Alton Towers

hundredk

Any deals/tips for Alton Towers?

What we want to do: 2 adult and 2 children (both 10yo and tall enough for all rides), visiting on 31 July. Kids and 1 adult want to do all the big rides.

I know or am expecting queues but has anyone any ideas how to beat/minimise queues. I've seen the fast pass deals which you pay extra - has anyone done this? If so are they worth it? Do you walk straight on or are you just in a smaller queue?

Thanks

sharkie

its years since I have been. I can only say do not go in school holidays and do not go on a weekend - probably a bit difficult in your case?

Plan your rides in advance. Get there at opening time (not ride time) if not slightly before. Go on most popular ride first etc. Not all the rides open at the same time either - think it is something to do with safety checks, so get the waiting around balance right

I know nothing about the 'queue jumping' tickets as they are way after my time.

Although not in your question and should anyone else be reading, they also delt with disabled children very promptly and they often jumped the queue. However there was masses of people and it is not always obvious a child is disabled or not especially in large crowds. Some parents who queued, having kids with disabilities were very miffed and should have made it clear to the staff.

creased-leach

Sh....don't tell everyone.....single rider queues!

Start at the back- work your way forward. Don't eat lunch at lunchtime! That's the time the eateries have the huge queues, and there are fewer people riding rides.

Get there early- allow the best part of 40 mins to park, get on the monorail, and be at the ticket boots ahead of the major queues...it can save ages. At the end of the day, remember the closing time is the time the end of the queues shut- not the rides/park. If you get into a half hour queue at ten to closing, you'll still get on the ride.

If one of you is not a coaster nut- make sure you do Hex- it's often overlooked, but it rocks! The new Sealife center is fantastic too- well worth taking the time.

There is a themepark hints & tips thread somewhere I think.

Have a fab day!

sharkie

creased-leach wrote: »

Don't eat lunch at lunchtime!

How any of my mates ate at lunchtime then went on whirling rides. Do not do on rides with pale people whom look like they are about to gag. Do not let the kids eat at lunchtime as once one gets sick the other gets board and you are stuck sitting around while he nurses his tummy.

Do the boaring stuff after lunch. Less chance a being vomited on in the front seat than on the back .

mew

Obviously the best piece of advice has already been given, which is AVOID visiting during school holidays. Some other tips are:

1. Buy your tickets online (unfortunately this is expensive at £29 Adults, £22 Children or £83 Family), you get in the park an hour early (9am) and will experience minimal or no queues on selected rides, Ideally try to do Rita & Oblivion and then try to head for any other big ride that opens at 10am.

2. Arrive early, Ideally 30 minutes to an hour before the rides open. This gives you time to park, catch the monorail and buy your tickets.

3. As already mentioned, single rider queues are great unless it is important that you ride or sit together.

4. The queues close at closing time, not the rides. You can join a ride queue at 1 minute before closing (and usually after closing time) and still get on the ride.

5. Use express parking, Yes the parking charge (£5) is a rip off but for £10 the express parking is worth it. You get to park closer to the park and avoid the monorail queues and traveling time both in to and out of the park. You also avoid queues driving out of the car parks.

Finally the express passes are good (but expensive) but they do not always eliminate queues, sometimes you could still be waiting 20- 30 minutes (or more?).

Inkedkitten

I went a month of so ago, the queue jump tickets as I call em, are worth buying. You can buy then for around £8 n i think that'll include 3 rides, they do different packages. Or you can get single ride tickets which are 2-3 quid. Was brilliant to walk past the hoards of people hehe! You still might have to wait 10 mins, but its better then waiting up to an hour in the boiling heat!

rattla

mew wrote: »

Obviously the best piece of advice has already been given, which is AVOID visiting during school holidays. Some other tips are:

1. Buy your tickets online (unfortunately this is expensive at £29 Adults, £22 Children or £83 Family), you get in the park an hour early (9am) and will experience minimal or no queues on selected rides, Ideally try to do Rita & Oblivion and then try to head for any other big ride that opens at 10am.

2. Arrive early, Ideally 30 minutes to an hour before the rides open. This gives you time to park, catch the monorail and buy your tickets.

3. As already mentioned, single rider queues are great unless it is important that you ride or sit together.

4. The queues close at closing time, not the rides. You can join a ride queue at 1 minute before closing (and usually after closing time) and still get on the ride.

5. Use express parking, Yes the parking charge (£5) is a rip off but for £10 the express parking is worth it. You get to park closer to the park and avoid the monorail queues and traveling time both in to and out of the park. You also avoid queues driving out of the car parks.

Finally the express passes are good (but expensive) but they do not always eliminate queues, sometimes you could still be waiting 20- 30 minutes (or more?).

So just to be clear.... if you get express parking and buy tickets online to get in from 9am.... what time do you need to arrive at the car park would you say. We are going on a Sunday at the beginning of August, so want to make the most of beating the queues.
However don't want to get there at 8:30am if paying for the express parking and online tickets mean you can arrive about 9am and still be OK?

lisahillman

hundredk wrote: »

Any deals/tips for Alton Towers?

What we want to do: 2 adult and 2 children (both 10yo and tall enough for all rides), visiting on 31 July. Kids and 1 adult want to do all the big rides.

I know or am expecting queues but has anyone any ideas how to beat/minimise queues. I've seen the fast pass deals which you pay extra - has anyone done this? If so are they worth it? Do you walk straight on or are you just in a smaller queue?

Thanks

You can go to netmums ( it wont let me type in www. and com at the beginning and end of netmums) just registar (its free) and you can get adult tickets £17 and child tickets £12. i have just booked mine. have fun

loulou123

You dont walk straight in and even the fast pass tickets still have quite long queues sometimes. But in saying that there always shorter than the ordinary queue. Single rider is the way to go, in my opinion but you may not all get on the same ride and will almost certainly not be sitting near one another.

Best advice is if poss not to go on the weekend or school holidays at all! I made that mistake last year at Thorpe Park, when me and my boyfriend went during the week at the very beginning of summer hols, thinking it wouldnt be to bad-big mistake as i sat waiting for him for nearly 2 hours!

laudan

lisahillman wrote: »

You can go to netmums ( it wont let me type in www. and com at the beginning and end of netmums) just registar (its free) and you can get adult tickets £17 and child tickets £12. i have just booked mine. have fun

Do you have to pick a day to go when you book using netmums code or is it an open ticket,

mew

rattla wrote: »

So just to be clear.... if you get express parking and buy tickets online to get in from 9am.... what time do you need to arrive at the car park would you say. We are going on a Sunday at the beginning of August, so want to make the most of beating the queues.
However don't want to get there at 8:30am if paying for the express parking and online tickets mean you can arrive about 9am and still be OK?

Personally I would aim to arrive about 8:45am (If using the express parking & early ride tickets). This would give you time to get you tickets (unless anything has changed recently, I believe you have to exchange your printout for 'real tickets') and be in the park for when the rides open.

One thing that has always amazed me with Alton Towers is that however early I arrive, there are always hundreds of people there before me.