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Quick Questions

I have a question regarding Fireworks. My ATAP runs out in August, so I'll be renewing it then and getting my Fireworks pre-books sorted. Would I be cutting it a bit fine leaving it until then, or would I probably be OK? Chances are that I'm overthinking it as per usual. :p
 
Jonathan said:
I have a question regarding Fireworks. My ATAP runs out in August, so I'll be renewing it then and getting my Fireworks pre-books sorted. Would I be cutting it a bit fine leaving it until then, or would I probably be OK? Chances are that I'm overthinking it as per usual. :p
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Previous years, they only really start selling (out) during Scarefest. But that was when it was 3 days. This year it is only 2, so they could sell out sooner if everyone has the same idea knowing that there are less tickets available so they book early!

If you bought them now with your old pass, as long as you have a valid one on the day to get into the park, I think that is ok. May be worth contacting Towers for official confirmation on that!
 
Steve74 said:
Previous years, they only really start selling (out) during Scarefest. But that was when it was 3 days. This year it is only 2, so they could sell out sooner if everyone has the same idea knowing that there are less tickets available so they book early!

If you bought them now with your old pass, as long as you have a valid one on the day to get into the park, I think that is ok. May be worth contacting Towers for official confirmation on that!
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It's been extended to three days of Fireworks as of earlier this morning.
 
Jonathan said:
It's been extended to three days of Fireworks as of earlier this morning.
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Yes just seen a notification for that post in the 2025 General discussion!! I should've read that first 🤣

I'd still be tempted to buy them now on your old pass, if Towers confirms you can then get in with a new one on the day! Better be safe than sorry - as you don't want to miss the fireworks. Even if they are half as good as last years they'll be epic (nothing will top last years in my opinion!)
 
Jonathan said:
I have a question regarding Fireworks. My ATAP runs out in August, so I'll be renewing it then and getting my Fireworks pre-books sorted. Would I be cutting it a bit fine leaving it until then, or would I probably be OK? Chances are that I'm overthinking it as per usual. :p
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You won't have an issue pre-booking for Fireworks in August. It may sell out but probably only a few days in advance. Don't worry about it!
 
Ok, so after you kindly helped me with my first trip to alton with my daughter I'm hoping I can pick your brains again.

She wants to go back and hit the bigger coasters hard this time, therfore quieter the better....however it will have to be either a weekend or a week day in the summer hols, so its not going to be that quiet ....il also have to plan it a few weeks in advance due to weekend plans or leave from work so won't have the ability to wait for the weather forecast

Appreciate this isn't going to be a precise science but does anyone have a view on what would be better I.e. weekend or weekday and if so which one sat or sun.... early, mid, late weekday.....early in the hols / end of the hols for lower queues?

Thank you 😊
 
Liam_82 said:
Ok, so after you kindly helped me with my first trip to alton with my daughter I'm hoping I can pick your brains again.

She wants to go back and hit the bigger coasters hard this time, therfore quieter the better....however it will have to be either a weekend or a week day in the summer hols, so its not going to be that quiet ....il also have to plan it a few weeks in advance due to weekend plans or leave from work so won't have the ability to wait for the weather forecast

Appreciate this isn't going to be a precise science but does anyone have a view on what would be better I.e. weekend or weekday and if so which one sat or sun.... early, mid, late weekday.....early in the hols / end of the hols for lower queues?

Thank you 😊
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If you want my advice, I would honestly go for a Sunday earlier in the holidays. I went on Sunday 28th July last year, and it genuinely wasn’t that busy at all; on a day where I arrived after ride opening and left before ride close, I managed 12 rides. Rides like Oblivion and Nemesis had very short queues at points.

I may well be going on a similar day this year and am hoping for similar success if I do…
 
Indeed, whatever the park, Sunday morning, at the gates at opening, is the place to be in the summer holidays.
The quietest time of the week bar none, and you can often get half a park done in the first couple of hours.
 
Smiley said:
Can't you just strap a chest-mounted GoPro under your shirt and then poke the lens through as the ride starts?? Otherwise I'll be modifying my wife's bra again to contain hidden cameras (in Stereoscope!). Good luck checking for those without losing your nuts!!

What Merlin should do is rent out cameras so they control the spec of the camera, mount, chest harness and fitting, etc. £50-£75 per day, plus the SD card. No more dangerous than glasses or things falling out of pockets. Ker-ching!
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One of my rides on Nemesis was stopped many years ago because someone attempted this trick - their mistake was poking the camera out on the lift hill instead of on the gravity section, where a sharp-eyed ride op watching the CCTV stopped the ride and grumpily ascended the lift hill to confiscate their gopro! (which was returned to them after the ride)
 
Not sure if this fully qualifies as a quick question but we’ll see…

Are there any particular reasons that the UK was one of the rollercoaster capitals of the world in the 1990s/early 00s and now is well below average? It’s not like theme parks became less popular.

I’m guessing it’s a combination of many factors but it seems odd. AT/John Wardley obviously played a big role but you also had the worlds tallest at Blackpool and the longest in The Ultimate. Then Europe, America and Asia all surpassed us.
 
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@Bowser I think it just comes down to investment and/or investors. Theme parks are a long-term investment, but not necessarily why they are floated/bought/traded on the stock exchange. Personally I think the ticket prices are way below where they should be which limits profits/investments further - certainly they haven't kept up with inflation.

If you had e.g. 1.6m visitors to TP each paying an extra £10, that's almost a Hyperia's worth of extra revenue each year. Cynics would say that would be hoovered up by the shareholders, but it's much easier to make longer-term investments when you have a healthier EBIT.
 
Not sure if there is any sense in this, but maybe it was exactly because there was such a glut of building big rides in the 90s/00s that the parks started to actually run out of space to build many more, and that they wouldn't want to pull down existing good rides with plenty of years left in them just to get a new model in sooner (AT especially). Maybe there was also a shift away from large thrill rides into a more targeted 'family' or younger childrens market too. Just thinking out loud.
 
Hi All.
Planning first trip to Alton Towers for this summer with the family. Have a quick question about Fasttrack and Parking when buying a 2 day pass online.

If a 2 day pass is purchased online with fasttrack and parking, do you get fasttrack and parking for both days or or just for one day? If it’s just one day how do you go about getting fasttrack or parking for the second day you have access to the park?

Many thanks in advance!
 
Coaster_novice said:
Hi All.
Planning first trip to Alton Towers for this summer with the family. Have a quick question about Fasttrack and Parking when buying a 2 day pass online.

If a 2 day pass is purchased online with fasttrack and parking, do you get fasttrack and parking for both days or or just for one day? If it’s just one day how do you go about getting fasttrack or parking for the second day you have access to the park?

Many thanks in advance!
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Having never bought fastrack online in advance before I'm not sure, but I suspect that each fastrack and parking is per day. When you get to the park on the first day, go to Guest Services and ask them about the next day options.
 
Coaster_novice said:
Hi All.
Planning first trip to Alton Towers for this summer with the family. Have a quick question about Fasttrack and Parking when buying a 2 day pass online.

If a 2 day pass is purchased online with fasttrack and parking, do you get fasttrack and parking for both days or or just for one day? If it’s just one day how do you go about getting fasttrack or parking for the second day you have access to the park?

Many thanks in advance!
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I believe the prices for parking and fast track are for 1 day only. If you want to purchase them for a second day, I’d recommend downloading the Alton Towers app and going into the online shop. You can then select the date you’d like for your second fast track package, or you can just buy one off solo ride fast track tickets on the app during the day if you wanted to just fast track a couple of rides rather than fork out for a package.

Parking wise, this again can be purchased in the app or you can just pay at one of the machines or on exit on the day.

If you wait until the day to purchase a fast track package whilst on park, you run the risk of them being sold out if ride count is your top priority.
 
Coaster_novice said:
Hi All.
Planning first trip to Alton Towers for this summer with the family. Have a quick question about Fasttrack and Parking when buying a 2 day pass online.

If a 2 day pass is purchased online with fasttrack and parking, do you get fasttrack and parking for both days or or just for one day? If it’s just one day how do you go about getting fasttrack or parking for the second day you have access to the park?

Many thanks in advance!
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Park in the hotel car park you don't pay charges that way
 
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