Spent a fortune on Alton Towers and nearly everything was closed

[Foxy200]

Warning to anyone thinking of taking the kids to Alton Towers this Easter, AVOID it unless you have checked exactly what is open.

We drove all the way up yesterday, paid for a hotel last night and again for tonight, and arrived to find that nearly everything is shut. Only a handful of rides are actually open.

It is absolutely disgraceful to be charging full ticket prices when so much of the park is closed. After just an hour of walking around and seeing the reality of it, we asked for a refund and were told no.

The disappointment for the children has been awful, and to say I am angry is an understatement. We have spent a huge amount on tickets, travel and hotels for what has turned into a complete waste of money.

Families deserve to know before making the trip, this has completely ruined what was meant to be an Easter treat.

I came to say this. YANBU. There’s loads about concerns for Alton Towers on YouTube.

I watched one video that said Merlin are focusing on new content for all their southern parks so that they are ready to compete with Universal.

the suggestion was that Alton Towers is being allowed to decline and should be sold off.

This happened to me at Halloween a couple of years ago. Only two big rides were open and by 6pm we were getting on our second ride. I complained and got free tickets and went another time when it wasn’t so busy.

Yes, thank you. People banging on about the website when the experience inside the park is one of queueing for rides that go down, then open, then down again. We went last year on a weekday and they were constantly doing this - Wicker Man would go down for an hour, so everyone would go up to X Sector, then Smiler would close but Thirt3een would open for a bit so everyone shot up there. It was exhausting and meant we didn't get on 4 of the large rides even though they were "open".

YANBU although the screenshot of the ride availability does look worse than it is at a glance. However Oblivion is one of only two rides in x-sector, with quite a walk to other areas of the park, so it’s bad news for the length of The Smiler queue when that is down.

They have the same issue when either Wickerman or 13 go down, as they are the two ‘big’ coasters suitable for younger riders, if one goes down the queue for the other skyrockets and if they’re both down you have a load of disappointed kids wandering about the place as they’re too old for CBeebies but too short for the bigger thrill rides and they’ve already done what filler rides there are left. They also sell fast track which slows down the main queue significantly on many rides, but it’s easy money for them so they won’t stop it (go to a park with no fast track and you will notice how much faster the queues move along). This and the fact that Alton Towers has been on a downward slope due to Merlin’s running of the place for the last few years is why YANBU. I love Alton towers and have a pass, but I’m considering cancelling as I’m finding myself wanting to go less and less. It’s not what it used to be, they used to claim they were second to Disney and at one point maybe they were, but now they are not even close to that standard.

We don’t know how to do theme parks in this country, the exception being Paulton’s. Universal is going to blow Merlin’s socks off when it opens. It will be pricey, but the experience will be miles better.

This is awful. The british public really needs to be more demanding.
We went to a zoo in deep valley country ij france last year. Out of nowhere there was an epic thunderstorm and all the animals were put away and we were evacuated via truck after about an hour there. Without even asking we were issued free revisit tickets. Valid for 3 years. Because of something no one has no control over!! Incredible

I went a year past in October for the weekend and due to the amount of rides closed & queues on the ones open we got on 4 rides the full weekend, we had also bought tickets for the scarefest attractions and again didn’t get in all of them, we stay 6 hours away so 2 days travelling then 2 days in the parks for 4 rides, I emailed a complaint to them and I did get a partial refund, they tried offering me free tickets to go back but I wouldn’t waste my time!

That’s a cop out.
They’ve had all winter to get them up and running.
Even if they hadn’t had time it’s unreasonable to charge full price for half thd experience. No one minds when a ride is closed for vomit etc but should be reopened speedily.

It’s not half the rides though. Oblivion has been open. The water rides open closer to summer. Runaway mine train is down for essential maintenance. All other rides open

Thanks for letting me know. I was planning on going for the first time this weekend but will look elsewhere now.

Edited: Posted too soon

It’s off season and they state in advance what rides are closed.

They're not closing rides for an hour here and there for "safety reasons". It's job cuts. They don't have enough ride operators and hosts on a given day.

The whole thing is one big rip off. I understand they are a business, their raison d'etre is to make money, but the line of reasonability was crossed long ago. I haven't been for at least 15 years and wouldn't bother now.

I would avoid Alton towers at Easter weekend it's very busy and travellers day on Easter Sunday

i went last weekend and every ride was open bar runaway mine train. Think Op is exaggerating a fair bit to say nearly everything was closed.

however, don’t go Easter weekend . And if you can, use the buy one get one free offers they do or use club card vouchers. I never pay full price to go.

I mean I’ve always thought that Alton towers is a total rip off anyway that’s with everything open never mind all those rides being closed!

id be writing to them complaining definately!!

Complaining about what?

that i had paid all that money out and tonnes of the rides were out of action -
what did you think I meant?

the tickets are expensive and with travel and hotels too - id be asking for at least free tickets to return when it’s all up and running again.

It was 2 rides on the list the OP put. The 2 water rides are always closed until later in the year and that's clear on the website. The other 2 are the monorail and cable car which are forms of transport. 2 rides is not exactly tonnes.
Editing to say Oblivion also opened later today

2 water rides that don’t open till summer aren’t really something you can complain about. It’s clear they aren’t opening till may on the website and app.

monorail had a replacement bus which hotel guests didn’t need anyway because they’re allowed to enter the park by the hotel.

sky ride is a cable car not a ride

What was closed? Oblivion, and only briefly? YABU

I used to go there a lot, and Hex was always closed. Always struck me as odd as it was a small and enclosed ride.

I am not sure how they can tell you when you book what rides wont be open. Some break down during the day. And considering how many rides there are there, I seriously doubt nearly everything was closed at all.

Oh no, I’m a bit gutted to read this. I am bringing my daughter during the Easter holiday, on a coach trip from Scotland. It will be so disappointing to come all that way and to have spent all that money, if half the park is closed!

When I checked times all day yesterday almost everything was open so this is Strange

I went years ago. I loved the sky train/ cable car, made the park different. Alton Towed is much more country park than others. If a big ride and no water rides are open then it really is poor compared to the experience later in the season.

What was actually closed?