Alton Towers - There's a reason it's the best (Alton Towers (Staffordshire))

Member Name: Palmer89

Product:	Alton Towers (Staffordshire)
Date:	18/06/09 (138 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Rides, fun, food, brilliant day out

Disadvantages: Queues, Expensive, Transport

Alton Towers is obviously the most famous theme park within the United Kingdom and for very good reason as far as I am concerned. I am going next month for only the 3rd time and I haven't even been on nemesis yet, my favourites being Air, Ripsaw and of course, who doesn't love the rapids or the duck log flume.

The price can be steep if you turn up on the day without a ticket, although whether anyone has actually ever paid full price entrance I'm not sure, you can either book online in advance with £8 off (or similar), and if that doesn't take your fancy there's numerous vouchers for either 50% off or one adult goes free with fully paying adult, this means you should always be able to get into the park for half price by splitting the cost. Fast track tickets will cost you upwards of £70 extra, I decided on getting 2 fast track tickets for me and my partner, for an added £70 overall.

Transport is the main problem with Alton Towers, situated in the village of Alton the transport links are almost non existent, both times we've been so far it's been by car, but since me and my partner are going next month and neither of us drive we needed another form of transport, we managed to find a coach package for £17 there and back each, but trains are expensive and then you need to get a bus from the station which, although runs often, adds another £5/6 to your day.

Everything so far seems a bit negative, so lets get onto the main thing people go to Alton Towers for, the rides, the main rides at Alton Towers are Oblivion, Rita, Ripsaw, Air and Nemesis. I have been able to go on 4 of these rides so far, last time I went I didn't fancy a go on Nemesis (I have since been on Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park).

Oblivion is a famous roller coaster, the vertical drop from the overhang of a dark tunnel before you escape the other side with your screams following behind you. Rita, a roller coaster only lasting 25 seconds or so but I believe it's one of the fastest start-100mph roller coasters in the world, the pictures you get on this ride should be hilarious. Ripsaw, a standalone ride as your seated into a compartment and sent over, and under and around the pole in the middle before being splashed with water on the way down towards the end. Air is a unique ride, as you're tilted upside down and told to spread your arms as you fly through the sky with the wind flowing through your hair, as for Nemesis I'm going to brave it next month.

Not to forget the water rides such as the log flume, which takes it's time as you visit what seems like the entire park before entering a hut with a fairly loud quack, until before you know it a super sized duck emerges from the darkness to scare whoever is waiting for it. The rapids are always a fans favourite, I'm not sure why but we all love it, going up and down as you travel off the sides of the river and get soaked, why it's fun I'm not sure, but it certainly is.

Basically, there's a reason that Alton Towers is the best theme park in Britain, Thorpe park must be catching up quickly but Alton Towers will always be known as the fans favourite and the most sought after theme park despite it's prices and possible long queues in the summer time. The rides are superb and for 6/7 hours with the family or friends to have a great time at the most enthralling landmark in the UK, I guess £60/70 each overall for the day isn't too large a price.


UPDATE:

Went again yesterday and it was better than expected, bought fast track tickets for all the major rides and then again some single ones later on in the day, overall it was a very expensive day for me, up to £200 all together with tickets, transport with gifts and food.

However, it was so worth it, was a birthday gift for my girlfriend which made it special and we got on every single ride within 15 minutes of going through the entrance thanks to the fast track.

Went on Nemesis for the first time (actually went on it 3 times in the end), spinball whizzer as well as all the major rides and rides such as Hex/Duel/Charlie.

We didn't use all the fastracks so overall worked out at about £3/4 per ride, about what it is for single fast tracks but we had them in advance and didn't have to be restricted to holding lots of tickets or being kept to a timetable so was better.

The guys serving us and the ride people were alot nicer than I ever remembered, the staff at the photo desks were brilliant, as was the order guy for the food outlet we went to (which was brilliant, the bbq food area) and the guy commentating on the runaway mind train was a legend, in fact we got 3 laps instead of the usual 2 because of some idiots on the first lap.

Brilliant once again, will go again as soon as it is possible me thinks, with yet more fastrack tickets...

Summary: Despite the negatives it's still the best theme park, thats some thing.