Going Alone?

[Blaze]

[quote=""Don't_Look_Down""]@Blaze - You really can't beat the freedom of going by yourself. AT is an expensive day out as it is, so you might as well get your money's worth.[/quote]
AT is an expensive day out as it is, so you might as well go with some friends.

And those 2-for-1s don't work when you're a 1.

I can live with not going on Hex since October in exchange for having people with me to interact and have fun with.

[Don't_Look_Down]

[quote=""Blaze""]And those 2-for-1s don't work when you're a 1.
[/quote]

Pfft, but then you don't get ERT with the 2-for-1s

[.Will]

Well everyone to their own TBH. What ever floats your boat the key thing is that you shouldn't be worried AT TeeJay go and try it out if you don't like it then you know for the future.

Have a nice trip all the same. It is easier for people who have passes and live within 20 minutes or an hour to go alone I think because you can end up spending nothing.

[Blaze]

[quote=""Don't_Look_Down""][quote=""Blaze""]And those 2-for-1s don't work when you're a 1.
[/quote]

Pfft, but then you don't get ERT with the 2-for-1s [/quote]
In the words of the wiki,

"Leg it to Nemesis, innit!"

So I have to wait a short while to get in the park. The morning rush to Spinball or the endurace test to Nemesis is just as fun.

[.Will]

Nothing beats walking in between a big crowd of people flashing your pass and getting entry. It winds so many people up.

Guess you will never know that feeling Blaze!

:P

[Don't_Look_Down]

[quote=""Blaze""][quote=""Don't_Look_Down""][quote=""Blaze""]And those 2-for-1s don't work when you're a 1.
[/quote]

Pfft, but then you don't get ERT with the 2-for-1s [/quote]
In the words of the wiki,

"Leg it to Nemesis, innit!"

So I have to wait a short while to get in the park. The morning rush to Spinball or the endurace test to Nemesis is just as fun. [/quote]

I was thinking more along the lines of Rita

[Islander]

Well, it's this old annual topic again. These threads annoy me so damn-much... why? Well, 'cause those who quite like going alone, and can list many advantages to going alone, never deny that going in groups also has it's own, different advantages. However, those who enjoy going in groups are far more one-sided, and generally ignore (if not actively slate) the advantages of going alone.

I think it's time to knock some fallacies on their heads...

[quote=""Blaze""]...and I'd never shake the feeling people were looking at me and thinking I was some strange loner with no friends who spends all his time on the internet.[/quote]
[quote=""AdrenalineAlex""]...I felt so self conscious waiting in the queues thinking people are looking at me. [/quote]
This point of view always amuses me. I never understand why people seem to think that strangers ever give two hoots about them, who they're with (or not), and what they're doing. Are you, a random theme-park visitor, so important that you're going to turn heads and have every Tom, Male Appendage and Harry discussing your every movement?* Truth is that no, you're not, and others don't care. If you think they do, you might want to sort out your insecurities*. Queueing naked for, say, RMT would be something to feel self-concious about; queueing alone for RMT isn't.

[quote=""Blaze""]Plus I'd have no one there to tell me that spending an hour waiting for Duel is a stupid idea and that no, a fifth ride on Thirteen really isn't neccassary.[/quote]
Ah, but, you see, this is one of the joys of going alone - no one to tell you what to do! I mean of course, if you're a sheep*, you're gonna have problems suddenly trying to decide all alone what you are going to do, or what you're not going to do, but otherwise, hey, enjoy the freedom!

[quote=""Blaze""]Even on the rides would feel strange. You can't laugh and scream and have fun on your own.[/quote]
"Have fun" - of course you can. You can laugh/scream/whatever - this basically ties in with my first point. Also, where's this strange rule that states that you cannot have fun if not shouting/laughing/screaming? I generally ride silently, and get pretty p**d off with people who ruin the ride by screaming too much. Not that I'm saying riders should be silent ( :P ), but more that shouting for the sake of shouting is stupid.

[quote=""Blaze""]...and releases chemicals into your brain that heighten the experience and make you more outgoing.[/quote]
:-s

[quote=""Blaze""]When I'm on a ride with friends, we laugh and joke, and do all that macho shouting and stuff that you do, and I scream and laugh and goo woo a lot, then at the end we run and laugh at each others faces on the photo and all that.[/quote]
That's definitely an advantage of going as a group, however it's by no means the only form of enjoyment gleaned from riding rides, hence rides can be perfectly enjoyable alone.

[quote=""Blaze""]...but if you don't have anyone there to share this great experience, is it really worth it?[/quote]
Yep, entirely. Sharing great experiences is awesome, but that doesn't render alone-experiences non-awesome.

[quote=""Blaze""]And is it not selfish to go to somewhere like Alton and not invite a friend?[/quote]
Ah, now this is the only point that I'll say outright is utter codswallop . I can quite easily turn that on it's head: it's no more selfish than for a friend to automatically expect that, if you're going to Towers, you'll invite them.

------------

My point is probably summed up best thus:

[quote=""AdrenalineAlex""]Just depends what type of person you are![/quote]
Exactly, and to me that's what some posters in this and previous threads miss. There are advantages and disadvantages to both going in groups and alone, and which one you err towards will depend entirely on you.

There is not, and can never be, a catch-all answer to "is is better to go alone or as a group?", as that's an entirely personal question. However, regarding "is it OK to go alone?", hell yes, and quite frankly those who argue otherwise (most likely because they are the type of person who fits into the 'go as a group' category) are entirely mistaken.

(* - NB: none of these are directed at one person, just people in general who seem to think that visiting theme parks alone is near-enough sinful.)

[Jordan]

I've only been on my own at Alton once, and that was just for an hour or so from circumstance at the end of the day, but I enjoyed the freedom of being able to ride what I wanted and without any faff, and it's also nice to have a bit of 'me' time every now and again

To be honest, though, I don't think I could ever do a whole day alone at a park. It seems like an interesting idea but I'd rather go round a park with friends, whether that's just one other person or 65 other people (as was the case in March!).

But by all means, give it a try if it's something that sounds good to you - I doubt that any other guests on park will actually notice and even if they do and make a fuss over it, there's always the fallback excuse of "my friends are too scared to go on this ride" :-P

[Eagie]

I like going alone and also going as a group - both different experiences.

Going alone I tend to just spend a couple of hours on the park - but make sure I cram a lot of rides in to that time. Hit the SRQs hard and have a good time.

I often talk a little to the person who has drawn the short straw and got me dumped next to them. I know this is a shocking thing to do for some people but saying hello to someone you don't know can be socially acceptable. If it is the 1st time they have been on the ride it can be quite nice sharing with them even though you do not know them.

And if anyone is looking at me and thinking it strange that I am there on my own (and I very much doubt anyone actually cares about that) I really couldn't care less.

[Don't_Look_Down]

[quote=""Eagie""]I often talk a little to the person who has drawn the short straw and got me dumped next to them. I know this is a shocking thing to do for some people but saying hello to someone you don't know can be socially acceptable. If it is the 1st time they have been on the ride it can be quite nice sharing with them even though you do not know them.
[/quote]

Same here! People are always so friendly...especially those waiting in queues. I've had many long conversations with complete strangers before now. I've even had one couple tag along behind me for a while during one Drayton Manor trip

[DiogoJ42]

I spent quite a long time chatting with a girl on Vampire last Tuesday (5 rides in a row due to no queues) Got to know her pretty well by the end... only thing I didn't find out was her name! :P

I don't mind making my own way round a park for a few hours if I'm there early, or if the people I'm with want to take a break / see Go!Go!Go! etc But I don't think I'd enjoy a whole day on my own. For me, parks are a social thing. Damnit, it's the closest thing I have to a social life these days!

[ATJakee96]

Also remember you can do single riders, (i doubt it will be busy)
you dont have arguments over what attraction next .

[Jordan]

[quote=""ATJakee96""](i doubt it will be busy)[/quote]

If the past week or so is anything to go by, I'd say that the SRQs for Air and Nemesis are probably going to be longer than the main queues over peak season!

[James6]

^ Agreed, yesterday the Main queue for Nemesis was 45 minutes, and the SRQ was down the stairs and went on for a quite a distance too, was also very compact. I'd guess that would have taken easily 90 minutes, it was THAT long. Would be good if a member of staff came out at that point and said it'd be quicker to do the Main queue

[.Will]

Yeah the SRQs were busy yesterday. You really have to pick your moments with those queues. Saying that though little disapointed with the staff on Nemesis there was no staff member filling up all the bays I saw trains leave with loads of empty seats and there was a 25 minute queue and single riders waiting.

:no:

[cheeky_becky]

I've never ever been to a theme park on my own but I went on a few rides on my own before (even at a few parks in Orlando) because my friends or family won't go on them with me and to be honest I don't really like it, personally it's better with my friends next to me on the rides.

I do like having my own company sometimes but not too much though. I feel really lonely most of the time because I live alone in my own flat.

I know this is nothing to do with Alton Towers but two weeks ago I really wanted to go to Thorpe Park and I was so CLOSE going there on my own because no one would go with me, I even woke up really early in the morning, got ready and packed my bag etc, then I dropped out and stayed at home instead. I woke up at 5am for nothing. Didn't like the thought of travelling 3 hours in trains/buses on my own and wander around the park on my own for 7 hours and then travel 3 hours back home. And there's the long queues. So I kinda panicked and stayed in. I wouldn't be able to understand anyone if they try to talk to me also I won't know what's going on if something go wrong and no one would tell me. Guess it's not really a good idea for a deaf person like me to go on their own at theme parks..

[.Will]

Somewhere like Orlando is exactly the place I would want to be alone! When I went to Disneyland Paris a few years ago I really wanted to split off from the group because after all the moaning was over we only managed to do Space Mountain once! Epic ridecount TBH.

[A5H]

I don't think I could go on my own tbh, I enjoy going to a theme park with a couple of friends, Even riding on my own I don't think I'd enjoy, although when I go Sunday my mate who I'm going with does not like Ripsaw so I'll be riding that on my own.

[cheeky_becky]

I'd never ever want to wander around Orlando alone!

I rode Nemesis on my own a few times before, I do LOVE going on it but I didn't enjoy being on my own.

[Vik]

I went once on my own. A few days after RITA had opened. Had planned to go with a friend, but some drama forced him to cancel late the night before. Decided, hell, i will go anyway. Did some Nemmy whoring on ERT, 1/2 dozen rides on RITA via SRQ, 7 rides on Corkscrew, then went home at around midday. I did get chatting to a few other people who were also there on their own.

That was a one off though. I have arrived at Towers many a time on my own when there has been some TTF gathering. Have happily enjoyed some ERT or even a walk around the ruins whilst awaiting others to arrive. However, being rather self conscious, have tended to avoid taking the Monorial on these occasions for fear of looking a billy no mates. :0.

I much prefer it with friends or a group. I know you encountwr such incidents such as :-
"Where to now?"
"I don't mind, you choose.."
"OK, Nemmy"
Sulks. "i wanted to do Air ("
But the fact you have some company far outwieighs the negatives of being with others rather than going alone.

Though, if I lived a lot closer, say within 20 mile, I would happily pop along for a couple of hours, just to relax and walk around the gardens etc.