- 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. -
⚠️ Online Safety Act Changes
We've made some changes to the forum as a result of the Online Safety Act. Please check the post in guest services for further information. - Thread starter Ethan
- Start date
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
- Favourite Ride
- Ug Bugs
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Ride Availability/Operations 2022-25
flyingguitar
TS Member
I would agree, availibility has been really good this year, only reallly the exception of rita, and wickerman both of which appear to have had some major problem with multiple days of downtimeWhile a day with things closed is never great, I would also like to point out that all parks have bad days.
While this type of availability was more par for the course at Alton last year or the year before, availability does generally seem a lot better this year, so I’d be willing to pass this off as a blip rather than a trend of persistent poor availability.
Unless this continues with multiple rides going down for weeks I feel this is just poor luck with something happening on rita which required somepart / rework to take months and like wise something happening on wickerman which has required it to go down for a while (I have heard it set on fire, however I am not sure how much I trust this, I could believe it is having fire alarm issues)
Danscott22
TS Member
Probably more retracking on Wicker Man, techies were looking at some of the sections that pass through the structure the other day
Shows woodies require constant maintenance with the structureProbably more retracking on Wicker Man, techies were looking at some of the sections that pass through the structure the other day
Dave
TS Founding Member
All parks have downtime, I visited Efteling once and Baron was down all day, but Towers downtime is higher than many.
It does appear to have improved compared to last year which is positive, but frankly it needs to get better and I won’t offer any praise until it does so.
It does appear to have improved compared to last year which is positive, but frankly it needs to get better and I won’t offer any praise until it does so.
Danscott22
TS Member
Yeah it’s time to bin Rita off in the near future, it’s becoming far too unreliable
@Danscott22 Stupid question that I'm probably becoming an absolute idiot by asking, but are you the youtuber Digital Dan?
Joel3
TS Member
Looks like Wicker Man will once again be reopening for tomorrow. Looks to only be running between 10-2 which is very interesting! I wonder if there is a part that needs replacing?
www.altontowers.com

Ride and Attraction availability | Alton Towers Resort
We want you to have an unforgettable fantastical escape to our Theme Park

Maybe retrack work needs doing so doing it in the afternoon but can still operate under reduced pressureLooks like Wicker Man will once again be reopening for tomorrow. Looks to only be running between 10-2 which is very interesting! I wonder if there is a part that needs replacing?
![]()
Ride and Attraction availability | Alton Towers Resort
We want you to have an unforgettable fantastical escape to our Theme Parkwww.altontowers.com
djtruefitt
TS Team
If rumours are true about a fire, maybe they are scared of running it for too long until a new part/track is installed, which is why it will be on reduced hours.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
If they run on full capacity for that time plus an hour after to empty the queue, that's only 4760 guests who can go on it during one of the busiest periods in the season.
Matt N
TS Member
To be fair, that’s better than 0, which is the number who’ve been on it for the last few days!If they run on full capacity for that time plus an hour after to empty the queue, that's only 4760 guests who can go on it during one of the busiest periods in the season.
It is odd that they’re only opening it 10am-2pm, though… what would make them only run it for 4 hours until 2nd September?
David Allen
TS Member
Could potentially be staffing issues not sure , can't help but think merlins financial problems are really starting to show , made worse by it having problems days after being fixed.
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
If it were due to operational costs, you would see slashing of the late closes before tinkering around with individual rides on set days. The 7pm closes this week are ample time to save staff hours.Could potentially be staffing issues not sure , can't help but think merlins financial problems are really starting to show , made worse by it having problems days after being fixed.
Bowser
TS Member
To be fair, that’s better than 0, which is the number who’ve been on it for the last few days!
It is odd that they’re only opening it 10am-2pm, though… what would make them only run it for 4 hours until 2nd September?
I'm sure that 4 hour window will have a delightful impact on queue times.
AltonLover123
TS Member
Could potentially be staffing issues not sure , can't help but think merlins financial problems are really starting to show , made worse by it having problems days after being fixed.
It ain’t be staffing issues. They wouldn’t close such a popular capacity eating ride. You’d see the smaller rides close if that was the case.
Even so, rides close for staffing incredibly rarely.
Dave
TS Founding Member
Could potentially be staffing issues not sure , can't help but think merlins financial problems are really starting to show , made worse by it having problems days after being fixed.
Not likely as others have said.
It will be a technical reason, probably either waiting on a part and they don’t want to over wear the part that needs replacing, or they have implemented a fix but need it to bed in with limited ops for a while.
David Allen
TS Member
Fair points just unlucky what ever happened has happened for a 2nd time within days I guess