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Original poster

Alton Tower

102 replies

MrsRandom123 · 11/06/2023 12:37

I know there will be people who feel the need to post and say “don’t go” “it’s terrible” “save your money” etc but i’m not interested in that - we ARE going regardless as like everywhere there will be people who will have good and bad experiences.

we’re doing 3 nights (so 2 days in the park and one in waterpark) expecting it to be busy as it’s a weekend in July but before the school holidays so maybe people will hold off lol (we’re in Scotland) 13th birthday treat for our daughter.

Anyone any tips in park order to do rides in?

am i likely to need fast track? (£140 so thinking not buy them see how first day goes and if possible buy for 2nd or buy individual ride ones which would be £16 per ride if we can)

how far is enchanted woodland from park / hotels (for entertainment) anyone stayed there?

what like is the entertainment?

how is food? Not expecting much in terms of quality and standard for a place like that but is breakfast any good? Rollercoaster restaurant worth the novelty?

we have realistic view it’ll he hell on earth 🤣 but have accepted it is what is is and just looking for tips / advice / feedback to make the most of it and make it the best we can. We know it’ll be busy & it’s not a luxury break so we know what to expect but i want to hear positive stories to try to get the most out of it as my daughter is buzzing & been wanting to go for years. We’ve stayed in Havens, Butlins, blackpool etc before so it shouldn’t be a shock to the system in terms of how “bad” it’ll be like some previous posts on here i’ve read make out it def will be!

happy thoughts only please

OP posts:
thaegumathteth · 13/06/2023 15:53

jellyminelli · 13/06/2023 15:52

I hope your little ones are brave because there's nothing that would get even the big ones here on spinball whizzer. It looks awful.

I don't think you need fast pass OP. You've 2 days in the hotel. You'll get 2 big rides at the start of each day and 1 at the end. You've hours to fit everything else in. As long as you're in a queue at 6pm then you are getting on that ride.

Box off smiler and Wickerman as your first rides of the day and the rest will be easy.

Spinball whizzer was my kids favourite ride when they were little

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 16:25

jellyminelli · 13/06/2023 15:52

I hope your little ones are brave because there's nothing that would get even the big ones here on spinball whizzer. It looks awful.

I don't think you need fast pass OP. You've 2 days in the hotel. You'll get 2 big rides at the start of each day and 1 at the end. You've hours to fit everything else in. As long as you're in a queue at 6pm then you are getting on that ride.

Box off smiler and Wickerman as your first rides of the day and the rest will be easy.

Thanks.

thats the one they want to go on most (bar smilier for my bigger one) it’ll just be the 4 of us as my husband would be sick - my son might chicken out saving on the fast passes lol. Will aim to get through what we can on day one. Have earlier breakfast so should be ready for park opening to get in a bit earlier before the rides open hopefully & only pay if we need them. Might do individual for day one or as long as there is still availabilty before we go / when there do it for day 2. Anything they get on more than once would be a bonus anyway but i’m hoping as you say a couple first thing & one at the end & same on 2nd day to tackle what we miss on day 1 with the same plan or an extra ride on favourite ones.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 16:26

thaegumathteth · 13/06/2023 15:53

Spinball whizzer was my kids favourite ride when they were little

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it looks horrendous - not looking forward to that or smiler. Have done rita, oblivion & galactica previously so know they’re ok.

OP posts:

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Days out
YoSof · 13/06/2023 19:58

MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 16:26

it looks horrendous - not looking forward to that or smiler. Have done rita, oblivion & galactica previously so know they’re ok.

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Smiler is really, really good! It’s a very smooth ride and it goes so quickly, I was dreading it and dragged on by my son but it was brilliant. Wickerman is still my fave tho.

Hate spinball whizzer, you get flung around so much, but again the kids love it.

Monikkas · 13/06/2023 20:08

@MrsRandom123 double check the early access, we stayed in the hotel 2021 during covid restrictions and got into the park early

HidingInAForest · 13/06/2023 20:12

The early access (meaning you could ride rides before day guests) stopped in 2020 at AT.

What you can do (as can anyone arriving super early) is actually get into the park, wander around, join a queue. But the rides start at 10 for everyone.

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 20:14

Monikkas · 13/06/2023 20:08

@MrsRandom123 double check the early access, we stayed in the hotel 2021 during covid restrictions and got into the park early

Think the entrance opens at the same time as main park one? Can get straight in and to the queues i think before it gets busier - legoland had priority ride access for 1st hour wish AT did it too

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 20:18

HidingInAForest · 13/06/2023 20:12

The early access (meaning you could ride rides before day guests) stopped in 2020 at AT.

What you can do (as can anyone arriving super early) is actually get into the park, wander around, join a queue. But the rides start at 10 for everyone.

Wish they would bring that back!

OP posts:
Monikkas · 13/06/2023 20:31

MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 20:14

Think the entrance opens at the same time as main park one? Can get straight in and to the queues i think before it gets busier - legoland had priority ride access for 1st hour wish AT did it too

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I think you can use the other entrance and get in earlier, then the general public gate opens at 10am. So you can be in the queue at 9.30-10am for certain rides but the ride doesn’t start till 10am. You will have to come back and let me know….I’m convinced this is a thing 🤣😂

WeightoftheWorld · 13/06/2023 20:31

MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 20:18

Wish they would bring that back!

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I'm just jumping on this as we are going soon, what time do you recommend arriving for then? What time can you get into the park? Last time we aimed for 10ish as we thought it opened then and we got there a bit later and probably didn't even end up in until about 11. We had to check out of our accomodation though (not AT hotel) whereas this time we are staying another night so hoping we can get sorted and out more quickly in the morning. But what time should we aim for?

HidingInAForest · 13/06/2023 20:44

Monnikas- you're right about getting in before the rides start- but so can anyone who arrives early!!! I've added a screenshot.

We would arrive about an hour before "opening" to get scanned in, toilets, walk to first ride etc.

Alton Tower
Monikkas · 13/06/2023 20:51

@HidingInAForest my face right now 😲

We went about a month ago and honestly thought we couldn’t get in till 10am. What i chump I was!

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 13/06/2023 20:51

We’ll just be going in from 9 but i think its shocking the public get in at the same time lol. Hoping to get in & into a queue even if its waiting 50mins for it to open before most get down. Even just the two of us while the others hover

OP posts:
HidingInAForest · 13/06/2023 20:57

It still does work that if you go in at 9 you can get into your first queue of the day though.

Also the queues for the monorail become huge so in effect there becomes a queue to get in on busy days so its not like everyone gets in at 9. We've either stayed onsite or paid for priority parking (mild disability) so skipped the monorail to go straight in. Some hard-core merlin people will arrive before 9 in the main car park and walk up to main entrance to be in at 9!

The first hour is still quieter as the park fills.

Knickerthief1 · 13/06/2023 21:05

Alton Towers is the best theme park in my opinion. Loads of different things for everyone. You will have a great time. Food is standard fare and expensive but otherwise you'll have a great time.

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 13/06/2023 23:45

You've been given so much good advice, you will have a brilliant time for sure!

Enjoy!, it's brilliant. Get in early and focus lol 🎢
Smiler is worth paying fast track for if you can't get on early doors.

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 14/06/2023 17:09

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 13/06/2023 23:45

You've been given so much good advice, you will have a brilliant time for sure!

Enjoy!, it's brilliant. Get in early and focus lol 🎢
Smiler is worth paying fast track for if you can't get on early doors.

Thank you!

thats the one i’ll pay for 1st if we need to as thats the one she wants to do the most.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 14/06/2023 22:25

Knickerthief1 · 13/06/2023 21:05

Alton Towers is the best theme park in my opinion. Loads of different things for everyone. You will have a great time. Food is standard fare and expensive but otherwise you'll have a great time.

Thanks thats what i’m hoping / expecting

OP posts:
Abouttimemum · 14/06/2023 22:44

Reading your posts I’d be in the queue at park opening for Smiler, do that first, Oblivion straight after which should be a short queue at that time, then I’d head to Rita and Thirteen. I would probably have then gone on the skyliner for Nemesis and (I suppose) Galactica but Nemesis is closed and Galactica is an abomination so I’d most likely then go to Wickerman and suck up the queue. Once you’ve done the big ones you can then have a wander doing some of the other rides.

Spinball is my favourite but we usually get into the queue for that at just before park closing time (the queue closes at the advertised time, not the park, so if the park closes at 5pm we get in for spinball at 4.50pm) as it’s usually a quite slow moving queue and can be long, plus it’s on the way out!

Pre covid, hotel guests got into the park an hour before everyone else (it’s how we got on Wickerman quickly when it first opened) Not sure why they stopped that. It was basically the only perk of staying in the hotel!

FYI the waterpark is brilliant. Our 4 year old is obsessed with it and we spent all day there going round and round and round and round ha.

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 15/06/2023 00:17

Abouttimemum · 14/06/2023 22:44

Reading your posts I’d be in the queue at park opening for Smiler, do that first, Oblivion straight after which should be a short queue at that time, then I’d head to Rita and Thirteen. I would probably have then gone on the skyliner for Nemesis and (I suppose) Galactica but Nemesis is closed and Galactica is an abomination so I’d most likely then go to Wickerman and suck up the queue. Once you’ve done the big ones you can then have a wander doing some of the other rides.

Spinball is my favourite but we usually get into the queue for that at just before park closing time (the queue closes at the advertised time, not the park, so if the park closes at 5pm we get in for spinball at 4.50pm) as it’s usually a quite slow moving queue and can be long, plus it’s on the way out!

Pre covid, hotel guests got into the park an hour before everyone else (it’s how we got on Wickerman quickly when it first opened) Not sure why they stopped that. It was basically the only perk of staying in the hotel!

FYI the waterpark is brilliant. Our 4 year old is obsessed with it and we spent all day there going round and round and round and round ha.

Fab thanks.

can’t think of any perk staying other than not having to travel / park / possibly get caught in more of a queue. I did look at staying off site and it wasn’t working out that much cheaper and not enough to want the added “hassle” i thought enchanted village looked a bit of a novelty and makes it more of a break staying but legoland yoi get in early and priority ride access first hour

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 27/06/2023 23:37

Been thinking re the fast track passes if i purchased 2 platinum (the unlimited ride) ones could we swap them about? So if i took my daughter on smiler could my husband take her on oblivion as would scan them via the app? I know fast track can still have queues but thinking of buying 2 if we could swap. Say i took my daughter on spinball then queued and took my son on then queued again and took my other daughter on? £220 for 2 and it’s unlimited rides so thinking of just buying them for one day if we could use between us?

OP posts:
YoSof · 30/06/2023 12:27

MrsRandom123 · 27/06/2023 23:37

Been thinking re the fast track passes if i purchased 2 platinum (the unlimited ride) ones could we swap them about? So if i took my daughter on smiler could my husband take her on oblivion as would scan them via the app? I know fast track can still have queues but thinking of buying 2 if we could swap. Say i took my daughter on spinball then queued and took my son on then queued again and took my other daughter on? £220 for 2 and it’s unlimited rides so thinking of just buying them for one day if we could use between us?

No you can’t, we tried this.

As well as the card, they give you a sticky wristband with platinum fast pass that you have to show for entry to the ride, you can’t take it off/put it back on. I imagine to stop people swapping between them.

Original poster
MrsRandom123 · 30/06/2023 12:41

YoSof · 30/06/2023 12:27

No you can’t, we tried this.

As well as the card, they give you a sticky wristband with platinum fast pass that you have to show for entry to the ride, you can’t take it off/put it back on. I imagine to stop people swapping between them.

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Thanks thats what i thought would be the case & not spending £550 on them so will stick with original plan of seeing how we go paying individually. Bit daft really being so greedy as just puts people off buying any

OP posts:
YoSof · 30/06/2023 12:43

MrsRandom123 · 30/06/2023 12:41

Thanks thats what i thought would be the case & not spending £550 on them so will stick with original plan of seeing how we go paying individually. Bit daft really being so greedy as just puts people off buying any

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It really is. Surely they’d rather sell two than none at all.

Snowleopards · 30/06/2023 12:48

The woodland lodges are not that far. You’ll walk up towards the waterpark and go past the mini golf then a bit further is the galactica entrance which you’ll be allowed to use- show proof of staying onsite. Don’t walk to the main entrance it’s a lot further. The restaurant in the main Alton towers hotel isn’t too bad tbh.