Without wanting to come across to Fan boyish, I think EP has a superior selection of products, at a much higher quality than Alton Towers. As others have said, I could easily spend a small fortune at EP, while keeping my wallet firmly in my pocket at Towers.
With regards to the music been so expensive, I can not disagree that it does feel expensive, but at least it is on sale, unlike parks in the UK, and at the end of the day, it is money well spent as background music that brings back such positive memories is hard to come by
As for what park is best value for money, its a very difficult one to Answer, with Merlin Annual Passes being so cheap, it does make the 4 Merlin UK parks good value, even if the state of them leaves a lot to be desired.
Compared to EP, which is around £65 for a two day ticket also provides excellent value due to the quality of the park, and the number of different attractions and shows to enjoy in one park is second to none.
Ian