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- Start date
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
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- Taron
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- Ug Bugs
What year has Alton been at its best
jon81uk
TS Member
Maybe 2008 I think. Mutiny Bay had just opened, Ritas Chicken & Ribs was still decent, there was a decent selection of shows and rides across the park and Extraordinary Golf was only a year old. Just felt like a nice time with positive changes but it was the last season for Pizza Hut Express before it changed to the buffet.
Second option would be 2014 when CBeebies and Smiler were new, the Ice Age 4D show still existed and Burger Kitchen and Pizza buffet were still OK quality.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
I'd say early 2015. You had a very good spread of rides in geography, ride type and age range. Tbh, I think the lineup in summer 2015 (post Smiler crash and Sub Terra closure) is still better than what we have now because we're still struggling with closing the leap between Cbeebies and thrill coasters that opened after 2015.
RicketyCricket
TS Member
Whatever year it was they done the pants crapping challenge with a free t shirt. Good times.
Secret Weapon
TS Member
I didn't visit Alton Towers during the 2009 to 2023 period (inclusive), but my gut feeling is that 2013 may have been the peak, due to The Smiler’s launch, and most of the other rides still being there as well?
I think there has only been one new major rollercoaster since then (Wicker Man), with a bunch of flat-ride closures alongside (e.g. Enterprise, Blade, and Submission)
I wasn't following theme parks closely at the time, but my feeling back then (prior to the 2015 Smiler crash, COVID, Universal GB, and Merlin's financial issues) was that people were still expecting many more rides in the near future, and so there was still a general sense of optimism? (somebody please correct me if I am wrong, though, and The Smiler was in fact seen as the grand finale at the time!)
The Swarm had only just opened at Thorpe Park the prior year as well, and so perhaps people were unaware that Merlin would not build another major rollercoaster there for 12 years? (which, in turn, may have cast doubt on their commitment to British theme parks in general)
I think there has only been one new major rollercoaster since then (Wicker Man), with a bunch of flat-ride closures alongside (e.g. Enterprise, Blade, and Submission)
I wasn't following theme parks closely at the time, but my feeling back then (prior to the 2015 Smiler crash, COVID, Universal GB, and Merlin's financial issues) was that people were still expecting many more rides in the near future, and so there was still a general sense of optimism? (somebody please correct me if I am wrong, though, and The Smiler was in fact seen as the grand finale at the time!)
The Swarm had only just opened at Thorpe Park the prior year as well, and so perhaps people were unaware that Merlin would not build another major rollercoaster there for 12 years? (which, in turn, may have cast doubt on their commitment to British theme parks in general)
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East Coast Mariner
TS Member
Can't go wrong with 1999 (the first year I visited) - sometimes, less is more.
But I suppose, objectively, it's 2018, as they had Wicker Man, plus everything before it.
But I suppose, objectively, it's 2018, as they had Wicker Man, plus everything before it.
jon81uk
TS Member
I think yes the addition of Air was great, unfortunately my memories of 2002 are tainted by a long wait in the rain to see if Air could actually work and then on our subsequent visits it not always being able to rise up to the prone position until guests were moved around to redistribute weight, leading to applause from all those in the station when it finally despatches each time. Also Webmaster on ice was a bit meh.
I think the cut to theming was mainly due the technology being expensive at the time Air was in development before Oblivion and was meant to be SW4 but was pushed back as technology was not there at the time
The arrival of Rita which butchered Ug Land marked the end of the magic for me, so I’d say around 2002-2003. Plenty of flat rides all over the park, an indoor coaster, Toyland tours, the Log Flume, a recently opened Hex and the arrival of Air. I miss those days!
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
Surely this question should go in the other inane "which season" thread?
Which ‘worst’ era of Alton Towers do you think is better than the other?
Ok who’s **** is worse, Merlin’s or DIC’s?
towersstreet.com
Why do we have two of these? Does title of this thread hurt anybody else's eyes and head?
Only 100 more days of closed season left.
I think this question depends a lot on whether your looking at it personally or from a objectively. If It's personal then it'll be either when your first visited or when you most enjoyed the visits on a regular basis (as opposed to you having a one off good visit because of company etc), while objectively I think that's pretty much whenever the park had the best selection of rides, entertainiment and food, which I shall allow those who've seen the park in more years than me to decide.