In the 1980s Rupert Bear arrived at Alton Towers as one of the earliest IPs for the park. Rupert and his friends occupied a building next to the Corkscrew, where guests could join them on their adventures.
Despite the attraction's name, the Rupert Bear Magic Show was actually a series of enchanting automated dioramas. There were five scenes altogether in the magic show, complete with accompanying commentary, each of which depicted a scene from the Rupert Bear comics.
Rupert Bear himself was also a costume character in the park during the years the Magic Show was open. The rather terrifying depiction of Rupert could often be found strolling through the gardens or out and about in the rest of the park.
Rupert and his pals departed from Festival Park at the end of 1986 at which point the building became the Corkscrew Arcade.
But the story didn't end there... and Rupert Bear Magic Show may have been the park's first attraction based on an IP, but it certainly wouldn't be their last. From Barney and The Tweenies in the Cred Street Theatre, through to the more recent addition of CBeebies Land, arguably Rupert Bear started Alton Towers' long love affair with costumed characters from popular culture.