Highlights of the 2011 season

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
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The Psychoaster
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So the 2011 season is over! Only 138 days until 24th of March 2012, and the beginning of 2012 :wink:

What has been everyone's favourite moment of this season? For me, it has to have been going on a VERY quiet day in the middle of September and managing Oblivion 5 times in a row with no queue, as well as Nemesis 4 times and Rita 3. :)
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Altonator
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Has got to be Scarefest 23rd Oct when I managed to ride Nemesis Air Oblivion and Rita twice in less than 40mins right at the end of the day:D (Alot of running was involved lol) Can't wait until 2012 season:D
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CoasterCrazyChris
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I don't think the 2011 season deserves a highlights topic.....more like lowlights.

But... the All Time Greats campaign was pretty awesome in its entirety - just getting to see all the old ride adverts again, the funny propaganda and the general buzz it created overall both on park and at home watching the adverts on TV!

Also from what I've seen the Fireworks event looks like it was one of the best the park has ever pulled off.

Sadly, that's it I think.

These positives have been greatly outweighed by the lack of any new attractions, lack of park maintenance and upkeep, ridiculous price increases for tickets/car parking/fasttracks, increased upselling, awful sponsorship deal involving the parks most iconic ride, inconsistency of Scarefest event.........the list just goes on and on.

I think it's almost beaten 2005 as the parks worst ever season.

:)
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Stelios7
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I don't think it deserves a highlights topic, it was revealed last year, but no Shrek was a highlight, improving Duel was nice and the All Time Greats Campaign WAS epic and excited enthusiasts and the public alike.

My personal experience highlight was riding Blivvy fives times in a row on a hot day in August during the All-Time Greats campaign, shouting vote for Blivvy, also my first day on Air on the front row, amazing.

Oh, and recognizing TTF at the Scarefest meet! :D
Last edited by Stelios7 on Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Don't_Look_Down
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My highlight of the season was going to Scarefest for the first time ever. Blivvy in the dark was truly amazing - an experience I'll never forget.

There was also the Sandwich meet in May. I was quite nervous about meeting a huge group of strangers off the internet, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming. It was just a great day with great people.
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.Will

I am looking forward to next season even more now after the mild disapointment that was this year. With at least two attractions coming next year there is a reason for my excitement.

So thank you Alton Towers for an average season, I have had fun a highlight for me was the Fireworks.

:)
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thefatone
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All Time Greats campaign, brilliant fireworks and very well managed carpark leavingness, the fact we're getting a ride themed about a ride built 16yrs ago... the tank...
Jordan

I think it's a bit immature to write-off the season from the get-go. This has been my first full season at Towers and I've enjoyed it immensely. I've visited a ridiculous amount of times.

I'd say my park highlights for this year would be the All Time Greats campaign, Terror of the Towers and the Fireworks, all of which were well planned, creative and executed superbly.

In terms of meet highlights for this year, I'm not quite sure where to start. I'd say my favourite official meet was Staffordshire Sandwich or Fireworks. The midweek mini-meets in April were fun (and coincided well with my college days off :-P ) and there were a few days mid-summer on park which were pretty memorable for one reason or another. Europa-Park in summer was amazing, and it was just as good on me and Dagan's impromptu road-trip for Halloween. TTF Scarefest was a good meet, although my favourite Scarefest meets were later on in the fortnight. And the two days I was at Fireworks were both breathtaking and the atmosphere on park was great. A great close to the season.

For a few reasons I guess, I don't feel as devastated as I thought I would be about closed season. It feels like closure to a lot of the stuff that's happened this year and i'm more than looking forward to next season now.

:-)
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Tom G
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Quietness even in August weekends and May Bank Holiday Monday.
The Skyride being broken and all the lazy people having to walk.
The Skyride suddenly stopping and my usually reserved mate who is afraid of heights shouting out "oh that is awful!" in front of strangers.
Having Hex's exit returned to normal.
Rita not breaking down once when I've been waiting.
Thirteen stopping on its second lift hill and the operator coming up and saying we're going to restart the ride and you'll go into the drop zone. I was in a party of around ten and none of the others had been on before! Ruined!
First ever Scarefest, the three mazes! One of the clowns recognising me and referring to me by name!
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CoasterCrazyChris
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[quote=""Tom G""]The Skyride being broken and all the lazy people having to walk.[/quote]

I think that's a bit unfair.

Not everybody rides it just because they are lazy and so they can get from A to B as quickly as possible.

Some people (myself included) do actually see the Skyride as an attraction in itself instead of just a method of transport. There is something fun about travelling high up in the sky in a glass box...

Plus it offers the best views of the gardens by far and much of the park as well.

Also, what about disabled people and those with mobility issues? Do you consider it a 'highlight' of your year that they had more trouble than they would of done getting around the park?

:)
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Cariba
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For me, my first visit to Alton!
Overall, this seasons seems to have been better than last, the advertising campaign (All Time Greats) was, well great, and to be honest it was kind off nice to not have all the over the top stuff from Thirteen.
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The Crab of Nemesis
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Personal experience-wise > Running to Nemesis on opening day ike a man possessed
Last group through boiler house on 22nd October and being chased into X Sector.
Being the first on Air (with only 3 others) on 23rd October.
TOTT, just blew me away this year, a brilliant production. All 4 runthroughs were perfect.

Parkwise > All Time Greats ad campaign was the best in a long time.
Fireworks looked fantastic despite me not being able to make it :(
The reveal of Nemesis-What lies beneath (not this more recent crap with Jack Osbourne!)
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DiogoJ42

I have many highlights from my 2011 season.... :lol: and not one of them has anything to do with a UK park.
Jordan

Didn't see that one coming, Diogo ;-)
AstroDan

The Alton fireworks were brilliant. That's a definite highligt of the year.

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Alex Tyler
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My highlight was when the skyride reopened (im use a wheelchair).
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Tom G
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[quote=""CoasterCrazyChris""][quote=""Tom G""]The Skyride being broken and all the lazy people having to walk.[/quote]

I think that's a bit unfair.

Not everybody rides it just because they are lazy and so they can get from A to B as quickly as possible.

Some people (myself included) do actually see the Skyride as an attraction in itself instead of just a method of transport. There is something fun about travelling high up in the sky in a glass box...

Plus it offers the best views of the gardens by far and much of the park as well.

Also, what about disabled people and those with mobility issues? Do you consider it a 'highlight' of your year that they had more trouble than they would of done getting around the park?

:)[/quote]

Relax, it's called a joke.

There ARE lazy people that do use it for transportation alone, but of course there are many people that really do need to use it to get the most out of their day or struggle with mobility.

There's no need for the guilt trip or several sentences worth of criticisism. A one line swipe would have sufficed if you took exception to the statement - which was meant to be tongue in cheek.
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altontowerskid
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As nothing much can be said about the park, my highlight has been my two hotel stays.

Splash Landings in February Half Term, followed by AT Hotel at the end of June. Both stays were fantastic and although I have heard of negative stories regarding customer service at the hotels, I have found it to be brilliant this year. Who ever is in charge of the resort hotels really does deserve some credit, in my own opinion :)
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thefatone
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Yeah that reminds me, hotels have been fantastic this season.

We've seen constant improvements, and the food in Secret Garden is just getting better and better. I've never had so much fun at a restuarant before!
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Rob L
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My highlights of the 2011 Towers season are as follows:

-The Fireworks, outstanding!
-TOTT, brilliant as usual!
-The Pirate Show, great fun all of the time!
-The All Time Greats competition!

:)
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