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2025: General Discussion

Craig

Craig

TS Administrator
It’s Sunday 5th January 2025, which means the 2024 season has now come to an end - and so has the 2024 General Discussion topic. As promised, this is the new dedicated 2025 General Discussion 😊.

2024 was a season that brought us a newly refreshed Nemesis and the (eventual!) return of Hex. Sadly we saw a lot of issues with lengthy downtime throughout the season, something I’m sure we all hope to see improved this year.

The 2025 season will start with the Pirate Takeover over February Half Term, before it kicks into full swing from 15th March, with the park opening until 8pm on weekends for their Alton After Dark event, where guests will be able to ride the park’s coasters in the dark.

Alton Towers are yet to confirm further events for 2025, although at a minimum it’s widely expected that Scarefest and Fireworks will be making a return.

Elsewhere, 2024 ended with us saying goodbye to The Blade, The Alton Towers Dungeon and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango. However, it’s hoped 2025 will see the return of The Skyride, not forgetting the new flat ride addition in Forbidden Valley, Project Ocean.

📰 Our Future Plans article summarises these additions and more over on TowersStreet​


Please feel free to utilise this topic to discuss the general goings-on across the resort through the year. Don’t forget, we also have a number of dedicated threads for new additions and larger scale future projects which are summarised below. Please use these dedicated topic where able to, and I’d encourage you to have a read through our article that summarises the information we already know:

2025​

😵‍💫 Toxicator (Forbidden Valley Suspended Top Spin)​

🛌 Hotels General Discussion​

🚡 Skyride General Discussion​

🎃 Scarefest 2025​

🧨 Fireworks 2025 (Coming Soon)​


2026​

🎢 Cbeebies Land Junior Coaster​


202X?​

✏️ Project Horizon (SW9?)​


As the season approaches, we’ll create the usual queue time discussion topics which will be linked here too. That goes for other dedicated topics as and when new events are announced.

Don’t forget if you have any questions about visiting Alton Towers, or you’d like to post a rundown of your recent trip to use the dedicated Trip Reports and Plans forum rather than this general topic.
 
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Interesting that, to my best knowledge, for the first time in years, AT have got a January sale on hotel breaks;

Kids stay free and get free 2-day park tickets, whilst adults get the 2nd day free ...

Very good offer, presume they're trying to entice people back with that
 
PhalanaxOperativeA1127 said:
Interesting that, to my best knowledge, for the first time in years, AT have got a January sale on hotel breaks;

Kids stay free and get free 2-day park tickets, whilst adults get the 2nd day free ...

Very good offer, presume they're trying to entice people back with that
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It’s not that kids stay free, it’s only free park tickets for kids, and 2nd day free for adults.

Last year it was second day free for all hotel guests in the Jan offer, so this is slightly more generous than last year, but not by much.
 
Team edit: This discussion has been moved from the Toxicator topic.

Craig said:
Here you go:

Alton Towers Resort unveils name of new record-breaking attraction and thrilling first-of-its-kind details
  • Toxicator subjects thrillseekers to heart-pounding centrifugal forces and extreme spin patterns
  • The topspin ride is the highest of its kind - standing at 78ft
  • Situated in The Forbidden Valley - it has been developed to experiment on the Nemesis creature
Alton Towers Resort is challenging thrillseekers to submit to the spin as they reveal the first tantalising details of the unique new attraction that awaits them this spring.

Named Toxicator, the new topspin ride can accommodate more than 500 riders per hour. They are seated back-to-back before being flipped round and held face down above a ‘bubbling pool of highly toxic alien acid’.

The first-of-its-kind in the UK, Toxicator sees thrillseekers subjected to heart-pounding centrifugal forces from intense spin patterns.

The only topspin ride in the world to be elevated above ground level means spectators can watch the entire experience from underneath.

Standing at a record-breaking 78ft high thanks to its setting on a 16ft elevated platform - it is situated in the Forbidden Valley next to the iconic Nemesis Reborn.

It is the latest technology from the shadowy organisation known as The Phalanx and is used by them to extract and separate toxic saliva from the Nemesis creature.

It applies an intense spinning, centrifugal force to the saliva which turns it into a chemical solution so powerful it will melt anything it touches.

Fans were recently treated to an exciting first tease of the new attraction in a TV advert unveiled this week.

Bianca Sammut, Vice President of Alton Towers Resort, said: “Alton Towers is renowned for consistently delivering new and reimagined thrills for our fans and as the UK’s only topspin ride, we’re excited to welcome Toxicator to the park.

“We can’t wait to challenge thrillseekers to submit to the spin. Located in the heart of Forbidden Valley, this is the latest chapter in the Nemesis story which has captivated generations of thrillseekers worldwide.

“We’re not yet ready to reveal precisely when Toxicator will turn your world upside down, but rest assured the wait will be worth it.”
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It’s interesting that they're referring to Bianca as the Vice President now, instead of Divisional Director.
 
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Skyscraper said:
It’s interesting that they're referring to Bianca as the Vice President now, instead of Divisional Director.
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It could be some internal restructure within Merlin and the VPs for individual parks report to some sort of President for the Resort Theme Parks division. Almost like how a Vice Chancellor at a University is in-charge of decision-making although theoretically a Chancellor sits above them in the hierarchy.
 
Her role is almost likely to be identical. I used to work for a big American corporate business who divided their U.K. operations into 5 regions, and each region had their own VP who was the ultimate decision maker for that region.

As others have said, it’s just an Americanism. The British like their directors and old school America like their VPs.
 
Just seems like an americanism to me. We don't really have presidents and so on do we, our companies all have chairmen, boards and various levels of directors and executive officers.
 
I always found divisional director a bit of an out-of-date sounding job title to be honest. Vice President is an Americanism, but regardless of Scott O’Neil’s involvement with Merlin, it’s a term is widely used throughout the theme park industry. I’d suspect the change is to ensure potential future job openings are more obviously advertised to potential candidates.
 
Craig said:
I always found divisional director a bit of an out-of-date sounding job title to be honest. Vice President is an Americanism, but regardless of Scott O’Neil’s involvement with Merlin, it’s a term is widely used throughout the theme park industry. I’d suspect the change is to ensure potential future job openings are more obviously advertised to potential candidates.
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In my sector of work (government-adjacent) we have more divisional directors than you can shake a stick at; seems to be the position you end up in if you fail upwards.

I guess in theory vice president makes more sense for a global market; sounds a bit more fancy on the CV too really as well doesn't it.
 
If Ms Sammut is the Vice President of Alton Towers, who is the President of Alton Towers?
 
Interestingly the Water Park is sold out for the entirety of Half Term in February.

Not sure if that's typical. In 2023 it was quite difficult getting slots all year but in 2024 they were plentiful.
 
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