Alton Towers opening day Trip Report + Photos

[Richard]

We arrived in the park around 10:20am, I would've liked to have gotten there early, but dad was being slow . Anyway, I came with 2 of my friends, Bethan and Loren and also my cousin, Leslie, from Singapore decided to tag along. I felt sorry for him really coz he was used to the temperture being around 30*C every single day of the year, and it was berly 8*C in Alton...He had also never ever ever been on a ride in his life, I dont even think he knew what they were, oh well! So he had an excuse to blouse out of a few rides.

 

Firstly we went off to Spinball because we thought it would gain huge queues all day. I think this was our longest queue of being 20 minutes, which wasn't bad as the music and games kept us entertained. Leslie seemed to enjoy his ride. The ride wasn't brilliant, but wasn't bad at all. Also hearing Bethan and Loren singing on the other side of the car kept me laughing all the way round.

 

Next we planned to go to Hex as Leslie looked cold and felt abit giddy after Spinball...buuut after walking past Oblivion and seeing there was no queue we couldn't resist having a ride. Leslie, suprisingly came into the queue line but he decided not to ride when we got to the station. All the 5 trains were running which was cool. lol Loren really panicked when we got on the ride, she'd been on it before, but she was perified. I was actually quite nervous as well, I honestly dont know why though, Oblivion just seems to scare me . Anyway, we got to the edge of the drop and Loren swore her arse off, I just looked down and felt the adrenaline go through me. We dropped and it felt amazing as usual, we hit the breaks and Loren was laughing and so was Bethan, both wanting another ride.

 

So off to Hex we went, I told Leslie it would be warmer in there...but I lied it was still cold. The ride was running beautifully, every effect was working and Bethan, Loren and Leslie were very impressed with the presentation of the ride. After that ride I went off to see Rita, a crowd of enthusiasts were looking and talking round there, probably waiting for a test run, I couldn't be arsed to wait with them so we all headed off to Sky Ride to go ride Nemesis. The view of Rita from Sky Ride was amazing, the ride was really looking good. Loren panicked when the aky ride stopped over the valley, she swore alot of wanted to get off, we all comforted her and made her feel better, and she was laughing by the time she came off.

 

By this time I had noticed how amazingly clean the whole park was, the new management had really done a good job. We headed for Nemesis, the ride was looking good with a newly painted station and all the blood rivers running..whch actually looked like blood insted of Ribena lol. I noticed in the queue (which was very short) that one of the trains didnt have any wheel covers and the other train didnt have any on the back row. It turns out the tech staff didn't check them properly and they fell off round the first inversion during morning testing! lol . It looked abit weird. We all rode on the back and it was a really good intense ride as usual, loved it. Leslie enjoyed it as well, which was cool.

 

After that we went off to Air, it had a tiny tiny queue, but it wasn't moving as fast as it should because they only had 2 trains running, it was about a 10minute queue though, which was good. Leslie didn't like the lying down idea so he waited for us at the exit. The ride was runnig well, not as fast as the end of last year, but it was enjoyable.

 

We went off and rode Nemesis on the back again and headed off to Duel. All the effects were working, it was a funny ride thanks to Bethan and Loren. Bethan won in the end. We went off to Katanga Canyon to get some munch before heading pff to The Flume. The tunnel effects wern't working though which was a huge shame as the ride was pretty boring other wise, but we had some on-ride photo fun on it.

 

We then did another circuit of the park, getting a re-rides on Oblivion, seeing Rita testing! And more rides on Nemesis, Air, Rapids, Runawaymine Train and The Flume.

 

After that dad called me to tell me he'd be late picking me up, he would be abuot an hour late, we were all tired so Bethan Loren and Leslie went to the play-area near Spinball and I went off to see if I could get some better pictures of Rita tesing, I got to speak to some builders about the ride, but I didn't get to see it testing again. So I met up with the others in he play-area to play with the worm before heading to the hotel to get some more food and a few games on the arcades....Loren is a dance machine queen!!! I've never seen anyone move so fast on those machines.

 

Anyway, it was a great day, great atmosphere, great weather, great rides, very very clean, Rita is looking great and all the staff were helpful and happy.

 

Photos - Click HERE

Edited March 16, 2005 by Richard

[nemesis-storm]

Just been looking at the pictures, some very good pictures there.

The one of Oblivlion and the train falling with the sun behind it, is fantastic

[Stitch]

That was a cool trip report, I really liked your photos. I wish I could visit Alton Towers and ride Nemesis, it looks like a ton of fun. Thank you for sharing your photos with us - Stitch

[socalMAN123]

Great picutres and TR! I really want to visit Alton Towers and get my credits on Nemisis, Rita, and Oblivion.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Great Trip Report, and very nice pics.

 

Hopefully we will get out there some year.

[Hattuchili]

Great Trip Report and pictures. Thanks for posting. I never visited Alton Towers, but it is a new point on my list.

 

--Soeren

[Penny]

I want go Alton Towers. !!!!!!

Really a Great Trip Report....

 

Sorry, do you know how a pour italian student (in erasmus)

can arrive to alton towers without a car?

 

[The more simple and cheap way ]

[Cllins]

can arrive to alton towers without a car?

 

Yes you can

 

Midland Main Line from London St Pancras by Train to Derby & Bus to Alton Towers is the best & cheapest day visit you can do. If you are coming from London.

 

Link to the site

 

Or

 

Virgin trains from London Euston by Train to Stoke on Trent & Bus to Alton Towers.

 

 

Nick "Done it many times" Collins

[Nosferatu]

If the buss comes. When we where going there the bus never showed up. After waiting almost two hours at the station a taxi came, and we got a ride to the park. But it wasn't cheap, and we had already paid fot the buss.

[Penny]

The problem is that now I living in Exeter, Devon...(city very far from london and from birmingham ).

 

But I think that I will have to going to london and after to Alton Towers (is the cheapest way)

 

Do you know a way from birmingham? (it's not very cheaper but I may go to visit the city and a my friend meanwhile!)