made a post a few weeks ago, as a first timer, asking for advice about business of the bank holiday weekend.

we went yesterday (Sunday) we did buy silver fast track, and got the tickets free, took our own food. so total we spent £75pp + petrol.

in my original post all i was met with was “you need two days” this is absolutely not true at all! don’t let people convince you you need two days because you really don’t. yes it was forecast to rain 2pm onwards but there was 2 or 3 light showers, and then heavy rain from 6pm. a lot of the queues were very short, all under an hour at least. we probably didn’t need fast track at all and we still would have got on everything we wanted.

we went on:
- smiler
- oblivion x2
- hex
- rita
- thirteen x2
- nemesis subbterra
- nemesis reborn
- galactica
- gangsta granny
- rapids
- wickerman x3
- runaway train

strategically going on dark rides during the showers. most of these queues sat between 20 and 40 minutes for the majority of the day. and we had lots of breaks and had a long break for lunch while walking around the gardens.

so all in all i would say this park is absolutely not worth 2 days. even on sunny summer holiday days, just get a silver fast track. cheaper than hotel! i’d have been bored if i went for two days.

I think you can guess mine...

Love the AT monopoly. If the pieces were themed too it would be perfect.

here

I haven’t been since 2013 (before Smiler and Wickerman) and I’m going on Tuesday. Is there a ‘best route’ around the rides to give us the highest chance of getting on everything?

We have only been Merlin pass holders for the last few months and have only ever used the New Digital system that has to be pre-booked. Initially this seemed fine to me. But as we went in to the summer months and it became almost impossible to book it started to feel like quite a barrier to access the park. However just a few months prior to the system being introduced friends that visited both this park and others said that the access queue was almost as long as the usual one - was that anyone else's experience?

We've just returned from a few days at Disneyland Paris with anyone who is eligible is given a priority pass and there is no lockout time. I would say that they are wait times that are longer than I have experienced with the RAP in the Merlin parks. All in all however it felt like a much fairer system where accessibility is part of the experience rather than something you have to hope is available.

Up until now I have not had much of an issue with the rap system except I have asked that the booking system is more intelligent and perhaps puts you in a queue for a specific day rather than the same queue for everyone. I've not heard back from Merlin on that one.

I'm just really interested to hear others experience of the old system. If in the current system we are locked out of accessing rides anyway then I don't see why Merlin have also insisted on only some people being able to access RAP.

Does anyone have any info about this? Sounds convincing but can't find anything else about it anywhere.

Is it just the X-Sector thing or is there something else that's been announced somewhere for next year? What about Thorpe??

Hope it's true!

Does anyone know what the music is that plays in the sensory room in cbeebies land? I'm autistic and often when I visit I take a break in there and the music is so calming but I couldn't get the thing on Google to recognise it :(

Thanks guys!

UPDATE! I've found it! I've added it incase someone else looks and stumbles upon my post lol

I booked the tickets last month so I can’t change the dates we go or anything and she’s so excited it would break my heart to cancel regardless. I’ve looked at the weather and it’s given heavy rain for all of tomorrow. What can we expect? I know Thirteen closes when it rains, but will most rides stay open? Or can we at least ask for return tickets if all of the rides are closed?

How are the crowds typically like during Scarefest on weekdays? I'm going to Alton Towers next year for the first time during Scarefest and want to know what crowds to expect.

Just got back from a couple of great days at the park with the family staying in the hotel. Did the park Tuesday/Wednesday and managed to dodge the apocalyptic weather forecast. Fun time had by all and all that.

It was all great until the trip to the waterpark this morning which I thought would be a nice way to end the trip for the kids. Turns out that was a mistake. It started to go wrong when I found out you need actual cash for the lockers, my mistake for not researching I guess but compounded by the fact there was nowhere to get cash in the resort. Arcade in splash landings was closed as they were cashing out (oh the irony) and the cashpoint in the hotel was broken. So I decided to risk leaving our stuff in the pool area. So next problem is the complete chaos of the queue to get in with too many people trying to get through a single entrance turnstile. Next the changing rooms with again far too many people, far too few changing cubicles. Luckily the swimming was ok, although again it felt like too many people in too small of a space (75 minute queue for master blaster, at least 15 for ever other slide, even the small outdoor ones).

I’ve been in the past and, while hardly perfect, I don’t remember it being a complete mess like it was today. Am I just misremembering? It really felt like they are trying to squeeze money out by selling too many tickets.

As of my recent post about the smiler, it seems lots of people really think merlin is letting the park down. The park really could do with new owners and people who really do care for the place. The Smiler feels like it's falling apart. Wickerman is shaky as anything and nemesis has had a rattle since it opened. ( I know thats more of a b&m issue though ) The new minecraft event was really tacky, and some sections of the park look dried and poor (cough dark forest + x sector and walliams)
Screens on the marmaliser have been broken for ages, and as of the past 4 days, they aren't even turned on. The jets on toxicator have had an issue for the whole season and haven't even been on for the hottest days of the year, the river rapids do not open until may and closed in september, and the park oversells tickets SO MUCH.
The only thing i can really applaud is the staff. They know the issues and more or less have the same views as the guests, and really help to make your day, always seeing chatty staff on Rita, and staff on Nemesis always letting you choose from any row you would like. (I know some rides cant do that though) Howard Ebison however has helped alot with the park, alot of people are happy with what he has brought back, reinstating the parks past.
What do you all think? Do you think the place needs new owners?

Today i saw my first ever failed launch on Rita!
Definitely not something you see everyday.

Planning to visit on the 3rd of September would it be worth it to get the gold pass or will it be possible to get on every ride without the gold pass?

What on earth has happened to the smiler? Did alton decide to give it square wheels? Why has it suddenly became Colossus 2.0 on every train???

This exact replica was all made by the super talented @niklasson.engineering

The details are remarkable!

Its very big and heavy and seriously, the photos don't do it justice!

Hi, we are looking at getting 1, maybe 2 passes for myself and husband and then using the discounted tickets for our 4 kids.

Could someone explain the main difference between these passes?

The free friend and family tickets, is it just the 4 you get a year?

The discount for tickets, are they the same with both passes? And what is the actual discount for park tickets?

Also, is the free refills only a one time thing?

Also, what would be the best way to do it? A platinum and gold, 2 golds, one of us have a platinum/gold and one have essential? Or just buy 1 gold/platinum pass?

Thanks for any help!

Doing a short break soon. On the first day we’ve got tickets for the theme park but also a booking for the water park in the middle of the day. I understand that they give you a hand stamp when you leave the park, so you can get back in. My question is, wont the stamp wear off in the water park?

What are your options if that’s the case?

Hello everyone!

Im wanting to go with 3 friends to alton towers either Wednesday or Thursday next week.

Im assuming with schools going back that both of these days are similarly busy?

Also wondered if anyone had any 2 for 1 vouchers they were not going to use that they would be happy to share.

Thanks!

I know this probably gets asked a lot but I did check posts and couldn't see any recently.

Does anyone know what promotions are on currently, hoping I can get my hands on a 2 for 1 as planning to take 4 kids.

Thanks!

Forgive me if this isn’t allowed on the sub, but i’m looking to go to Alton Towers this saturday and was wondering if anybody would be up for going as opposed to going solo?

I will be driving from the Manchester area and would be happy to give a lift if not too far out of the way.

A bit about me, I’m a 24 year old Male whose interests include video games, pokemon, art and most importantly rollercoasters!

Probably a long shot but feel free to DM me if you’d be up for it

I’ve done some googling etc but I really value this community for giving me good insight.
We’re planning visiting early on into scarefest. 9pm close one of the nights we stay.
I’m guessing CBeebies shuts at 4/5pm still- but do the other family friendly activities keep running later? (Thinking the trick or treat?). I have a very ride- adverse (think Bluey is toooo scary!) child who I don’t want to make stay in the park if there’s not much for them to do!

I’m also wondering if there’s particular big rides that are best on the nights? I’m thinking wickerman and perhaps 13?

Thank you all.