Alton Towers

[billybgate]

I don't know how many of you aren't from the uk and how many aren't from the USof A but seeing as I've only been to Alton Towers (Staffordshire UK) i think it's cool! i like Oblivion, though I always want off at the critical point! I would love to travel across america and do all the rides but unfortunately i don't have the time or money.... need to win the lottery

What would you like to do? what is your ultimate rollercoaster dream?

J

Went to AT on friday, was the second time ive been ever. Rain was lashing down, which was a good thing coz that meant the Q's were'nt as bad.got soaken wet.

Went on Nemisis after Q'ing for about 15mins, once we got on went round, and it finished.as it does. But what we didnt know was while we were getting flung around was that there was no power anywhere in the park :eek so the brakes slam on when we reach the end, and were sitting wondering what the hell's going on, while all the shops close there shutters, while were still stuck on Nemisis getting absolutley soaked throught to the bone.

After half an hour they decided to open the ride harness things manually (thank god) then gave us a complimentry ticket to get on another ride jumping the Q.

When they got the power back on, there was no Nemisis, No air. Very dissapointed, coz air was the reason i came. (drove 4.5 hr's from Newcastle) .

Anyway, off we go to find some more attractions n stuff, and i suggest them kongo river things where loads of people sit on them...we head towards them and as i look at the ride, it looks like its been abandoned for 40 years or so. No water, big massive logs in the gangways, loads of rubbish, and where there was water, it was filthy.

since the last time i was at AT it seemed to have getting worse, maintenence seems like its just non existing.

But i'll be back next year, to see how things have improved, and might finally get the chance to go on AIR.

Also, i think they could have done a lot more to Oblivion IMO, they could have made it longer, or done a couple of loops when you come out of the tunnel, because your going at quite some speed.

Later,

Godscrasher

[billybgate]

it seems you got an unlucky day mate...

the time's i've been (3) in the lst 6 years, i've had a really good time!

Don't let what happened to you put you off. go again! June's a good time before the english schools go on holiday....

Jo

I went to Alton Towers for about the fourth time last month. AIR was really good as it was the first ride of that type I had been on. Had to go on Nemesis a few times (6 to be exact) as its my favourite ride. Also went on Oblivion again, which broke down while we were queuing, and so got the privilige of watching them remove a car from the track. Found out iwas one of the shoulder restraints so that added to the excitement I suppose. I miss Thunderlooper though.

[Mousing]

Hello BILLYBGATE
I can understand that you live in the Staffs area of UK and that Alton Towers is quite good if you have never been to many others. I used to live in Staffordshire and have been to Alton Towers quite a few times, but now I live in Florida USA. I have not been to any of the HUGE American parks, but I have seen some of the great rides across this country.
Universals Islands of Adventure, Orlando is a great park and THE HULK is out of this world.
Busch Gardens, Tampa has some of the BEST rides I have ever been on. There is a Busch Gardens in Virginia which I believe is better then Tampa
I used to think rides like Nemesis & The Big One, Pepsi Max at Blackpool were state of the art...but you can have as many thrills at Disney on the Tea Cups. So save your money and get to USA where the rides will astound you
If anyone from Alton Towers reads this...'sorry Alton Towers...but you can have as much fun stuck in traffic on the M6 on a Bank Holiday Monday'

[billybgate]

I don't live in staffordshire, I'm all the way up north in Aberdeen in scotland!

Would love to visit USA and all the rollercoasters but i can't afford it ... Have heard about some of the florida coasters from my ex boyfriend and i want to go!!!!!

Jo

P.S Don't go to Alton Towers on a bank holiday... waaayyy tooo busy

Im From Newcastle Myself And It Does Take A Hell Of A Long Time To Get There And Somehow It Always Seems To Rain. Cant Wait For The New Ride In 2004, Rollercoaster In The Style Of A Pinball Machine!

[billybgate]

only every rained once on me, when sitting at the top of oblivion.....

Jo

[Wolsey]

I would never DREAM going to Alton Towers on bank holiday, to me thats a complete wasted day.

Alton Towers is a good theme park, but its just going downhill in my opinion.

Firstly, they let TOO many people go in the park, that you don't get your moneys worth. There too greedy.

The Q for nemesis was 3 hours, and that was BEFORE british summer holidays!

Wristbands are FAR too expensive (£26) for the amount of rides you get to go on. Compared to blackpool (same price) I can get on any ride usually within 15 mins. (with exceptions made for Spin Doctor, Valhalla and sometimes Ice Blast), so I find a park like blackpool value for money, compared to a park like Alton Towers where somedays you'll be lucky to get on 10 rides once.

I have other little problems with the park, one of them being how god damn far you have to walk from one place to the other, it takes ages for example to get from Oblivion to Nemesis, all the walking through those gardens grrr. You may think im lazy but ya know! When I go to an amusment park, i go to GO ON RIDES not look at some pretty flowers, If I wanted flowers id go to my local garden centre, and save a hell of alot of money!!!

Another is Oblivion, and whilst Im at it...Air, they both could of been SOOOO much better, Oblivion could do so much more, it could also be alot higher, itd be nice for a big tall rollercoaster at Alton Towers instead of the 60ft or however high they are rides! Its nice to have a different range of sizes. Oblivion is far too much fuss, for far too little, Q-ing over two hours for something that literally lasts 45 seconds doesn't exactley give their guests a good feeling of satisfaction. And come on...they do have the money to make rides bigger and better.

Air...is better, but again, too short, and to Q for that ride once was absolutley horrific!! your walking, and your seeing this maaaasive Q to go on it! I've never seen such a Q in all my life..it just went on and on and on and when I got to the end, I quickly done a U-TURN, and walked away from it.

Right..I've done moaning. lol.

[Mousing]

I guess that I would agree witha lot of what Wolsley said about Alton Towers
I undersatnd that when you go to a theme park...you go for the rides, but Alton Towers was not always a theme park.
I am not 100% sure about the history of Alton Towers, but I think that it was just gardens that were laid by Capability Brown and people went to the castle that I think was built as a folly
I think that if they were to try to lose the gardens...because they were done by C.Brown...there would be an outcry and you would have all the old folks waving their sticks at you.
I now live in Florida and go to Disney at peak season and never have to wait for anything very long. Three hours for Nemesis is a bit much

[billybgate]

it takes ages for example to get from Oblivion to Nemesis, all the walking through those gardens grrr. You may think im lazy but ya know! When I go to an amusment park, i go to GO ON RIDES not look at some pretty flowers,

Did you ever use the SkyRide? That's what it there for! It might not get directly from Oblivion to Nemesis but it cuts a lot of time out!

I don't see what the problem with Alton Towers is? Apart from Peak and Standard Days and dogdy signage through Stoke-On-Trent, I've had a whale of a time and because a) I got there for opening and got on Nemesis 4 times in a row with minimal queuing and b) I planned roughly where I was going (to allow for breakdown etc) i got everything i wanted to do (apart from Air this time) and had time to spare!

It makes sense!

Jo

[Wolsey]

Originally posted by billybgate
Did you ever use the SkyRide? That's what it there for! It might not get directly from Oblivion to Nemesis but it cuts a lot of time out!

I don't see what the problem with Alton Towers is? Apart from Peak and Standard Days and dogdy signage through Stoke-On-Trent, I've had a whale of a time and because a) I got there for opening and got on Nemesis 4 times in a row with minimal queuing and b) I planned roughly where I was going (to allow for breakdown etc) i got everything i wanted to do (apart from Air this time) and had time to spare!

It makes sense!

Jo

Well...the sky ride isnt an answer, Because that ride is also busy to Q up for. So it would even take you even longer!

I'm not saying Alton Towers is the worst park, and that I really dislike it, but I think it can be alot better.

I also think (esspecially for old people) that those gardens are terrible to walk through, you have to go down steps, up steps, up slopes, down slopes. it can prove to be a tiring and quite dangerous for some people.

Maybe, Im too used to blackpool pleasure beach, where everything is on top of each other. but in my eyes, blackpool know what their guests want..which is rides, and i like how everything is together.

Alton Towers seem to play it differently and spread everything out as much as possible, the majority (well ALL of them) really come for RIDES, it is an amusment park afterall, and its not been made cheaper for people who just wanna look at gardens.

Tivoli Denmark, they also have huge gardens, only difference is you pay a small amount to enter the park (which will attract old guests), then you get a wristband once your inside. Also, all the rides are in one area, with the gardens in another.

To put it plain and simple, Alton Towers is an awkward park, thats exhausting to get from one ride to another, once you get to the ride, your q-ing hours upon hours, when you finish the ride, you have to walk alllll the way to the next ride.

Next time you want to go to a theme park, try Blackpool Pleasure Beach, then you'll see what I mean!

Originally posted by Wolsey

Another is Oblivion, and whilst Im at it...Air, they both could of been SOOOO much better, Oblivion could do so much more, it could also be alot higher, itd be nice for a big tall rollercoaster at Alton Towers instead of the 60ft or however high they are rides! Its nice to have a different range of sizes

Alton Towers have a height restriction on their rides due to the countryside setting. If Nemesis had been built at ground level it would have broke the 'above tree height' law operating - thats why the construction team blasted a huge hole in the ground and built it in that (and this helped with the theming). You may also notice that the Corkscrew lift hill is painted green to blend in with the trees so the countryside is unspoilt. I heard rumours of a woody for Alton Towers with dps in excess of 100ft - normally this wouldn't be allowed at the park but due to the natural vallies they might be able to build a large coaster without breaking the tree line. Correct me if Im wrong anyone

[redroban]

Originally posted by billybgate
I don't live in staffordshire, I'm all the way up north in Aberdeen in scotland!
Jo

Side note off topic...cool! I've always wanted to see Aberdeen. It is probably boring to you, but I'm one of those Scottish-descended Americans who feels a bit uprooted and wants to see the area from where the family came. My great granddad came from a bit north of you, Keith, Scotland where an ironmonger shop still exists under the family name. They told my visiting parents, though, that all the distant cousins moved to Aberdeen.

Originally posted by billybgate
... I would love to travel across america and do all the rides but unfortunately i don't have the time or money.... need to win the lottery

What would you like to do? what is your ultimate rollercoaster dream?

J

Back on topic...I'm a bit opposite of you. Any park is great to visit, but I'd like to visit Europe just to see the theme parks, particularly the UK parks I keep hearing about and seeing on America's Travel Channel. This thread is the first time I've heard any negatives about A.T.

[Wolsey]

I went to aberdeen last week, I spent a week up in Scotland, near inverness, in a place called nairn.

Aberdeen has there own little theme park on the sea front! Oceon Boulveard..or sommat like that. Its only small.

I like aberdeen, Union Street has some good shops! I also like Duffy Park where they have that greenhouse and those big slides.

Oh well Im done..lol.

On topic though...I think they withdrawed the plans for an Alton Towers woodie.

I never knew about the height restriction thingy, but it does explain a few things.

Im surprised Blackpool Pleasure Beach are allowed to build so high, with an airport right near by the place! but lol..makes it that whole more exciting when you see a plane coming across your head.lol.

[Wolsey]

(ignore)