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General Queue Times Discussion

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This is most likely the typical ‘we have an inset day the first day of the new term, let’s go to Alton Towers it’ll be dead!’ syndrome. Of course everyone does the same and it’s far from dead.
 
AT86 said:
This is most likely the typical ‘we have an inset day the first day of the new term, let’s go to Alton Towers it’ll be dead!’ syndrome. Of course everyone does the same and it’s far from dead.
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Do you think it'll be quieter tomorrow, as I'm assuming INSET days aren't normally on Tuesdays?
 
AT86 said:
Yes I imagine tomorrow will be a better barometer of how busy the park will be during September weekdays than today is.
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Would the same apply to Thorpe Park? I only ask because I’m off to Thorpe tomorrow, and I’m hoping for lower crowd levels than today…
 
AT86 said:
I suspect so. Although they are perhaps more inclined to have a higher number of students visiting due to the demographic of guests and their location.
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I’m just hoping that the coaster queues at Thorpe tomorrow might not all be 60+ minutes like they are now…
EDIT: They seem to have gone down a tad compared to earlier, with some coasters being more 30-45 minutes; Colossus is still on 80, though, and Inferno has gone down.
 
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The weather looks pretty decent for the next couple of weeks (quite warm, some sun and not much rain forecast at the moment, apart from Thursday and Friday this week). That will play at least some part in how busy it stays for a little while longer.
 
Queue times yesterday were very hit and miss with being accurate. All queue times seemed to be overly exaggerated. Oblivion 40 mins, with zero queue. Wicker man said 50, we were on in 35. Later in the day it was only 10 mins, but the board was still at 50.
The park seemed to get quiet later on in the day, with nemesis and Galactica being no more than 5-10 min queue. Event wicker and smiler were fairly quiet.
 
AT86 said:
I suspect so. Although they are perhaps more likely to have a higher number of students visiting due to the demographic of guests and their location.
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Not sure how it works in other areas of the country but because a lot of Thorpe's traffic comes from London there are 32 councils that each chose their inset days rather than a whole county like Staffordshire. I remember my Dad took us a few times when we had inset days and Thorpe would be dead quiet, think me and my sister got 20+ rides on Loggers Leap one year because we were literally the only people on the ride and we were allowed to stay on.
 
Yep, inset day for our secondary school today (well for some years). Year 8 son had to go in Friday for Covid test yet bizarrely then doesn’t start back til Tuesday.

I don’t think it’s ever safe to presume that the Monday of the first full week in September will see all school kids back in
 
Jaybomuso said:
Me checking every day what the queues are like and seeing they are still the same as summer holidays…
Then I come here and see we keep having to wait one more day *sigh*
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To be honest there's never much difference between August and early September. I imagine you'll see more of a difference in October although weekdays in the next few weeks will quiet down.
 
JAperson said:
To be honest there's never much difference between August and early September. I imagine you'll see more of a difference in October although weekdays in the next few weeks will quiet down.
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I specifically avoided October because of Scarefest (as I've read it's the busiest time all year) and the potential for bad weather to ruin operations. Should I have picked October rather than September now instead?!
 
Jaybomuso said:
I specifically avoided October because of Scarefest (as I've read it's the busiest time all year) and the potential for bad weather to ruin operations. Should I have picked October rather than September now instead?!
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Like what has been said on here previously, dont go to the UKs biggest theme park expecting queues to be short. I last visited in June and I'm visiting on Thursday, I fully anticipate queues to be similar. I imagine for most September queues will be between 30-60 mins. Some like the smiler will likely reach over an hour daily
 
Jaybomuso said:
I specifically avoided October because of Scarefest (as I've read it's the busiest time all year) and the potential for bad weather to ruin operations. Should I have picked October rather than September now instead?!
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Mid-late September weekdays is quieter than school holidays. The first week or so in October there isn't scarefest crowds. If you were going to go in October you might have been best going on the first few weekday's of October. The park won't be having walk on queues for the rest of the season although you will find it getting quieter over the next few weeks. Looking at queue times doesn't always give you a good picture especially as they are so inaccurate. Most of the time the queue times are so overstated you could almost halve them and that would be more accurate. The queue times seem to be similar each day at the same time because they aren't accurate and are not a priority for the staff working on the ride. Personally, I would suggest you changing your date at all as I think it'll make minimal difference. It's nice to have people in the park as it creates a better atmosphere and as it's a theme park and it''s the biggest in the country I think you'll queue almost anytime you go.
 
Ethan said:
Like what has been said on here previously, dont go to the UKs biggest theme park expecting queues to be short. I last visited in June and I'm visiting on Thursday, I fully anticipate queues to be similar. I imagine for most September queues will be between 30-60 mins. Some like the smiler will likely reach over an hour daily
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30-60 mins is fine but I've still not seen that yet. It seems to be over 60 for everything and I'm getting worried my mates won't put up with it, that's all.
 
Jaybomuso said:
I specifically avoided October because of Scarefest (as I've read it's the busiest time all year) and the potential for bad weather to ruin operations. Should I have picked October rather than September now instead?!
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September weekdays after all schools are entirely back and October weekdays without Scarefest will be quiet.

Check the queue times next week for a better comparision.
 
Jaybomuso said:
I specifically avoided October because of Scarefest (as I've read it's the busiest time all year) and the potential for bad weather to ruin operations. Should I have picked October rather than September now instead?!
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I think early October will be quieter than September as long as it’s outside of half term. People have caught on that September used to be dead and because of this, it no longer is. Plus most students don’t start until right at the end of the month, some even October. Couple this with a lack of international travel and I expect that September will be busy but pleasantly so, as I’m not summer holiday busy but busy enough for an atmosphere. I expect most coaster queues to be between 30-60 minutes, maybe more for The Smiler and Wickerman.
Also, with the staffing issues the park is facing, operations may be affected which results in longer queues regardless of guest numbers.
If you’re serious about avoiding queues, I would recommend getting to the park at 0915 (as I’m through the turnstiles) and heading straight to The Smiler. You’ll be one of the first ones on at 10am. Then go and do Thirteen and Rita (don’t bother with Roller Disco - you’ll have had better Waltzer rides at fun fairs). Then head to FV for Galactica and Nemesis then work your way back through Gloomy Wood, Katanga Canyon and Mutiny Bay. Have lunch, then ride Spinball, potentially buy a fast track for Oblivion, then do whatever else until the end of the day. Make Wickerman your last ride and join the queue at ride close time. It’ll have had all day to warm up and it’ll be running as fast as anything!
 
JAperson said:
Mid-late September weekdays is quieter than school holidays. The first week or so in October there isn't scarefest crowds. If you were going to go in October you might have been best going on the first few weekday's of October. The park won't be having walk on queues for the rest of the season although you will find it getting quieter over the next few weeks. Looking at queue times doesn't always give you a good picture especially as they are so inaccurate. Most of the time the queue times are so overstated you could almost halve them and that would be more accurate. The queue times seem to be similar each day at the same time because they aren't accurate and are not a priority for the staff working on the ride. Personally, I would suggest you changing your date at all as I think it'll make minimal difference. It's nice to have people in the park as it creates a better atmosphere and as it's a theme park and it''s the biggest in the country I think you'll queue almost anytime you go.
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Yeah I get that, I just enjoy a moan haha! At least when I'm going on the 17th September it is open until 7pm which gives us more time to queue into the night!
 
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