Grantcos

Guys on holiday soon and want to make a trip down to alton towers with the missus for a laugh.

Can you guys give me some tips etc that would give us the best experience, its a massive drive so dont want to make a mess of the day when I get there by not being organised enough.

Would you recomend 2 days at the place, we obviously want to go to the theme park but is there other things we should do, i see they have a water park etc..

Been on their website and there is alot to choose from, the hotels on there seem pretty pricey, so might get a local premier inn???

Thanks guys, Grant

lukeytheduke

make get a b and b. I cant remember the one we stayed in but it was cheap amazing and 5mins drive to park. Yer go for two days, then u dont have to worry about que's etc. If your loaded stay in the thorpe park hotel, thats an experiance in itself and worth every penny, think u get free fast passes for rides at certain times too.

Carlos-Titx

I just got back from there today. Had a brilliant time!
If you have the money I would suggest getting the fast track passes for as much as you can, the only arse of it is that you can only use the fast track tickets once per ride.
As mentioned I would say 2 days to get on everything at a leisurely pace giving you time to chill and tuck into some food.
Prob better taking your own as the food there is expensive and served by some proper genetic throw backs that look very similar to humans. One 'female' (I use the term loosely) watched me trying to pour a drink of Coke, nothing happened with the lever so pressed the button, still no coke. With the most vacant expression she decided to dribble the words "that doesn't work, use the machine down there" using her ham fist to point in the general direction of a wasp. Yeah, thanks for that mutant lady! Why not tell me before I tried as you were watching me?
But it is a great day out! I loved the ride Rita!

mcst

If you go in the week you can get round all the good stuff easily in a day. If you want to do everything 2 days would be better. We go every year in May and only do the big rides Rita, Air, Nemesis, Oblivion, 13. We've never managed to do those and the other stuff thats halfway worth doing, rapids, mine train, log flume etc.... Although when we last went it was busier than usual but the longest we waited(except for the 1.5hours when 13 broke down) was 20 minutes.
To really enjoy it if you've either not been for years or never been i'd suggest 2 days as on top of the rides the place is amazing to walk round and take some time in, i love just going round the grounds as much as the rides.
Foods not that expensive, theres a pizza and pasta place thats iirc about £6.99/8.99 each for the all you can eat buffet.

macca194

Straight to Rita,13, Oblivion, Air and then Nemisis (best coaster in the park) and go on as many in between been a few times and tend to get on everything thing doing it that way.

Carlos-Titx

Managed to do Rita, Air, Nemesis, Oblivion, 13 today. Got on 13 and Rita twice and loved them!
Didn't go in the pizza place. I ate at the hot dog stand type thing. That was a mistake! 1st time i've ever been so I will remember to hit the pizza and pasta place!

Grantcos, hope you have a good one mate!

wattie

Never go there at weekends or school holidays the place is a joke! Que jumper passes are a Good idea saves standin about, been a few times now love it every time I'm such a big kid, usually take 2 days but the mother in law stays quite local so we stay at hers, last time we went we got a 2 for 1 deal through some leaflet she picked up in tescos which was a bonus!

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

dont stay there and dont eat there. unless your rich and want to waste money....

on a hot day the "bottomless" soft drinks cups are ok value as you can drink shit loads to get your moneys worth.

mcst

Its not as dear as people think, look out for the 2 for 1 deals. We go every year and have never paid full whack. When we went in may we spent about £100ish including entry, food, souvenirs and pictures. Just be sensible and don't buy everything thrown at you and avoid all the fairground games to win cuddly toys etc... they will rinse your money.
We do as others have said, do all the big rides first then fill out the day with the other stuff. keep an eye on the boards for the queue times and eat early or late and you can avoid some of the heavier queues. We managed 13 twice and that was the busiest ride, i'd suggest getting there first as its the furthest away really.

dave_s2_rst

iTrader: (2)

make sure you get lucky with the weather, defo go a week day before school hols etc.

Fast track is good, if you get there early enough you may even find there's little or no que. This will then allow you to use fast track later allowing you to go on rides twice if you can stomach it lol.

We managed to do this with oblivion and rita, we were on the oblivion at 1010am, ran to the top , jumped on and did not feel tired after that lol.

Its a good laugh and the roads up there are great if you have a fun little motor.

bluescortcossie

i live very close to alton towers but you not staying at mine !

as already been said , try to go on a weekday and not in school holidays , mid week its often so empty you can walk straight on a lot of rides and only que a few mins for the big stuff

ive never personally been to the water park but have heard how good it is but expensive

for somewhere to stay look at Uttoxeter , there are plenty of b+b's and travellodge type places at reasonable prices and its approx 15min drive away and also has a bit of nightlife and plenty shops etc

avoid staying in ashbourne , its expensive just for the sake of being expensive , there nowt there !!

lukeytheduke

if u dont mind running right at the end of the day everyone leaves early so u can go on loads of the big rides then

4parajon

We got a special offer for a family of 4 for £300 last year which was a day in the water park, overnight stay in there hotel with breakfast and a day in the theme park. As you stay in there hotel you get in the park half an hour before anyone else so went straight for Rita. The water park's good if you have kids, dont bother if you have'nt.

RstAaron.

2 days passes to the park and a nights stay at the alton towers hotel for 7 of us cost £500. Went last year and stayed in some shit hotel nearby that we booked through the A.T. website where we thought we'd get in the extra hour early but turned out we couldn't. Long story short my mate had a word at customer services and got us all vip passes on all the main rides which allowed us to go STRAIGHT onto the rides even ahead of the fast track!

fezzy240bhp

So go to alton towers if u want ur money draining and want a very long walk and wanna stand around aimlessly looking at the back of peoples heads.

RstAaron.

Costs me about £100 for 2 days (considering you can spend that on a night out I find that reasonable value), I'm not worried about going for a walk and I've not had to queue for more than 30 minutes for any ride in the last 3 years I've been there.

Carlos-Titx

It cost me £68 for 2 adults and with both of us having fast track passes to 3 rides and inclusive of parking. We did use the by one get one free voucher from Tesco.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach cost me £96 the other month and was a total bag of wank! Alton Towers is far better.

tarry500

This B&B is stunning, lovely rooms with four poster bed en-suite bathroom and excellent breakfast in the mornand just round the corner from the park with a nice little back road that avoids the traffic. Highly recommend.
http://towersabovetherest.co.uk/

Grantcos

Wow just wow, i'm stagered by te responses, thank you all so much!!!!!

Thats alot of great tips that I would not of thought of, i'm quite concerned to hear I will just get on the big rides once or possibly twice

Are the local schools on holiday there, after hearing all that i'm thinking it would be better if we went when they are back, its a long way to not enjoy it. I know its summer time but did think i would get a few go's on rides.
Thats a good plan to go on the big ones first then use the passes later on to get on again.

I suspected the food would be really pricey but what I was planning on doing was going to that red hot buffet place in nottingham at night and stuffing our faces, been there with the work ( machine marts head office is there) and it was amazing, so many dishes and deserts

Haha the storys are funny about the food staff, what an idiot watching you.

Carlos-Titx

Schools are soon to break up for the hols for about 5 to 6 weeks I think (some one may correct me) so steer clear during the run up to, during and shortly after the holidays.

Mainly the run up to the hols more than after is when the schools go for the day trips with all the wild screaming, pushing, shoving, gobshite spotty youths. And obviously during the holidays families go so its packed! Or so the Mrs said, she has been loads. Yesterday was my first time.

ste1806

i love going there end of the season can do the rides and then watch a great fireworks display all in the entrance cost, they do the fireworks for a week i think and they stay open till 10 so can go on the rides in the dark which is different. I usually get 2 for 1 deal from lastminute.com also

4parajon

Most schools break up around the 21st July, so you need to be quick if you want to avoid them.

cfoster

I've stayed here a couple of times and its great, near to local pubs, about a 3 minute drive to Alton Towers. Price includes a great breakfast as well!!

http://www.chainedoak.com/

Also stayed in the Splash Landings hotel, wouldnt stay there again, overpriced for what it is, food was shite and it was packed with screaming kids!!

mcst

The week we go in may is busy with school trips of students and it works in our favour, its only the 2 of us and they all usually want to get on everything together with their mates and leaves the way for us to nip in front, they hit everything en mass so we just avoid them and it seems to work for us.

IMHO i think the place is great value, look at what they offer and you don't have to spend any more money once you're in they don't force you to spend the extras like photos, gifts etc...
The food is the same as you would pay in any bar or restaurant round here(unless you only use wetherspoons) - we ate for about £23 including our drinks. Theres deals in some of them available after 3o'clock iirc.

The 2 for 1 vouchers have been everywhere, tesco, whsmith, the sun, the mirror theres no reason for it to be expensive. In fact, if the op wants one i'll post him one!
Once you've paid to get in theres an offer on the tickets to come back the next day for next to nothing!

Grantcos

Ive just been reading the missus the posts shes really thankfull too!!!

I'm thinking I would like to leave it till after the schools go back, Its bad enough not getting on the rides but didnt think about all the turds shouting and barging about whilst we are waiting in big ques that would really annoy me.

I like the sound of getting in at night that sounds great fun, missus likes fireworks.

Thanks for the accomidation links i'm away to have a look at them next.

Matt that would be fantastic, and that sound great about the next day offer too, if that would be ok I will pm you

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!
Grant

mcst

IIRC the next day price is something like £17, it will say on the back of your ticket when you get in. My vouchers say 2010 on them but i'm certain i got them this year so hopefully they'll work maybe my branch of whsmith had old ones knocking about. PM me your address and i'll fire one in the post for you anyway.

Join the facebook group too as they often have offers on there.

Grantcos

PM'd