First ever report from Alton Towers from me, on what was overall a cold but fun day!
EDIT: Apologies, didn’t realise what a long write-up this was!
- Got into the park at around 9:15 and made the decision to go for Rita first. Main reason being observing the ops over the last week, Rita has been relatively reliable but only on one train, so get it early rather than wait over an hour for it. The call paid off spectacularly, as everybody left the Thirteen queue at around 9:30, Rita opened at 9:45 and we got first train! I have a love-hate relationship with this ride but it rode great today.
- Next, left the Dark Forest to see that Spinball Whizzer was also going round early, with riders on! Headed there, about a 15 minute queue, another fun ride and a great start to the day with 2 coasters down by 10:10.
- The plan then was to head to Forbidden Valley, Curse was closed so went on the Runaway Mine Train with an advertised 15 minute wait. Probably waited longer than that, dispatches really slow and they looked short staffed. Ride also seemed really slow, very forgettable ride.
- Then the app showed Galactica had finally opened and only had a 20 minute queue, we powerwalked there and waited probably only ten minutes, operations in the station were as quick as I’ve seen them on that ride in a long long time. Always a favourite of mine, I absolutely love the smoothness and hope Towers don’t meddle with it too much in the near future
- The plan after Galactica was to join the Nemesis Reborn queue, but Curse had just opened and given its current unreliability we decided to get that one in first. More or less a walk-on, every effect seemed to be working, and was also some new stuff from my last ride on it in Oct of last year. A world class dark ride.
- Then back to Forbidden Valley and time to join the 45 minute Nemesis Reborn queue. The estimated time was more or less spot on, was great to enjoy this ride for the first time in its new form although I felt a bit thrown about a points in the right hand seat. The ride felt rapid but not the smoothest.
- After Reborn the plan was lunch but Sub-Terra had a 10 minute queue, and having never done it before it was time. Unfortunately, the queue was under-stated, it look about half an hour, and it was an experience to say the least! I feel like done properly it could be amazing, but it felt a bit amateur and one I probably won’t do again for a while.
- Finally, at 1pm and after 7 rides in a productive morning it was time for lunch. We bought our own food in and enjoyed it in the Mutiny Bay courtyard. After that, with long queue times on all the rides we wanted to do, we took a short stroll through the aquarium to see the ants again and see how the queue times and ride availability developed.
- No changes so we joined the back of the 70 minute Wicker-Man queue. 2 minutes later, we were heading back out of it as Thirteen had finally opened and was saying 5 minutes! By the time we got there it was up to 30 minutes but moving steadily. As we got into the station building, the tannoy gave the message that they were having to reduce the service to just one train and the current estimate was 100 minutes. From that point we crawled painfully slowly through the building and onto the ride. Not helped by an influx of fast-tracks and RAPs who all must’ve also spotted the ride had just opened. It rode okay, but took about 50 minutes.
- Across to X Sector to get Oblivion on 10 minutes. Practically walked on, ops were speedy, a front row drop always makes my stomach churn and being cold my face got a good slapping, but it was class as always. Wasn’t even left sitting on the break run for long!
- Ignored The Smiler and its 70 minute queue to head into Towers Trading and then join a 40 minute Wicker-Man queue. Queue moved steadily, the ride felt super quick and further cemented itself as my favourite in the park.
- We wanted a second ride on Nemesis so headed back there for a 20 minute queue, there was a short breakdown just as we were outside the station which left one group sitting on the break run for about ten minutes. Quickly fixed though and this time round the ride was even more amazing, I was on a middle seat this time around and didn’t feel so thrown around, no idea if that’s a thing or not.
- At this point is was 5:30, could’ve joined one final queue but to be honest we were knackered and decided to call it a day heading out of the Galactica gate.
Overall review, had a great day. Feared the worst with some of the recent days operations, but I think using knowledge/experience as well as getting a bit lucky meant we managed to do more or less everything we wanted. The park felt busy, but a pleasant busy rather than a manic one, and all the staff were amazing. If they can get Rapids back, Hex open and get all their trains back on there’ll be plenty more enjoyable days there this year. Nemesis being back makes so much of a difference.
EDIT: Apologies, didn’t realise what a long write-up this was!
- Got into the park at around 9:15 and made the decision to go for Rita first. Main reason being observing the ops over the last week, Rita has been relatively reliable but only on one train, so get it early rather than wait over an hour for it. The call paid off spectacularly, as everybody left the Thirteen queue at around 9:30, Rita opened at 9:45 and we got first train! I have a love-hate relationship with this ride but it rode great today.
- Next, left the Dark Forest to see that Spinball Whizzer was also going round early, with riders on! Headed there, about a 15 minute queue, another fun ride and a great start to the day with 2 coasters down by 10:10.
- The plan then was to head to Forbidden Valley, Curse was closed so went on the Runaway Mine Train with an advertised 15 minute wait. Probably waited longer than that, dispatches really slow and they looked short staffed. Ride also seemed really slow, very forgettable ride.
- Then the app showed Galactica had finally opened and only had a 20 minute queue, we powerwalked there and waited probably only ten minutes, operations in the station were as quick as I’ve seen them on that ride in a long long time. Always a favourite of mine, I absolutely love the smoothness and hope Towers don’t meddle with it too much in the near future
- The plan after Galactica was to join the Nemesis Reborn queue, but Curse had just opened and given its current unreliability we decided to get that one in first. More or less a walk-on, every effect seemed to be working, and was also some new stuff from my last ride on it in Oct of last year. A world class dark ride.
- Then back to Forbidden Valley and time to join the 45 minute Nemesis Reborn queue. The estimated time was more or less spot on, was great to enjoy this ride for the first time in its new form although I felt a bit thrown about a points in the right hand seat. The ride felt rapid but not the smoothest.
- After Reborn the plan was lunch but Sub-Terra had a 10 minute queue, and having never done it before it was time. Unfortunately, the queue was under-stated, it look about half an hour, and it was an experience to say the least! I feel like done properly it could be amazing, but it felt a bit amateur and one I probably won’t do again for a while.
- Finally, at 1pm and after 7 rides in a productive morning it was time for lunch. We bought our own food in and enjoyed it in the Mutiny Bay courtyard. After that, with long queue times on all the rides we wanted to do, we took a short stroll through the aquarium to see the ants again and see how the queue times and ride availability developed.
- No changes so we joined the back of the 70 minute Wicker-Man queue. 2 minutes later, we were heading back out of it as Thirteen had finally opened and was saying 5 minutes! By the time we got there it was up to 30 minutes but moving steadily. As we got into the station building, the tannoy gave the message that they were having to reduce the service to just one train and the current estimate was 100 minutes. From that point we crawled painfully slowly through the building and onto the ride. Not helped by an influx of fast-tracks and RAPs who all must’ve also spotted the ride had just opened. It rode okay, but took about 50 minutes.
- Across to X Sector to get Oblivion on 10 minutes. Practically walked on, ops were speedy, a front row drop always makes my stomach churn and being cold my face got a good slapping, but it was class as always. Wasn’t even left sitting on the break run for long!
- Ignored The Smiler and its 70 minute queue to head into Towers Trading and then join a 40 minute Wicker-Man queue. Queue moved steadily, the ride felt super quick and further cemented itself as my favourite in the park.
- We wanted a second ride on Nemesis so headed back there for a 20 minute queue, there was a short breakdown just as we were outside the station which left one group sitting on the break run for about ten minutes. Quickly fixed though and this time round the ride was even more amazing, I was on a middle seat this time around and didn’t feel so thrown around, no idea if that’s a thing or not.
- At this point is was 5:30, could’ve joined one final queue but to be honest we were knackered and decided to call it a day heading out of the Galactica gate.
Overall review, had a great day. Feared the worst with some of the recent days operations, but I think using knowledge/experience as well as getting a bit lucky meant we managed to do more or less everything we wanted. The park felt busy, but a pleasant busy rather than a manic one, and all the staff were amazing. If they can get Rapids back, Hex open and get all their trains back on there’ll be plenty more enjoyable days there this year. Nemesis being back makes so much of a difference.
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