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Something magical about this park

Danny said:
The Towers and the Gardens are really where the magic lies; no other park in the world can realistically match them on that.

I also get the feeling during the Fireworks on the odd occasion.
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I agree! I have spent many hours wandering the ruins and gardens over the years, feeling the history and the authenticity that is truly unparalleled worldwide.

It’s a shame that we often sit in the cynical perspective, born of poor operations and questionable investment/cost cuts, but we wouldn’t still be harping on about it if we didn’t all share a love for the park.

I too get the feels at fireworks. I still get that warm fuzzy glow sometimes!

(But don’t tell anyone - I’ve got a reputation to uphold!)
 
Starting to sound like a thoosie there Saz!

Be it taking the Skyride over the valley or wandering around by the Pagoda Fountain, there's definitely something special about the gardens.
 
Some of you may get those feels at fireworks, and that is fair enough. I get them when entering The Smiler's pit on a day of torrential rain. Nothing said magic likely filthy concrete, pools of water, litter and lots of dirt. Oh and being surrounded by fencing.
 
I guess it’s different for those of us fortunate to have visited in the 80s and 90s. The park has an air of magic while the Alton towers hotel when it first opened really was a very special place indeed. I looked forward to my stays there so much. The food, entertainment, service, perks, was all top notch.

These days, I don’t stay in the hotels. I still have a nice day in the park but that’s mostly due to the weather and who I am with. The feeling of being ripped off everywhere especially when you visit with a child spoils the day somewhat, as do the staggered openings, and large queues while you watch the fast pass and RAP queues take priority.
 
Whenever I leave Alton Towers, I always look back over the fence at the top of Towers Street by the turnstiles for a few seconds, before exiting. Always great to see the Towers themselves in the distance one last brief time before heading off.
 
It's the best the UK offers. That's all that matters. We have to appreciate what we have and not crave what we don't. Some of you have had the privilege of riding the worlds best coasters and bash towers as a result. No it's not the best park out there but its by far the best in this country
 
drumx7 said:
This theme park is very very big, with the many themes of the park from east which has the smiler, to north which has thirteen, to west which has nemesis to south where the big pond is.

Then you the have the gardens.

Just walking around feels magical, cutting through the gardens.

Including the many background music being played.

The car park, one which is humongous.

I've been here at first as a 13 year old is 2003 and three times in 2019 and again in 2022.

It's just magical, I feel a sense of sadness when i leave.

Alton towers has got to be one of best amusement parks in the world.
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"Alton towers has got to be one of best amusement parks in the world."
Sorry but Alton Towers is a Theme park not a amusement park just so you know. :)
 
It is still an amusement park, the two terms aren't exclusive.
There is no real theme, even the supposed themed areas have very little actual theme style.
Some people even consider it a big house and park with lots of funfair rides.
 
A theme park is an amusement park with a unifying setting or idea, (basically a amusement park with lore and theme) unlike a amusement park which is a large outdoor area with fairground rides, shows, and other entertainments.
 
Mhoowee said:
A theme park is an amusement park with a unifying setting or idea, (basically a amusement park with lore and theme) unlike a amusement park which is a large outdoor area with fairground rides, shows, and other entertainments.
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So as you say, a theme park is an amusement park. Therefore Alton Towers is one of the best amusement parks in the world. But also a theme park.
 
Altonadvocate1 said:
Have to agree with Drumx7 on this one. I'm 51 but always feel like a kid again when I visit AT. There is a magic that works on me, that I don't get anywhere else.

It doesn't need fibreglass castles, huge commercial IP's (or any IP's at all, someone please tell Merlin) or to be the trendy thing of the month.

It has its own magic.
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I agree completely - and am also 51

I first got taken there in the late 70's when the rides were temporary ones like you get at a travelling fair (I don't remember much of it, to be honest, but there are a couple of old family album photos)

I went twice with junior school, and remember both times. It was amazing - mostly because it was unique at that time. Even got to ride the Corkscrew as the highlight of the trip, aged 10 - the school insisted you needed to be tall enough and have written permission from your parents (I really can still remember that first plunge and the scary chaos that followed). Mass (deliberate) fallings-over in Cine 2000

I remember queueing for almost 2 hours to go on the Black Hole the year after and feeling like a seasoned pro on the Pirate Ship. Running wild in the actual Towers and throwing wetted bits of issue at people below from the roof :)pensive:)

Going again with senior school and the new thrill of being totally unaccompanied by teacher chaperones.

Then a few years later, with my mates several times - the vicious water fights on the Log Flume, wasting too much time in the arcades (why???).

Going for the first time with just my now wife, back when Air had just opened.

Then taking my eldest when she was a toddler (a whole different experience!!), and later when my youngest was a toddler and eldest was starting to go on bigger rides.

Our first Scarefest in around 2016. Every Scarefest since.

Yeah. It's still magical. When you grow up, you notice negative stuff that you just wouldn't when you were younger. Could Merlin do better? Damn right they could. But, looking back even with the benefit of hindsight, there wasn't some golden era where everything was done way better than now. It always fell short of perfection when you look through adult eyes. Parts were cheap and naff, although it didn't matter when you were a kid.

I've done Universal and Busch and Seaworld, and they're great. Aspects of them knock Alton Towers out the park (to use an Americanism pun), and I'd rate their rides overall as better. I've done DLP three times and it's amazing in terms of atmosphere and theming.

But Alton Towers is the best theme/amusement park in the UK. It also has an atmosphere, bound with its history, that American or Disney parks will never have. And, perhaps because it's because it invokes such awe-inspiring memories (although note that my kids - now 15 & 19 - adore it at least as much as I ever did, and they've only known it during the Merlin era), it is always magical to me. When I'm driving there, I'm like a kid wanting the journey to be over. When we park and begin to walk to the monorail, I'm hustling along wanting the get there like yesterday and hoping there's hardly a queue. I'm always in as much hurry to get to the next ride (much to the annoyance of Mrs W). I always want 'just one more ride' at the end of the day and we never leave before we've done just that, getting into the final queue line with seconds to spare.


Long may the magic live on.
 
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This summer will be the 30th anniversary of my 1st visit and I not missed a year.
It’s a different type of experience now as 30 years my parents going though the village of Alton to a place I had no clue about.
Getting the monorail for the 1st time felt like I was back at Disney where we only visited a couple of weeks before and seeing this great entrance area and the views reminded me of Main Street USA at the magic kingdom.
They had street entertainers, music it felt magical.
Seeing Nemesis been built and having no clue what it would look like and riding some good coasters and flay rides. Shame I missed around the world in 80 days as that had closed to be turned into Toyland tours.
Now 30 years later I only visit cause of the sun free tickets ( only once 1 paid to get in since my Merlin pass ran out in 2012) I feel everything I 1st enjoyed has gone and now they try to get as much money out of you as possible with the parking charge, staff just inside the gates trying to sell you refillable mugs and meal deals. Then all them lovely buildings that was down towers street have been closed.
You walk down towards the rides and staff stop you asking if you want your photo taken and staff pointing guests towards the Fast track building.
Then you see CBeebies and it’s not even 10 years old and in some areas it’s in a bad state with closed buildings, paint coming off and things broken.
Spinball since they removed the SRQ has become a slow moving queue.
X sector I love the Smiler as a coaster but feel it was rushed with the theming and never finished and having the retro squad pumping out 80s music over the Smiler and Oblivion soundtrack.
Hex was excellent last year and it’s nearly as good as it was 20 years ago.
David Walliams area I do like GG and it’s a fun dark ride but the rest of the area is awful and they had no excuse as it was all finished in 2020 but was just left with with empty buildings and now the buildings look like they need all the fronts taking off and replacing.
The Dungeons need to go with the amount of queuing most of the day guests ain’t gonna pay on top.
Dark Forest I love the coasters but feel as this area had the most flat rides in the 90’s to having none since 2009( not including roller disco) also you can see the paint from ug land on some of the buildings.
Forbidden Valley this was my favourite area of the park but with sub terra been SBNO for over 7 years, Blade not as good as it use to, Ripsaw removed and preferring Air over Galactica. It worked with the VR and the portal not worked in years. So really Nemesis was the only reason I went down at part of the park. The only positive thing is the duel/Haunted house re-theme as MMM look like they done a good job at that.
Katanga Canyon good to see the runaway train been cleaned and painted but the rapids really let the area down. They need to add more theming around the ride and add more effects if the old 1’s ain’t coming back.
Wickerman is excellent love everything about it and it’s the only ride/area that’s been well maintained.
Mutiny Bay it’s a good area for theming but it’s just used to get to other areas of the park.
The other positive news is that there’s so much entertainment going on around the park you could spend half your day just watching them all.
 
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