Rain....

[Jazzy B Bunny]

Might be a silly question... Do they shut any rides if it rains? I'm going on Sunday and Monday and according to the weather it's supposed to rain! (I know it could all change between now and then)

[Bote]

It's not normal for any ride to close at Towers as a result of a bit of rain. However, if accompanied by a thunderstorm, lightening, hail, or incredibly high winds some of the attractions will be affected and possibly close.

It is rare though at Towers, and this year has been on of the main anomalies

The only ride which isn't enjoyable in rain is Rita really. The rest are fine if you ask me :P

[manual_operator]

Yeah at Bote said, Rita is the only ride really affected by rain and it will only close temporarily if the rain is really heavy...so unlikely to have major disruption.

[emma_b_321]

Sonic Spinball is also a bit of a pain in the rain, just because they only send round the cars with three people in them as opposed to four. As the majority of people that visit Alton Towers are not in a group of three and usually do not want to be split up, this leads to a pretty long queue. However, this usually means that the single rider queue usually goes very fast!

[Vanessa Feltz]

There are no procedures in place for closing in the rain as far as I know, though there are rife announcements that your ride experience may be uncomfortable

[Jazzy B Bunny]

That's good to know thanks.

[Poison Tom 96]

Rides in the rain are fine!

Rita is especially fun in the rain IMO.

Also Nemesis is a good 'un in the rain

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[Jazzy B Bunny]

Do they sell ponchos? 

[Blaze]

Rides in the rain are fine!

Rita is especially fun in the rain IMO.

Also Nemesis is a good 'un in the rain

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I did Rita's front row on opening day 2010 in torrential rain. It was...interesting. :P

Do they sell ponchos? 

Yep, but they're expensive. I recommend going Poundland or somewhere like that, you can usually pick up like 4 for a pound.

[Stelios7]

Do they sell ponchos? 

Yep, but they're expensive. I recommend going Poundland or somewhere like that, you can usually pick up like 4 for a pound.

I agree, and their at The Flume and the Rapids if you want to get your ponchos.

[Jazzy B Bunny]

I don't have time to do that now Unfortunatly. coach leaves at 7.20! Ah well what ever will be will be 

[Coke]

You can get cheap ponchos for £2 in the Flume and Rapids queue lines, but the nicer ones from the shops are about £6-£7

[oldgitBEN]

I love Ritas rain announcement, it basically says that its going to hurt like hell.

I will ALWAYS remember a TTF fireworks meet 2005/6 in the morning, myself, Kaycee, Ant and Sammie - Nemesis front row in torrential rain. I couldnt even open my eyes it was that painful. But the ride was phenomenally fast, and so intense.

[Kaycee]

I love Ritas rain announcement, it basically says that its going to hurt like hell.

I will ALWAYS remember a TTF fireworks meet 2005/6 in the morning, myself, Kaycee, Ant and Sammie - Nemesis front row in torrential rain. I couldnt even open my eyes it was that painful. But the ride was phenomenally fast, and so intense.

2005... will never forget that ride, I had a hat on that came down over my eyes and I couldn't get it back up... most disorientating, crazy ride ever!


If it's really torrential rain, some rides will close as per ride operator training, because of potential to over-speed through the slippery brakes (only very minutely), which can cause breakdowns! On a couple of occasions I closed Oblivion very temporarily when the rain was ridiculous.

So it's only truly heavy, torrential rain that will cause closures, and as soon as it calms down, they'll re-open. It's rare, so don't worry about it!

[mikey_mcl]

Touch wood, I've never experienced a 'wet' day at Alton, just the odd quick shower.
Out of Interest though, does Nemesis suffer the same issue as Nemesis Inferno does at Thorpe?
We went on it in the rain, and got absolutely drenched in water/rusty liquid from the wheel arch covers! 

[Jazzy B Bunny]

Went today and got totally soaked even though I had a poncho! I had to dry my shoes with a hair dryer. Didn't go on Rita, but oblivion was intersting the combination or the smoke and heavy rain... Well my ride photo looks like I've swallowed a wasp! Haha

[Vladimir Bobinski]

Rain is a mixed blessing, an especially wet Bank Holiday Monday earlier this year led to glorious, glorious queues.

Oblivion and Rite are especially amusing in the rain.

[iNemesis]

I have to say, I don't mind Alton in the rain, mainly as the queues are seemingly empty! I don't quite know where everyone disappears to, but it's certainly nowhere near the queulines!