Is Alton Towers worth going to for a 14yo who doesn't like 'big' rides?

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My DS's school have organised a 'reward' trip to Alton Towers at the end of the summer holidays, but my DS is unsure whether or not he wants to go. We're very happy to pay for him, but don't want to end up paying for him to lose his last day's holiday and spend it wandering around somewhere he doesn't like.

We haven't been ourselves for decades - probably not since we were at school - so we don't know how it's changed in all that time. I've looked on their website, but of course they will always put a positive spin on it all.

He hates roller coasters, heights and other 'thrill' rides; and he's 14, so the new CBeebies World - whilst it looks charming - isn't really for his age group!

What else is there? Is there any point in him going? Are there other attractions there that he might like? Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated - thank you.

I don't think he would enjoy it. Most of the kids will be seeking the biggest, craziest rides imaginable and he will just be either waiting for them or forcing himself to do something he doesn't want to do.

Depends on his personality. I thought i wouldnt like scary rides( and still hate heights), but went to alton towers at 14 with my friends and went on some of the big rides and enjoyed it and now love fast ( but not high) rollercoasters. Sometimes being pushed out of your comfort zone with friends supproting you at that age is a good thing. But, yes, if he isnt going to queue up with his friends the bigger rides it may not be fun.
His choice really?

No point going tbh. My son is the same and last year he went with his school and ended up only going on the ghost train ride and a ride that's more designed for younger kids. This year he doesn't want to go and we're not making him, he doesn't get any enjoyment out of it.

Thanks a lot for your insights, everybody - very helpful viewpoints.

I don't think it's a thing for him personally that he needs to be encouraged to come out of his shell and then might love them; he's resolute in that.

We don't want to feel like we're being mean - and we will give him the final decision - but it really does sound like this isn't one for him. Not that it matters greatly, but I do find it slightly annoying that the school sign-up form gives the options of 'I give consent and will pay' or 'I don't give consent', as though we're preventing him from doing something he wants to do!

They do have a couple of other trips that are far more his thing, so it's not like he misses out completely.

No.

Back in the 80s and even early 90s Alton Towers was SO much better precisely because it catered for all ages and people that liked different types of rides. Now it is very much almost exclusively extreme thrill seekers.

Have a gander at the rides on the website and see what there actully is then decide if its worth it

I would say not, my son loves the rides but avoids AT as rhe school reward, accepts the queues will be hideous and a waste of a day x

Yes, I used to love the Cine 2000, which seemed sooo futuristic back then - kids now would probably just stand there open-mouthed at how pathetic it was!!

It does very much look like they're only focusing on the big-ticket thrill attractions now.

Also what’s his friendship group like? Is there a group of them who would like going on the water rides etc and having fun together or is he going to feel left out because they all want the extreme rides?

I've had a look - which was what made me think that it seems to be a lot more roller coaster-heavy than it used to be.

I was just wondering if there were other things that we may be missing, which possibly aren't such a draw and so aren't promoted as much. They always used to have lots of more incidental arcade-style machines and food stalls, as well as more 'tame' things that they may not bother to highlight; or indeed may no longer have at all.

He's not the most gregarious and he tends to get on best with a few of the other quieter more nerdy kids - I don't know if they'll be going. If not, it might be better for us to see if they want to do something else together that they'll all enjoy more.

I wouldn’t bother
My teen DD went at the end of the last school year and they were there approximately 10am-4pm and she went on 3 rides in all that time! She does like fast rides so they did pick the biggest/fastest ones but the queues were just ridiculous. This was term time on a weekday too.
Also food and drinks are expensive.
I think if your DS doesn’t even like big rides he would have more fun somewhere else.
There’s things like the haunted house, river rapids, pirate ship etc he could go on but are his friends going to want to go on these too and none of the big rides?

Thanks - that's a very good point, actually: that even the thrill-seekers will be spending a lot of their day standing in queues anyway.

I used to like the river rapids, log flume and things like that - but I don't think my DS would enjoy getting wet either. I'm also conscious that, if he tries anything new at the fair with us, and he doesn't like it, we can just chalk it up as not one to repeat; but if he gets visibly frightened or upset in front of the other teenagers, some of them can be really horrible

@AWeeCupOfTeaAndAnIndividualFruitTrifle they got rid of the log flume a decade ago to build The Wicker Man. That was always my favourite even as a kid.

It’s an expensive day out to stand around not going on much.

Funnily enough there's a news story out today citing Alton Towers as TripAdviser's most disappointing tourist experience worldwide, with overcrowding and rip-off top-up fees required, poor customer service too given as the main reasons.

My 13 yo son went with a friend who organised it for his birthday treat and hated it, sorry! I don’t think it’s like Efteling or Disney where there are shows and things to do other than the rides. He went on the rides out of perr pressure but hated it bless him. Save your money and do something else he will enjoy.

No, I hate rides and also went there on a school trip in year 9 but it was a physics trip.
went again a few years ago with my sister and the kids and there was nothing there for me so I just held the bags. I hate fast rides, heights etc.
I don’t think he should go.

If he doesn’t like coasters then there are a couple of dark rides (Hex and the Curse at Alton Manor), the Congo River Rapids and Nemesis Sub-Terra, but not enough to fill a day. The other small rides will probably be too young for him. I would imagine his friends will spend the whole day queuing for and going on the big name coasters, so it might not be the best day out for him.

Ah, OK - thanks a lot for that info. It's making it look even less worthwhile now...

It's very much looking like a great big No now - even more than before.

Thanks a lot again, everybody.

There is a small arcade. And the sea life (takes about 20 mins to do) theres a pirate boat that does a rocking motion with no height. Heave ho i think its called. ( if that makes sense) theres the runaway mine train, a tamer coaster. You have the sky ride gondola thing. River rapids we hardly got wet on it. The curse of alton could be one too. Also hex. Marauders mayhem is like waltzers. Battle gallons though I think they've stopped the water cannons now. Also the gardens.

Hope some of that helps?

It's amazing!it will be epic even without the thrill rides.theres hex,curse of Alton manor,Congo rapids(you don't get v wet),heave ho,mauraders mayhem,the aquarium,runaway minetrain, gansta granny,bottom burp,all the arcades and games out, spooky hollow,nemesis sub Terra!I can't see how people think it's not fun for 14s or people who don't like roller coasters.just the freedom of being there with friends will be fun.

Yes battle galleons!

Hex is incredible