ChristmasPud
TS Member
It was quite a significant year just for being the time it changed to a pay-once leisure park, whereas before it was a garden park with some pay-to-ride funfair rides. You're right it was a gradual change and there wasnt really a proper park offering built until 1981, but 1980 was 'technically' when it opened as a park.I think one issue is - what exactly is 2020 the 40th anniversary of?
There was a famous day in 1980 when crowds shot up all a sudden to ride the Corkscrew after it got on TV, which really kickstarted Alton Towers as a park. That was the day Alton Towers' future became a theme park really!
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