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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for your tips and pointers for Alton Towers?

83 replies

Cblockbitch · 15/09/2018 11:13

Have just booked a one night stay for the scarefest! staying in the enchanted village. I.AM.SO.EXCITED However I am going with a 2 and a 5 year old so I am looking for some mumsnetters wisdom and tips to keep costs down and have a nice time! thank you all 😁

OP posts:
Gottagetmoving · 15/09/2018 15:45

Buy fast passes

Yeah, because if you can afford to do that you deserve to jump ahead of people who can't. Hmm
They can wait longer,...its less frustrating for them than for people with more money.

Thesuzle · 15/09/2018 16:11

Horrible place over priced ‘fun’ not fun

Glittertwins · 15/09/2018 16:58

Book your breakfast table online and relatively early as you get early park opening

notsurewhatshappening · 15/09/2018 17:03

For scare fest lots of people dress up as zombies etc when they go to AT
Could be quite scary for your children.

Flyingpompom · 15/09/2018 17:43

What slot of negative comments! You'll have a great time OP, loads of family rides! The sea life centre in there is great too. And cbeebies land has an outside play area too.

One thing though...a pp has mentioned a Charlie and the chocolate factory ride-sharing I've been lots over the last couple of years and I've never heard of it!

foggetyfog · 15/09/2018 18:26

Cancel and rebook in 10 years

Cblockbitch · 15/09/2018 19:41

So much negativity! There's shit loads for little ones to do and im not worried about them being scared Hmm it's pretend. You do all know that right?
The last time we went we felt that we got real value for money from the sheer amount of rides and activities available. My eldest loved it and is excited to go back.

If anyone else has any useful money saving ideas regarding food options or best restaurants. Ideas for filling evening meals that can be eaten cold?

I'm thinking of taking a substantial picnic of salad leaves, chicken legs, boiled eggs, potato salad, crusty bread and butter maybe some quiche to fill us up in the evening and avoid paying £30-£50 for dinner? Il take it in a cool box and keep in the car and we can eat off disposable plates and cutlery.

OP posts:
Cblockbitch · 15/09/2018 19:45

oh and iv booked our breakfast table 😊 bright and early 7.30am (kids will be up and bugging me for food at 6)

OP posts:
Dadsbigsausages · 15/09/2018 19:46

I've taken ds when aged 3 and again aged 6, love it. Yes there are queues, but it can be done. You just can't do everything.

One tip is if you fancy going to the waterpark you can go to the ticket office and buy bounce back tickets for it. It's tickets for the waterpark the next day, normally £17.50 I believe but can be bought in office for I think £7.50 (I did this about a month ago but my memory is crap lol).

Boyskeepswinging · 15/09/2018 20:28

Oh I see so because it's "pretend" it's fine. Just like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. So I guess you have no issue with your kids playing them either. After all, they're both pretend, too. You do know that, right?

GrimSqueaker · 15/09/2018 20:41

If it's still on this late in season - make sure to go see the pirate show - my kids loved it (4 and 5 when we went).

Try to stop your 5 year old carjacking Postman Pat's van on its way through Cbeebiesland like my eldest tried to do.

Cblockbitch · 15/09/2018 20:56

Yes boys I do. Bit touchy arent you, tell you what. You do what you want with your kids and il do what I want with mine. yeah?

OP posts:
Mascarponeandwine · 15/09/2018 21:06

@Gottagetmoving that’s not really the point though. IMO fast passes shouldn’t exist at all and everyone should wait their turn in one queue.

But in reality, Alton Towers does have a two tier system in place. So it’s a stark choice of queueing most of the day on your altar of prIncipal, or shelling out and at least getting some enjoyment out of it.

Queues might be alright if you go in term time though.

Rushofbirdsinflight · 15/09/2018 21:14

Get the app as it gives you queue times. Take lunch to eat in queues as cbeebies land has a lot of queues.
Tbf I didn't love it when I went 2 weeks ago and I went with older children. The thought of taking my 4 year old makes me shudder.

PinkHeart5914 · 15/09/2018 21:56

Buy fast passes, sod queuing all day if you can afford not too. No maybe they should exists Hmm but fast passes do so why not if you can afford it?

Your picnic instead of dinner sounds fine and substantial!

Take bottles of water/juice especially for little ones. Saves soooooo much money

Book breakfast

Enjoy your trip lovely 😃

Gottagetmoving · 16/09/2018 09:29

Buy fast passes, sod queuing all day if you can afford not to

I avoid the queuing by not going there at all. It's overpriced, crowded and then to top it all people pay extra so they can jump the queues and make the other poor sods wait longer.

RebelRogue · 16/09/2018 10:01

@Gottagetmoving and that's your choice. Which is frankly irrelevant to the OP and her question.

Gottagetmoving · 16/09/2018 10:05

Which is frankly irrelevant to the OP and her question

Ahh,....I didn't know that all posts on a thread had to be totally relevant to an OPs actual question...and we are not able to comment on anything else that may arise in responses.
Thanks for putting me right.

Cblockbitch · 16/09/2018 10:19

Baffled by the hate for Alton Towers quite frankly! If you don't like it don't go, no one is making you. Also, why comment if you have nothing useful to add in response to what i asked. MN can be such an odd place. It seems at times to be full of the miserly negative people I actively avoid in real life and then other times like the best party ever.

OP posts:
EricNorthmanIsMine · 16/09/2018 10:27

@Cblockbitch just a heads up that AT this year has been the busiest I've seen for at least 5 years (long term Annual Pass holder here!)

Scarefest this year is likely to be very busy but if you have 2 days you should be ok but you'll likely have to queue more than last year

A few attractions suitable for younger ones are now closed this year (ice age cinema, charlie choc factory, soft play in cloud cockoo land) but Cbeebies is open and the sea life (may close earlier than park close though)

There is a show and halloween charachters aimed at younger visitors but the scare zone areas of the park are quite intense but well signposted! These are not just the mazes but usually 2 pathways which are themed and have scare actors roaming around

With regards to eating, on park is pretty much all the same and junk to be honest! Woodcutters near Hex is decent, the Rollercoaster restaurant next to galactica is good but you'll have to

Have fun, be prepared for queues and enjoy your visit Smile

KittyConCarne · 16/09/2018 10:59

Oh, we really like Alton Towers!
Haven't taken out youngest 2 up there during Scarefest (purely time/ money reasons), but took DSC twice quite a few years ago- I think they were 6/8/10 at the time and they loved all the daytime Halloween stuff.
We were lucky enough to stay at SplashLandings for 3 nights this summer- youngest member of holiday was DD2 (2), and there was plenty to keep her entertained.

Like a pp mentioned, definetely get the parent queue pass from customer services as you enter- we've always used it that one parent queues with 3 or 4 DC, gets pass stamped at end of ride, then second parent enters ride with remaining 1 or 2 DC down the fast track or disabled entrance to ride almost immediately.

Food-wise, we had hot buffet breakfast included each morning- nice food & plenty of variety for everyone.

We packed a huge box of pre-packed picnic food (fruit/ crisps/ cakebars/ pepperamis don't need refrigeration etc), for our lunchtime meals, thinking we wouldn't be able to keep stuff cold.
On arrival at Alton Towers we requested a mini-fridge for our room (originally just for milk for DD2/ our coffees etc), which was actually large enough to store loads, so we bought some cheese/ ham/ bread etc for sandwiches. There is a small convenience shop in the Enchanted Village which sells all-sorts like that, and isn't too expensive. Or if you want more variety/ cheaper, then there are a few co-op type shops in the little village 5mins drive out of the front gate of Alton Towers. The reception staff had the fridge brought to our room within 20mins of arrival- it wasn't treated as an odd request, so I'm sure you could get one brought to your Enchanted Village room.

For evening meals, we ate once in Crooked Spoon in Enchanted Village which was lovely- £15 for a main/ £7 for a child's dinner/ DD2 ate for free off of our plates- they provided her with plastic tableware. We didn't have starters or puds to keep costs down- had pre-bought sweets & cakes for afters later at the evening disco.

Also ate once in Flambo Jambos "all you can eat"- think it was £16 for adult/ £8 for child/ DD2 free again, for unlimited pizza/ pasta/ puds etc.

Also had a Chinese takeaway delivered from the local village- huge portion sizes etc. They delivered to reception and called our room to let us know they were there. Reception told us to collect plates/ cutlery etc from Flambo Jambos, and to leave the used dishes next to the tea/ coffee making facilities in our room for housekeeping to clear it away the following morning. I'm sure you could get your plates/ cutlery from Crooked Spoon as that's your nearest, and it's so much nicer not eating with disposable stuff.

In the park, you can buy a £5 refillable bottle, which you can have filled at any snack station for free- Oasis/ fruit juice/ water/ fizzy, which cut costs for us on buying seperate drinks or lugging our own drinks round with us.

Entertainment in the evening is great- you have free access to both Alton Hotel & Slash Landings hotel- both have great kids discos and entertainers from around 5pm til midnight. We took our own kids' drinks & snacks to the evening shows to keep costs down on using the bar etc.
Hope you have a great stay! :)

Gottagetmoving · 16/09/2018 11:59

Baffled by the hate for Alton Towers quite frankly! If you don't like it don't go, no one is making you

I don't hate Alton Towers per se. I hate people being ripped off paying huge entrance fees without getting vale for their money because the queues are often hours long.

firawla · 16/09/2018 12:32

We were there yesterday! I went with a 20 month toddler and 3 older kids. I’d recommend the rollercoaster restaurant it was a great experience, if you want to go there for dinner book it in advance but lunch you can just walk up.
I found the queue times were shorter than what was written on the app for CBeebies
Definitely get the app, you can use the planner on there to note which rides you want to do and check them off

JustAnotherPoster00 · 16/09/2018 13:08

Cancel and go to Chester Zoo. We did CBeebies Land at Easter. It rained all day. By 12pm we hadn’t been on a single ride. Left before 4pm. Biggest waste of money ever.

PP has a point its never rained in Chester Hmm

dontforgetbilly · 16/09/2018 14:19

We were there last year with a 3 and 5 year old, they love it!
You can get them a height wristband when you first get into park so they dont have to be measured for every ride.
Plan for the weather, rain is best as long as you are fully waterproofed up so fingers crossed for a properly wet day as then queues are non existent. If there is no queue the staff are happy for you to stay on a ride when you ask, although for adults 6 times in a row round the mine train gets a bit wearing.
If you have adrenaline junky children enterprise is a 'proper' ride short people can go on accompanied. I had to put my foot down and say no to a fourth time in a row round as I was close to vomiting, but my 3 year old loved it.
The rollercoaster restaurant they loved but food was pretty awful. We would do it again, but have homemade sandwiches and just go in for their amazing ice cream pudding as the kids loved the experience of it, this can be done when the park is closed so your not eating into ride time.
There are lots of sweet stalls everywhere so I bring round a small Tupperware tub and bag of haribo so you can say no buying sweets but still spoil them with a few every now and then.
Go to the waterpark, can easily spend the whole day there