Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Alton Towers- is it worth bothering if you won't pay for fast track?

27 replies

TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:08

My teens are keen to go to Alton Towers this summer.

Last time I looked (admittedly a few years ago) tickets were nearly £100 each and it was hard to justify the cost for a day trip.

Looked today and found advance tickets for £36! YES!

But then I went to buy and was presented with the fast track ticket add ons (£110 each for the rides they'll want to go on) and urgh, frankly there are other family experiences I'd prefer to spend nearly £600 on! Staffordshire is not exactly on our doorstep either.

Presumably this fast track revenue stream means that those not paying for it queue insane amounts of time? The peasants like us queue all day for a few rides and hopefully spend money on overpriced chips and doughnuts while we wait?

It's a clever business model, but would be interested to hear from people who have not bought fast track tickets- is it even worth going without? How many rides did you fit in?

Kind of hoping for positive stories 😆

OP posts:
WickWood · 16/07/2023 16:13

Hi OP, I went last week mid-week without fast track tickets. All the big rides had a 120 minute or so wait time, some even more. I went on one major ride and then couldn't be arsed queuing anymore, sorry, not what you want to hear!

mnahmnah · 16/07/2023 16:15

I went a couple of weeks ago, midweek. We queued around 40 minutes for some of the big rides, but others were 2 hours. Obviously summer holidays will be busier. There’s so far to walk between rides too, which eats into your time there.

Thewarrioress · 16/07/2023 16:16

Daylight robbery. Wouldn't go on principle. Everyone needs a fast track ticket to experience the rides and if everyone has a fast track ticket then nobody is actually being fast tracked.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Days out
WorstBJever · 16/07/2023 16:17

We go quite a bit and never pay for fast track. Sometimes we're lucky and get on lots of rides and sometimes it's busier. A couple of tips: get there as early as possible and head to the furthest part of the park, you can usually get on a couple of big rides relatively quickly that way. It also tends to be a bit quieter later on in the day, so plan a couple of big rides first thing and a couple at the end of the day. Anything in between is a bonus!

LeonoraFlorence · 16/07/2023 16:17

Honestly, we always buy the fast track. Pointless going otherwise. Sorry, not what you wanted to hear!

FrivolousTreeDuck · 16/07/2023 16:19

You're better off going in late autumn/winter when the weather forecast is poor, if you want to minimise ride queues. Last time I went was on a rainy Saturday in October and longest queue was about an hour, many rides only 20 minutes.

buckingmad · 16/07/2023 16:20

We went Easter weekend a year ago and didn’t get fast track. Went for 2 days and did every single big ride, some on both days/twice in one day.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 16/07/2023 16:22

We get disability access but if we didn't then I would pay for fast track. We went in May half term and paid £1200 for 2 nights at the hotel and 2 days in the park.

Original poster
TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:22

Thanks all!

You have confirmed my suspicions and we'll not bother! Drayton Manor now booked instead, so hopefully still a fun rollercoaster day with more equitable long queues! 😆

OP posts:
IglesiasPiggl · 16/07/2023 16:24

I would rather go less often and pay for fast track when we do go. I can't be bothered with deploying the workarounds, eg going in crap weather, arriving early, only expecting to go on three rides, running from one end of the park to the other if a ride opens up etc.

gogomoto · 16/07/2023 16:24

Go on a weekend in late September (before the Halloween stuff arrives) a rainy day is even better! Go as single riders or acquire a dsd with a disability pass Grin ok that's tongue in cheek

Original poster
TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:24

Thewarrioress · 16/07/2023 16:16

Daylight robbery. Wouldn't go on principle. Everyone needs a fast track ticket to experience the rides and if everyone has a fast track ticket then nobody is actually being fast tracked.

This was also my concern! I'd like to hope those paying £110 + entry are not queuing at all!

OP posts:
telli · 16/07/2023 16:26

If you don't mind not sitting together then single rider gets you through a lot quicker. It's been a few years since we went but we got on all the big rides with less than 15 min wait.

IglesiasPiggl · 16/07/2023 16:26

Thewarrioress · 16/07/2023 16:16

Daylight robbery. Wouldn't go on principle. Everyone needs a fast track ticket to experience the rides and if everyone has a fast track ticket then nobody is actually being fast tracked.

They only sell a set number of Fast track passes per day, so it's not possible for every visitor to have one.

Badbudgeter · 16/07/2023 16:26

IglesiasPiggl · 16/07/2023 16:24

I would rather go less often and pay for fast track when we do go. I can't be bothered with deploying the workarounds, eg going in crap weather, arriving early, only expecting to go on three rides, running from one end of the park to the other if a ride opens up etc.

How long are the queues when you do pay for fast track?

SummaLuvin · 16/07/2023 16:27

pretty sure Alton Towers limit the number of fast track passes available, to ensure they are effective at fast tracking. It's just as expensive mistake if it turns out to be quiet on the day and you dont need them

Original poster
TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:29

IglesiasPiggl · 16/07/2023 16:24

I would rather go less often and pay for fast track when we do go. I can't be bothered with deploying the workarounds, eg going in crap weather, arriving early, only expecting to go on three rides, running from one end of the park to the other if a ride opens up etc.

Yikes, so if you are a family of 4 you can spend £1200 a year on a few Alton Towers trips?

I'm jealous!

OP posts:
Washingandironing · 16/07/2023 16:31

We went this time last year. Arrived early, went straight to the ride DD really wanted to go on and then onto her next favourite and hardly had to queue for either. The queues got longer as the day went on, but were always less (sometimes much less) than the advertised time. Personally I wouldn’t pay extra for fast track.

SummaLuvin · 16/07/2023 16:33

this is quite an interesting site that tracks queuing data from AT.

Always worth getting a discount for entry, I have never not had at least half price tickets as there are always deals about.

I think technically there is no reason why you can't buy fast track on the day, but it is busy enough that you need it there is a decent chance it may be sold out if you wait.

UncleRadley · 16/07/2023 16:38

I used to live virtually opposite, twenty five years ago now though. I can't believe how expensive it is now - £600 for one day out! It's definitely not worth it.

Blossomandbee · 16/07/2023 16:39

Someone I know went recently, so obviously term time and mid week so thought it would be fairly quiet. They got on about 4 rides all day. Oblivion wasn't too bad but the big rides had queues of 2+ hours. They gave up on Smiler as they'd only got halfway round the queue 3 hours in.
So worth bearing in mind whether it's worth the extra money to make it worthwhile even going tbh, especially in the school holidays.

IglesiasPiggl · 16/07/2023 16:46

TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:29

Yikes, so if you are a family of 4 you can spend £1200 a year on a few Alton Towers trips?

I'm jealous!

Show quote history

That's why we only go once every two to three years!

TheThingIsYeah · 16/07/2023 16:48

Thewarrioress · 16/07/2023 16:16

Daylight robbery. Wouldn't go on principle. Everyone needs a fast track ticket to experience the rides and if everyone has a fast track ticket then nobody is actually being fast tracked.

Exactly. Just like Ryanair priority boarding. Everyone gets it so you are back where you started. Then the theme parks bring in a "VIP" Fast Pass and so it goes on.

Went to Disneyland Paris once and just seemed to stand in a queue all day; I can do that at the bus stop for nothing.

And don't get me started on the families of 15 that get to go to the front of the queue because one person in the group has Reynaud's in their little finger or sommat.

TastesLikeStrawberriesOnASummerEvening · 16/07/2023 16:50

I'm hoping to go later in the year, travelling from Glasgow so will be getting the fast track, there's really no point otherwise as I want to go on everything.
Admittedly it is just me so just one ticket.
I won't be staying over either so the hotel saving will go on the fast track.

Original poster
TryingNotToFreak · 16/07/2023 16:55

TastesLikeStrawberriesOnASummerEvening · 16/07/2023 16:50

I'm hoping to go later in the year, travelling from Glasgow so will be getting the fast track, there's really no point otherwise as I want to go on everything.
Admittedly it is just me so just one ticket.
I won't be staying over either so the hotel saving will go on the fast track.

That sounds like such a fun solo trip! Enjoy!!

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread