thrill issue: 3/5
Experience sort: Darkish journey / walk-through / drop
Experience size: 8- 10 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1.4m
Different Notes: Because of the drop chairs, this journey has fairly restrictive measurement necessities.

 

The Blade

Discovered close to Galactica and Nemesis within the Forbidden Valley, The Blade is the oldest journey at Alton Towers, courting from 1980.

Regardless of its age, that is nonetheless a very talked-about and actually enjoyable journey for these of you who like airtime in a journey. It’s additionally one of many extra thrilling rides for youthful guests as the peak restrict is comparatively low in comparison with different rides.

The Blade is mainly a large seated swing that appears like a ship, which is why this sort of journey is called a Pirate Ship. Passengers sit in rows of 5 going through the centre, and the journey swings backwards and forwards, getting larger and better because it goes.

On the very peak of the journey, if you happen to sit on the very ends of the ship, it virtually feels vertical (okay, it’s truly 75 levels, however while you’re on the journey you’re unlikely to be measuring angles).

There’s an awesome sensation of airtime on this journey, and it’s positively not for these of you who don’t like that dropping sensation! Nevertheless, it’s a good journey if you happen to don’t like spinning as there’s no spinning or inversion. Even Jess was in a position to take pleasure in this one.

On a current go to to Alton Towers we rode the Blade 4 occasions simply because the park was opening. We had stayed within the resort the night time earlier than and got here right here simply because it opened. Regardless of it being a busy day, the primary half hour or so had only a few riders, and at one level there have been solely 8 folks on the entire journey.

It was an actual hit with the youthful members of our group and it was one of many extra thrilling rides that we might all do collectively. Together with the Runaway Mine Practice, this was the favorite household pleasant thrill journey we did in Alton Towers.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 3/5
Experience sort: Pirate Ship
Experience size: 1 minute 30 seconds
Experience top restriction:1m (1.3m should journey with an grownup)

 

X-Sector Rides

Residence to a few of the most excessive rides within the park, all with a 1.4m top restriction. Themed like a secret authorities take a look at facility.

This comprises two everlasting rides, Smilar and Oblivion, in addition to two carnival model rides, Spinjam and Twistatron. I’m simply going to cowl the everlasting rides on this part.

 

The Smiler

Opened in 2013, at time of writing The Smiler holds the world file for probably the most inversions (basicaly what number of occasions you’re the wrong way up) on a curler coaster at fourteen.

The Smiler is certainly one of the crucial thrilling rides at Alton Towers, and in addition one of many extra in style rides. At any time when we go to, it all the time appears to have a few of the longest queue occasions.

The journey itself is sort of a marvel of development. It takes up a comparatively tiny footprint, with each stretch of monitor seemingly involving a twist, a flip, or a drop.

By way of the expertise, this journey positively delivers. It’s quick, thrilling, and it spins you round quite a bit. I’m not a large fan of rides that invert me, however I did get a thrill from this journey, even when my head was spinning for some time afterwards!

I additionally preferred all of the theming all through, with a repetitive sound monitor that will get in your head and many flashing lights and colours. It’s all designed to disorient, and it positively succeeds.

The one draw back of the rollercoaster is that resulting from its significantly complicated design, it does appear to close down fairly repeatedly. This may be very irritating, particularly if you happen to’ve spent quite a lot of time queuing just for it to shut with no warning.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Silver, Gold & Platinum
Scare issue: 1/5
Thrill issue: 5/5
Experience sort: Curler coaster
Experience size: ~ 3 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1.4m
Different Notes: Experience early or late within the day to skip the lengthy queues or take into account Fastrack. That is additionally one of many solely rides to have a single-rider lane which generally is a lot sooner.

 

Oblivion

Oblivion was the world’s first dive rollercoaster when it opened in 1998. This design of rollercoaster gives mainly a 90-degree drop from a major top, providing a sensation of free fall.

The journey expertise is sort of simple. The automobiles are fairly extensive however solely two rows deep. You get taken to the highest of the monitor and pause for an exhilarating second over the drop.

You then freefall down 55 metres (180 ft), with the joys being heightened because the automotive plunges right into a darkish tunnel underneath the bottom. It then swoops round and is over.

Personally, I’m a giant fan of drops so it shouldn’t come as a shock that that is one among my favorite rides in Alton Towers, regardless of the comparatively brief journey time. Jess, who doesn’t like drops, is certainly much less satisfied by Oblivion and skipped it!

It is a nice rollercoaster if you happen to don’t like being inverted or thrown round an excessive amount of. It’s not an awesome choice if you happen to’re significantly afraid of heights or hate the feeling of free fall.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Silver, Gold & Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 5/5
Experience sort: Dive Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 15 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.4 m

 

Darkish Forest Rides

Themed as a haunted woodland, this space of the park is house to 2 thrill rides that are:

 

Rita

Should you love pace and g-force, then Rita is probably going the curler coaster for you. Launched in 2005, this curler coaster is the quickest journey within the park, topping out at 61.1 miles per hour.

It’s additionally the one with the very best G-forces, which go as much as 4.7G.

The primary thrill of Rita is the launch. The journey is themed like a drag racer, with barely panicked voice over offering an air of anticipation as you get able to go.

Then, like a drag racer does, you speed up in a short time in a straight line. How shortly? Effectively, you get to the utmost pace of 61.1 mph in round 2.5 seconds, which actually feels very fast while you launch!

After the preliminary thrill of the launch, the journey then banks round some pretty sharp corners and in addition offers you a sense of weightlessness as you crest a few hills.

This journey is certainly going to be good for these of you who don’t like being fully inverted as there are not any inversions.

Nevertheless the pace of the journey implies that the g-forces are fairly excessive at 4.7G, so it would be best to preserve your head firmly braced again in opposition to the headrest as in any other case it might really feel like fairly a tough journey!

The opposite draw back to this journey is that it’s one of many shortest rides within the park, lasting round 25 seconds. So if there’s a very lengthy queue and also you don’t have a Fastrack go then you definately would possibly need to return when it isn’t so busy.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Silver, Gold & Platinum
Scare issue: 1/5
Thrill issue: 4/5
Experience sort: Accelerator Rollercoaster
Experience size: 25 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.4m

 

TH13TEEN

TH13TEEN (or 13, for simpler spelling and studying) was one other world-first rollercoaster when it debuted at Alton Towers in 2010.

Should you’ve not finished this journey earlier than and don’t know something about it, the twist is sort of attention-grabbing and value protecting as a shock. Nevertheless, if you happen to don’t like surprises and need to know what lies in retailer, learn on.

13 is discovered within the Darkish Forest space of Alton Towers, and is themed to be a little bit of a spooky journey. The journey itself is what’s generally known as a drop rollercoaster.

The journey begins with you entering into normal curler coaster carts that are much like the Runaway Mine practice. Passengers sit two by two. 

The practice units off and drops a bit of round a curve earlier than climbing the principle elevate hill. From right here there are fairly a number of enjoyable airtime hills and banked turns, which make for a extremely gratifying journey. It’s significantly enjoyable if you happen to don’t like an excessive amount of spinning round like me, however do like the feeling of airtime.

About half means via the journey the practice all of the sudden enters a darkish tunnel and the doorways shut behind you. That is the place the shock takes place. Ghosts gentle up and air blows at you, and the practice and monitor actually drop out from beneath you.

Then the practice takes off backwards and also you full the vast majority of the remainder of the monitor in reverse.

That is one among my favorite rides at Alton Towers, particularly the primary time I rode it once I had no thought what was going to occur.

The journey itself will not be vastly scary by way of darkish components, though when it enters the “crypt” and the drop occurs there are some spooky components to pay attention to. That is over fairly shortly although, so it’s not precisely a full haunted home expertise! But when your youngsters don’t like haunted homes, this half may be scary.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, included on Silver, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 3/5
Thrill issue: 4/5
Experience sort: Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 40 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.2m

 

The Towers Rides

This a part of the park covers all of the rides discovered within the space of the unique home at Alton Towers. It’s a bit unfold out with no actual theme. Rides are as follows:

 

Spinball Whizzer

Spinball Whizzer is a rollercoaster which is designed to provide the expertise of being a pinball inside a pinball machine.

It’s basically a rollercoaster with the twist that the four-person carriage spins freely round because it races across the monitor, so each journey is completely different.

It’s a reasonably thrilling journey with vertical sections of monitor and many dips and dives, however there are not any inversions. Regardless of probably not having fun with spinning rides I did truly fairly take pleasure in Spinball Whizzer.

It’s a comparatively clean journey (besides on the finish the place there generally is a little bit of a janky second when the cart is aligned to face ahead once more for loading and unloading).

Spinball Whizzer was an actual hit with the six-year-old we visited Alton Towers with lately, in addition to with the adults within the group. The comparatively low journey top requirement makes for a pleasant family-friendly rollercoaster for teenagers trying to department out into the larger thrill rides.

It’s technically a part of “The Towers” space, however is definitely positioned very near CBeebies Land.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Bronze, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 3/5
Experience sort: Spinning Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 15 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.2 m

 

Hex

Hex is a darkish theme journey based mostly on an precise native legend involving a chained up Oak tree, which is definitely a location not too removed from the park itself.

On condition that it’s based mostly on the proprietor of the unique Alton Towers property, it’s applicable that the journey is discovered throughout the ruins of Alton Towers.

Like the opposite darkish rides, Hex is certainly a journey that’s finest skilled as a shock. So if you wish to expertise it with no spoilers, now’s the time to skip to the subsequent journey.

The primary factor to pay attention to is that the journey may be disorienting, so if you’re vulnerable to movement illness it’s one to watch out of.

Nevertheless there’s no drop, inversions or actual spinning. The primary a part of the journey has you progressing on foot between rooms, watching an immersive story with varied lighting, sounds and results.

The latter a part of the journey is seated with lapbars. You’ll transfer and tilt, with the impact vastly heightened by the intelligent design of the room and what’s basically a large optical phantasm. So it seems like you’re transferring and tilting much more than you truly are.

Hex is a enjoyable expertise however it’s a bit divisive in that individuals both appear to like it or hate it. We predict it’s completely different sufficient from the opposite rides to make it value visiting, and if you happen to don’t really feel nice you possibly can all the time shut your eyes.

Be aware that Hex is closed for the remainder of 2023.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 5/5
Thrill issue: 2/5
Experience sort: Walkthrough darkish journey
Experience size: 5 minutes 25 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (1.2m should journey with an grownup)

 

Cuckoo Automobiles Driving College

Discovered subsequent to the David Walliams space of the park, Cuckoo Automobiles Driving College offers youngsters the chance to be taught to drive their very personal Cuckoo Automotive.

A enjoyable monitor is ready up with a variety of visitors options, together with pedestrian crossings, visitors alerts and even a bubble automotive wash. The automobiles are electrical, and the youngsters can steer them and make them cease or go along with a pedal.

The automobiles are usually not on any type of monitor, so the youngsters can select the place to drive them, identical to in an actual automotive. They’re fairly small and solely go 4km/h, and there are additionally marshals throughout the monitor to maintain everybody protected and get the youngsters again on monitor ought to they veer astray at any level (there’s no reverse on the automobiles).

Cuckoo Automobiles was a large hit with the youngsters we lately visited Alton Towers with. They’d actually end and run again spherical to affix the journey queue once more! So that is positively a child pleasant journey, so long as they meet the journey necessities.

The journey necessities for Cuckoo Automobiles are pretty particular, the youngsters have to be at the very least 1 metre tall, 4 years or older, and underneath 1.4 metres.

So adults can’t take part on this one as that is for youthful youngsters solely. However there may be loads of viewing area so you possibly can preserve an in depth eye on your loved ones members as they be taught to drive.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Children Driving Experience
Experience size: 4 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1m minimal. Moreover, most of 1.4m and minimal of 4 years previous.

 

Mutiny Bay Rides

A pirate themed a part of the park with primarily household pleasant rides, as follows:

 

Wicker Man

Opened in 2018, Wicker Man is likely one of the latest rides at Alton Towers. When it opened it was notable as being the primary new wood rollercoaster to be opened within the UK for 22 years.

Because the title suggests, the Wicker Man is themed across the Wicker Man film, a horror film which dates from the Seventies and which entails a big woven effigy of a person comprised of wooden which is ready fireplace to.

The rollercoaster can be comprised of wooden, and there’s a big effigy of a person that the journey passes via. There are additionally flame lighting and smoke results all through the journey which add to the themed expertise.

Talking of expertise, the journey begins with a preshow that features some video, gentle, and smoke results. This does have a little bit of a scare issue so is one thing to remember if using with youthful youngsters. You then board the practice, and from this level it’s a wood rollercoaster journey.

The journey expertise is sort of much like the Runaway Important practice or 13, with dips, hills, and twists. There are not any inversions or loops or something like that, and the journey top restriction of 1.2m makes it a household choice for a lot of youngsters as properly.

Wicker Man is discovered proper subsequent to Mutiny Bay, though it doesn’t observe the pirate theming.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Silver, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 2/5
Thrill issue: 4/5
Experience sort: Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 50 seconds
Experience top restriction: 1.2m

 

Marauders Mayhem

Proper within the coronary heart of Pirate Bay is the Marauders Mayhem journey, which is mainly a traditional spinning tea cups journey.

This journey initially launched in 1987 as a tea cup journey, and was relaunched in 2008 with a pirate theme. So as a substitute of sitting in teacups you sit in barrels.

Apart from the theme, the journey expertise is similar as a typical teacups journey. As much as 6 folks can sit in every barrel, with 4 units of three barrels organized across the journey. Every set rotates, the entire journey rotates, and every barrel will also be made to rotate.

I believe it’s honest to say that the Marauders Mayhem journey will not be perfect if you happen to don’t like spinning rides. However if you happen to do like spinning rides, that is positively one to go for. It’s a enjoyable household journey with a reasonably low top restriction.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 3/5
Experience sort: Spinning teacups
Experience size: 2 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1.1m (1.3 m should journey with an grownup)

 

Battle Galleons

Should you like rides the place there’s a really stable probability of getting soaking moist, you’ll positively need to head to the Battle Galleons journey at Alton Towers.

This journey has you boarding a pirate ship which “sails” round part of the Alton Towers lake. The enjoyable half is that there are water cannons on board, which you’ll be able to fireplace at different vessels, in addition to at anybody standing on the shore the place your boats go.

These water cannons are hand operated – you spin a wheel to make the water move.

You don’t must really feel too sorry for the oldsters on the shore although, as a result of they’ve entry to their very own watercannons. There are two variations on the shore – free ones the place you possibly can spin a wheel, and paid cannons. The paid cannons are positively extra highly effective, with 10 “pictures” per £1 once we visited.

This journey was in style with each adults and children in our group however most likely not a superb one for anybody not desirous to get moist.

Assuming there are different folks taking part within the journey, there’s a really excessive probability you’re going to get fairly moist on this journey. There are some drying rooms close by the place you possibly can pay round £5 to have some air blown at you, however this isn’t vastly efficient in our expertise so most likely not definitely worth the cash.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Splash Battle
Experience size: 3 minutes
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (1.1 should journey with an grownup)

 

Heave Ho

Should you or your youngsters like the concept of the Blade however all of the dropping and top looks as if a bit a lot, then you must positively try Heave Ho.

This pirate ship themed journey is discovered, as you would possibly guess, within the Mutiny Bay a part of Alton Towers.

The journey idea is mainly a pirate ship which rocks backwards and forwards on rails, however which additionally spins because it goes. The spinning will not be super-fast however it may be a bit disorienting, so if you happen to aren’t a fan of rides which spin you would possibly need to watch it first earlier than boarding.

This was a extremely in style journey with our household group on a current go to. The youngsters actually beloved it, and it’s additionally a superb journey for viewers to observe from the sidelines and get good images.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: o/5
Thrill issue: 2/5
Experience sort: Rocking Tug
Experience size: 3 minutes
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

Katanga Canyon Rides

Themed as an African village, this space of the park is house to the next two rides:

 

Congo River Rapids

The Alton Towers theme park doesn’t have quite a lot of water rides, however there are a few choices, one among which is Congo River Rapids.

This has been getting park guests moist since 1986, and stays a well-liked and comparatively household pleasant attraction to this present day.

The journey consists of enormous round rafts which seat round seven folks. You begin the journey going up a shallow elevate, and then you definately float across the river rapids, elements of which have sections of uneven water.

There’s an affordable probability you’ll get moist on this journey, though it’s usually simply splashes of water relatively than a full-on dunking. So simply preserve that in thoughts.

One very nice factor about this journey is that it’s comparatively lengthy by theme park requirements, at 6 minutes. With a minimal top of 1.1m it’s additionally a superb household pleasant choice for a lot of households.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 2/5
Experience sort: River Rapids
Experience size: 6 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1.1m (1.3 m should journey with an grownup)
Different Notes: Simply bear in mind that you just would possibly get moist

 

Runaway Mine Practice

Runaway Mine Practice is one among my favorite family-friendly rollercoasters at Alton Towers. Jess isn’t an enormous fan of huge rollercoasters, however she actually likes Runaway Mine Practice.

Because the title suggests, the theme is a mine practice which has, properly, runaway. Riders board carriages seated in pairs, and the practice has some fairly good drops and twists because it goes, even pulling a good bit of g-force. It additionally does the monitor twice, which makes for a pleasant lengthy feeling journey.

There are not any inversions or something like that, but it surely’s positively a fairly thrilling journey, and one of the crucial thrilling rides on the park with a low top requirement.

We went on it with a 3 12 months previous and a six 12 months previous and so they completely beloved it. Simply be ready to affix the queue once more while you end if your loved ones likes it as a lot as ours did! We rode this one a number of occasions over two days.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Bronze, Gold and Platinum.
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 3/5
Experience sort: Rollercoaster
Experience size: 1 minute 50 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

Gloomy Wooden Rides

Gloomy Wooden is themed, because the title suggests, round a darkish, probably haunted, forest. It has one journey:

 

The Curse at Alton Manor

The Curse at Alton Manor opened in 2023, making it one of many latest rides in Alton Towers. Nevertheless, it builds on an extended custom of haunted home rides, with the unique incarnation of this journey opened in the identical location all the best way again in 1992.

The journey tells the story of the long-deceased Emily Alton, who Alton Towers followers will acknowledge from earlier rides on this location. The story goes that Emily was by no means invited to the events her mother and father held, and this aggravated her a lot that evil possessed her, cursing the home and all its occupants.

I assume the ethical of the story right here is to ask your youngsters to your events infrequently.

Anyway, the journey itself has a number of elements. The queue is the place the story begins, winding via the woodland, with varied graves and spooky sculptures.

You then enter the home, and stroll previous varied set items with lights and sound results. Lastly, there’s a six-minute journey which takes you thru the considerably darkish and twisted world of Emily.

The journey is certainly darkish, and if you happen to like darkish rides and haunted home model rides you’ll probably take pleasure in it. Should you want rollercoaster thrills and spins , this most likely gained’t be the journey for you as there aren’t any drops, inversions, or twists.

By way of being child pleasant, the journey is fairly scary with numerous darkish themes of demise and revenge. So while the journey top restriction is pretty low, some youngsters would possibly discover the content material relatively terrifying. The youngsters we had been with (age 3 and 6) hated this journey and located it too scary. The three-year-old wouldn’t get on the journey in any respect.

Total, one to take a look at if you happen to like darkish, haunted home sort rides. Personally, Jess and I didn’t actually prefer it as we by no means actually received the complete story for the journey and it isn’t a thrill journey.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Bronze, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 4/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Darkish journey / haunted home
Experience size: 6 minutes 15 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

The World of David Walliams Rides

This a part of the park focuses on the world created by the writer David Walliams. It’s a really family-friendly a part of the park, and many of the rides have low top necessities. Rides are as follows:

 

Gangsta Granny the Experience

Opened in 2021, Gangsta Ganny the Experience is likely one of the principal rides within the space of the park dedicated to the world created by author David Walliams.

The journey is mainly a carriage-based darkish journey with quite a lot of particular results that has you serving to the principle characters try to steal the Crown Jewels from Buckingham Palace.

Everybody in our group on a current journey to Alton Towers loved this journey. The story is attention-grabbing and interesting for teenagers particularly, and the expertise is enjoyable for adults as properly. There’s additionally fairly a little bit of humour all through the journey which ought to carry a smile to your face.

It’s neither an exhilarating curler coaster nor a scary journey, however we predict it’s properly value doing, even if you happen to aren’t in any respect aware of the characters within the books. All of us loved it.

One factor to notice is that the theme of the journey does have characters stealing and committing against the law which could not sit proper with all mother and father with youthful youngsters.

Included on Fastrack: Sure, Gold and Platinum
Scare issue: 1/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Darkish journey
Experience size: 4 minutes
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (underneath 1.2m should journey with an grownup)
Different Notes: This journey has a reasonably low most rider per hour restrict, so queue occasions may be longer than you would possibly anticipate

 

Raj’s Bouncy Backside Burp

Discovered within the David Walliams space of Alton Towers, Raj’s Bouncy Backside Burp is a bouncing drop journey designed for younger youngsters. It’s much like the CBeebies Peter Rabbit Experience however the drops are a bit extra pronounced, making it a bit extra thrilling.

The drops are additionally accompanied by a fart based mostly soundtrack, and truthfully, what child doesn’t discover bathroom humor hilarious? So this journey is certainly in style amongst youngsters visiting the park.

The drop will not be so terrifying (it’s extra of a bounce actually), and Jess who doesn’t actually like drop rides didn’t thoughts this. Though accompanying a 3-year-old in hysterics on the sound results most likely helped!

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Bouncy drop
Experience size: 1 minute 45 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

Royal Carousel

Have you ever even been to a theme park if you happen to haven’t ridden the carousel? Jess will surely argue no. It’s all the time a journey that we like to journey at the very least as soon as at any theme park, honest, or carnival because it’s such a traditional.

The Royal Carousel in Alton Towers is discovered within the David Walliams a part of the park, and options various horses and carriages. A number of the horses go up and down (these with poles to the roof) and a few are static.

It has a royal theme, with a crown on prime and a voiceover soundtrack to match. Positive, it’s not probably the most thrilling journey within the park, but it surely’s enjoyable for teenagers and adults who love a little bit of theme park nostalgia.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Carousel
Experience size: 2 minutes
Experience top restriction: no top restriction however these underneath 1.3m should journey with an grownup

 

Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango

This carnival model tornado journey discovered within the David Walliam’s part of the park is nice for these of you who love being spun round. It’s truly one among Jess’s favorite rides at Alton Towers as a result of she loves being spun round however doesn’t like being dropped.

The journey consists of twelve units of chairs that are in teams of 4. The teams of 4 spin collectively, after which all of the teams additionally spin round a central level. This leads to numerous spinning, which at factors can appear fairly quick as you whiz previous gondolas coming the other way.

It’s positively quite a lot of enjoyable. Simply bear in mind that the minimal journey top of 1.2m is a bit larger than many of the different rides on this space. I’d additionally add that that is technically a brief carnival model journey, however we’re included it because it’s themed and appears more likely to keep.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 2/5
Experience sort: Tornado
Experience size: ~2 minutes
Experience top restriction: 1.2m

 

CBeebies Land Rides

CBeebies Land is a extremely household pleasant a part of Alton Towers with rides, reveals and actions designed to entertain youthful guests to the park. It has an enormous quantity of rides and actions. The primary rides are as follows:

 

Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop

Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop is a delicate drop model journey designed for youthful riders. The journey is themed round Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit character, with enjoyable sound results and music.

This journey is certainly not a loopy drop journey, it’s extra of a delicate drop and bounce. So even adults who don’t like drop rides will take pleasure in using this one with their youngsters.

It’s most likely not a journey that thrill seekers are going to be heading for, however if you’re in Alton Towers with youthful members of the family you’ll positively need to examine this one out.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Drop
Experience size: ~ 90 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom Experience

The Go Jetters Vroomster journey is one other enjoyable household journey. This one is themed across the Go Jetters, with journey members boarding their very personal Vroomster.

A Vroomster, for these of you not acquainted, is mainly a jet powered flying automotive. And the Alton Tower duplicate is fairly correct!

The journey consists of various Vroomster automobiles, which may seat as much as 4 folks, which rotate round a central pod. The automobiles are connected to the pod by a yellow arm, and the riders can management the peak of the automotive with a lever contained in the automotive. This provides the riders the impression of controlling their very personal flying automotive, which is fairly cool.

The journey will not be significantly quick, so while it does go spherical in circles, it’s about the identical pace as a carousel so it shoudln’t make you dizzy. The up and down movement can be fairly mild, so all in all it’s a fairly relaxed journey.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Aerial Roundabout
Experience size: 2 minutes
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (underneath 1.25m should journey with grownup)

 

Octonauts Rollercoaster Journey

Octonauts is a household targeted rollercoaster which is more likely to be one of many first rollercoasters youthful guests to Alton Towers are going to expertise.

The rollercoaster, which is themed after The Octonauts present, gives most likely the gentlest rollercoaster expertise at Alton Towers. It’s a good start line for teenagers who meet the peak restrictions and need to attempt a rollercoaster.

In the event that they like it, the Runaway Mine practice has comparable journey necessities and is a little more thrilling, with a sooner journey and far higher drops and pace.

Nevertheless, Octonauts is certainly a superb starter coaster, with no inversions or significantly steep drops or curves.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Rollercoaster
Experience size: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Experience top restriction: 0.9m (underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup)

 

Get Set Go Treetop Journey

This journey in CBeebies Land takes you excessive above the timber (okay, 12 ft) in your very personal bug formed automotive. It’s a enjoyable journey for youthful youngsters for positive and offers good views of CBeebies land.

It’s additionally good and enjoyable for adults if you happen to’re searching for a soothing journey with no loopy thrills or scares.

One factor to pay attention to is that this journey is sort of in style and because it’s pretty sluggish transferring the queue can get fairly lengthy. The truth is, of all of the rides on the park, this was the one the place we had the longest wait on a current go to!

So attempt to time your go to for very first thing within the morning or in a while within the day. There are actions within the queue to maintain youngsters busy, however they’ll solely go thus far.

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: o/5
Thrill issue: 1/5
Experience sort: Flat monitor
Experience size: 4 minutes
Experience top restriction: No minimal however underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup.

 

Within the Evening Backyard Magical Boat Experience

It is a in style water journey in CBeebies Land which has you boarding a ship for a magical tour across the Evening Backyard. The boat floats peacefully round a river, and while it’s a water journey you’re most unlikely to get moist.

This journey has you passing by most of the characters and scenes from the “Within the Evening Backyard” TV collection, together with the Tombliboos, Upsy Daisy and Iggle Piggle.

It’s a pleasant enjoyable journey which ought to amuse youthful guests and be good and enjoyable for adults. It’s additionally a comparatively lengthy journey at 6 minutes.

ncluded on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 0/5
Experience sort: Boat journey
Experience size: 6 minutes
Experience top restriction: No top restriction however these underneath 1m should journey with an grownup

 

Postman Pat Parcel Publish

Postman Pat has been a stalwart determine on youngsters’s tv because the Eighties. I bear in mind watching him delivering mail across the Yorkshire Dales along with his trusty helper Jess the cat as a baby, and children at this time nonetheless get to observe Pat on CBeebies.

Now, you can also expertise the lifetime of Pat on the Alton Towers Postman Pat Parcel Publish journey in CBeebies Land. It is a flat journey on rails which has you boarding Pat’s signature pink submit van and go trundling round a course.

The van has varied buttons on the dashboard, which you’ll be able to press to make sure you ship the appropriate parcel to the appropriate particular person, giving it a superb ingredient of interactivity. There are additionally lights and a horn you can management.

Total it is a enjoyable household expertise for youthful guests and particularly followers of Postman Pat. It’s certainly not a thrill journey, however not every part must be!

Included on Fastrack: No
Scare issue: 0/5
Thrill issue: 0/5
Experience sort: Monitor Experience
Experience size: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Experience top restriction: No top restriction however these underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup

 

 

Thrill Rides at Alton Towers

Now that we’ve coated all of the rides by space, we’ll record the rides divided into varied classes. Beginning with thrill rides.

Should you’re searching for an inventory of the joys rides at Alton Towers, I’d recommend the next all classify:

• The Smiler
• Oblivion
• Galactica
• Rita
• TH13TEEN
• Wicker Man
• Spinball Whizzer
• Runaway Mine Practice
• Marauders Mayhem
• The Blade

In fact, how thrilling you discover a journey might be private desire, however we predict most individuals would discover the above rides pretty thrilling!

 

Rides for Toddlers and Children at Alton Towers

Should you’re visiting Alton Towers with youthful members of the family, you may be questioning what the most effective rides for them are going to be.

For the overwhelming majority of rides, the principle factor will not be going to be the age of your baby, however relatively their top. That is positively one thing to pay attention to when you have youngsters of differing heights, as a few of them could possibly expertise rides that the others could not. This could result in difficult conditions, as nobody likes to be unnoticed!

It’s due to this fact a good suggestion to have an thought of which rides on the park are going to be appropriate for which members of your group and which aren’t. That means you can also make a plan for which rides to take who to. The Alton Towers app and web site has a filter system so you possibly can present solely these rides that are going to be appropriate.

The final time we visited Alton Towers we had 4 adults, a 3-year previous who was 1.1m and a 6-year previous who was 1.25m. So this meant they couldn’t journey each journey collectively.

We dealt with this by sharing duties between the adults, and splitting the rides we rode collectively. This was made quite a bit simpler with the Fastrack passes we had because it meant we weren’t away for very lengthy.

The excellent news is that there are additionally a number of nice rides which are appropriate for all ages and heights. We’d particularly suggest the next:

• Gangsta Granny the Experience
• Get Set Go Tree High Journey
• Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop
• Octonauts Rollercoaster Journey
• Postman Pat Parcel Publish
• Battle Galleons
• Cuckoo Automobiles Driving College

For barely taller and extra adventurous youngsters, the next are certain to get their pulses going a bit extra:

• Blade (1m)
• Wicker Man (1.2m)
• Spinball Whizzer (1.2m)
• TH13TEEN (1.2m)
• Marauders Mayhem (1.1m)
• Congo River Rapids (1.1m)
• Heave Ho  (0.9m)
• Runaway Mine Practice (0.9m)

The 2 extra scary rides (haunted home model) may also be appropriate for teenagers however truthfully that is going to be a private choice as a dad or mum relying on the child. These are:

• Hex (0.9m)
• The Curse at Alton Manor (0.9m)

After we visited with a 3-year previous and a 6-year previous their journey highlights had been Runaway Mine Practice, Blade, Octonauts, Get Set Go Tree High Journey, Cuckoo Automobiles Driving College, and Heave Ho. The 6-year-old additionally actually preferred Spinball Whizzer, Marauders Mayhem, and Wicker Man.

In addition they actually beloved the interactive reveals and experiences in CBeebies Land, in addition to enjoying the video games the place you possibly can win a toy like Hook-a-Duck.

Simply bear in mind that the Hook-a-Duck and comparable video games are usually not free. The temptation of a large toy is tough to withstand although.

 

Experience Top Necessities at Alton Towers

Right here’s a fast record of all of the rides at Alton Towers with their minimal journey heights, ordered from excessive to low.

Some rides even have a distinct minimal top if using with out an grownup, which is indicated in brackets if relevant.

The vast majority of rides with top restrictions have a measurement stick subsequent to the journey entrance so you possibly can confirm riders’ heights. Once you get to the journey, workers will often examine heights if they’re uncertain, so that you’ll need to make certain everyone seems to be the appropriate top to keep away from disappointment.

You may as well get a bracelet which has the rider’s top on it at a few of the rides to avoid wasting having to be measured a number of occasions.

Right here’s an inventory of all of the rides which have a restriction, ordered from highest to lowest.

• Nemesis Sub-Terra – 1.4m
• The Smiler – 1.4m
• Oblivion – 1.4m
• Galactica – 1.4m
• Rita – 1.4m
• Spinball Whizzer – 1.2m
• TH13TEEN – 1.2m (most 1.96m)
• Wicker Man – 1.2m
• Marauders Mayhem – 1.1m (1.3m should journey with an grownup)
• Congo River Rapids – 1.1m (1.3m should journey with an grownup)
• The Blade – 1m (1.3m should journey with an grownup)
• Hex – 0.9m (1.2m should journey with an grownup)
• The Curse at Alton Manor – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Gangsta Granny The Experience – 0.9m (1.2m should journey with an grownup)
• Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Battle Galleons – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom Experience – 0.9m (1.25m should journey with an grownup)
• Octonauts Rollercoaster Journey – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Heave Ho – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Runaway Mine Practice – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Raj’s Bouncy Backside Burp – 0.9m (1.1m should journey with an grownup)
• Royal Carousel – no top restriction however these underneath 1.3m should journey with an grownup
• Postman Pat Parcel Publish – no top restriction however these underneath 1.1m should journey with an grownup
• Within the Evening Backyard Magical Boat Experience – no top restriction however these underneath 1m should journey with an grownup
• Cuckoo Automobiles – 1m. Moreover, most of 1.4m and minimal of 4 years previous.

 

Areas at Alton Towers

Alton Towers is split into 11 areas. Every space is themed otherwise, with some areas extra targeted on high-octane thrill rides (like X-Sector) while others are extra aimed toward youthful households (resembling CBeebies Land).

Right here’s an inventory of all of the areas at Alton Towers and the rides they comprise. When planning your day, it’s a good suggestion to attempt to do all of the rides you have an interest in in every space, to keep away from spending quite a lot of time strolling between areas.

 

X-Sector

This part of the park comprises a few of the extra excessive rides within the park, all of which have a minimal top restriction of 1.4m. The rides are:

• Oblivion
• The Smiler
• Spinjam (short-term carnival model journey)
• Twistatron (short-term carnival model journey)

X-Sector is themed like a secret authorities testing facility, so anticipate a number of metallic fencing and concrete.

 

Darkish Forest

This part of the park is house to 2 rides, each of which supply fast-paced thrills. These are:

The Darkish Forest space is themed as a form of haunted woodland. The concept is you possibly can solely escape by using the deserted drag racer Rita. I’m not fairly positive the way you get out if you happen to’re underneath the 1.4m top restriction for Rita.

 

Forbidden Valley

This space of the park has various completely different rides which embrace some rides appropriate for smaller friends. That is the world of the park you enter if you happen to come within the resort visitor entrance.

Forbidden valley is the place you’ll discover the Blade, which is the oldest journey in Alton Towers, initially opening in 1980!

The rides in Forbidden Valley are:

• The Blade
• Galactica
• Nemesis Sub-Terra
• Funk n’Fly (short-term carnival model journey)

Forbidden Valley has a post-apocalyptic theme, with hints of alien infestation all through linked to the Nemesis creature. Nemesis was a journey at Alton Towers till 2022, when it closed for refurbishment. It’s resulting from relaunch with a major overhaul in 2024.

 

Gloomy Wooden

Discovered between Katanga Canyon and Forbidden Valley, Gloomy Wooden solely comprises one journey:

Nevertheless it does have a walkthrough themed footpath which is house to varied statues, gravestones and different installations, titled Haunted Hole. A few of these make noises, together with telling jokes.

As you’d guess from the title, the theme of the world is a haunted woodland.

 

Katanga Canyon

Katanga Canyon is the place you’ll discover the park’s oldest rollercoaster in addition to a water journey. Each these rides are quite a lot of enjoyable, with the rollercoaster appropriate for a lot of youthful guests as properly.

• Runaway Mine Practice
• Congo River Rapids

Katanga Canyon is themed as an African village. The Runaway Mine journey has one of many lowest top necessities of any rollercoaster within the park (the identical as Octonauts), and could be very in style with households.

 

CBeebies Land

CBeebies Land is likely one of the most household pleasant areas in Alton Towers, with rides, reveals and actions targeted round entertaining youthful guests.

Actually, if you’re visiting with toddlers and younger guests there’s just about sufficient to do right here to fill a day. It’s a extremely enjoyable space and you’ll inform quite a lot of thought has gone into creating an immersive world. As you possibly can see there’s quite a bit to do right here:

• Within the Evening Backyard Magical Boat Experience
• Postman Pat’s Parcel Publish
• Get Set Go Treetop Journey
• One thing Particular Sensory Backyard
• Bugbie Go Spherical
• Octonauts Curler Coaster Journey
• Justin’s Home: Pie-O-Matic Manufacturing facility
• Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom Experience
• Huge Enjoyable Showtime
• CBeebies Picture Studio
• JoJo & Gran Gran at Residence
• Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig
• Hey Duggee’s Reside

If we needed to criticize CBeebies Land for something, it’s that queue occasions for a few of the rides generally is a bit lengthy on busy days.

The truth is, the longest queue we had on a current go to to Alton Towers was for Get Set Go Tree High Journey.

Apart from that although, this park, which is themed round a complete vary of CBeebies applications, is a extremely enjoyable spot for households visiting Alton Towers providing every part from rides to dwell reveals to enjoyable picture alternatives.

 

The Towers

The Towers are literally the ruins of the unique home at Alton Towers, and is the place the park will get its title from. It’s house to various rides, that are discovered round the principle constructing.

The Towers space is a bit unfold out, with a part of it proper subsequent to CBeebies Land and the remainder near the World of David Walliams. Rides are as follows:

• Hex – The Legend of the Towers
• Cuckoo Automobiles Driving College
• Spinball Whizzer

There’s no specific theming across the rides to be sincere, they only occur to be within the space of the unique home.

This space can be the place you will see that the Alton Towers Dungeon. It is a separate attraction which requires its personal ticket, which you should purchase right here. It is a stroll via attraction with costumed actors.

We haven’t visited the Alton Towers Dungeon however we’ve got visited the dungeon in Edinburgh, London and San Francisco, which supply an identical expertise.

It’s enjoyable, nonetheless there may be already rather a lot to do at Alton Towers so we wouldn’t say it was a must-see attraction. That stated, it’s a good worth particularly if you happen to guide prematurely and it’s a enjoyable expertise.

 

The World of David Walliams

Discovered simply past The Towers, the World of David Walliams gives a variety of rides that are primarily aimed toward main faculty aged youngsters.

In our expertise although youthful youngsters additionally take pleasure in the vast majority of the rides right here as they don’t seem to be significantly excessive and the journey heights are usually not overly restrictive. The rides listed here are:

• Gangsta Granny: The Experience
• Raj’s Bouncy Backside Burp
• Royal Carousel
• Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango

This space is themed all over the world and characters created by David Walliams and is one other great spot for households visiting Alton Towers.

 

Mutiny Bay

Discovered close to the principle park entrance, Mutiny Bay is house to quite a lot of family-friendly rides in addition to various paid fairground model video games like Hook-a-Duck and toss the ball sort of video games. The rides are:

• Battle Galleons
• Heave-Ho
• Marauders Mayhem
• Wicker Man

Aside from Wicker Man, all of the rides right here have a nautical / pirate theme, and that is one other nice location within the park for households as the bulk rides have low top restrictions and the queues are usually not usually too lengthy (apart from Wicker Man).

That is additionally the place you’ll discover Sharkbait Reef by Sea Life Aquarium, an aquarium you possibly can go to which is included as a part of your ticket. That is a completely indoor attraction so is an effective choice whether it is raining.

Lastly, there’s additionally a bar serving drinks in addition to a seating space at Mutiny Bay.

 

Towers Road

Once you enter the park via the principle entrance you’ll arrive onto Towers Road. This space is themed like a city excessive avenue and is house to varied companies and amenities, together with meals and drinks shops and customer support.

There’s a Skyride station right here, however no precise rides. From this space you possibly can see throughout the lake to the Towers. To your left as you face away from the doorway is Mutiny Bay, and in your proper is CBeebies Land.

So if you’re visiting with youngsters you don’t need to go far to seek out your first rides.

 

The Gardens

One of many oldest areas at Alton Towers, and one which has been drawing guests for years, are the gardens. These take up a big space of the park between Mutiny Bay and the Darkish Forest.

Many guests solely expertise the gardens from above, because the Skyride passes over them, however it’s value taking a while to discover them as they’re fairly beautiful and make for a pleasant spot for a break.

You’ll discover all kinds of options, from neatly trimmed topiary hedges, fountains, previous timber, greenhouses, and follies.

Simply bear in mind that the gardens are set throughout a valley, and there may be fairly a number of steps to navigate. So that is value taking into account when you have restricted mobility or are navigating a youngsters’s buggy.

 

Accessibility at Alton Towers

Alton Towers offers quite a lot of info and choices for folks with varied incapacity and mobility wants, and this info is roofed intimately on the web page devoted to accessibility on the Alton Towers website.

The accessibility method at Alton Towers is designed to help anybody with accessibility wants have a protected and gratifying go to to the park, and the location has info that will help you plan your go to in addition to what to anticipate on website.

Generally, the park and the resort lodging choices cater properly for accessibility necessities. All of the bathrooms have accessible wheelchair options in addition to accessible altering rooms. Wheelchairs can be found without spending a dime, and mobility scooters may be employed for the day. The latter may be booked on-line prematurely right here.

Alton Towers additionally gives a Experience Entry Cross, which is designed for guests who discover it troublesome to face for extended intervals of time. This provides entry to a separate line and a digital queuing system.

Experience Entry Cross holders don’t get to skip the road per se, however they don’t have to face in a line for a chronic interval. This course of is defined right here.

For Experience Entry go entry this must be booked prematurely of your go to as functions are authorised by a third-party who assesses guests’ wants on a person foundation.

 

Images at Alton Towers

Images is usually allowed at Alton Towers, nonetheless for probably the most half pictures will not be allowed on the rides (with some exceptions).

So if you wish to get images of your self and your loved ones having fun with the rides, you’ll want to think about investing in a photograph bundle.

On a current journey to Alton Towers we purchased the digital picture go for each of the times we had been there. This was £20, and we thought it was fairly superb.

The best way it really works is as follows. As you end a journey, all of the journey images are displayed on a display screen with a quantity. Utilizing the Alton Towers app, you possibly can sort in that quantity, and the picture will seem within the app in your gadget.

You may as well decide up a QR code that hyperlinks to your account and have the picture attendant scan it for automated supply to your app.

Should you haven’t purchased the digital picture go, the picture seems within the app with a giant watermark and you’ll’t obtain it. Nevertheless, while you pay for the picture go (both in app on in particular person), the images all change into obtainable with out watermark, and you’ll obtain them to your telephone for sharing.

The great factor about this technique is that even with six of us, we nonetheless solely wanted to purchase one picture go. I simply had all of the images delivered to my telephone after which shared them. Over the 2 days we had been there we had round 80 images, a lot of which you’ll be able to see on this information.

It’s additionally value noting that there are extra picture alternatives than simply journey images. One good instance is the The CBeebies Land picture cease. It is a actually enjoyable expertise, the place a inexperienced display screen is used so as to add you and your group to many CBeebies Land scenes.

In addition to digital images, you can too pay for printouts of journey images, though it is a separate price.

You should purchase the digital picture go on-line prematurely of your go to right here. You may as well purchase it on website in particular person, or via the app. The associated fee is similar.

Actually, whereas it’s handy to purchase it prematurely, you would possibly need to wait till the top of the day so you possibly can overview the images within the app after which resolve if you wish to purchase them.

I consider the images can be found for buy for as much as 90 days within the app, and as soon as bought they are often downloaded from the app for as much as a 12 months from once they had been taken.

 

Eating places at Alton Towers

Alton Towers has fairly a large alternative of eating choices throughout the park. There are eating places within the theme park space itself, in addition to eating places on the resort resorts which serve breakfast and dinner.

There are additionally picnic areas and various locations promoting snacks which may be discovered throughout the park.

The primary eating choices are as follows.

 

Eating places within the Theme Park

• Woodcutter’s Bar and Grill (close to Darkish Forest / Towers)- focuses on grilled meals
• Rollercoaster Restaurant (Forbidden Valley) – has a wide range of choices, with the twist that every one the meals is delivered by way of a mini rollercoaster.
• Explorers Pizza Pasta (Katanga Canyon) – buffet restaurant with a variety of pizza, pasta and a salad bar
• The Burger Kitchen (close to David Walliams space & Alton Towers Dungeon, additionally Mutiny Bay) – Primarily burgers, as you’d think about
• Simply Hen (X-Sector) – Primarily focuses on fried hen
• Nook Espresso (Towers Road) – In addition to espresso it additionally has sandwiches, pastries, and muffins

 

 

 

 

 

Eating places within the Resort Space

Be aware these usually solely serve breakfast and dinner. It’s additionally good to know that the Rollercoaster Restaurant can be open after the theme park closes, though reservations are required.

Secret Backyard Restaurant Meals

Secret Backyard Restaurant Meals

 

Lodging at Alton Towers

For an prolonged Alton Towers expertise, you possibly can truly keep on website at one of many resort lodging choices. There are six completely different lodging choices at Alton Towers throughout a variety of various value factors.

We predict staying on website could make sense, particularly if you’re visiting with youngsters because the on-site lodging is de facto arrange in the direction of enhancing their expertise with extra actions and themed rooms.

Nevertheless if you wish to keep someplace a bit quieter with extra flexibility in alternative by way of value, eating choices and so forth, then try the part on close by lodging additional on on this information.

All of the lodging is discovered to the east of the principle park. Relying on which choice you select, the lodging is a couple of 5-10 minute stroll from the monorail, which is able to whisk you to the principle park entrance in a couple of minutes.

You may as well stroll to the principle park entrance in 20 – half-hour, or to the unique resort visitor entrance which is about 5 – 10 minutes’ stroll from many of the motels.

Right here’s a rundown of all of the lodging choices at Alton Towers to offer you an thought of what to anticipate.

 

Alton Towers Resort

Alton Towers Resort was the primary resort to be constructed on the park, opening in 1996. It’s a 4* resort with a big restaurant, bar and virtually 200 rooms.

The resort is themed after the fictional character Sir Algenon Alton, a famed explorer and inventor. Completely different areas of the resort are themed to match his completely different exploits, together with a hot-air balloon pirate ship within the bar space which doubles as a stage.

Numerous room sorts can be found. On our current go to we stayed in an Arctic Explorer room which was very snug and fairly giant, particularly for 2 of us. It had an en-suite rest room with bathtub, air-conditioning, a small fridge and tea/espresso making amenities.

Many of the rooms can sleep as much as 4 folks – two adults and two youngsters. They’re pretty giant rooms and despite the fact that we visited when it was busy the rooms had been quiet.

We actually preferred the theming within the rooms, which has quite a lot of considerate particulars all through, from the carpet to the large stuffed polar bear on the mattress. Completely different rooms have completely different themes, in addition to completely different facilities.

Air con for instance will not be obtainable in all of the room, so do examine if that’s vital to you.

You may see all of the room sorts and their facilities right here– there are quite a lot of choices to select from!

 

Splash Landings Resort

Opened in 2003, Splash Landings Resort can be a 4* resort. It’s the closest resort to the Monorail station and resort visitor theme park entrance. It’s additionally the place you’ll discover the Alton Towers Waterpark.

Splash Landings is themed, as you may think, round water, with a sunny Carribean theme operating all through. There are water options and themed installations, and the rooms are additionally themed alongside varied nautical types.

On website there’s an all you possibly can eat restaurant, Flambo’s Jambo, which has a Carribean theme. There’s additionally a Caribbean themed bar on website, in addition to common leisure.

Splash Landings is certainly a superb choice, particularly with youngsters. The one factor to pay attention to is that it might get fairly heat within the resort because the waterpark is on website, and the rooms don’t have air-con. So the rooms may be fairly heat, even within the cooler months of the 12 months.

You may see all of the room sorts and their facilities at Splash Landings Resort right here.

 

CBeebies Land Resort

CBeebies Land Resort is the latest resort at Alton Towers Resort, opening in 2017. On a current go to to Alton Towers with mates they stayed right here with their two youngsters ages 3 and 6 years previous.

CBeebies Land is firmly aimed toward youthful guests to the park and is themed across the characters present in CBeebies reveals. This theming extends all through, from the rooms to the restaurant and reception.

There are additionally many CBeebies reveals and leisure experiences which happen right here that are included for friends. There’s additionally a restaurant and bar on website.

There’s a variety of rooms obtainable, our mates stayed within the Swashbuckle themed pirate room which slept as much as 5 and had two TVs in addition to pirate theming all through.

The outline for CBeebies Land Resort means that it’s best for guests with youngsters aged as much as round three. Nevertheless, we’d say that this very a lot depends upon your youngsters and what they’re into, and children as much as 9 or 10 will most likely like it.

Our mates’ youngsters truthfully thought the resort was superb. They beloved just about every part about it. Their mother and father significantly appreciated the room format which had the youngsters in their very own alcove in bunk beds, that means they felt virtually like they’d their very own room while nonetheless being in the identical room.

In addition they loved the meals, the leisure, and the theming all through.

One vital factor to pay attention to with this resort and its amenities is that it’s only open to friends staying within the resort itself.

So if you’re visiting the park as a bunch and a few of you’re staying in CBeebies Resort and a few of you’re in different lodging, that is one thing to remember if you happen to plan on eating collectively or watching leisure.

Friends of the opposite lodging choices can’t go to CBeebies Land Resort or use its amenities.

We received round this by having our meals on the Alton Towers Resort on a current go to, however the youngsters did nonetheless get to have their breakfast in CBeebies and in addition they took half in a few of the actions just like the night Stargazing.

Total, if you’re visiting Alton Towers with a youthful household the CBeebies Land Resort could be my primary decide if it’s obtainable. You may see all of the room sorts right here.

 

Stargazing Pods

The remaining three lodging choices at Alton Towers fall into the Enchanted Village space of the park, which gives a variety of much less conventional lodging choices.

The primary of those we are going to cowl are the Stargazing pods, which opened to the general public in 2019. Should you’ve ever been glamping, then these pods might be fairly acquainted.

They’re mainly small wood constructions that supply an expertise much like tenting however with the advantage of actual beds, lighting and heating. Every pod can sleep as much as 4, with one double mattress and two single beds. Linen is offered.

There are not any bathrooms, showers or different washing amenities within the pods themselves, these are all centrally positioned at a separate block which gives bathrooms, showers and child change areas.

There’s additionally no cooking or refrigeration amenities, you’ll need to dine at one of many eating places (except you carry your personal picnic model meals).

Stargazing pods are positively probably the most primary lodging choice which may make for a extremely funds pleasant camping-like expertise at Alton Towers.

They’re usually the bottom value lodging choice at Alton Towers Resort, and so they additionally are likely to have the most effective availability at any time when we’ve regarded for final minute lodging.

 

Woodland Lodges

The unique lodging choice within the Enchanted Village had been the Woodland Lodges, which opened in 2015.

The Woodland Lodges are styled as log cabins, every of which may sleep as much as 5 folks. There’s a principal room for adults, and a separate youngsters sleeping space with bunk beds and a truckle mattress.

All of the rooms have en-suite bogs, flat display screen TVs and free WiFi. For eating, breakfast is obtainable on the Crooked Spoon restaurant within the Enchanted Village, and friends also can have their night meal right here or at one of many different eating places.

We haven’t personally stayed on the Woodland Lodges however we’ve got mates who stayed right here with their youngsters and so they loved it.

These are usually amongst the extra in style choices for lodging at Alton Towers Resort, and might promote out shortly.

 

Luxurious Treehouses

Essentially the most unique lodging choice within the Enchanted Village space are the Luxurious Treehouses, that are present in a secluded a part of the Enchanted Village.

There are 5 luxurious treehouses, and so they can all sleep as much as eight folks in 4 bedrooms. The luxurious treehouses all include a kitchenette, which features a fridge, kettle, toaster, microwave and dishwasher. So these are at the moment the one lodging choice at Alton Towers the place you can put together your personal meals.

Different luxuries embrace a 50″ TV with video games console, non-public sizzling tub and deck, and the usage of an unique takeaway service for meal supply.

In fact, all this luxurious and facilities does imply that the treehouses are the most costly choice at Alton Towers. Nevertheless if you’re visiting the resort with a bunch or simply need one thing additional particular, then they’re positively value trying out.

 

Lodging Close to Alton Towers

While there are many lodging choices at Alton Towers, it’s not the one choice on your go to.

We do just like the on-site lodging however if you’re not visiting with youngsters or would identical to a little bit of selection by way of eating choices, then there are many close by options throughout a variety of budgets.

These could make a superb location for staying the night time earlier than Alton Towers, or for additional exploration within the space as a part of an extended journey.

Listed below are some to think about, ordered by driving distance from Alton Towers.

• The White Hart – a well-liked inn within the village of Alton, providing a variety of en-suite rooms. 7 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers
• The Laurel’s B&B – It is a well-rated B&B which serves breakfast. Rooms are en-suite with tea/espresso making amenities. 8 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers
• The Bay Tree – a really well-reviewed B&B with en-suite lodging and breakfast obtainable. 8 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers
• Peakstones Inn – This 3* resort gives a variety of en-suite rooms and there’s an on-site restaurant and bar. Breakfast is obtainable. 10 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers.
• Heywood Corridor – This property gives various self-contained flats, every with a small kitchen an en-suite rest room. There’s additionally a sizzling tub and backyard for friends use. 12 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers.
• Whiston Corridor – An attractive nineteenth century resort with its personal golf course and landscaped backyard. A spread of en-suite rooms can be found and breakfast is obtainable. 13minutes’ drivee from Alton Towers.
• The Duncombe Arms – This pub/resort is present in Ellastone and gives air-conditioned rooms with espresso machines and en-suite amenities. Breakfast is obtainable and there’s a restaurant and bar for different meals. 13 minutes drive from Alton Towers
• The Royal Oak – This inn gives a variety of snug rooms within the city of Ashbourne. There’s a restaurant and bar on website with meals obtainable. 19 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers.
• YHA Ilam Corridor – This youth hostel is present in a gothic corridor set in 84 acres of parkland. There’s an on-site breakfast, kitchen for self-catering, and a alternative of shared or non-public lodging. 22 minutes’ drive from Alton Towers.

In fact, there are heaps extra choices to think about. You may see a full vary of lodging choices close to Alton Towers on Reserving.com right here, which incorporates various vacation leases as properly.

 

Different Actions at Alton Towers

In addition to the theme park, there are a variety of different actions on the Alton Towers resort you can take pleasure in. These are as follows.

 

Waterpark

Discovered contained in the Splash Landings Resort, the Alton Towers Waterpark is open the vast majority of the 12 months.

There are a variety of swimming pools, each inside and outdoors, in addition to varied water slides. It’s quite a lot of enjoyable and properly value together with as a part of your go to. You may guide tickets on-line right here.

 

Extraordinary Golf

Proper subsequent to the Splash Landings resort is an 18-hole miniature golf course which is themed round the principle rides at Alton Towers.

That is truly a extremely enjoyable mini-golf course which we had quite a lot of enjoyable enjoying. The holes are very distinctive, and it’s a pleasant technique to spend an hour or two.

A complimentary spherical of 9 holes is generally included for resort friends, and we extremely suggest benefiting from this. We did it on the day we left, earlier than visiting the waterpark. It’s additionally open comparatively late, so when you have the stamina you can do it after a day on the theme park!

Discover out extra and guide tickets on-line right here.

 

Spa

Alton Towers could be very a lot designed to be enjoyable for the entire household, and adults will certainly need to take into account a soothing journey to the Alton Towers Spa as a part of their go to!

The Spa is present in Alton Towers Resort, and is open year-round to everybody, together with non-residents of the resort and people with out theme park tickets.

A spread of therapies can be found and reserving is suggested. Discover out extra on the web site right here.

 

Alton Towers Dungeon

The Alton Towers Dungeon is definitely discovered contained in the Theme Park, so that you do want theme park tickets to go to. Nevertheless, it’s an extra cost to go to, so I believed I must also embrace it on this a part of the information.

The Dungeon is a walk-through expertise with costumed actors, and is much like different Dungeon experiences together with the London Dungeon.

We predict it’s pretty priced, nonetheless given how a lot there already is to do at Alton Towers it isn’t a must-see attraction.

Discover out extra and guide tickets right here.

 

Ideas for Visiting Alton Towers

We’ve visited Alton Towers various occasions, and based mostly on our experiences we needed to share some ideas that will help you get probably the most out of your day on the theme park.

 

Make a Plan

If you wish to take advantage of out of your day at Alton Towers, we extremely suggest placing a plan collectively. This could at the very least cowl which rides you and your group are most all in favour of using.

As soon as you already know which rides you need to do, you possibly can then plan a route across the park. We’d recommend heading for the rides that are more likely to have the longest queues first (often the extra excessive thrill rides), and tackling all of the rides in the identical space collectively to minimise strolling occasions.

If you’re visiting with youngsters who don’t meet the journey top necessities for all of the rides, or of us who aren’t all in favour of particular rides, you’ll additionally need to plan for methods to deal with splitting your group up if needed so everybody can have the expertise they need. This would possibly require some compromises, so is finest dealt with prematurely.

You may as well keep away from the drama of children discovering they aren’t the appropriate top to participate in a journey by measuring them prematurely, and planning your route in order that they don’t really feel they’re lacking out on something. For instance, you can take them to CBeebies Land or Mutiny Bay after which members of the group might pop off for different rides.

We’d additionally suggest desirous about the place you need to eat and when. You may both carry your personal picnic or eat at one of many on-site eating places. These clearly get very busy round lunch time on busier days, and reservations are usually not doable, so that you would possibly need to eat earlier or later within the day.

 

Carry a Smartphone Charger

The possibilities are that you will be utilizing your telephone quite a bit at Alton Towers. From taking images to speaking with mates to utilizing the app to vary journey occasions and discover your means round, it’s going for use quite a bit.

Having your telephone go flat partway via the day, particularly if you happen to’re counting on it to seize recollections, discover your means round, or show a Fastrack go, isn’t going to be perfect.

Because of this we suggest bringing a USB charger on your telephone. There are heaps obtainable, we at the moment use one like this which labored properly to cost our telephone and our mates’ telephones on our final go to to Alton Towers.

 

Obtain the Alton Towers App

Within the days of yore, Alton Towers had a paper map that you can use to seek out your means across the park. Should you needed to understand how lengthy a journey queue was, you needed to both bodily go to the journey itself, or attempt to discover one of many elusive boards displaying journey queue occasions and statuses throughout the park.

These days, just about every part is dealt with by way of the Alton Towers App, which is definitely surprisingly good. Though it does require you to have a smartphone after all.

The App enables you to do quite a bit, together with:

• Navigate across the park, with instructions, estimated strolling occasions and routing obtainable. It could additionally recommend routes with fewer steps.
• Discover rides based mostly on a wide range of standards, from journey sort via to journey top restrictions
• Show dwell journey queue occasions and open statuses (solely works on website)
• E-book and use Fastrack passes
• Save and show your Alton Towers ticket
• Discover bathrooms, eating places, present occasions, buggy parks, water refill stations and plenty extra
• Get digital previews of your journey images which you should purchase in-app
• Add any resort bookings
• Get details about heritage areas within the gardens
• Discover out about parking, attending to the park and accessibility

And much extra! Actually, the app is a must have when visiting Alton Towers, and it’s value downloading prematurely of your go to so you’re totally ready. You could find obtain hyperlinks for it right here on the official website.

 

E-book Your Meals if Staying In a single day

If you’re staying in a single day at one of many on-site lodging choices, it’s actually vital that you just guide your meals prematurely. You’ll want to guide a timeslot on your breakfast and night meals.

Usually, your breakfast meal might be on the resort the place you’re staying. Even when it’s included, you want to make a reservation for a timeslot. These do replenish, so the additional prematurely you guide the higher the possibility of getting a superb time.

In your night meal you possibly can select any of the eating places, together with Rollercoaster Restaurant. Nevertheless, relying on the restaurant you should still must guide.

Eating places the place bookings are beneficial for dinner are the Secret Backyard Restaurant, Rollercoaster Restaurant and Windmill Restaurant.

Flambo’s Jambo and the Crooked Spoon solely require reservations for breakfast.

The Rollercoaster Restaurant is often the most well-liked and has the least seating, so can guide out weeks prematurely for dinner.

Be aware that solely friends staying within the CBeebies Resort are in a position to dine on the Windmill Restaurant. Reserving hyperlinks for all of the eating places are as follows:

Reserving a reservation is free and solely takes a few minutes. Be aware {that a} day or so earlier than your reservation you’ll usually be contacted by e-mail to verify your reservation, which simply requires clicking a hyperlink within the e-mail.

 

Go to Splash Landings if Staying A number of Days

If you’re staying in a single day at Alton Towers, think about using a few of your time while you’re on website to go to Splash Landings, the on-site waterpark.

For instance, we lately spent two nights at Alton Towers. We visited the park on the primary two days, and on the day we departed we spent the morning at Splash Landings. It was a stunning technique to finish our journey and meant even on the day we had been leaving we nonetheless had quite a lot of enjoyable.

Splash Landings tickets are finest bought prematurely, which you are able to do on-line right here. At busier occasions of 12 months you want to decide a timeslot on your go to, so it’s positively finest to do that prematurely to make sure you possibly can go to at a time that fits you.

 

Arrive Early and Go away Late

There’s a large quantity to do at Alton Towers, and your ticket offers you entry for the entire day. So we extremely suggest taking full benefit of that, and making an attempt to be on the park from opening time to closing.

Usually, the park opens round an hour earlier than the rides begin working. We positively suggest getting right here at opening time so you possibly can head to a well-liked journey you actually need to do. This fashion you’ll be capable to get within the queue earlier than they get too lengthy.

It’s additionally value staying as near closing time as doable. Because the day progresses folks begin to depart, and when you have the stamina for it, we propose ready proper till closing time to go away so you possibly can maximise your using occasions. Queues positively get shorter because the day involves an finish, so that you’ll be capable to squeeze a number of extra rides in.

 

Options to Alton Towers

You may be questioning if there are any options to Alton Towers within the UK. The reply is sure, there are actually different theme parks within the UK.

Nevertheless, Alton Towers usually has the widest alternative of rides unfold out throughout the biggest space. Nevertheless, listed here are some options to think about:

• Thorpe Park
• Blackpool Pleasure Seashore
• Chessington World of Adventures
• LEGOLAND Windsor Resort
• Drayton Manor Park

 

Alton Towers Regularly Requested Questions

We’re now going to undergo some generally requested questions on Alton Towers.

 

Are Alton Towers Fastrack Passes Price It?

You may be questioning if you happen to ought to spend money on an Alton Towers Fastrack Cross. We’ve got visited Alton Towers each with and with no Fastrack Cross, and had a superb expertise each occasions.

The passes can positively be value it, however quite a bit will depend upon how busy the park is in addition to what number of rides (and which rides) you truly plan to journey.

If you’re visiting at a quieter time of 12 months, then you definately would possibly discover {that a} Fastrack Cross will not be needed as queue occasions may not be so lengthy.

If you’re visiting at a busy time of 12 months, resembling throughout faculty holidays, on a weekend, or throughout a time when many faculty journeys are visiting (usually across the final week of college), then a Fastrack go may be a superb funding.

We’ve got visited throughout a busy time at Alton Towers, when strains for the most well-liked rides had been in extra of two hours. With the Fastrack, strains had been between 5 minutes and 25 minutes. The latter was extra uncommon and often solely occurred if the journey had paused for a technical cause, inflicting the queue to construct up.

With out the Fastrack, we most likely would have struggled to journey greater than 3 or 4 rides within the day, and most of our time would have been spent in queues. As we had been visiting in a bunch and taking turns to take care of the youthful members of our group, this wouldn’t have labored out so properly.

Because it was, members of the group might pop off and journey a bigger journey, and be gone and again in round half-hour. We had been additionally in a position to journey many rides, I personally did at the very least 15 rides in in the future. So for our go to the Fastrack Cross was completely value it.

Should you do resolve to get the Fastrack, you additionally need to resolve which one to get. This can rely vastly on which rides you need to journey Personally I’d suggest the Silver or Gold passes, as these embrace the rides which are likely to have the longest strains.

While these two passes are solely legitimate for one journey on every attraction, if you happen to handle your time properly on the park you possibly can usually slot in at the very least one non Fastrack journey initially and finish of the day when the park is quieter if you happen to did need to journey something a number of occasions. You may as well purchase one-off Fastrack passes on a per attraction foundation.

The platinum Fastrack go is finest for these of you who actually need to journey a number of rides a number of occasions, during which case it might make sense.

You should purchase Fastrack passes prematurely of your go to right here, on website at buyer companies, or on-site via the app.

The value is similar, nonetheless Fastrack passes do promote out, particularly at busier occasions of 12 months.

If you’re visiting at a busier time of 12 months and need to purchase a Fastrack, it’s extremely beneficial you achieve this prematurely on the web site right here.

If you’re visiting at a quieter time of 12 months you might want to buy in particular person while you arrive after you could have seen how busy the park is. Simply keep in mind that passes can promote out.

 

How Lengthy Do You Want at Alton Towers?

I’d suggest spending the entire day at Alton Towers, from the time the gates open to the time it closes. It’s a comparatively costly day trip, so that you would possibly as properly get your cash’s value.

For an much more complete expertise, you can too plan to remain in a single day on the resort or at a close-by resort, after which go to for a second day.

You may usually get a second day entry ticket at a lower cost when buying your authentic ticket, making this a superb worth choice.

There may be positively greater than sufficient to do at Alton Towers to fill two full days.

 

Are the Alton Towers Resorts Any Good?

We had been truly very impressed with the Alton Towers motels. On our current go to we stayed on the Alton Towers Resort, while our mates with their youthful youngsters stayed at CBeebies Land Resort.

We thought every part was properly finished, the theme all through, the seamless check-in course of, the attentive workers, the night leisure and the meals had been all wonderful.

It actually added to the general expertise and felt like an extension of the theme park. The youngsters particularly beloved CBeebies Land, which we will suggest for households with youngsters as much as round 9 or 10.

We additionally appreciated that staying on the resort meant that our parking was included, and that there was a resort friends solely entrance only a few minutes’ stroll from the motels. This received us near Galactica and The Blade at entry time, that means we had been amongst the primary riders on board.

The one draw back for our keep was that we needed to guide timeslots for all our meals prematurely.

We had been staying for 2 nights so needed to guide breakfast and dinner slots. As we booked final minute there wasn’t quite a lot of availability, and it additionally meant we couldn’t be versatile with our plans.

All of it labored out ultimately and the meals on the eating places we ate at was truly superb. Simply bear in mind that you just do must plan and guide prematurely.

 

When is Alton Towers Busiest?

Alton Towers is often busiest on the weekends and through faculty holidays.

There are additionally usually faculty journeys to Alton Towers within the final couple of weeks of the varsity time period in July, though faculty journeys can go to at any time after all.

We’ve got visited Alton Towers at varied occasions of 12 months, together with throughout July faculty journey time. It would actually be busier, and you might need to spend money on a Fastrack ticket on busier days.

 

Is Alton Towers Good for Households?

Sure, Alton Towers is a improbable day trip for households. There may be such a large alternative of rides, points of interest and actions that everybody within the household will be capable to have an awesome day trip.

 

Is Images Allowed at Alton Towers?

Sure, pictures is allowed at Alton Towers.

There are some exceptions. You aren’t allowed to take images or movies throughout rides resulting from security, and this might be clearly said when queuing for and boarding the journey. Utilizing your telephone or digicam on rides can get you ejected from the park and will shut down the journey briefly. Preserve your self, your telephone, and different passengers protected by stowing your telephone and cameras earlier than every journey.

If you wish to get images of you and your family and friends having fun with the rides, then we suggest trying out the digital picture go, which covers many of the rides. We all beloved that and received a number of images that means on the rides of all of us. You should purchase this on-line prematurely right here or in particular person on website.

As well as, pictures and videography is closely restricted at Splash Landings, for apparent causes. If you’re inside Splash Landings when it’s open you possibly can usually take restricted images of your personal family and friends, however that’s about it. You aren’t allowed to take images of different friends. Finest to go away your telephone or digicam within the locker except you really want it.

When Splash Landings is closed and empty, you possibly can take images of the world.

 

Can I Take My Personal Meals and Drink to Alton Towers?

Sure, you possibly can take your personal food and drinks to Alton Towers, and there are picnic benches throughout the park the place you possibly can devour your personal food and drinks.

The one actual restriction to this rule is you can’t carry alcohol into the park, though it’s served on website.

You can also’t take your personal food and drinks into venues the place they serve food and drinks, because the tables are just for paying prospects solely.

There are a number of picnic areas positioned right here and there with picnic benches you can sit and use, together with on the principle grassy space by the lake in entrance of Towers Road, and subsequent to Hex.

 

Are there Consuming Fountains at Alton Towers?

There are many water refill stations across the park the place you possibly can refill a water bottle. We’d positively suggest bringing your personal refillable water bottle to Alton Towers so you possibly can keep hydrated as you go.

Water refill stations are marked on the map within the Alton Towers app.

 

How do I Eat on the Rollercoaster Restaurant?

The Rollercoaster restaurant is likely one of the most enjoyable eating experiences at Alton Towers, and children particularly love watching the meals fly across the varied tracks earlier than arriving at your desk. Actually, adults like it too!

Sadly, this does imply that the restaurant can be in style and might get booked up.

For resort friends, it’s doable to dine on the Rollercoaster Restaurant within the evenings. This requires a reservation, and these can promote out months prematurely.

The excellent news is you can nonetheless get the rollercoaster eating expertise. The key is simply to go throughout park opening hours. Throughout this time reservations are usually not doable, and eating is first come first serve.

Should you flip up at near opening time (round 11am), and don’t thoughts having an early lunch, then you definately shouldn’t have any drawback getting a desk.

We did this lately on a really busy day at Alton Towers and had no drawback getting a desk at round 11.20am. Nevertheless we weren’t in a position to guide for dinner because it was totally booked out for the entire month.

 

How Lengthy Are the Queues at Alton Towers?

Queue occasions at Alton Towers differ vastly, from a couple of minutes to over two hours.

There may be large variability in queue time which depends upon how busy the park is, the time of day, the variety of Fastrack Cross holders and so forth.

Typically if you happen to go to in off-peak occasions (mainly throughout the week exterior of college holidays) the queue occasions might be shorter.

Moreover, usually within the mornings earlier than round 11am and within the afternoons after 3pm most queue occasions will begin to scale back.

 

Is There Wi-Fi at Alton Towers?

Sure, there may be free Wi-Fi all through the resort together with on the theme park and in all of the lodging choices.

You simply have to enroll to entry it. We suggest doing so as a result of the Alton Towers app works quite a bit higher if you find yourself linked to the Wi-Fi community, and utilizing Wi-Fi tends to empty your telephone battery slower than utilizing your cell information.

 

Does Alton Towers Have Tall Rollercoasters?

One factor you’ll discover while you go to Alton Towers is that it doesn’t have very tall rollercoasters resembling you would possibly discover at different theme parks all over the world.

The explanation for that is that Alton Towers will not be allowed to construct any journey that goes above tree top. This is the reason many rides are cleverly constructed in sunken areas or to even go under floor. So there are nonetheless a number of thrilling rollercoasters right here!

 

Does the Climate Have an effect on Rides at Alton Towers?

The UK will not be essentially identified for year-round superb climate, so that you may be questioning how rain and wind can have an effect on the rides at Alton Towers.

The excellent news is that almost all rides will usually run within the rain, except it is rather heavy rain. If there may be thunder or lightning this will additionally influence rides. Excessive wind also can result in journey closures.

In any other case although, visiting on a moist day can truly be useful in some regards as there’ll usually be fewer guests and shorter queues.

Lastly, Alton Towers gives a rainy-day assure. Because of this if the climate leads to journey closures to the purpose that Alton Towers deems it a “Wet Day”, then it is possible for you to to return on a distinct day without spending a dime.

If this occurs throughout your go to, as a substitute of writing off the day, take into account visiting the Waterpark. There’s a price to take action however as you’re already on website it’d flip the day round. You’ll simply want to recollect to carry your swimwear.

You may learn extra concerning the Wet Day assure and what it covers right here.

 

Additional Studying

That’s it for our information to visiting Alton Towers! We hope you discovered it helpful.

Earlier than you go, we needed to share a number of of our different guides that you just would possibly discover helpful.

• For wider UK journey planning, we’ve got urged one week and two week UK itineraries
• We’ve got guides to many different cities in England. See our information to issues to do in Manchester,  issues to do in Stratford upon Avon,  issues to do in Bristol,  issues to do in Portsmouth, recommendations on a weekend in York, recommendations on Visiting Oxford on a Day Journey, and issues to do in Cambridge
• Should you’re heading to Scotland, try our 2 day Edinburgh itinerary, our Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary, our information to the finest day journeys from Glasgow, our information to issues to do in Edinburgh, our itinerary for Skye and the Highlands, our information to the finest day journeys from Aberdeen, and our information to the most effective day journeys from Edinburgh to get you began. We even have a information to getting from London to Edinburgh.
• We’ve got a information to 10 of the most effective Stately Properties in England, a few of which aren’t that removed from Alton Towers

And that’s it! Have you ever ever visited Alton Towers? Do you could have something you’d add to the above, or a query about an upcoming go to? Simply tell us within the feedback under!