Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[Team Thriller]

A question for all Englanders or whoever is very familiar with the park:

 

I'll be at the park Sunday April 10 AND Monday April 11 and want to know how to navigate the park or whatever. Will the park be busy? Is it worth to get their Fasspass system even though they seem pretty expensive?

 

Any tips, hints, will be helpful. Including the best seats on the rides and when to ride them.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

--James

[AstroDan]

I think the most likely location is beyond Air in the car park (the car park will be removed).

 

This ride will cater to thrill as a 1.4metre restriction.

 

[Blatch]

What about a kinky mix between Formule X and Sonic Spinball?

 

THE WORLD'S FIRST LAUNCHED INVERTING SPINNING COASTER!!!

 

 

Am I actually the only one on this forum who would actually like to ride that coaster? Think about it, spinning all around during the loops...

 

All things aside, if it's going to be a B&M, than I can't see it being anything other than the 4D Coaster with the spinning seats. If it does take B&M 2 years to process the data from Raptor on how to add the spinning seats, then it could make for some perfect timing to unleash the "First of it's kind" ride in the world.

 

Unfortunately, this could cause problems because of Thorpe's upcoming 2012 B&M "No Spin" 4D. Take that of what you will...

[tiger01]

A question for all Englanders or whoever is very familiar with the park:

 

I'll be at the park Sunday April 10 AND Monday April 11 and want to know how to navigate the park or whatever. Will the park be busy? Is it worth to get their Fasspass system even though they seem pretty expensive?

 

Any tips, hints, will be helpful. Including the best seats on the rides and when to ride them.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

--James

 

Enter the park early and make your way Via Monorail as soon as possible. Even if it has a long line, Don't walk as the monorail is quicker. I advice that when you enter the park you get the Skyride and go to do the roller coasters at the Forbidden Valley first. (Air is good at the front but the back is interesting also. It sodn't really matter where you sit to be honest. Ride Nemesis anywhere you want. It will still be awesome!)

After you have done those Get back on the skyride towards the dark forst and do Th13teen and then Rita. (Ride Th13teen in the back and Rita in the Front ) Then make your way downwards towards Oblivion. Ride that and then ride spinball. (Ride oblivion in the front. By the way there is a split in the middle of Oblivions queue, go down either one.) Then Make your way back up Multiny Bay and ride the Rapids ride and the mine train. And then really do as you please.

Your welcome

[AstroDan]

10-11 April is the School Holidays. So the park will be medium busy.

 

Are you buying tickets on the Alton Towers website? If you do, you will be able to access the park at 9:00am for 1 hour of ERT. This includes Nemesis, Oblivion and Rita amongst other rides. During this hour, the queue times are very short (max. 10 minutes).

 

[tiger01]

Are you buying tickets on the Alton Towers website? If you do, you will be able to access the park at 9:00am for 1 hour of ERT. This includes Nemesis, Oblivion and Rita amongst other rides. During this hour, the queue times are very short (max. 10 minutes).

 

I never knew that! Well, I'm going for my birthday with my friend so we might do that. Maybe next year it will be west coast bash!

[snoflake15]

Looking forward to SW7 although my excitement is always contained slightly knowing that any coaster at AT is not going to be particularly tall.

[andyuk200523]

Looking forward to SW7 although my excitement is always contained slightly knowing that any coaster at AT is not going to be particularly tall.

 

 

Look at your Avatar.....just proves it can be short as anything but still be one of the best ride experiences in the world!!!!!!

 

Bring on the shorties!!!!!

[tiger01]

Bring on the shorties!!!!!

 

You mean bring on the biggies in the Holes!

[StealthFan]

This is going to be very fun reading the "rumors" over the next year or so....

 

I really hope Alton mess with people to make it even more fun reading them!

 

Apparantly us Brits think woodies are unsafe.

 

That's what AT's marketing lot claimed when asked about a woodie in June 2010...

 

 

The GP are just afraid. Silly isn't it!

 

I don't see in what way being scared of a roller coaster or any ride for that matter is silly. When rides are designed the scare factor is taken into account. Its part of the thrill and the experience you get at parks.

 

-Craig

[CorkscrewFoley]

Looking forward to SW7 although my excitement is always contained slightly knowing that any coaster at AT is not going to be particularly tall.

 

 

Look at your Avatar.....just proves it can be short as anything but still be one of the best ride experiences in the world!!!!!!

 

Bring on the shorties!!!!!

 

You beat me to the punch, Andy...But yes, bring on the shorties, woot woot!

[larrygator]

Looking forward to SW7 although my excitement is always contained slightly knowing that any coaster at AT is not going to be particularly tall.

 

 

Look at your Avatar.....just proves it can be short as anything but still be one of the best ride experiences in the world!!!!!!

 

Bring on the shorties!!!!!

 

You beat me to the punch, Andy...But yes, bring on the shorties, woot woot!

 

Are "shorties" people that ride the short bus? If so, I've noticed a lot of "shorties" in England.

[StealthFan]

Are "shorties" people that ride the short bus? If so, I've noticed a lot of "shorties" in England.

 

Otherwise known as TPR members!

 

-Craig

[andyuk200523]

You beat me to the punch, Andy...But yes, bring on the shorties, woot woot!

 

 

Damn Right!!!

 

Seriously though, can you imagine a similar layout to Nemesis (not the same but similar idea) buried into Rock, in a Wingrider..........That would be unreal!!!!!! It would probably beat Nemesis for once!!!!!

 

 

 

If Alton are reading this.........listen to my Prayers please, bury a Wingrider/4D into rock....it will be awesome!!!!

[David H]

10-11 April is the School Holidays. So the park will be medium busy.

 

Are you buying tickets on the Alton Towers website? If you do, you will be able to access the park at 9:00am for 1 hour of ERT. This includes Nemesis, Oblivion and Rita amongst other rides. During this hour, the queue times are very short (max. 10 minutes).

 

 

Have they confirmed what the rides will be for the ERT sessions this year? I'll either be buying a ticket online or a Merlin season pass. (I'm probably hitting Thorpe, Legoland and the Eye, so it might be worth it to ge the pass and add Sea Life, Tussauds and the Dungeon, as well.) So, either way, I should be able to make the ERT session.

 

Also, are the bus times reliable from the Stoke-on-Trent railway station? If it runs on time, I should be at Alton at 9:02. I'd take the earlier bus, but it's over an hour earlier, and I'll probably be taking an early train from London (unless I decide to brave driving on the other side of the road in the UK or to take the train the night before.) So, if it's fairly reliable, I can skip a few minutes of ERT, if I'll still get in in time to get some rides in before the rest of the public.

 

Annoyingly, the ERT rides are scattered all over the park. (You'd think it would be easier for the park to have all the open rides in the same area!)

 

By the way, I'll most likely be going on July 12. For some strange reason, they close earlier than normal at 5:30 that day, and several days in early July. Is there a buyout or something on that day?

 

Also, does Alton keep the queues open until closing time? I'll have to plan which train to take home. And if I can get into a queue a bit before closing, that might keep me there later than expected, so I should allow for that if I buy my train ticket in advance.

[andyuk200523]

10-11 April is the School Holidays. So the park will be medium busy.

 

Are you buying tickets on the Alton Towers website? If you do, you will be able to access the park at 9:00am for 1 hour of ERT. This includes Nemesis, Oblivion and Rita amongst other rides. During this hour, the queue times are very short (max. 10 minutes).

 

 

Have they confirmed what the rides will be for the ERT sessions this year? I'll either be buying a ticket online or a Merlin season pass. (I'm probably hitting Thorpe, Legoland and the Eye, so it might be worth it to ge the pass and add Sea Life, Tussauds and the Dungeon, as well.) So, either way, I should be able to make the ERT session.

 

Also, are the bus times reliable from the Stoke-on-Trent railway station? If it runs on time, I should be at Alton at 9:02. I'd take the earlier bus, but it's over an hour earlier, and I'll probably be taking an early train from London (unless I decide to brave driving on the other side of the road in the UK or to take the train the night before.) So, if it's fairly reliable, I can skip a few minutes of ERT, if I'll still get in in time to get some rides in before the rest of the public.

 

Annoyingly, the ERT rides are scattered all over the park. (You'd think it would be easier for the park to have all the open rides in the same area!)

 

By the way, I'll most likely be going on July 12. For some strange reason, they close earlier than normal at 5:30 that day, and several days in early July. Is there a buyout or something on that day?

 

Also, does Alton keep the queues open until closing time? I'll have to plan which train to take home. And if I can get into a queue a bit before closing, that might keep me there later than expected, so I should allow for that if I buy my train ticket in advance.

 

 

Although it may suck, I would plan on getting the earlier bus/train, if Alton is suddenly going to be busy that day you will find the Bus will probably end up being late as the traffic leading up to the park is atrocious when the park is busy.

 

Normally Alton keep the queues open until about 5 minutes before closing, it all depends on the length of queue, I have seen them close a 1 hour queue just before closing, but I have seen them close a 30 minute queue 30 minutes before closing, I think it depends on the crew that are working that day.

 

Last year, Spinball was in ERT, so was Rita, when I went last year we hit up Spinball first then headed to Rita to get a few rides in, these tend to be the lowest throughput rides, so I would probably get them done a few times in ERT, head over to Forbidden Valley for opening, get Air first, then do a few runs on Nemesis, then head back across to X-Sector to catch Oblivion, it never seems to get a queue longer than about 45 minutes on a really busy day now, so on an average day, the queue shouldn't be worse than 15/20 minutes......

[pj.frankophone]

[snoflake15]

Looking forward to SW7 although my excitement is always contained slightly knowing that any coaster at AT is not going to be particularly tall.

 

 

Look at your Avatar.....just proves it can be short as anything but still be one of the best ride experiences in the world!!!!!!

 

Bring on the shorties!!!!!

 

Don't get me wrong Andy - Nemesis is fantastic. So is Oblivion. But the truth is I like Montu more than Nemesis (although only just), Tatsu more than Air, Sheikra more than Oblivion, Xcelerator more than Rita etc. Why? Because they are on a larger scale. Maybe I'm being harsh but I always feel AT is disadvantaged as a result.

 

I'm sure SW7 will be novel and exciting but at some point it will be bettered by a taller version somewhere else.

[pj.frankophone]

 

I'm sure SW7 will be novel and exciting but at some point it will be bettered by a taller version somewhere else.

 

Like any industry, there are people that innovate and push the envelope, and people who develop a prototype and expand on an original idea. I think there is room for both, and one can't exist without the other. Alton Towers have always done a great job of working closely with manufacturers to create new concepts, which US parks often build on. Similarly, US parks do a great job of making big exciting coasters that are perhaps the most extreme of their genre. You could be right that the American counterparts are better rides, but that doesn't mean that the original ones aren't worthy too in their own way.

[RollerCoasterSmi]

I think it will be the world's first launched something (e.g. Wooden, Stand Up, Floorless, 4D, Spinning)...

 

Also I don't think B&M will do 4D or launches any time soon as they are obsessed with reliability, I hope I am proved wrong however.

 

I think Alton Towers should fill the Black Hole tent with a Gerstlauer Bobsled, they are awesome coasters on relatively small footprints.

[andyuk200523]

I think it will be the world's first launched something (e.g. Wooden, Stand Up, Floorless, 4D, Spinning)...

 

Also I don't think B&M will do 4D or launches any time soon as they are obsessed with reliability, I hope I am proved wrong however.

 

I think Alton Towers should fill the Black Hole tent with a Gerstlauer Bobsled, they are awesome coasters on relatively small footprints.

 

 

B&M could Team up with Premier again and use Tyres......almost constant reliability with those, I never hear of Hulk having issues with its launch!!!

 

I would guess at a Launched Wingrider (either with or without rotating seats) Or maybe Alton would call it a WrathRider

[Gerstlauer1]

Yeah a Gerstlauer bobsled! with some nice dark ride sections and effects would be awesome!

[CorkscrewFoley]

You beat me to the punch, Andy...But yes, bring on the shorties, woot woot!

 

 

Damn Right!!!

 

Seriously though, can you imagine a similar layout to Nemesis (not the same but similar idea) buried into Rock, in a Wingrider..........That would be unreal!!!!!! It would probably beat Nemesis for once!!!!!

 

 

 

If Alton are reading this.........listen to my Prayers please, bury a Wingrider/4D into rock....it will be awesome!!!!

 

Andy, that's funny you mention that. Over on Hanno's TR of Raptor, I said the ride felt nemesis, with the size and the theming. If Alton could do this, but a larger scale (of digging downwards), it could possibly rival Nemesis.

 

Maybe that, or Alton are going to install another Thunderlooper, but 100 feet into the earth. lol

[DJeXeL]

^ Or better yet, if Phantasialand can do with this what they did with Black Mamba........drool

[David H]

Although it may suck, I would plan on getting the earlier bus/train, if Alton is suddenly going to be busy that day you will find the Bus will probably end up being late as the traffic leading up to the park is atrocious when the park is busy.

 

Normally Alton keep the queues open until about 5 minutes before closing, it all depends on the length of queue, I have seen them close a 1 hour queue just before closing, but I have seen them close a 30 minute queue 30 minutes before closing, I think it depends on the crew that are working that day.

 

Last year, Spinball was in ERT, so was Rita, when I went last year we hit up Spinball first then headed to Rita to get a few rides in, these tend to be the lowest throughput rides, so I would probably get them done a few times in ERT, head over to Forbidden Valley for opening, get Air first, then do a few runs on Nemesis, then head back across to X-Sector to catch Oblivion, it never seems to get a queue longer than about 45 minutes on a really busy day now, so on an average day, the queue shouldn't be worse than 15/20 minutes......

 

Well, if AT's website is accurate, then Spinball isn't part of the ERT this year. This year, it includes Oblivion, Rita, Nemesis, Hex, Runaway Mine Train, Heave Ho, Marauder's Mayhem and Shark Reef. Assuming that I'll skip the last three, and RMT as well (although I may catch a ride later), what's the best plan?

 

I actually want to get a ride on Hex this visit, since I missed it last time. Is it still getting long queues during the day on a moderate day, or has it died down? With the length of the whole show, should I skip it anyways for ERT, in favor of more rides on Rita and Nemesis? Also, I'm going to want a ride or two on Oblivion, but would it take me too far out of the way on the way to Rita (or Hex)? I'm a big fan of Nemesis, though. I'm wondering if it would be worth getting a bunch of rides on it (and Air) during and right after ERT, and just cough up the money for a fasttrack or two on Thirteen (which comes with a Rita FT too), if the queues are too long. It might be worth getting a few extra rides in while I'm over there, rather than spending all that time running over to Thirteen.

 

I'm most likely going on Tuesday, July 12, unless I'd be better off on Monday because of expected bad weather. Speaking of which, what is AT's policy on rain? Do they run the coasters in rain, if there isn't lightning? Also, they're closing at 5:30 PM that day, which seems quite early. Any idea why? Also, I'm not afraid to pay for Fasttrack, if it ends up being worth it and the queues are too long. I probably wouldn't shell out the money for the unlimited one, and may not do the ultimate one either (unless queues are really bad all around the park!), but I'd do the Scream and Dark Forest ones. Also, I'd really like to check out the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ride. Are the queues usually long enough to buy the Adventurer fasttrack? I'd also use it on the Mine Train, but might skip the flume and rapids (how wet are they?)

 

Also, which rides currently have single rider queues? On my last visit, I completely forgot about the one on AIR (despite being warned about it by Justin from the ECC!) until just before we left on the second day! I managed to take advantage of it only once! Luckily, we had two real ERT sessions on it, although I did get stuck on if for quite a while!

 

Thanks for any help.