AstroDan

It isn't very often i slate Europa, but this ride is a waste of time. I found it VERY short, uninspired and frankly bland. Tomb Blaster at Chessington, Buzz at Disneyland Paris - even Duel at Alton Towers is probably better. Atlantis Adventure needs a lot more until it matches Europa's usual high standards. I though it was a let down.

Bull. Last year (while everyone was in school) the queue still hit 3 Hours and actually overflowed onto the plaza. It easily reaches 3 hours. I don't wish to argue, but there are only one or two days in each season when a line reaches that length. At Electric Towers, the parks busiest days of the year, the longest queue was just over 2 1/2 hours for Rita. You may get a 2-2 1/2 hour queue in mid-July when the schools are visiting - but if it's off peak and it isn't school visit season you will never, categorically, see a 3 hour queue flowing out of the queue capacity! Typical queue lengths are around 30 minutes off peak.

Unfortunately I haven't heard this. Corkscrew will be remaining at Alton Towers for a few years yet, although obviously it nearing its time. The park will want to sort out the Black Hole tent and potentially a wooden rollercoaster before they do anything else, I would have thought. The Merlin takeover could be changing things though!

Which won't be happening. The latest rumours for 2008 are an enclosed Eurofighter on the site of the old Black Hole. It's all rumours though. Nice photo's. Hex is a work of art!

There won't be 3 hour queue's, Alton Towers has not seen lines that long for ages. So don't worry about that. If you are arriving at 9:30am, head straight to Ug Land and wait for Rita - Queen of Speed to open. This way, you can get a front row ride on Rita, without the longer wait. Rita's line often gets longer than both Air and Nemesis during the day, so i'd say this would be a good move. You may aswell have a go on Corkscrew after this, just for old times sake. After that, the park really is your oyster - hit Hex and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, before perhaps going over to Forbidden Valley to ride Air, Nemesis and Ripsaw. Make your way down through Gloomy Wood for a ride on Duel, before Katanga Canyon and the Runaway Mine Train/Rapids ride. If it isn't too wet, have a ride on the Flume and then make your way over to Spinball Whizzer. If it is raining, and Spinball is only loading 3 in a car, use the Single Rider entrance which will reduce your wait. After Spinball, go for Oblivion and if you must, Enterprise and Submission. For lunch I recommend Rita's Chicken and Ribs, the Mexican Cantina or Fresh Fish & Chips. Doing the park this way should mean you have as queue free a day as possible. Many say do Air and Nemesis first, but the fact is the queue's for these two aren't usually as long as Rita. But, if the wait isn't too long - Rita front row and Nemesis front row are two of the best experiences the park has to offer.

I would be interested to know from someone who has ridden Euro-Mir how the two rides compare? They do look totally different. Euro-Mir looks visually more impressive, but then again Sidewinder could be quite intense too? Has anyone ridden both?

I just saw you are from Northampton and thought, WHAT! You haven't been on Rita, Stealth or Oblivion?! Then I realised it isn't Northampton in England! Well, the only Dive Machine I have been on is Oblivion. This ride is themed to intimidation, with videos in the queue lines and stations to make you really stressed out - implying death is possible, black outs, mental exhaustion etc. However the ride itself is fantastic. It's short and sweet, a really intense dive into a black pit filled with mist. It's over so short than if you dont' enjoy it it has stopped. So it's really fine. As for Accelerator coasters, I have ridden Rita - Queen of Speed and Stealth. Both are good rides, the short launch is very, very intense on both coasters. After this, they are vastly different. Stealth shoots you up and over, with a breather and view at the top before the drop down and into the brakes. Rita shoots you round hill crests and bends, and lasts a little longer than the top hat accelerators. Rita is relentless as a coaster in its speed, which doesn't relax until the brakes. It's a thrilling experience. Divers and Accelerators are some of the most thrilling rides you can do, in my view.

I would say so, just. I haven't been to the USA nor to many European parks, but Alton Towers is my spiritual home! And has some of the best rides I have ever been on. Although it's closely followed by Europa-Park. I think if Europa-Park had a few more thrill rides, it would probably take it over.

My revised Top 10 after a few visits to parks in 2007! 1. Nemesis, Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England 2. Silver Star, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany 3. Oblivion, Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England 4. Euro-Mir, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany =5. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Walt Disney Studios, Paris, France =5. Stealth, Thorpe Park, Surrey, England 6. Tonnerre de Zeus, Parc Asterix, Paris, France 7. Big Thunder Mountain, Disneyland Park, Paris, France 8. Poseidon, Europa-Park, Rust, Germany 9. Grand National, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire, England 10. Nemesis:Inferno, Thorpe Park, Surrey, England

I suggest you get to the park ASAP. The general consensus is that it is looking better this season that it has for 4 or 5 years. Oblivion, the station and mist is looking fabulous, the Mine Train is back open and all attractions are running very well indeed. Also, as for the entrance price, well online (and face it, thats the only way to book for AT) it is £18 (€27/$35) until 31st May and then the standard rate of £24 (€35/$46) applies. These prices are fairly comparable with most other parks. The on-the-day price is very expensive, but how many people do you know who ever actually pay that? I don't think I ever paid the gate price in all the years before I owned an annual pass (which, at £65 is very good value). From what you say about the park, i'd say you are stuck in the 'dark years' of 2003/4 when there were problems - but in my view Alton Towers is turning a corner now, yes the wooden coaster may not come in 2008 - but with the takeover from Merlin, I am sure the long-term future of the park is secure.

For me, the top coasters I should be riding for the first time in the coming months are: - Expedition Ge Force, Holiday Park - The Winjas, Phantasialand - Black Mamba, Phantasialand - Knightmare, Camelot - Dragons Fury, Chessington World of Adventures And, I may get to do the following, so long as I find the money for the flight: - Furious Baco, PortAventura - Dragon Khan, PortAventura

So long as we're classing it as a coaster, mine was: Alton Towers' Mack classic: The Runaway Mine Train!

Air isn't boring IMO. I know i'm an AT fanboy, but come on. It isn't trying to be a Tatsu or whatever - it's a beautiful work of engineering - and every curve it makes feels totally natural. There's no other coaster like it. It's beautiful. It's just a shame that the original theming plans weren't taken through as it would truly have been even more a wonder on the eye had they done it.

The Mack Powered 'Runaway Mine Train' attraction located in the Katanga Canyon area of Alton Towers re-opened for Easter weekend, having been closed due to a fairly major accident in July 2006. The train is currently only about 2/3 in length as the other 1/3 is still to be returned by Mack, so capacity is a little on the dodgy side, but the train should be full size by next month. It was great to get back on it. The whole area has life again! It's a well themed ride, which interacts well with the terrain and adjacent Congo River Rapids ride. I'm really happy!

Sorry to bring this up again! Out of interest, did you go on Charlie? As they have made numerous improvments including Squirrels and numerous other things - animatronics would you believe! The ride is still not the best, but i'd say it's almost worth riding now.

I can't wait to see this ride in action! Delighted it's going up. I have to say i was skeptical when I saw the state of it all from the early photo's.

A friend of mine is setting up a new website for European theme park resorts and has been given a pair of EP tickets to giveaway from the park. If you would like to enter go here: www.themeparkresorts.net/compo.php I am not sure if this post is in the right places. The competition closes at 21:00 BST on Sunday evening.

Actually, regarding Cassandra, I went in summer last year - and Europa had added kind of massaging punches into your rear. Really took me by suprise and had everyone shrieking. Is this a feature on any other Mad houses? (I am aware Cassandra is the Mack model as opposed to Hex which is Vekoma)

Generally speaking, i'd say Hex is probably one of Alton's jewels. Most of the rides you could say are 'bettered' somewhere else, but with Hex I don't imagine this to be the case. I know a lot of people who have ridden other Haunted Swing's, and Hex always gets the vote. It's definitely got to be Tussauds best dark ride. The pre-shows make it, and the fact that it is located in a real historic castle make it even better. Alton Towers oftem do their best when they use the very fabric of the parks history - as we are seeing for the new low-budget 'Haunted Hollow' attraction this year. Certainly compared to The Haunting at Drayton Manor and Cassandra's Curse at Europa-Park, Hex wipes the floor.

Jim Carter narrates on the Hex pre-shows. He also narrates on the 'Story of Alton Towers' DVD, which is available http://www.joylandbooks.com/video_new/altontowers.htm The Earl chained the tree up in an effort to prevent further branches from falling if there were storms. If you have further questions about Hex, I suggest you visit www.towerstimesforum.co.uk and ask there. There are some real experts on the history of the theme park and the historic grounds. Unfortunately, I am no expert.

20 times, on Saturday.... How my body ached!

Alton Towers - 1/2 hour drive Drayton Manor - 1/2 hour drive

Hey!!! I'd already posted about this http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33316 How rude! Anyway, this looks really good and I hope the park pull it off. There is no other park in Britain with the visual layout as Alton Towers that is more appropriate to Halloween!

Rita - Queen of Speed's. I think the launch annoucement is great. Stealth's is similar but the man on Stealth just sounds demented. So Rita for me, although I haven't been on any other launch coasters that have announcements.

www.hauntedattractions.co.uk have revealed the following about Alton Towers grand plans for Halloween 2007! Thanks to marky.com at TTF for bringing this to light. "There has been a lot of speculation recently, but Haunted Attractions UK can exclusively reveal the amazing plans that the Alton Towers Resort has for the Halloween season. Running for 3 weeks starting from 13th October, we will see new and improved Halloween activities across the whole resort. There are many ideas in the pipeline but the following attractions have all been approved and are currently being designed: Terror of the Towers The gothic ruins of the Towers themselves will once again ring with the screams of terrified guests as Terror of the Towers returns after a 3 year absence. There is no news yet whether this is a new version of the attraction or a return of the fantastic Bloodfeast Banquet of 2003. Haunted Hollow - Live Opening in March, the Haunted Hollow is an interactive walkthrough featuring spooky statues, a haunted graveyard, a crypt and some ghostly special effects. Although this has already been announced and is suitable for the whole family, the haunted hollow will go “live” during Halloween where the addition of extra effects and some lively actors will crank up the scare factor. Unnamed Haunted Attraction The resort has committed to include another major walkthrough attraction within the park and at the moment, locations and themes are still being worked on. As soon as we have more information then we will post it here. Various Children’s attractions As the mazes will all be aimed at a teenager/adult audience, the resort also hopes to entertain its smaller guests with their own haunted attractions possibly including two different children’s mazes and other interactive attractions. Park Wide Atmosphere Halloween will be celebrated around the park itself with Towers Street especially decorated for the occasion, as well as some possible re-theming of some of the big rides. Each night at the event is excepted to finish with a lakeside finale which could included water, fire and laser effects (to be confirmed). The theme park is not the only one going over the top for Halloween. There will be special events held at the resort hotels which although primarily designed for hotel guests will be available to non-residents for a small extra fee. Room 13 at the Alton Towers Hotel Following the tremendous success of last years maze (click here for 2006 review and click here for 2006 "Behind the Scenes" article), the Alton towers Hotel will be holding an all new Room 13 event. Instead of utilising the old Terror of the Towers sets and props, Room 13 will be a brand new design, set and infrastructure, featuring a whole new level of terrifying fun. Haunted Cornfield at the Alton Towers Hotel Work has started on planting a two acre field full of corn to be used as a Halloween haunted maze. Ideas and themes are being worked on at the moment but it is believed that a “homage” to George A Romero’s classic “Night of the Living Dead” is currently planned. Of course Halloween is a long way off yet, and things are liable to change but at the moment all the attractions above are expected to be at least the minimum the park will receive. If this year proves successful then, we can expect the event to grow each year with new attractions and shows added. This is fantastic news for lovers of all things scary as well as a great chance for Alton Towers to host a world class seasonal event and boost attendance to the park during a quiet time of year. Over the upcoming months, we plan to bring you more information on the event as it is finalised and cover some of the preparations along the way. Of course, we will also post full detailed reviews of the attractions once we have visited them.