- News all the latest
- Theme Park explore the park
- Resort tour the resort
- Future looking forward
- History looking back
- Community and meetups
-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks. - Thread starter AstroDan
- Start date
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
- Favourite Ride
- Zadra
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Park Hours: Updates and Discussion
Tim
TS Member
I havent been to Alton Towers since 2014 for many of the reasons Pluk mentioned. I would also love to check out Wicker Man but visiting is simply not worth my time (even considering free entry).
However I log on here every day. I havent lost my love for Alton Towers, I've just been put off visiting.
However I log on here every day. I havent lost my love for Alton Towers, I've just been put off visiting.
MaxPower
TS Member
We’re of the same opinion.
We haven’t been up to Alton Towers since The Smilers’ opening year mainly because it doesn’t offer enough rides that parents and kids can go on together (The ridiculous opening hours obviously don’t help).
When Disneyland and Europa Park are so easy to get to, it really makes no sense to drive 3 or 4 hours to Alton Towers.
Don’t get me wrong, we still love the place. They just need to give us a reason to go back in the form of better operations & opening hours, entertainment, and more family attractions.
I still visit Alton, but with last years staggered opening times and the current lack of opening hours (as well as last years ill health) I have reduced my visits to the park last year and also this year. As much as I love the rides and the park, I just feel that its a lot of effort to spend half a day at a theme park that has queues that are on average an hour long. A longer day will make it more worthwhile for me.
The other issue with kicking everyone out of the park at 4pm, is the queues of cars that the car park generates upon exit. Opening later would also ease this as people will leave at different times when they are ready to leave as oppose to everyone leaving at the same time.
As everyone has already said, extending yesterday ride closure by 15 mins is a complete insult and beyond believe, you just couldn't make it up
The other issue with kicking everyone out of the park at 4pm, is the queues of cars that the car park generates upon exit. Opening later would also ease this as people will leave at different times when they are ready to leave as oppose to everyone leaving at the same time.
As everyone has already said, extending yesterday ride closure by 15 mins is a complete insult and beyond believe, you just couldn't make it up
Doublethink
TS Member
Constipation wasn't the issue I had last time I went to the Rollercoaster Restaurant and got food poisoning......
Graham73
TS Member
Today is another stunning example of why we didn't renew our season passes and why this is most likely going to be the first year since 1980 I won't have been to Alton Towers.
All rides are at present 55+mins according to ridetimes with what is still down for a 4pm close, hopefully they might stretch it to 16:23 though!
The parks hours are awful, the shortest normal season day at PortAventura being an hour longer that the longest normal season day at Towers. Add to that the park is closed most off peak Wednesdays (my day off midweek) and as mentioned previously a 4pm close dumping you onto the roads and motorways at the worst time it all makes up for not really wanting to try and find a reason to go via holidays/shift swops etc.
*just noticed the above post about 5pm. Towers haven't confirmed via social media or its website that still shows 4pm. Of course it's likely that the time is shown on resort, but even 7 hours at 1hr per ride isn't long imo
All rides are at present 55+mins according to ridetimes with what is still down for a 4pm close, hopefully they might stretch it to 16:23 though!
The parks hours are awful, the shortest normal season day at PortAventura being an hour longer that the longest normal season day at Towers. Add to that the park is closed most off peak Wednesdays (my day off midweek) and as mentioned previously a 4pm close dumping you onto the roads and motorways at the worst time it all makes up for not really wanting to try and find a reason to go via holidays/shift swops etc.
*just noticed the above post about 5pm. Towers haven't confirmed via social media or its website that still shows 4pm. Of course it's likely that the time is shown on resort, but even 7 hours at 1hr per ride isn't long imo
Last edited:
Doublethink
TS Member
We don't even bother with midweek at towers anymore the 4pm opening hours and mediocre weekday oppperations mean you get on so little. Sundays now are our go to- opps are better and you get hours longer on park with similar crowd levels.
Steve74
TS Member
I disagree with your first sentence. I went midweek back in April and got on everything, with 2 or 3 re-rides on Wicker Man - and that was even with a (self-inflicted) wait by the Dungeons for 20 minutes before our allotted time and the Dungeons taking over an hour because of an evac of the boat section. Operations were not mediocre, they were spot on and just right for such a small amount of people at the park that day. And to be honest, with the amount of people at the park (it was a term time school day) a 4pm close while not ideal, was perfectly adequate.
Doublethink
TS Member
I should say that I haven't done mid week this year, my choice is based off my experiences last year. Things may have improved this season.
On the other hand we did a Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago on the way back from elswhwere and managed most of the coasters in less than two hours including walking.
Steve74
TS Member
Yeah from my experience and from watching vlogs so far this season, operations have definitely improved on last year; whether it's different staff, more staff, more training, more motivation and incentives to improve operations who knows, but it is definitely paying off.
D4n
TS Member
Slightly off topic as it isn't at Towers, but actually the removal of the baggage hold on Swarm is the only one that made sense to me. The bag drop boxes on the platform are easy to use and faff free, unlike climbing across a whole row of guests on Smiler or walking to the opposite end of the platform on Th13teen.
Doublethink
TS Member
An hour is the most I've seen yes
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
I have seen a 90 mins extension.
29th June 2018 was scheduled 10-4 then extended first to 5 then to 5:30 because the park was very busy partially due to the heat wave.
29th June 2018 was scheduled 10-4 then extended first to 5 then to 5:30 because the park was very busy partially due to the heat wave.
I agree with you, I've had some really good midweek days this year. The problem is the recent few weeks, where the park has school trips, the weather is good, longer daylight hours, gate numbers are up, but yet the 4pm closure don't justify this or increase inline with the guest numbers and daylight hours.
Anything Alton done this year was an improvement on last years shambles of a park operations. Last year operations and staggered opening times was a complete disaster.