• 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.

Quick Questions

I'd imagine school trips will start picking up around the 17th, it's late June/early July when they start being out in full force to the point weekends are quieter.

But regardless it should be manageable but the park won't be quiet until September.
 
Never really been too bothered by school trips on a weekday visit. Their usually only there for a couple of hours anyways lol, did have one very crap visit to thorpe this time last year though got on like 5 rides haha. https://queue-times.com/parks/1/calendar is great for getting a rough idea on what the park will be like, has data going back to 2015.
 
I have a couple of queries regarding the Rainy Day Guarantee/“return for free” offer.

I went to the park for the Alton After Dark event on 23rd March, and due to the day’s weather-induced sporadic ride availability and very long queues, the park activated the Rainy Day Guarantee and allowed anyone with a pre-booked ticket for 23rd March to return for free at another point in the year.

I now have an opportunity to return to the park on 28th July. I might be alone, or my grandad might come with me, but I was thinking of possibly redeeming my free return ticket from 23rd March when I visit on this day. I know that my mum and dad’s desire to return to Alton Towers in 2024 is quite low, so they seemed perfectly OK with the idea.

My questions were:
  • Are there any hidden clauses in the “return for free” offer that might mean that a ticket from 23rd March wouldn’t be valid on 28th July? Or are you allowed to redeem it on any day in 2024?
  • And if I am allowed to redeem it on this day, do I have to do anything beforehand, such as reserve the day, to ensure that the park doesn’t sell out and they won’t let me in?
I just don’t want to travel for 2.5 hours under the pretence that I can use the free ticket and find out that I can’t get in with it, for whatever reason, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If it’s at all relevant, the ticket would likely also be in my mum or dad’s name, as I did not originally book it, but I was part of the party who originally used the tickets.
 
The rainy day guarantee was ‘relaunched’ this year after the ASA got involved with the previous iteration. One consequence of that is they don’t seem to have any information on the website, but previously you definitely needed to prebook your return visit and check the dates it was valid.

I would ask whoever booked your original tickets to check their emails incase they were sent something back in March when it was activated. If they don’t have anything then drop an email to [email protected] to ask how a visit should be rebooked.
 
Matt N said:
I have a couple of queries regarding the Rainy Day Guarantee/“return for free” offer.

I went to the park for the Alton After Dark event on 23rd March, and due to the day’s weather-induced sporadic ride availability and very long queues, the park activated the Rainy Day Guarantee and allowed anyone with a pre-booked ticket for 23rd March to return for free at another point in the year.

I now have an opportunity to return to the park on 28th July. I might be alone, or my grandad might come with me, but I was thinking of possibly redeeming my free return ticket from 23rd March when I visit on this day. I know that my mum and dad’s desire to return to Alton Towers in 2024 is quite low, so they seemed perfectly OK with the idea.

My questions were:
  • Are there any hidden clauses in the “return for free” offer that might mean that a ticket from 23rd March wouldn’t be valid on 28th July? Or are you allowed to redeem it on any day in 2024?
  • And if I am allowed to redeem it on this day, do I have to do anything beforehand, such as reserve the day, to ensure that the park doesn’t sell out and they won’t let me in?
I just don’t want to travel for 2.5 hours under the pretence that I can use the free ticket and find out that I can’t get in with it, for whatever reason, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If it’s at all relevant, the ticket would likely also be in my mum or dad’s name, as I did not originally book it, but I was part of the party who originally used the tickets.
Click to expand...
The Rainy Day Guarantee was renamed to Visit Again for Free this year (VAFF). I was also in the park the same day as you and eventually got the same notification, although you did help me out with a screenshot of it when it wasn't loading for me.

The support article for VAFF can be found here:

The article says to email Guest Services for the full terms, but essentially it's not a pre-book and you turn up with your original ticket and ID. Probably not a bad idea to email them anyway though and explain the situation, or get the person who made the booking to do it for you.

As pass holders we've had Fastrack vouchers posted out to us instead, but our friends and family who were with us are now able to go by themselves because VAFF was activated.
 
Just wondering, I'm heading to AT for Scarefest this year, and I have someone who will be needing to use a mobility scooter, and they're wondering if they can go on any of the Scaremazes or not due to the mobility scooter.
I'm guessing not to be honest due to H&S
 
EarthlyKnight27 said:
Just wondering, I'm heading to AT for Scarefest this year, and I have someone who will be needing to use a mobility scooter, and they're wondering if they can go on any of the Scaremazes or not due to the mobility scooter.
I'm guessing not to be honest due to H&S
Click to expand...
I think some are usually disabled friendly, but I would say only with a wheelchair and not a scooter, as they usually have fairly tight spaces.
 
Hello folks, I'm going to Towers soon (yay!). It will be midweek so hopefully not too busy but I do fear for school trips making it busy.
So, what's the best tactic for getting round the park this year? With ride availability etc
 
WickerWonder18 said:
Hello folks, I'm going to Towers soon (yay!). It will be midweek so hopefully not too busy but I do fear for school trips making it busy.
So, what's the best tactic for getting round the park this year? With ride availability etc
Click to expand...
Usually Dark Forest & Forbidden Valley then work back towards the entrance, bear in mind Walliams opens at 11. If you're alone then use single rider on Smiler. Leave the biggest queue till last because the school groups usually leave early.
 
Not sure how quick a question this is, but couldn’t think where else to put it.
Now the tours of the towers and garden have been announced, I’ve finally managed to convince my parents to come for a no rides trip. We used to come as a family back in 80s and 90s but neither of them can tolerate rides any more so never saw the point of coming in recent years.

The question: outside of the tour, what do route do people recommend when we explore the gardens?

My parents are used to National trust type places with clear routes/maps and a tea shop round every corner. Towers is a little less organised, and I’m normally focussed on queue lengths, so ideas are very welcome from those more up to speed on the history and non ride parts of the park.

They have dodgy knees and general aches and pains to contend with - but they’re both fit enough to tackle the gardens so long as there’s a cup of tea at the end of it.
 
OK, experienced old limper gardens fan here!
The gardens are basically a horseshoe shaped side cut steep valley, so the secret is to drop down, (and up) the horseshoe slowly level by level, using the level paths and short staircases, then another levelish walk.
It is quite easy to start at the top, then head around either side, slowly moving down, then come back up the other side, again following the level paths, then the next slow level up.
The pagoda fountain is the half time "pitstop", at the bottom, but is easily done for slow strollers who know how to stop for a break and nice view.
Quite a few benches, but as stately gardens go, the Towers gardens are not at all large, and you can get your bearings very easily... you can work out where you are by the simple rough contours, and direct view over the valley.
My mum managed all this fine back in the days of the Corkscrew and Swiss Cottage tearooms, slightly oversize and overage.
Her last ride was the Steeplechase on opening!
Now the skyride and Swiss Cottage would be handy.
 
Thanks both!

The prospect of a day at towers with zero rides is quite exciting in itself due to the novelty value - I’m also looking forward to finding out their memories of the place - they last went in the late 90s so a lot has changed since then.

There might be a trip report in it - maybe.
 
Depending on when your visit is, it could be worth getting in touch with Towers directly. A walking tour route was created by the park when they opened Gardens only during the pandemic. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure they will have it archived somewhere

In fact, it would be great if they could make that document freely accessible again to support their heritage options
 
tayspru said:
Depending on when your visit is, it could be worth getting in touch with Towers directly. A walking tour route was created by the park when they opened Gardens only during the pandemic. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure they will have it archived somewhere

In fact, it would be great if they could make that document freely accessible again to support their heritage options
Click to expand...
The Towers' own Walking Self Guided Tour can be found here (probably best not to ask why that is a tab that is pinned to my browser, atm). It was readily available on the website of late, so perhaps they've taken it down now they're doing a guided tour. 🤔

As well as @Danny's A Journey Through the Gardens tour, which was mentioned above and is always well worth a look. We also have two 'themed' tours, depending on what you're looking for, or if you want to spend longer in the garden: A Walk in the Past, which compares old views of the garden with their modern counterparts, and Hidden in Plain Sight, which highlights some of the more niche features of the Garden.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top