Alton Towers - Theme Park and Water Park same day?

[MaryWortleyMontagu]

I'm taking DD to Alton Towers next Friday (school inset day). I have googled and I suspect that therefore this means that this is not possible, but has anyone been to both the water park and the theme park on the same day (as opposed to two consecutive days which seems to be the usual way to do things)? I realise that there is a seperate charge for both parks and this would obviously mean less time in the theme park but otherwise is this logistically possible or a non-starter of an idea?

To avoid drip feeding our unavoidable contraints are:

• We arriving on the bus at 9.50 and departing on the bus at 17.30.
• It is not possible for us to spend the night at the hotel where the waterpark is, so please don't suggest this.

TIA!

Honestly there’s no point doing both. It takes ages just to get from the car park to the theme park, and most of your day will be spent in queues waiting for rides. Could you get a later bus home? You really need a long day at the theme park. Could you book a hotel locally and do the waterpark the following day? The waterpark is great too, but that would only take half a day.

Thanks, that is what I suspected.
I'm afraid that there is only one bus per day (one bus there and one bus back) and those are its timings so we have no choice in the matter!

You won’t have time for both OP. We have passes and go regularly both peak and off peak.

The water park closes at 4pm so there is no chance

That’s just not feasible - choose one of them and do it well rather than doing both of them and feeling you missed out!

You won't have time. I've never been to the water park but the theme park is huge

The waterpark needs at least about 2 hours. The main park is a full day. You will be shattered after a whole day of just being in the theme park.

Have 3-4 extra goes on Nemesis instead.

I wouldn't recommend it, sometimes there's not enough time to do the whole park in one day let alone the water park too.
Is a bus your only option? Can you stay locally, perhaps camping? (there's a couple of sites nearby)
If not maybe go to another good water park another day perhaps?