I know it's too late for this trip, but if you think about doing it again, you really want to try and do a 2 day trip. If you book far enough in advance you should be able to get a £19/night Travelodge deal. In conjunction with a decent offer on your park tickets will make your whole journey a much nicer experience.
I'm in Kent too, and trying to drive all the way to Alton Towers, and back again in one day, and have a good, full day at the park, is exhausting.
I can give you the number of a B&B in the area if it helps. It's approx 10 minutes from Alton Towers.
I know it's too late for this trip, but if you think about doing it again, you really want to try and do a 2 day trip. If you book far enough in advance you should be able to get a £19/night Travelodge deal. In conjunction with a decent offer on your park tickets will make your whole journey a much nicer experience.
I'm in Kent too, and trying to drive all the way to Alton Towers, and back again in one day, and have a good, full day at the park, is exhausting.
I can give you the number of a B&B in the area if it helps. It's approx 10 minutes from Alton Towers.
i should be ok driving i have driven to butlins and back in one day and it wasnt too bad and its only another hour so i should be ok, were going to set off about 6/7am
I noticed the other day that you can buy Alton Tower's queue jumper tickets which give you unlimited priority access to every ride... only an extra £100 (+ usual entry ticket)
However, I wouldn't mind getting one some year - as an one-off decadent treat, like paying for a 1st class air ticket
i should be ok driving i have driven to butlins and back in one day and it wasnt too bad and its only another hour so i should be ok, were going to set off about 6/7am
It will take about 4 hours from Kent, (depending where In Kent you live and the traffic obviously). So leaving at 6 will get you there for 10.
It doesn't open till 10 (don't know why so late in the Summer!) but by that time the queues for getting in will be quite big so don't expect to get in the park till about 11.
It will take about 4 hours from Kent, (depending where In Kent you live and the traffic obviously). So leaving at 6 will get you there for 10.
It doesn't open till 10 (don't know why so late in the Summer!) but by that time the queues for getting in will be quite big so don't expect to get in the park till about 11.
yea i know, have checked sat nav and that says 3 hours 45minutes, its basically just M2, M25 and then M1
well hopefully i will get to go on more than one:p but yea Nemisis is one of a few at the top of my list
Yes, nemesis (16 years old already...eek! I remember that when it opened!) is a must as it lasts a decent amount of time. Oblivion is good if there is no or little queue but not worth waiting 2 hours for a few seconds of ride. Watch out for notices, I think all the big rides have electronic boards with queuing times that are updated regularly.
Not been on Rita, Thirteen or Air though so don't know if they are worth the wait.
I always enjoy the log flume and rapids too, especially if it is hot weather.
Yes, nemesis (16 years old already...eek! I remember that when it opened!) is a must as it lasts a decent amount of time. Oblivion is good if there is no or little queue but not worth waiting 2 hours for a few seconds of ride. Watch out for notices, I think all the big rides have electronic boards with queuing times that are updated regularly.
Not been on Rita, Thirteen or Air though so don't know if they are worth the wait.
I always enjoy the log flume and rapids too, especially if it is hot weather.
Air is alright, not as good as it was hyped to be honest. Thirteen was overated. I can't believe they took the Corkscrew down for that. Not been on Rita but apparently the best ride there after Nemesis.
Air is alright, not as good as it was hyped to be honest. Thirteen was overated. I can't believe they took the Corkscrew down for that. Not been on Rita but apparently the best ride there after Nemesis.
I really miss the Black Hole as well:(
I used to love the black hole but it seemed to be broken down more than it was working from what I can remember.
The corkscrew, aside from the whiplash corner turns was a great ride. It is a shame they got rid but it was getting on a bit.
Go on the Pinball Wizard is my advice. It is Blummin' Sound.
Its called Sonic Spinball now, its ok.
Last time I went it was on a Saturday and it was pretty busy but we managed to get on loads by using the single rider queues. You don't always get to sit next to your friends but it halfs your queue time.
I'm taking a school trip next Tuesday - not my choice!! as tbh most schools in the country will prob be there that day = last week of term for most so this is the 'treat trip'.
I much prefer taking kids out of the peak time - say end of Sept - went then once and I remember a kid telling me on the bus home he'd been on Oblvion 13 times and had to wait on average 5 minutes - or just after Easter on a Sunday as obviously its less busy then and above all thats what you want so that the kids get on more rides but the powers that be at our school seem to want to put it in the last week when so many other schools will choose to go too.
I'm fully expecting it to be heavin - I'll prob do my usual and go on one ride just for the street cred aspect (Air last year, Oblivion the year before - still got the photo from that on my classroom wall) but really i am not a ride sort of person - its a nice trip for teachers to do tho as you get in free and it is dead easy to organise and the kids love it
still debating whether we should go lol, how are the queue times for the smaller rides(Flume, Rapids Sonic Spinball etc etc)
An hour for the flume and rapids I would think when busy. Possibly longer, I haven't been when it is heaving for years.
My ideal time to go is a well timed weekday (not on the bank holidays or during school half term) in May. Hopefully you get nice weather, but not too hot and nice and quiet!
O.P, if you only go on one ride, it has to be Nemesis. 16 years old and still the best ride in the park.
Here is someone speaking sense :cool:
I just wish Alton Towers didn't have such massive planning permission restrictions as they're pretty much crippled and I don't believe they will ever build anything as intense as Nemesis again. Air had potential but it's just too slow. Rita also had potential but it's a bit of a one-trick pony much like Oblivion, except that it lasts for a bit longer. As for Thirteen, I've heard what the "world first" element is and knowing in advance would rather spoil it, given that the rest of it looks rather tame.
Im sorry but if people only manage to do 4/5 rides at Alton Towers then that's bad planning.
We go twice a year, first for two day's in May then again for Halloween and we have been able to get on everthing.Our trip just gone was the best so far, 25 plus rides each day we were there.
I have never left Alton Towers feeling ripped off.
Nope, kids still have two and a half weeks left, especially in the area of Towers.
Notts finish next weekend, though that surely won't affect saturdays.
You really won't get on anything travelling up from Kent and back in a day! Isn't it about 4/5 hours? So even if you set off at about 6am, you won't get there until 10/11, and you'll probably have to leave about 4/5pm to get back at a sensible time as well, so you'll have what, 6/7 hours there? With all the queueing?
Notts finish next weekend, though that surely won't affect saturdays.
You really won't get on anything travelling up from Kent and back in a day! Isn't it about 4/5 hours? So even if you set off at about 6am, you won't get there until 10/11, and you'll probably have to leave about 4/5pm to get back at a sensible time as well, so you'll have what, 6/7 hours there? With all the queueing?
I know of many people down here in Cornwall that set off at 2/3am.
One other bit of advice, although I don't know if it applies to weekends as I always go mid-week, is that quite a lot of people have come on coaches, and leave before the park closes, as do people with a long way to travel.
If you stay till the very, very end, and head to your favourite ride, you may get on it a few times in succession.
Comments
I'm in Kent too, and trying to drive all the way to Alton Towers, and back again in one day, and have a good, full day at the park, is exhausting.
I can give you the number of a B&B in the area if it helps. It's approx 10 minutes from Alton Towers.
i should be ok driving i have driven to butlins and back in one day and it wasnt too bad and its only another hour so i should be ok, were going to set off about 6/7am
However, I wouldn't mind getting one some year - as an one-off decadent treat, like paying for a 1st class air ticket
It will take about 4 hours from Kent, (depending where In Kent you live and the traffic obviously). So leaving at 6 will get you there for 10.
It doesn't open till 10 (don't know why so late in the Summer!) but by that time the queues for getting in will be quite big so don't expect to get in the park till about 11.
yea i know, have checked sat nav and that says 3 hours 45minutes, its basically just M2, M25 and then M1
Don't forget that there are roadworks on the M25 at the moment, somewhere around M11 junctions.
yea i know, hopefully it will be ok
Alton Towers isn't up North, its in the Midlands.
O.P, if you only go on one ride, it has to be Nemesis. 16 years old and still the best ride in the park.
well hopefully i will get to go on more than one:p but yea Nemisis is one of a few at the top of my list
Yes, nemesis (16 years old already...eek! I remember that when it opened!) is a must as it lasts a decent amount of time. Oblivion is good if there is no or little queue but not worth waiting 2 hours for a few seconds of ride. Watch out for notices, I think all the big rides have electronic boards with queuing times that are updated regularly.
Not been on Rita, Thirteen or Air though so don't know if they are worth the wait.
I always enjoy the log flume and rapids too, especially if it is hot weather.
Air is alright, not as good as it was hyped to be honest. Thirteen was overated. I can't believe they took the Corkscrew down for that. Not been on Rita but apparently the best ride there after Nemesis.
I really miss the Black Hole as well:(
I used to love the black hole but it seemed to be broken down more than it was working from what I can remember.
The corkscrew, aside from the whiplash corner turns was a great ride. It is a shame they got rid but it was getting on a bit.
Its called Sonic Spinball now, its ok.
Last time I went it was on a Saturday and it was pretty busy but we managed to get on loads by using the single rider queues. You don't always get to sit next to your friends but it halfs your queue time.
I much prefer taking kids out of the peak time - say end of Sept - went then once and I remember a kid telling me on the bus home he'd been on Oblvion 13 times and had to wait on average 5 minutes - or just after Easter on a Sunday as obviously its less busy then and above all thats what you want so that the kids get on more rides but the powers that be at our school seem to want to put it in the last week when so many other schools will choose to go too.
I'm fully expecting it to be heavin - I'll prob do my usual and go on one ride just for the street cred aspect (Air last year, Oblivion the year before - still got the photo from that on my classroom wall) but really i am not a ride sort of person - its a nice trip for teachers to do tho as you get in free and it is dead easy to organise and the kids love it
An hour for the flume and rapids I would think when busy. Possibly longer, I haven't been when it is heaving for years.
My ideal time to go is a well timed weekday (not on the bank holidays or during school half term) in May. Hopefully you get nice weather, but not too hot and nice and quiet!
would of liked to of gone during term time but my gf is at sixth form so cant even go during a weekday before they break up
I just wish Alton Towers didn't have such massive planning permission restrictions as they're pretty much crippled and I don't believe they will ever build anything as intense as Nemesis again. Air had potential but it's just too slow. Rita also had potential but it's a bit of a one-trick pony much like Oblivion, except that it lasts for a bit longer. As for Thirteen, I've heard what the "world first" element is and knowing in advance would rather spoil it, given that the rest of it looks rather tame.
We go twice a year, first for two day's in May then again for Halloween and we have been able to get on everthing.Our trip just gone was the best so far, 25 plus rides each day we were there.
I have never left Alton Towers feeling ripped off.
Notts finish next weekend, though that surely won't affect saturdays.
You really won't get on anything travelling up from Kent and back in a day! Isn't it about 4/5 hours? So even if you set off at about 6am, you won't get there until 10/11, and you'll probably have to leave about 4/5pm to get back at a sensible time as well, so you'll have what, 6/7 hours there? With all the queueing?
I know of many people down here in Cornwall that set off at 2/3am.
I'm about an hour away, the worst part is getting around Nottingham (and once you get off the A50).
If you stay till the very, very end, and head to your favourite ride, you may get on it a few times in succession.