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2025: General Discussion
owenstreet7
TS Member
The thing with last year is that Hyperia spent about a third of it's operating season with downtime which definitely affected attendance and repeat visits.
A lot of people likely wanted to wait until Hyperia is reliable before coming back.
I'd be interested to see Alton Towers with 2014-16 and how The Smiler affected attendance considering that's also had a troubled start.
I don't think the newspapers helped by reporting on every stoppage on the lift hill with it's rollercoasters are not safe narrative.
AT86
TS Member
You can see that here. Each horizontal line represents a million visitors, this was released by Merlin as part of their planning app for Chessington Waterpark and is therefore is likely more reliable than the TEA figures for the period.
owenstreet7
TS Member
Thank you, that's really interestingYou can see that here. Each horizontal line represents a million visitors, this was released by Merlin as part of their planning app for Chessington Waterpark and is therefore is likely more reliable than the TEA figures for the period.
Seems to be a slight rise followed by a slump in the following years.
Matt N
TS Member
With regard to Thorpe Park in the TEA report, it is also worth remembering that Thorpe themselves revealed 1.5 million for 2023 on social media, which is different from TEA’s reported figure of 1.712 million. Why TEA did not restate 2023’s figure accordingly, I’m not too sure, but Thorpe themselves publicly revealed a lower 2023 figure than what is seen there.
Matt N
TS Member
I’ve just watched this video from Your Experience Guide, where Scott claims that 2025 has been Alton Towers’ “worst season ever”:
With the 2025 season approaching its conclusion at Alton Towers, I’d be keen to know; do you agree with Scott? Has it been Alton’s worst season ever?
Personally, I don’t think I do agree. I actually think this season has generally been a bit of an improvement on the last couple.
Scott cites ride availability as an issue, but this is one area in which I feel Alton has improved this year compared to the last couple. Yes, you did have the lengthy closure of Rita, but on park in 2025, I felt like the domino effect of rides repeatedly going up and down that dogged 2023 and 2024 at times was generally not nearly as bad. On my 2025 visit, I did not memorably experience any notable periods of downtime, or see any availability issues reported, and I ascertain that other days during the season have been similar.
I also feel like Hex and the Skyride returning have been an improvement, and overall, I do think this season has been a bit better than the last couple. I certainly had what was probably my best visit since at least 2022 this summer!
What does anyone else think?
With the 2025 season approaching its conclusion at Alton Towers, I’d be keen to know; do you agree with Scott? Has it been Alton’s worst season ever?
Personally, I don’t think I do agree. I actually think this season has generally been a bit of an improvement on the last couple.
Scott cites ride availability as an issue, but this is one area in which I feel Alton has improved this year compared to the last couple. Yes, you did have the lengthy closure of Rita, but on park in 2025, I felt like the domino effect of rides repeatedly going up and down that dogged 2023 and 2024 at times was generally not nearly as bad. On my 2025 visit, I did not memorably experience any notable periods of downtime, or see any availability issues reported, and I ascertain that other days during the season have been similar.
I also feel like Hex and the Skyride returning have been an improvement, and overall, I do think this season has been a bit better than the last couple. I certainly had what was probably my best visit since at least 2022 this summer!
What does anyone else think?
Steve74
TS Member
As soon as I saw this notification on YT, I thought "Why on earth has he released this now when there is another 4 days left of Towers' season, 3 of which are their second most popular time of the season?" and "In the interest of balance, I hope he puts out an equivalently negative titled video about all the other UK parks and whinges about all of their ride breakdowns throughout the season."
I haven't watched this video as I feel every one he puts out about Towers - however good an experience he has there - always has a negative vibe to it.
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Zeock
TS Member
In terms of availability, 2023 definitely seemed worse overall.
I think it’s a heavily critical angle of the park, not completely unfounded, however I literally scoffed out loud when he claimed 2024 was one of the best in his memory.
For me the issues this year are well publicised, lack of entertainment, events cut, and some similar issues that’ve plagued them in the past such as reliability and food and drink.
However the core expectation of the place which is getting on rides has been better than last season imo, with the exception of Rita being down for a couple of months downtime has been minimal, queues have been well managed, and there was a lot less of a ‘roulette’ feel around whether you were going to have a good or bad day on the park.
It’s not been a particularly good year, but it hasn’t overall been a regression from last year imo.
I completely disagree with this video I think its quite biased against Towers as they have had a stronger season
Bowser
TS Member
Alas after 2024's "best season ever" the only way was down.
I say anything is better than 2016 I still remeber that season we had 7 rides closed Ripsaw, Flume, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Nemesis Sub Terra, Driving School, Hex. And the following year we lost Twirling Toadstool and Ice Age 4D Cinema
Davezilla
TS Member
Putting out a video saying it's been a decent season wouldn't get as many views as 'wOrSt SeAsOn eVeR' (not forgetting the shocked face). No doubt Pleasure Beach has had the best season ever though.
Both of my visits this year have been a huge improvement on last year in regards to ride availability and atmosphere around the park.
This video is so full of holes and misinformation it really should be taken down.
Saying food options have been expanded or even mention there are cheaper options now.
Saying Ride Availability has been terrible when it hasn't and letting Pleasure Beach get away with its own availability issues.
Moaning basically about everything, it's a trend at the moment on Theme Park YouTubers hate on Alton Towers. I am sick of people ignoring the positive side
Jb85
TS Member
Very limited positives though and you have to remember a lot of these YouTubers (not all) can remember the glory years from their youth. Other just jump on the bandwagon.
It’s similar to a football club. Everyone likes to pick faults and bash the one at the top.
I’ve been three times this year. Early season was poor, one of the worst trips in a long long time.
My trips latter in the season though were a vast improvement on the two years before when I felt a noticeable decline in both season.
It’s far from perfect - but it’s a huge ship to turnaround especially when there is little deviation in the direction given by the Merlin board
But still some positive not mentioned at all
Benzin
TS Member
This.
Nothing drives the YouTube algorithm and advertising like negative opinions on things.