Alton Towers - can kids wait to the side on the big rides?

[HappyBrite]

We're going to Alton Towers this year. We have a 12 year old and a 9 year old.

The 9 year old is a daredevil but is just under the required 1.4m for the main thrill rides, the 12 year old is tall enough but is not a thrillseeker in the slightest.

In the past, DH and I have taken it in turns to go on the "big" rides but this means double the queuing which is often not feasible so I end up losing out and go off with the kids on the tamer ones.

Now the kids are a bit older I was wondering if they could queue with us and wait off to the side until we've been on the ride. Does anyone know if this is possible at Alton Towers?

DH has suggested we chain them up outside like a bike but I think that might be frowned upon.

Take granny - who never thought it would happen in her younger years, but is no longer interested in big rides, and more than happy to take the kids around!
Previously, in similar circumstances rides have been divvied up as in one with child on one ride, other on next, or solo rides taken.
I'm wondering what the kids will enjoy - it's hugely disappointing not to get on an exciting ride (I can recall this still!) so I'd be looking at the best rides they can go on and hanging around there I think. Waiting is dire, unless you can go to an adjacent ride/attraction, which is a better use of time. Last time I went to Alton Towers I had to go on rides really as there were 3 kids - the waiting to actually go on was bad enough - and we got to go on just 6 rides all day.
You're probably much better taking leave in school time to go when you can get on all the rides you and partner enjoy much more easily and accepting you won't go on so many when treating the kids.
I get it's probably a bit annoying/disappointing but if you get your own day separately then it won't be so bad I think.
Personally I used to like flamingo land and twycross as having non ride stuff to occupy both me and kids outside the thrills - is Alton Towers with the kids a must?.

Do the children actually want to go to Alton Towers? For the cost of going these places if they aren't going to enjoy it and don't want to do the rides is there somewhere better you can take them that they will enjoy?

Why not just go for a day trip with just your DH at some point?

My son thinks his dad is an absolute idiot and one of the reasons is because he keeps taking him to theme parks even though my son doesn't like or go on any of the rides.

Just pick an activity then can do

What age do you think is ok? 25?

The parent swap is for when the kids want to go on the rides, not so the parents can go on without the kids!

This sounds like a shit day out for the kids, taking 9yo to stuff they want to do but aren't allowed to, and 12 year old to stuff they don't like.

Just go without the kids, what's in it for them queuing for hours so you and your partner can do rides without them?

This can't be real ?

It would depend on the child, obviously, but at least 14/15.
And putting a 12 yr old in charge of a 9 yr old is very unfair

This is what you need to do but your husband needs to come swap with you so you both get to go on a big ride instead of waltzing off for the rest of the day.

At 12 our entire school went to Alton Towers and we were unleashed to run free until it was time to go home, so I don't see why your 12 year old couldn't exit the ride when you've got on and wait outside for you. If they're sensible and won't argue / split up surely the 9 year can just go with them?

That said, sounds like an utterly miserable day for them just queuing for rides they can't / don't want to go on all day.

How come DH does the thrill rides and you are the one looking after the DC?

Most schools take year 7s on trips to theme parks or similar and let them go round without teachers.

If we ever let our kids do something where someone COULD harm them they still wouldn't go anywhere without us in their 20s.

But I wouldn't want one child alone for long and I wouldn't give the 12 year old the responsibility of the 9 year old for long, so in this case I wouldn't do it no, but 12 year old not being constantly supervised is totally normal.

This.

We've used variations of parent swap a few times at theme parks over the years - because dc are 17, 14 and 7. There are obviously a few rides the older 2 want to go on that aren't suitable for ds3.

I can't imagine taking any of the dc to a theme park just for dh and I to go on the rides...what a waste of time and money!

Plenty of 12 year olds go to theme parks with school and are allowed to go off on their own

@ItShouldntHappenToMeYet you do realise millions of school children go to Alton Towers every year and are left to roam the park without any adult supervision whatsoever, right?

Also plenty of 12 year olds (probably the majority of them) travel by public transport or on foot/bike alone to school every day. I think they can manage a theme park.... probably not old enough to be in charge of the 9 year old though.

In this situation I wouldn't go with the kids as it sounds like it's not a fun day for them.

You have a DH problem if he went on more than one ride alone and you didn't get to do any. If you both want to you should take it in turns not one person do multiple.

My dh is lucky as I don't like the biggest rides so happy to go on smaller rides or look at animals etc with any kids who can't / don't want to, but you obviously do want to.

I think your plan is fine if basically no queue (which seems unlikely in Alton towers), but totally unfair to kids to make them queue for long for a ride they can't / don't want to do (especially the one who wants to but can't!)

Well if as a parent, you are happy for your unsupervised 12 year old wander around a massive area full of strange adults, then you're a more laid-back parent than most. Ok, if the place is closed to public, but if they are there on an ordinary day...
So many media reports of children going missing, etc, and posts here about not letting kids play out, yet some are happy to let their kids be exposed to strangers when they are not there

Many 12yo negotiate the tube every day to get to school

@ItShouldntHappenToMeYet what about the millions of 11 year olds who walk to and from school alone everyday? Or catch the bus or tube? It's perfectly normal and has been for many, many years.

I feel sorry for your kids if you don't allow them any normal freedoms.

Please don't 'feel sorry' for my kids. You don't kow what my situation is.

There aren't many post about not letting 12 year olds play out unsupervised! That's usually younger children. Once they are in secondary school they start to need to navigate the world themselves a bit. Most secondary school pupils are not taken to school by parents for example.

And theme parks aren't closed to the public for school trips, yet loads of schools go, so it's clear that most parents do allow it.

We did this and then from about 10 years old let them go off by themselves (or with a friend)

everyone else on this thread is disagreeing with you. 12 is plenty old enough and many schools do them park trips at this age and the kids go off by themselves.

This doesn't sound like a fun day out for the children. I'd be so annoyed if I was made to stand in a line for an hour just to watch others go on the ride without me. Take the children somewhere else and stop being selfish.