The main season may be over but the resort is open this winter to offer a wide of activities and themed weekends to escape those long chilly nights.
While the hotels and their attractions are at the heart of the Winter Season, the park also has limited opening hours and ride availability over Christmas as part of the park’s winter packages.
The weather can be quite wintery and it can snow a lot more in the Staffordshire Moorlands when it might not be snowing elsewhere, so be sure to prepare your car for the weather and take lots of warm clothes; little fingers and toes don’t like being too cold!
On a budget? The Winter Season can be an excellent time to experience the hotel attractions at a fraction of the price. Outside the main theme park season there are often plenty of good deals to be found for a stay at Alton Towers.
Christmas Breaks
This year, as well as the traditional Santa Sleepovers and Festive breaks, on selected dates over the Christmas holidays the theme park will be open for paying day guests to experience the Christmas Markets and Lightopia Christmas Wonder as well as a selection of the theme park’s family rides.
You can add a little bit of extra magic to Christmas this year by taking a short break at the Alton Towers Resort – the fantastical Christmas event is a must for all those with a young family.
Event Dates
Santa’s Sleepover Dates:
- 25th – 27th November
- 2nd – 4th December
- 9th – 11th December
- 16th December – 23rd December
Festive Breaks:
- 27th December 2021 — 2nd January 2023
Visiting Santa
During your Santa Sleepover you can visit Santa’s Woodland Grotto, from which Santa will be posing for pictures as well as giving out gifts.
Things to See and Do
The usual resort activities are open for the Christmas event so you can take a splash in the Alton Towers Water Park, which is always pleasantly warm, or play a frosty round of Extraordinary Golf.
There is also Christmas entertainment as well as meet and greets with your favourite CBeebies characters. For older children and adults there is also light entertainment in and around the atrium of the Alton Towers Hotel.
Food and Drink
Christmas fare can be found in the restaurants across the hotels but for all the Christmas trimmings with an extra loop, why not consider the Rollercoaster Restaurant, which is also open during the event serving Christmas dinner in its own unique style!
For lunch you can grab some food from the Christmas Market when it’s open, or choose something from the lunch menu at the hotel restaurants. There is also food served in the Water Park.
The Dragon Bar is open until late into the night offering a whole range of drinks. As this is a family event we would recommend that any groups of adults bare in mind that children may still be around.
Hotel Christmas Gallery
New Year’s Eve
Welcome 2020 in style with a short break at Alton Towers Resort, including tickets for both the waterpark and theme park, where selected rides will be open around CBeebies Land and Mutiny Bay. Guests staying for New Year’s Eve will be able to see the resort’s pantomime and a round of Extraordinary Golf is also thrown in.
For the big night itself guests have a choice of one of four different options to see in the new year.
Sir Algenon’s New Year Extravaganza
Sir Algenon will be welcoming guests staying in the Alton Towers Hotel to his New Year Extravaganza. Upon arrival guests will be treated to a welcome drink to whet their appetite for the three course dinner in the Secret Garden Restaurant.
Once dinner is complete guests will be invited to retire to the Atrium, where live music awaits them to entertain them into the early hours. In the morning the Secret Garden is the first port of call for the new year, where a delicious brunch awaits.
Ma Garrita’s Caribbean Celebration
Escape from the cold winter nights with a stay in the totally tropical Splash Landings Hotel. Outside the snow might be falling, but in Splash Landings Ma Garrita is preparing for Caribbean Celebration.
After a welcome cocktail, guests are invited to a three course meals in Flambo’s Jambo before a live band take to the stage in Ma Garrita’s to welcome in the new year, ably assisted by the Calypso Crew.
CBeebies New Year’s Eve Party
You’re never too young to get into the New Year’s spirit and this year the CBeebies Funsters are throwing a party that is perfect for the youngest members of the family.
After a buffet meal in The Windmill Restaurant, Peter Rabbit will be your host for an evening of entertainment in the Musical Meadow. Enjoy a Hoppin’ New Year with Peter Rabbit right through until the clock strikes midnight in Kids Standard Time (or 9pm as it is better known), and it is time for bed.
New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner
The fabulous State Room at the Conference Centre will once again be hosting the resorts traditional New Year’s Eve Gala. Guests staying in the Alton Towers Hotel and Luxury Tree Houses will enjoy a delicious five course meal before dancing their way into 2020 with music provided by a live band.
And after your celebratory lie-in, gala guests are also treated to a new year’s brunch the next morning.
Dancing With the Stars
The dance professionals from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing return to the resort to strut their stuff for the annual Dancing With the Stars weekend in March.
The event is immensely popular and includes demonstrations, lessons from the professionals, a black tie ball and a Q&A with the dancing stars. If your a strictly fan then this is the weekend break for you!
Event History
Over the years Alton Towers Have hosted all sorts of events during the Winter Season. Here are just a few of the Winter Weeks that have previously been held in the resort.
Caribbean Beach Party
It may be cold outside but its always warm in Splash Landings Hotel where the Caribbean vibe was stepped up a notch during the Beach Party weekend, including a family disco for young ones to dance the evening away, a Limbo Dance competition to test your flexibility, and flower garlands for all guests to wear!
In it’s final season (the 2015-16 winter season) the event was known as the Caribbean Carnival.
Pirate and Princess Weekend
If the thought of sailing the seven seas is your idea of a fun, then escape from the normal routine with this weekend. Both Alton Towers Hotel and Splash Landing Hotel get a complete swashbuckling makeover for this weekend of festivities. Meet wild pirates and beautiful princesses, whilst enjoying special themed drinks and entertainment (including a pirate fancy dress competition for the kids).
The final Pirate and Princess Weekend took place in 2016 – the event still runs however, though now swash-buckling troop now takeover for February Half Term instead.
UK Street Dance Challenge and Fit JAM Weekend
- Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd November 2015
- Friday 26th – Sunday 28th February 2016
Brought to the resort by the team at Dance Jam, the UK Street Dance Challenge, is a weekend of competition and workshops where street dancers from across the UK can come to show off their moves and learn a few new ones too.
Also from the team at Dance Jam, the Fit JAM weekend brought dance and fitness professionals from around the world to the resort to present a series of workshops across many disciplines during the weekend of 29th-31st January 2016.
