Any Alton Towers regulars?

VoucherMan

After years of going to Lightwater Valley my niece has finally decided she's ready for Alton Towers.

Ideally I'd like to go on a quieter day (wouldn't everyone) but choosing a possible quieter day isn't that easy. I've not been for about 10 years but I gather the ever increasing prices haven't deterred the crowds.

I had hoped to take them on a teacher training day as I assume different schools have different training days but there don't look to be any left this year, at least not before the summer holidays.


Research so far (here & Google/Yahoo) suggests:

Avoid all weekends

Last week of the summer holiday is generally quieter than the rest.

Rainy days not necessarily quieter & roller coasters with heavy rain in your face not good!

Single rider queues are great if you're not bothered about being together on a ride.




Are there any regular visitors who can advise

How busy is it usually during Autumn half term (last week in October)? It's open until 9pm for the Scarefest and any comments I've found say it's busy at the weekends, but I've found no comments about midweek.

Any other suggestions on good times to go or avoid. Unfortunately it can't be midweek term time unless the school's shut and there don't look to be any forthcoming ones.


Depending on what the kids think about the single rider option I'm thinking of getting Fastrack Scream tickets & using them in the middle of the day to hopefully save a few hours queueing.

apesxx

for the last 2 years i have gone on a bank holiday sunday in may, one beginning and one end and both times it was fine. (it wasnt quiet but it wasn't rammed either). Yes rita is not a very nice ride when it is raining, feels like hail being rammed into your face. i would advise single rider queues for rides such as oblivion, air and nemesis but we found rides such as spinball and rita to be pointless going in the single rider queue as the queue was just as long as the normal queue. we went single riders on nemesis and whilst the queue was huge, we got on in less than 5 mins going as singles.

mdkyoshi

You'd do much better sneaking her a day off school, frowned upon as that may be, because its absolutely heaving on half terms and weekends...

ani_26

I used to visit regularly, ( unbelievably ). Its just reminded me of days gone past. Its a few years since i've visited now, though. I always used to arrive at the park early and head straight for favoured ride.

Apart from that,one good tip is to work the opposite way around the park, to everyone else, which i think is anti clockwise? When you enter the park instead of following the hordes going left round the park, go right instead.

I've always found too, the park seems to go quieter around teatime, and its worth hanging in until the park closes. I seem to remember times when i've been on nemesis 6 times in rapid succession shortly before the park closed. I haven't even had to bother queuing. I always thought, you might as well have you're days worth, although i've rarely paid for a ticket

Oblivion still remains one of my favourite rides of all time.

I once ( not so long ago,) went on the big one ( bpool,) maybe a dozen or so times, before the park opened. Hmmm. Maybe once too many :rotfl:

Those were the days.Whatever happened to them, and whatever happened to that person?


Just forgot. I was surprised to find the last time i went to AT, you now have to pay for car parking, unless its changed again. I doubt it. Its very different now to how it used to be. I remember going to AT when it first opened, and when the corkscrew was the main attraction

ani_26

Thats just got me googling and a trip down memory lane :-



Alton Towers began its evolution into a major theme park in 1980 with the installation of The Corkscrew rollercoaster, Pirate Ship and the Alpine Bob sled ride. A year later the Log Flume opened and in 1984 the park's second roller-coaster, The Black Hole, arrived. Throughout the next decade, more attractions, areas and rides were added to Alton Towers

Gosh, was it really 32 years ago? That sounds about right


Of course, the estate exists in its own right. How many people visit the gardens etc, whilst they are there?

eeeeeee

ime an alton towers addict and a regular adreneline junkie ..... there you go ive admitted it .... school holidays are a nightmare and very well best avoided at all costs ..... getting there as the door opens is the best policy by far ... and staying till it gets dark ..... i buy tickets off of ebay or use paper coupons
schoold days are the best days too go ... with very litlle need too que ... some of the food stalls are a bit hit and miss ... make sure your money is in something secureable ... dont whwere a woolie jumper on the rapids you'll never get it dry .... on the log flume .... make sure the heaviest member of your party is at he front so that they get soaked and you dont !:D

eeeeeee

i personally love the ride air and hold my arms and hands out as far as i can ... oblivion is better if you sit on the outside seats the middle gets squirted with spray.... que for the front seats on rita queen of speed... its always a bit longer but so ..so worth it .. its not as good in the middle of the ride .... avoided the .. watsama called ... the room with the tree in it .... the room spins ... err yuk horrible

VoucherMan

eeeeeee wrote: »

make sure the heaviest member of your party is at he front so that they get soaked and you dont !:D

I'm taking the kids. I will be the heaviest!:(

Alye16

The Times are doing a voucher collect at the moment for 2 free tickets.There are lots of 2-4-1 vouchers around.You can cash in your Tesco clubcard vouchers for tickets normally about £12.As for choosing when its going to be busy very difficult it can vary day to day.I went last Thurs(Easter hol) and it was really busy and a friend when last Sunday and didn't wait longer than 10 minutes for a ride.Think it will be quite busy October half term due to scarefest as the park is open longer and people will go for the longer hours.The quietest time we have found was on an inset day.Have fun!

jordanchaos

Alton Towers is waaaayy too far for me so I've not been, I'm looking forward to Going on SWARM (at thorpe park) though- you should hear the screams on the youtube POV video...

123 Save have a year round discount at Alton Towers and some of the other UK parks, its one of their 'Choice' offers so you have to pay £1.99 to get it but then you'd save alot more than that

DGJsaver

Alton towers is tired and very dated these days , any one else remember the Thunder Looper ? its was brilliant , going at the back , when it sat at the top for a short while you came out of your seat and looked down about 80 feet , loved it , i think they sold that to a braziillain theme park for a million quid ?