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What is your favourite seat on each Alton Towers roller coaster?

Matt N

Matt N

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Hi guys. On a roller coaster, there are many different seats you can sit in, but the common consensus is that the extreme ends of the train offer a more favourable ride experience. Most people tend to favour either the front or the back on a roller coaster for varying reasons; they might love the sensation of speed and unencumbered wind in your face of the front, or they may prefer the increased intensity and whip of a back row ride. However, it can often be the case that one's favourite seat will vary ride-by-ride. On one coaster, a front row ride will play to its strengths, whereas on another, a back row ride could be where it really comes alive. With this in mind, I'd be keen to know; what is your favourite seat on each of Alton Towers' roller coasters? Which coasters are front row rides for you, and which are back row? Or are there coasters where the best seat isn't the front or the back, in your view?

Personally, I'd go with something like this:
  • Galactica: I've never really noticed too much of a difference between rows on this, so I find it hard to pick. I do quite like the first drop in the back, though, so I'd maybe go with the back?
  • Nemesis Reborn: I'd personally go with the front on Nemesis. I think you feel the speed so much more on the front without another row of trains blocking your view!
  • Oblivion: I've never really noticed too much of a difference between rows on this. The trains are just too small for it to make much of a difference in terms of forces, and "every seat gets a front row view"!
  • Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure: I've only done it once and I can't even remember what row I was sat in. Regardless, I doubt it would make too much of a difference on this.
  • Rita: I'd definitely go for the front on Rita. You feel the speed and force of that hydraulic launch so much more in the front, the ride is smoother in the front, and I don't think there's any significantly better airtime or whip to be felt in the back.
  • Runaway Mine Train: Without a doubt, RMT is a back row coaster for me. You get a lot more speed and force around those turns in the back!
  • Spinball Whizzer: The cars are far too small for there to be an awful lot of difference between rows on this.
  • The Smiler: I'd go for the front on Smiler, personally. It's noticeably smoother up front, and I think Smiler's trains are too small for there to be any palpably different sensations between rows, for the most part.
  • Thirteen: Thirteen is undoubtably a back row coaster for me. In the back, I love how you get pulled over the first drop with a surprisingly sustained airtime moment, and there are one or two other fun airtime moments in the back, whereas you get pretty much nothing in the front.
  • Wicker Man: Wicker Man is definitely a back row ride for me. While the front is great fun, you get palpably stronger airtime and whip in the back, and the ride also isn't any rougher in the back either.
But I'd be keen to know; what is your favourite seat on each Alton Towers roller coaster?
 
Galactica: Back
TH13TEEN: Middle
Wicker Man: Back
Rita: Front
Oblivion: Front
Nemesis: Front
The Smiler: Back
Octonauts: Don't know
Runaway Mine Train: Front
Spinball: Back when entering the lift hill
 
Nemesis - Never done front row unfortunately, but if I can ask the ride op I always say the back

Oblivion - Honestly don't really mind either row

Galactica - Probably front, the ride isn't intense anywhere so that's not a contributing factor. So Front row for the the unobstructed view

Rita - Again, never done the front, (closest was row 2), and I don't really notice much of a difference when it comes to forces, so I'm not too bothered by which seat I get, but I'd assume the first half of the train is probably a tad smoother so I'll say that for rita. Also, I've done stealth front row a few times and that's out of this world when it comes to feeling the sheer speed of it, so I'm sure rita front row is objectively the best seat.

Th13teen - Back any day. Mainly just for the floater (if its running well) on the first drop as you crest the lift. But I guess the front has the advantage in the indoor section.

The Smiler - front all the way, I'm sure you guys can guess my reasons

Wickerman - BACK BACK BACK, that thing absolutely hauls at the back and feels like a completely different ride. Luckily the ride ops have always taken into account my seat preferences on this ride. This ride definitely has the biggest 'difference' from front and back due to its 14(?) rows.

Runaway Mine Train - again not much preference, but would rather sit in the middle or back to avoid the locomotive obstructing the view.

Spinball - I feel unlike Dragon's fury, it doesn't really change the ride experience where you sit, as it spins even before you hit the lift hill, whereas fury if you're backwards you're going to go down the drop backgrounds regardless.
 
Also one comment I saw someone make about reborn/OG is that both the front and the back are intense in different ways, with the front, you experience the most intensity getting pushed into the elements, whereas the back you get pulled. Of course, this is the case with any coaster but I think with reborn sustaining the forces so much throughout the ride it definitely makes for a much different ride experience, while remaining intense in different ways.
 
OCONAUTS: back row, does get intense you know!
Galactica: front, i like to see trees alot, im a botanist so yeah
Nemesis reborn: hot take, middle, i like the feel and vibe
Oblivion: the back is so much better
Rita: i dont do this one or else my magnifier pulse comes loose
Rmt: row 7 its special
Spinball: 3rd seat on 7th train at 2:03pm
Smiler: rather ride a shopping trolly
13: row 2
Wickerman: second to back seat one, in rain whilst wearing contact lenses

I hope you appreciate my diverse opinions
 
Had my first front row ride on Reborn today and genuinely loved it, for me that wins hands down.

Wicker-Man has always been the further back you are the better. And reverse with Rita, the further forward the better.

Had a horrendous rough back row ride on Galactica earlier which put me off the coaster, usually ridiculously smooth wherever so don’t know if it was just a bad day for it or that the back row is always hellish.

The rest I’m pretty easy on, don’t go on Smiler all that often but when I do my heart sinks when they put me on row 4. Got row 3 today though and it was absolutely fine.
 
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