Alton Towers Resort Guide – Our Tips for an Amazing Visit 🇬🇧

We’re HUGE theme park fans as you can probably tell from looking around the site! We’ve been around, visiting theme parks and amusement parks right across the world. We’ve done Disney and Universal and lots of others.

We’ve been on the biggest roller coasters and most immersive dark rides but our favourite theme park is one close to home – Alton Towers, just a short hop away in England!

It’s got a vibe, an atmosphere, something that seems unique amongst theme parks. The setting probably helps. It’s in the grounds of a former stately home. The Towers (as the old house is now referred to) stands as a focal point in the centre, derelict but open to guests to walk around.

Combine this with a great collection of rides, attractions and themed lands and the result is an amazing theme park.

Where is Alton Towers?

Alton Towers is located in Staffordshire in the English countryside, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The nearest village is sleepy little Alton and the nearest city is Stoke-On-Trent which is about half an hour drive away.

Getting there from Ireland like us (or indeed anywhere outside the UK) is not the easiest of tasks but there are a number of ways to do it if you’re prepared to put in a bit of work. It will be worth it!

Getting There

We flew into East Midlands Airport with Ryanair from Dublin and although the flight times weren’t ideal, they also weren’t bad and gave us nearly two full days in the park.

Do you need two days? Well that depends on a number of factors which I’ll get to in a bit.

We rented a car from East Midlands Airport as public transport options from there to the resort are limited. In fact, the only reasonable public transport option goes from either Stoke-On-Trent or Uttoxeter train stations BUT getting there means flying to Manchester or Birmingham and getting a train first.

We went by train and bus via Stoke from Birmingham on our first visit and it just wasn’t a pleasant experience so we’d say that if you can drive, just rent a car.

It tends to not be too expensive, especially if you compare prices on Discover Cars before you go.

Even though East Midlands is closer, Manchester and Birmingham are also decent options with motorway going close enough to the resort. In our opinion, East Midlands is the best option.

Make sure you rent from a car company located at the airport. We rented from Green Motion which is located in the Hilton Hotel about a 5 minute drive away. We found it a bit of an ordeal to be honest and when you want to just get going, it’s frustrating waiting and getting shuttles. We rented with Enterprise on another visit and found it much more efficient and convenient.

Parking & Arrival

Once you arrive at the resort, you still have a little journey to get to the actual turnstiles!

Parking isn’t free for day visitors (it usually costs around £10), and we recommend booking it online in advance to save time at the barriers. The car parks are huge, so make sure to take a photo of your zone letter so you can find your car later! There’s an Express Parking option which gets you closer to the gate but it costs about double and sells out very fast.

However, if you’re staying onsite, parking is completely free. Just follow the signs for your specific hotel.

From the car parks or hotels, you can either walk to the entrance (about 15–20 minutes) or hop on the Monorail which takes you straight to the gate.

Where to Stay

In terms of accommodation, there’s options nearby but we’ve stayed at the resort hotels on three occasions now and we really can’t fault them.

There’s a few accommodation options, each offering something different. Here’s our take on them:

• Alton Towers Hotel: This was the first built and is themed around the explorations of Sir Algenon Alton. We were upgraded to a Moon Voyage room and it was fantastic. Children would be blown away by it (we had no children with us and WE were blown away by it!)
• Splash Landings Hotel: This is the second hotel and is more of a budget offering. We stayed here on our first visit and liked it a lot. It’s got a Caribbean theme and is attached to Alton Towers Waterpark, of which there are some pretty fantastic views from the hotel.
• CBeebies Land Hotel: Great for kids. You can choose to have breakfast or dinner in any of the hotel restaurants once you’re staying onsite, although you can only enter CBeebies Land Hotel if you have a child with you.
• The Enchanted Village: A collection of lodges and treehouses which are really magical. These are perfect if you want a bit more space and privacy.
• Stargazing Pods: A great budget option if you just need a place to crash. They’re small but cozy and get you early access to the park.

Other Attractions at the Resort

Apart from the theme park, there is plenty more to do if you are staying for a few days.

• Alton Towers Waterpark: An indoor/outdoor waterpark with a Master Blaster water coaster. It looks like a great option for a rainy day and you can book specific tickets on GetYourGuide.
• Extraordinary Golf: An 18-hole crazy golf course themed around the park’s rides. It’s located near Splash Landings hotel and if you stay in one of the Resort Hotels, a round is often included for free!
• The Rollercoaster Restaurant: A unique dining experience where your food is delivered via a rollercoaster track! You usually need a theme park ticket to eat here, but if you book for the evening after the park closes, you can enter without one via the dedicated hotel gate.

Getting Your Tickets

We recommend buying your theme park tickets in advance to avoid queuing at the entrance.

You can book them on GetYourGuide. We often use them because they offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before your visit, perfect if the British weather decides to turn!

Once you have your mobile ticket, you can just scan straight through the turnstiles.

Useful Info

Beyond the standard tickets, there’s a few other things you need to know to make your day run smoothly.

• Fastrack: If you’re visiting on a busy weekend, you might want to buy Fastrack to skip the queues. You can buy it for individual rides or in packages. It’s very expensive! If you go on a quiet weekday or use Single Rider queues, you probably don’t need it.
• Ride Access Pass: If you or a family member has a disability that makes queuing difficult, Alton Towers has a Ride Access Pass system. You have to apply for this online at least 7 days in advance and also pre-book your slot for the day. You can’t just turn up and ask for it anymore.
• Height Restrictions: The magic number at Alton Towers is 1.4m. This is the minimum height for The Smiler, Nemesis Reborn, Oblivion, Galactica and Rita. If your kids are just under this, save yourself the tears and measure them before you queue!
• Special Events: The park is famous for Scarefest in October where they have scare mazes and keep the rides open in the dark until late. It’s our favourite time of year to visit though it’s very busy! They also have a huge Fireworks display in November to mark the end of the season.

Themed Areas & Attractions

Inside Alton Towers, the park is split into different themed areas. It’s a big park, so knowing where you’re going helps!

Your first port of call is Towers Street which has a view of the original 19th-century ruins. This area has the main gift shop (Towers Trading Co) and Guest Services.

From here, you can go left or right to start your day. Here’s our guide to the key areas, going anti-clockwise:

CBeebies Land

This area is huge and has lots of attractions for younger kids, featuring favourites like Hey Duggee, Peter Rabbit and the Teletubbies. It has a mix of gentle boat rides, interactive driving adventures and live entertainment at the Big Fun Showtime stage.

• Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure: A great first roller coaster for younger kids.
• Bluey Rollercoaster: The newest addition to the land, built on the site of the old Postman Pat ride.
• Spinball Whizzer: (Located just outside CBeebies Land) A spinning coaster that’s a lot of fun. (Tip: Ride this during Early Ride Time as queues get long!)

X-Sector

This futuristic area is home to two Secret Weapon coasters. Alton Towers has a reputation for these prototypes, world-first or record-breaking attractions.

• The Smiler: The world’s first 14-loop rollercoaster. It has a great unique theme and when you get off, you have to walk through hallways designed to disorient you even further! It’s incredibly fun.
• Oblivion: The world’s first vertical drop coaster. Although short, it has a really great moment where you are just dangling over the edge facing into a big hole before dropping straight down into it.

The World of David Walliams

Located past the Towers ruins, this area is based on the popular children’s books and includes some smaller attractions for families.

• Gangsta Granny: The Ride: A 4D dark ride where you attempt to steal the Crown Jewels.
• Royal Carousel: A classic, ornate fairground carousel.
• Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango: A twisting ballroom dancer ride.

The Towers

This is the historic heart of the resort and what we think gives Alton Towers its unique atmosphere. You can actually walk through the ruins of the 19th-century stately home, but the real secret lies deep inside.

• Hex: This immersive dark ride has just undergone a complete refurbishment and is still brilliant even though it’s over 20 years old. It tells the legend of a fallen branch and a curse connected to the building. We won’t say any more other than don’t miss it, it’s really well done.

Dark Forest

This area is home to two roller coasters, both of which are fun and a great starting point for those who are a little nervous of going on the big thrill rides.

• Rita: A launched roller coaster themed around a racing track abandoned and reclaimed by the forest. It’s fast and fun with a great launch at the start that’s enjoyable without being rough (compared, for example, to Furious Baco in PortAventura which is also launched and rattled our heads around uncomfortably!).
• Thirteen: A Secret Weapon coaster featuring the world’s first vertical freefall drop. It’s a really fun coaster that weaves through the forest and then into the crypt. There’s a backwards section too which we love and a really great surprise element.

Forbidden Valley

The next area is across the valley. To get there, you have to either cut down through the gardens (which is a great experience in itself) or take the Skyride gondola system which can also carry you back to the park entrance.

• Nemesis Reborn: The first Secret Weapon built in 1994, completely retracked for 2024. There’s a planning law stating the park can’t build above the treeline so they dug a massive hole in the ground to put Nemesis into it! It was the first inverted coaster in Europe and the theming is fantastic.
• Galactica: Originally opened as Air (the world’s first flying coaster), this ride is great for soaring over the ground and the people below.
• Toxicator: The latest ride in this area. It’s a Top-Spin ride with echoes of Ripsaw, a similar ride that used to be here.
• Nemesis Sub-Terra: A fun drop ride themed around the Nemesis monster. It’s good fun.

Gloomy Wood

This spooky area is home to just one attraction but it’s a classic.

• The Curse at Alton Manor: This haunted house dark ride used to be Duel but it was rethemed back to its original scary concept. It was recently refurbished and is packed with spooky effects.

Katanga Canyon

An African mining village theme that features two family favourites.

• Runaway Mine Train: A kid’s coaster that adults will love too! It interacts with the rapids and is a lot of fun. CHOO CHOO!
• Congo River Rapids: A classic water ride. It’s great fun on a warm day, although it was cold and wet on our recent visit and just made us even colder! They often turn off some water effects in colder weather.

Mutiny Bay

The last themed area is pirate-themed and has lots of games, food options and rides aimed at kids.

• Wicker Man: The latest coaster to open at the park. The theming is fantastic and really brings you into the story of being sacrificed to the Wicker Man! It’s been a great addition to Alton Towers.
• Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE: An indoor aquarium which we were very glad of when it was lashing rain! It’s a great place to dry off and see some sharks and rays.
• Battle Galleons: A Splash Battle boat ride where you shoot water cannons at other guests.

Food & Drink

Theme park food has a reputation for being expensive and average, and while Alton Towers has some decent options, it definitely helps to know where to go.

• The Rollercoaster Restaurant: Located in Forbidden Valley, this is an experience in itself. You order on a tablet and your food is delivered to your table via a rollercoaster track! It’s incredibly popular so you absolutely need to book a table in advance.
• Explorers Pizza Pasta Buffet: Located in Katanga Canyon, this is an all-you-can-eat buffet. It’s not gourmet dining but if you’ve got a hungry family, it offers the best value for money in the park.
• Woodcutter’s Bar & Grill: Located in the Courtyard area near Hex and the entrance to the Dark Forest, this is a nice spot for a proper sit-down meal with steaks and burgers if you want a break from the chaos.
• Towers Street Donuts: As you walk in (or out) of the park, you’ll smell these. Freshly made, hot sugar donuts. We challenge anyone to walk past them without buying a bag!

Shopping

Every major ride has its own exit shop but there’s two main ones you should look out for.

• Towers Trading Co: This is the massive department store on Towers Street near the entrance. It’s got everything including clothing, mugs, sweets and exclusives. We recommend doing your shopping here at the end of the day so you don’t have to carry bags around on the rides (though be warned, it gets very busy just before closing).
• Wicker Man Shop: The merchandise here is fantastic. It’s got a much darker, cooler aesthetic than the standard park merch. They even sell the specific woodsmoke scent they pump into the ride area!

Tips for Your Visit

So what advice do we have for visitors? Well the timing of your visit is vital.

Check when schools in the UK are on holiday and try to avoid going then. If you can go on a weekday, it’s much quieter than the weekend. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be quieter than Thursdays and Fridays (though always check in advance because the park sometimes closes on weekdays during very off-peak times).

We’ve visited in April and September and found both to be great for queue times, though September obviously has slightly better weather!

• Get There Early: If you’re staying in the hotels, take advantage of Early Ride Time. Be at the gate before it starts and keep an eye on which rides open first. On quiet days, they often open the areas at the back of the park later than the front.
• Download the App: The Alton Towers app is essential for checking live queue times. It helps you decide where to go next rather than walking across the whole park to find a 90-minute queue.
• Watch Your Digestion: Be careful what you ride after you eat! You don’t want to go on The Smiler with its 14 loops straight after a big lunch. Head to the indoor or gentler rides while you digest.
• Take Your Time: The park is huge. If you’re visiting during a busy period or just want to take your time, 2 days is usually the best option.
• Dress Practically: There’s a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes and make sure they’re tight enough not to fall off on Nemesis!
• Secure Your Belongings: Don’t bring anything you don’t need. Wear clothing with zipped pockets to keep your phone and wallet safe on the coasters. Most of the roller coasters have somewhere for you to put your bags on the platform.
• Glasses Wearers: If you can, wear contact lenses. It makes the big coasters much more comfortable.

If you’re visiting soon, we’re sure you’ll have a wonderful time! Have fun, be patient if it’s busy and make sure you check the park opening times on the website before you book.

If you’re heading along after reading this, make sure you come back and tell us how you got on!