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What was the best era for Alton Towers in the last 25 years?

What was the best era for the park since 1992?

  • 1992 - 1997

    Votes: 10 24.4%
  • 1998 - 2002

    Votes: 21 51.2%
  • 2003 - 2007

    Votes: 1 2.4%
  • 2008 - 2012

    Votes: 6 14.6%
  • 2013 - present

    Votes: 3 7.3%

  • Total voters
    41

CoasterCrazyChris

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Nemesis
Just thought I'd create this topic for a bit of discussion!

I did consider having the question as "worst era" but I think there's enough pessimistic threads on these boards at the moment even if I agree with all of them...

For me it's 1998 - 2002 not just because I first visited then, but also because this was the era of really innovative developments - Oblivion, Hex and Air accompanied with edgy marketing campaigns and a sweet spot generally for the park with a complete set of fully themed areas, a decent hotel and good entertainment just before the commercialisation really set in.

The best years for new rides may have been slightly earlier in 1992 and 1994 but by the millennium the park had a solid line-up of world class rides and what I consider to be the best brand image the park ever created with the 'swirly' bubble logo and minimalistic maps.

I can't quite decide on the worst but a toss up between 2003 - 2007 and the last five years. Is an explanation really needed here?
 
Mine's 1998 to 2002 as well. Because the reason being is that during this period Towers felt very "complete". Sure you had Nemesis in 1994, but just 6 years later you had Oblivion, Hex, rethemed Black Hole, Toyland Tours, the original Log Flume, the original Haunted House, Katanga Canyon in its full glory, UG Land (Pre Rita is an underrated area in my opinion), the first Hotel, a monorail, the gardens and just overall a good variety of rides. Plus later on you had Air and later Splash Landings and Cariba Creek as well.
 
Definitely 1998 - 2002.
Not gonna rattle on because I pretty much agree with TedTheHuman.

Plus you had old macdonalds farm (with animals) the animals obviously didn't last long however but it was a brilliant addition.
 
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I first visited the park as a child in the late 80's. I have many memories of that era, especially how damn good Festival Park, Talbot Street and coaster corner where. I grew up in the 90s and remember Katanga opening (and being a bloody big deal!) as well as queuing almost 4 hours for Nemesis around the extended queuline. I also have fond memories of the Oblivion opening as I entered adulthood. I visited in 2002 and did not visit for 4 years afterwards for health reasons but have visited every year since.

Hence, in my opinion, the beginning of 1992 to the end of 2002 was the best period for the park for me. In that period, the park transformed from the UKs greatest day out to a world class resort for various aforementioned reasons on this forum. At the time, Alton really did stick out on the world stage with decent themed areas, two of the world's best roller coasters and a great new hotel.

I'm also very fond of the early Merlin 2008 -2010 era. I thought the park had regained it's momentum again and looked and felt great.

The lowest point is 2015- present. Anyone who claims that the DIC era was worse needs their head examined. Never has the park opened for fewer hours, with fewer attractions since its inception than present. Sure it became a tacky cash cow for Broome in the late 80's with its cutbacks and off the shelf additions, sure Air was slashed back massively and Rita was unceremoniously dumped in the middle of Ug Land alongside increasingly stingy park operations in the early to mid 2000's. But I can't see any point in the parks history when it has been in such a rapid, self inflicted decline as it is now.
 
The bulk of the nighties for sure. I first went in 84 - so I'd say in terms of projecting magic - the late '80s.
 
98-02 Were the glory days for Alton Towers. Superb new rides at least every other season. Also a great variety of attractions, coasters, water rides and flats. Popular food outlets such as McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut. The park really felt complete. I'd go as far as 2005 with Spinball and Rita added alongside the Corkscrew.

Sadly 05 was also the year that the Black Hole was closed and the tent abandoned. To me, that marks the end of the golden era and the start of losing some great attractions that have since never been replaced to this day.
 
I can't really comment on the earlier eras as my first visit was in 2009. But in my opinion, the best era in my years of visiting is the era between when I first visited and 2015. 2016 and 2017 have seen good additions like the Rollercoaster Restaurant and the beginning of the TLC scheme, but the park has been so quiet every time I've visited since 2015 that it really seems like the park is struggling financially. But even now, in 2017, I think the park still has magic, and that's the most important thing of all. :)
 
If you ask me Merlin don't want AT. I can see a sale somewhere along the line. I would imagine they will look st an American investment and more midway attractions. Quick bucks from them.

AT has been used as a cash cow which is now bleeding dry. They won't spend the £45-50m that's needed short term to get the park back up to standard.

On another note who out there would buy AT? Perhaps the Chinese ?
 
Would you guys say that the Merlin era was better than the DIC era prior to 2015? Just asking because I think that judging by the things DIC put in compared to the things Merlin put in, I can see an answer on paper but would be interested to hear your opinions.
 
Would you guys say that the Merlin era was better than the DIC era prior to 2015? Just asking because I think that judging by the things DIC put in compared to the things Merlin put in, I can see an answer on paper but would be interested to hear your opinions.

Difficult one even taking Matthews comments above. The DIC era had poor installation and was when operating hours where cut quite considerably. Merlin have on the whole invested a bit better but operations have got worse. Trouble is it is hard to say what is a result of the crash and what Merlin would have inflicted anyway.

Overall 98-2000 was the best era but entertainment and "non-ride" offering was best in the 80's and 90's
 
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