Alton towers: ride order.

[herbinator]

I'm might be going to Alton towers soon and I've heard it is very big and Might only be going for 1 or 2 days and would like to know the best order to ride the rides either to fit them all in or to get the biggest thrill from the day. thanks

 

[furie]

Two days you'll be fine anyway, you'll get it all done.

however, I always find it best to start at air in Forbidden Valley, then walk the park anti-clockwise. Forbidden Valley, Gloomy Wood, Katanga Canyon, Mutiny Bay (generally for food), then cut by the side of the lake to Ugland and Rtia, then Hex, then X-Sector, then to Spinball for the end of the day.

You should get a ride on each doing it that way.

People always head to Rita or Spinball to start off with, then they hit Forbidden Valley later in the day - so you're best avoiding those early and then getting to them later. However, Rita's queue is always pretty huge, as is Spinball's. Oblivion can get big if there's a breakdown/stoppage.

Remember, the queues shut, but the rides don't. So if it says "Ride close is 6:00", then that means you can still get into the queue at 5:59, even if it's an hour queue. This is useful for getting a ride on Spinball or Rita as you spend the closed time queuing, rather than missing out on another ride.

Also, though it contradicts what I've said above (depends on priorities), Nemesis tends to get a tiny queue about 45 minutes towards the end of the day. So it's the best time for re-rides.

 

[herbinator]

spinball

If the queue is super long for spinball is it still worth going on it or should you just carry on?

 

[Ollie]

Just leave it for then and hop on it at the end of the day or something. Spinball is always quite busy though.

 

[furie]

Re: spinball

If the queue is super long for spinball is it still worth going on it or should you just carry on?

If you leave it until the end of the day and jump in a few minutes before ride close, then you may as do it. Nothing else to do

I like the ride personally, it's good fun. I'd ride Spinball over a re-ride, but I would ride it and miss another coaster there

 

[nealbie]

Spinball, single rider, walk on :wink:

I find that if you're there for opening (with an annual pass), the best thing to do is Oblivion and Rita first before you get trapped in the whore's cattlepen.

Then a nice skyride over to Forbidden Valley, for Air first (because for some reason that always has a big queue :? ) and then Nemesis, single rider here is also amazing!

Then all of the wee rides like Duel, Rapids, Flume, Runaway Train and Mutiny Bay.

2 days will easilyy be enough anyway

 

[herbinator]

TWO DAYS

If I manage to get there for two days is there a good way to tackle it in sections?

 

[furie]

Two days just do what you like! :lol:

 

[nealbie]

Right, it's not Thorpe, so you CAN do it in 2 days! :lol:

 

[Screaming Coasters]

If you pre-book your tickets, staying in the hotel or have an annual pass, you can go and do Oblivion, Rita and Runaway Train an hour before everyone else. So by the time you have done that, you can head over to Forbidden Valley for the morning and beat the crouds. This way you get to do everything, and queueing for Spinball won't seem so bad during the day

 

[elmerfudd]

Re: spinball

If the queue is super long for spinball is it still worth going on it or should you just carry on?

Yes, queue up, Especially if your going for 2 days. It shouldnt be long anyway aslong as you avoid going at weekends and school holidays.

 

[herbinator]

holidays

My school breaks up 2 weeks before others in my area so I would probably go then.How many schools around alton would have also broken up?

 

[Brookes]

Alton is really busy at the moment whether you go on a school day or a weekend. I went last week on a Thursday and it was the busiest I have ever seen it. It doesn't really matter what day you go it is busy every day, but I've heard Sunday's are the least busy.

 

[The Grape Wizard]

Hit Oblivion in the last half hour, 5 min queue or walk on :--D

 

[Ormerod]

To be fair, I've never queued for Oblivion and I have always been on it first ride. If anything you might have to wait 5 mins, but you will get on it.

Plus, it's 1 of the closest rides upon entering.

 

[Tony]

Well when I went less than 2 weeks ago for a few days I used the extra hour ERT from staying in one of the hotels but you can also get ERT from owning an annual pass or prebooking tickets online. If you do that then head to Rita first as that usually gets the longest queues during the day and get a ride or 2 on that as it will be walk on. Then head to Oblivion and get 1 or 2 rides on that. By then it'll probably be around 9.40 so start making your way to Forbidden Valley and be there just before 10 and get a quick go on Air and Nemesis before the crowds get there. This way by around 10.15 you will have got on all 4 major coasters and maybe one or 2 rerides on each so then you have plenty of time throughout the day to get on everything else and maybe some more rerides.

It was quite busy when I was there in the middle of June on a weekday and I hear it's been pretty busy most days this summer so expect long queues! But if your spending 2 days there then you have plenty of time.

 

[herbinator]

alton

Slightly odd question but is air a terrain coaster? If not what height above ground, not lift hill, is it?Thanks

 

[Tony]

Well RCDB lists Air as 65ft high which would be the top of the lift. The top of the lift hill is on a bit of a hill but the rest of the layout pretty much sticks close to the ground and terrain for the majority of the ride. I'm sure there's a bit more height in the elevation but not much. It gets slated allot but I personally really enjoy it.

 

[furie]

Re: alton

Slightly odd question but is air a terrain coaster? If not what height above ground, not lift hill, is it?Thanks

It's not because it's not quite close enough, but it almost is I think, yes. It never really gets massively above the ground.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm might be going to Alton towers soon and I've heard it is very big and Might only be going for 1 or 2 days and would like to know the best order to ride the rides either to fit them all in or to get the biggest thrill from the day. thanks

Air or Rita first, as they get very busy. Oblivion is a popular ride but the ammount of cars combined with the length of the track means that if you're lucky you can get away with a 10 minute wait. Do either Air or Rita first, then which ever one you didn't do first, do last e.g. if you went on Rita first, do Air last. Remember - it's not the rides that close at the advertised time, it's the queues!