A giant theme park! (Alton Towers (Staffordshire))

Member Name: D-RAY2000

Product:	Alton Towers (Staffordshire)
Date:	15/05/08 (133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great rides, plenty for all ages to do and not too expensive!

Disadvantages: -

Alton towers is a place I visit every year without fail and love it more each time I go. For anyone who does not know Alton towers is a giant and I mean giant theme park located between Uttoxeter and Stoke. The theme park itself started to emerge in the early 70`s although before that the actual grounds have stood and been used for many things for many, many years before that.

The initial rides at Alton towers were boat rides and cable cars which in the early 80`s were joined by traditional fairground rides and then even bigger thrill rides as the place began to become the theme park we know today.

There is something for all ages to enjoy at Alton towers so if thrill rides and the likes are not your thing do not fear you will definitely find something to enjoy. There are loads of kids rides too so the little ones will enjoy Alton towers as much as the teenagers and adults.

Some of my favourite rides are ..

NEMESIS-

Now a long standing roller coaster at the park and still one of the best, this ride rattles along a track of just over 700 metres at speeds of up to 55 mph and takes some terrifying twists and turns. Even though this ride is an older one (arriving at the park in 1994) it is still one of my favourites and gets a 8/10 from me

OBLIVION-

This ride is literally over in the blink of an eye but even so it is brilliant and terrifying to boot. This coaster drops you vertically into a hole in the ground, during the descent it takes the breath from you then you re-appear at the other side back on the level with little or no idea what's just happened to you. For me this is a real 10/10 ride.

THE CORKSCREW-

Another oldie but goodie, this was one of the parks first coasters and is still amazing to ride now. It hurls you round loop after loop at speeds up to 70 mph and you feel every single bump as you are thrown around in your seat. 7/10

AIR -

A coaster where you hang in a superman like pose and really feel like you are flying After riding this though it will change your idea of flight forever. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed with this coaster when it finally opened in 2002 but I think it was just because all the hype for it had been a bit too much and it just could not live up to it, still a great ride though and it gets a 7/10 from me.

RITA-

Or to give her, her full title Rita queen of speed is an awesome coaster that did live up to all the hype it got as it prepared to open in 2005. This ride hurtles you along at 100 mph over a 650 metre track, you get on it full of fear and excitement and get off wondering what the f**k just happened to you. Probably the best coaster I have ever ridden with the exception of the grand national at Blackpool's pleasure beach and a definite 10/10 from me.

Now I won't go into a full list of all the other rides at the park because it would simply take far too long to write or read for that matter and obviously I can't vouch for the kids rides being good or not because I have never ridden them. There are dozens upon dozens of great rides at this theme park and you can easily spend the whole day there without getting bored. The only thing you have to be prepared for is the queue`s especially at the parks peak season times, it is not uncommon to wait up to 2 hours to get on a ride if you do not book ride times when you enter.

If you wish to grab a bite to eat during your day then don't worry there is plenty of choice within the park with outlets such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee littered throughout the park. The prices at the food outlets are exactly the same as you would pay at any of their other branches too so you are not overly ripped off.

I have not been since July 2006 with last year being the first year I have missed for over ten years so I can't wait to get there this year and see what's been added to the place. there is constantly new rides popping up and they are usually fantastic too.

This park differs from the likes of Blackpool pleasure beach where you enter free and pay for the rides, at Alton towers you pay to enter then the rides are free.

ENTRY PRICES-

Adults 12 years and over - £32 on a non event day.

Children 4 - 11 years - £22 on a non event day.

Children under 4 years - Free

Concessions are available for senior citizens and disabled persons.

My over all opinion on the park is that it is well worth the admission costs and it gets an overall 9/10 from me for entertainment!

Thanks for reading!

Summary: Be scared, be very scared!!