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Ride Availability/Operations 2022-25

A number of those non rides were...
Sea lions, with feeding at 1, 3 and 5pm.
Wildlife museum.
Dolls museum.
The Gardens.
Scary stuffed animal tableau in human clothing on staged sets, in a darkened room, that gave me nightmares for years.
Paddling pool.
Heraldry museum.
Credo...place of worship.
Large gift shop (Hex queuestart).
Pitch and putt.
The woodland trail.
Crazy golf.
The really good model railway.
The Towers.
Her Ladyships Garden.
And of course "The Parade".

Some were excellent filler, but all were a very long way from major attractions, back then there were only a few big rides, it took a long time to fill the park out.
 
I remember the park used to claim 50+ rides and attractions for many years (I remember them doing this in the earlier Merlin days), but I think that was one of those claims that included pretty much every food stand, minor street entertainer, fountain and anything that could feasibly be included!
 
Bowser said:
As you made the claim I think the onus is on you to present a list of 50+ simultaneously operating rides and attractions for our dissecting pleasure :D
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Actually just looked at it was inaccurate with it not 50 but the most attractions at one time was 49.

49 different rides abd attractions during 2022 season. And high 40's in the 80's

The only time it's gone below 40 rides and attractions's late into Tussards Era and 2006
 
Hid said:
Actually just looked at it was inaccurate with it not 50 but the most attractions at one time was 49.

49 different rides abd attractions during 2022 season. And high 40's in the 80's

The only time it's gone below 40 rides and attractions's late into Tussards Era and 2006
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Out of curiosity, how did you get to 49 in 2022?

That seems very high, particularly given that this was after the decimation of most of the flat ride lineup…
 
Matt N said:
Out of curiosity, how did you get to 49 in 2022?

That seems very high, particularly given that this was after the decimation of most of the flat ride lineup…
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It was mainly due to the Retro Squad I will list them here.

The Blade
Enterprise
Congo River Rapids
Monorail
Skyride
Marauder's Mayhem
In the Night Garden Magical Boat Ride
Royal Carousel
Duel: The Haunted House Strike Back
Runaway Mine Train
Nemesis
Bugbie Go Round
Get! Set! Go! Tree Top Adventure
Oblivion
Raj's Bouncy Bottom Burp
Hex - The Legends of the Towers
Galactica
Space Adventures Play Area
Justin's House: Pie-O-Matic Factory
Spinball Whizzer
Rita
Cuckoo Cars Driving School
Haunted Hollow
Battle Galleons
Heave Ho!
Courtyard Treasure
Pirate's Treasure
Sharkbait Reef
Th13teen
The Smiler
Postman Pat Parcel Post
Something Special Sensory Garden
Big Fun Show Time
CBeebies Land Photo Studio
Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure
Rollercoaster Restaurant
Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom
The Furchester Hotel Live
Wickerman
The Alton Towers Dungeon
Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop
Gangsta Granny: The Ride
Flavio's Fabulous Fandango
The Retro Squad - Roller Disco
The Retro Squad - Funk'n'Fly
Hey Duggee's Big Adventure Badge
Andy's Adventures Dinosaur Dig
JoJo & Gran Gran At Home
The Retro Squad - Spinjam
 
Hid said:
It was mainly due to the Retro Squad I will list them here.

The Blade
Enterprise
Congo River Rapids
Monorail
Skyride
Marauder's Mayhem
In the Night Garden Magical Boat Ride
Royal Carousel
Duel: The Haunted House Strike Back
Runaway Mine Train
Nemesis
Bugbie Go Round
Get! Set! Go! Tree Top Adventure
Oblivion
Raj's Bouncy Bottom Burp
Hex - The Legends of the Towers
Galactica
Space Adventures Play Area
Justin's House: Pie-O-Matic Factory
Spinball Whizzer
Rita
Cuckoo Cars Driving School
Haunted Hollow
Battle Galleons
Heave Ho!
Courtyard Treasure
Pirate's Treasure
Sharkbait Reef
Th13teen
The Smiler
Postman Pat Parcel Post
Something Special Sensory Garden
Big Fun Show Time
CBeebies Land Photo Studio
Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure
Rollercoaster Restaurant
Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom
The Furchester Hotel Live
Wickerman
The Alton Towers Dungeon
Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop
Gangsta Granny: The Ride
Flavio's Fabulous Fandango
The Retro Squad - Roller Disco
The Retro Squad - Funk'n'Fly
Hey Duggee's Big Adventure Badge
Andy's Adventures Dinosaur Dig
JoJo & Gran Gran At Home
The Retro Squad - Spinjam
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Just from a cursory glance, that list is far from accurate and I'm sure there are issues with it that I've missed, but...

Hex was SBNO for most of the 2022 season, so I'm not sure you could count it. Enterprise was also SBNO in 2022, having closed in 2021.

Equally, I take issue with the inclusion of the Rollercoaster Restaurant and Haunted Hollow. One is a good and beverage establishment, the other is a pathway with some netting.

Pirate's Treasure closed in 2010. Pirate's Courtyard was part of a seasonal event and did not take place during the park's main season.

Space Adventurers Play Area closed in 2014.

That's at least -7.
 
You've definitely overcounted there. You've listed at least 4 attractions in that list that didn't exist/operate at all in 2022.

On top of what Goose pointed out, Space Adventures closed many, many, many years earlier... it was replaced by Octonauts back in 2015.

I would also add CBeebies Land Photo Studio as a spurious attraction... very much a shop, I would argue.

You are right though, that this period was the last 'peak' in attraction count due to the Retro Squad, but 2021 was the highest as it was Enterprise's last operating year.

Matt N said:
I remember the park used to claim 50+ rides and attractions for many years (I remember them doing this in the earlier Merlin days), but I think that was one of those claims that included pretty much every food stand, minor street entertainer, fountain and anything that could feasibly be included!
Click to expand...
The period you're talking about was 2012-2015, where "Over 50 rides and attractions" was included in their marketing, each year (except 2014, I believe). It was quite so spurious as to include food and drink, but as I recall you really had to stretch the park's entertainment and side offerings.

Back in 2012, you could just about get to 50+ if you claimed that Granville and Little George, the park's pair of miniature donkeys, were separate attractions. Or certainly you had to count each type of animal in Furry Friends separately.

And during the early days of CBeebies Land, you could get there if you counted each element of Big Fun Showtime as its own attraction. But then the 2016 exodus of rides occurred, which firmly dropped the number.

The only time the park has genuinely had 50+ attractions was during the late 80s/early 90s, before the Tussauds ride-exodus occurred. From 1988-1992 the park had 50+ easily identifiable ride and attractions, before the number dropped by 10 in 1993.

The peak was in 1990, but at that point John Broome was busy claiming '125 rides, shows and attractions'... now that list definitely included most everything and the kitchen sink... including listing each element of the Kiddies Kingdom play equipment as individual attractions (which to be fair, they would have been to a 6-year-old), as well as every shop, nook and cranny. At that point, I believe they had not long removed the 'Baby Feeding Room' and the Security checkpoint at the entrance from the list of 'attractions'.
 
Squiggs said:
You've definitely overcounted there. You've listed at least 4 attractions in that list that didn't exist/operate at all in 2022.

On top of what Goose pointed out, Space Adventures closed many, many, many years earlier... it was replaced by Octonauts back in 2015.

I would also add CBeebies Land Photo Studio as a spurious attraction... very much a shop, I would argue.

You are right though, that this period was the last 'peak' in attraction count due to the Retro Squad, but 2021 was the highest as it was Enterprise's last operating year.


The period you're talking about was 2012-2015, where "Over 50 rides and attractions" was included in their marketing, each year (except 2014, I believe). It was quite so spurious as to include food and drink, but as I recall you really had to stretch the park's entertainment and side offerings.

Back in 2012, you could just about get to 50+ if you claimed that Granville and Little George, the park's pair of miniature donkeys, were separate attractions. Or certainly you had to count each type of animal in Furry Friends separately.

And during the early days of CBeebies Land, you could get there if you counted each element of Big Fun Showtime as its own attraction. But then the 2016 exodus of rides occurred, which firmly dropped the number.

The only time the park has genuinely had 50+ attractions was during the late 80s/early 90s, before the Tussauds ride-exodus occurred. From 1988-1992 the park had 50+ easily identifiable ride and attractions, before the number dropped by 10 in 1993.

The peak was in 1990, but at that point John Broome was busy claiming '125 rides, shows and attractions'... now that list definitely included most everything and the kitchen sink... including listing each element of the Kiddies Kingdom play equipment as individual attractions (which to be fair, they would have been to a 6-year-old), as well as every shop, nook and cranny. At that point, I believe they had not long removed the 'Baby Feeding Room' and the Security checkpoint at the entrance from the list of 'attractions'.
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Probably gonna have to relook over my data I collected. But the main point Towers doesn't have enough rides as it once did and I hope over time it will rebuild back up to 50
 
In case it's of any interest to anyone, and in an effort to note derail this thread any further, I've just added a new thread, that includes a tracker of attraction count vs attendance over the years at Alton Towers.

In short, as part of this discussion, the data certainly seems to back up that in the last few years the balance of attractions have been off and not keeping track with the park's attendance, which would follow where there's an ongoing discussion about the park needing more (good quality) attractions.
 
Bit of a mixed bag on park today.
Wicker Man shut again, all day.
Rita was also shut until around 3, but fair play to them for getting it open, not sure what the issue was.
13 and Galactica opened late also.
The park was busy but don't think this was helped by having rides shut, made it feel busier than it actually was. Most we waited was about an hour, but that was for a few rides. Rapids was on about an hour all day lol due to the weather.
What's the temperature limit on the skyride does anyone know?
Thing is these issues happen and nothing they can do about it, as far as we know anyway.
 
WickerWonder18 said:
Bit of a mixed bag on park today.
Wicker Man shut again, all day.
Rita was also shut until around 3, but fair play to them for getting it open, not sure what the issue was.
13 and Galactica opened late also.
The park was busy but don't think this was helped by having rides shut, made it feel busier than it actually was. Most we waited was about an hour, but that was for a few rides. Rapids was on about an hour all day lol due to the weather.
What's the temperature limit on the skyride does anyone know?
Thing is these issues happen and nothing they can do about it, as far as we know anyway.
Click to expand...
We believe the limit is 20 Degrees as 21 it will shut but don't quote me on that whatever the case it is a bit low for Skyride. I wish Alton was more consistent
 
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