Going to Towers alone...

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
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kevstarkie
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I might give it a go then.
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snakey904
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well I been on my own to towers had I felt too alone really going round with no one to talk to so I when home in half the day so as I got a day off tomorrow I might pop down to towers if you don't feel like going round on your tod
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tallicay2k
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Look at it this way....SRQ is a hell of a lot quicker than normal queue  :lol:
But as stated it depends if you like your own company...don't walk round talking to yourself cos you will get stares  :D
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DavidRock
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I'm off to Alton Towers tomorrow so as always it's iPod for music and straight to the Smiler (prays it doesn't  have any problems) was going to go today but decided against it with the x sector closure earlier in the week.

If anyone is getting public transport i will be on the 32A bus from Hanley to Alton Towers just look out for a black shirt and black jeans.....also a pair of red Beats headphones.

If anyone want to say hi if your onsite then please feel free to  :D
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loulou87
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Hi all, apologies if there's already a topic on this. I've seen a thread on single riders and people going on the coasters alone. How many are you are comfortable with this. I myself couldn't do it, I laugh like a complete idiot round most of the rides and have to squeeze the arm of the unfortunate friend who's sat next to me on oblivion. I really couldn't imagine enjoying a ride if I was sat with strangers, I'd be concentrating on not making an ass of myself too much to enjoy the ride.
To me going on and laughing with your friends then checking the ORP together (guaranteed 1 friend tries to stop me buying it cos their face in the pic is hilarious!!) Is all part of the magic.
Or does it matter? Can people still get the same enjoyment of a ride if sat alone or with strangers?
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Alex
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It depends on the queue, if there is a long queue for the ride then I will do SR. Probably the best example of this is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey when I went a couple of years ago it had a 150 min queue and single rider was 10. For that ride it doesnt really matter because you cant see the people in your carriage so it doesnt matter who you sit next to. But in general I do prefer to sit next to the people I am with.
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Kirsty25

I have no issue riding with other people as the majority of the time I don't buy the ORP. When I go on Sunday with my brother, we will almost certainly make use of the Single Rider queue as opposed to queuing lots.
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TheOutpatient
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I think you're right that going on with friends is good.

Going on alone is also good - I must have done it literally 50 odd times now. I even go on the logflume alone (be careful where you sit with that, cause it can throw you forward) but I was just chilling like a badass MoFo - no one could say a thing and some little girl waved at me. If you're self conscious you'll find not looking at people helps. That's how I cured much of my social anxiety anyway.

Also if you go alone, you can study things. Yes I'm kind of a nerd.
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ruby_glitters
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I've been trying for years to train my Sister up to go on rides with me but so far no dice; my OH refuses to go on any too, no matter how much beer I offer to buy him afterwards and I don't have any friends who are into that stuff.

I have no fear of being alone - I find I'm much more at ease that way and I've been to theme parks alone, but I don't know - being on a ride with friends, psyching each other (and occasionally strangers) out in the queue, taking the mick out of whoever pulled the stupid face in the ORP, even arguing over what you're going on next - all adds something to the experience that having more rides just doesn't make up for.

Don't get me wrong - I love all types of rides - but after you've been on one once, most are not half as much fun alone!
Occasionally, I drag some unsuspecting new friend to AT or to Blackpool but for some reason, no one has ever wanted to go more than once!
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blacksnake
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I've been trying for years to train my Sister up to go on rides with me but so far no dice; my OH refuses to go on any too, no matter how much beer I offer to buy him afterwards and I don't have any friends who are into that stuff.
I have a similar issue to yours Ruby. During my younger years I was (and still am) a fearless rider of anything, from the early rides like 'The Speedway' and 'Waltzers' then AT's 'Corkscrew' era and Blackpool's 'Pepsi Max'.

Alas, for the past "14 YEARS!" my missus hates.... Correction, is absolutely terrified of anything ride related. Coupled with the fact that my two kids were not only too young, but forbidden from riding anything that might spin, flip, swoosh, whiz, or even move quicker than walking pace by the OH. I have only really managed to coax her to Blackpool once and Southport "Pleasure-land" (since the pikey era) Three times. Every time having not only to Q and ride alone, but to then face the OH who was not impressed having to stand around with two kids waiting for me.

But, all was not lost. During these visits I have successfully managed to "educate" and "Nurture" my lad (nearly 13) into being A Rider just like his 'old man.'  ;) ;) My daughter, (14) however, has gone the way of the wife... 1 out of 2 aint bad.

Thus, began our first family visit to AT (last week) no more Q-ing or riding alone, my missus relaxed the rules and we had free rein to ride. My lad went on everything I did, including Oblivion.... RESULT!... Cost me £10-£20 a ride in amusement fees for wife and daughter, but worth every penny.....  :D :D :D

Chris.
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themealgang
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This could bring up the whole 'Going to theme parks alone' debate again. I've ridden as a single rider many times. Not so much on coasters (this normally happens if we go to a park out of the country when on holiday as both my parents hate riding them) but in the UK, it's on the flat rides. It depends who you sit next to too which could make you feel a bit uneasy being on your own. Some talk and are pleasant. Some just let you be, whilst others can be quite rude. You've just got to be prepared to face all sorts of personalities.

For the whole experience on a ride, I think it is best if you ride with someone you know. it depends how brave you are feeling! :)
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obliviongirl
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After the first time I've been on a ride, I'm fine with going on it alone (not counting Rita, I'm still terrified of that!), however, to be honest, I personally don't mind queuing for longer to be with friends/family. I find it a lot more fun to share the experience with others. Plus I find it kind of awkward with two strangers either side of me. I often find I'm alone on Rameses Revenge at Chessington WOA because my mum and brother don't like it, and it kind of ruins the ride sometimes when I'm sat beside a bunch of chavs. To be honest, it depends who you end up being sat next to.
Last edited by obliviongirl on Sun Sep 15, 2013 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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loulou87
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Thanks for all your replies, I'm quite excited about our trip now (18 days!!!!!) It will be the first time I get to ride the smiler and I'm hoping for a small(ish) que. That's where this topic came from as one of our party suggested going single riders if the que was too long, I really really doubt ill be able to ride that with strangers though!
Has anybody had any bad experiences while riding alone? Or even bad experiences with friends that made you wish you had gone on alone?
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ruby_glitters
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Come to think of it, the worst thing about riding alone is looking at the ORP at the end.  Either you look awesome (ha!  right!!)  and really want the pic but don't want the bunch of strangers in it or you look stupid and are pulling a face and the bunch of strangers decide to buy their pic.  You're convinced it's only so they can hang it on the wall and laugh at your unfortnate expression every time they pass.

Then again - ORP has it's advantages.  On a ride with a particularly annoying kid who made a really high-pitched scream all the way round the log flume (not even a baby - it was probably the same age as I was at the time), I sat up in front of the camera and made sure it was just me on the picture.  Yeah, it probably makes me a horrible person - but she made me have a ringing in my ears for several days so I'm calling it even.
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obliviongirl
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I've only really had one 'bad'- or maybe weird would be a better way of phrasing it- experience as a single rider, which was when I was riding The Swarm at Thorpe Park last year. I sat at the back on the right wing (this was before the backwards seats), and a random guy came and sat beside me. To be honest, I wasn't really bothered. However, when we ascended the hill, he was babbling on to me and asking about the ride and what happened on it seeing as I had been on before, which kind of put me out of the 'coaster riding' mood, and then pretty much every time we went through an inversion, I only narrowly avoided being hit in the face by his flailing arms. That would not have made for a pretty on ride photo.  :lol:
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JammyBand
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I would absoluely, definately reccommend going onto the smiler dead on 10AM in the single rider queue. As soon as the queue opens, get into the single rider one. By 10, the main queue was already at 120 mins, while in the SRQ there was literally one person in front of us. So in total, we queued for about 2 mins.
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bryanycroft
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I know it's not exactly going it alone but on the rapids I hate going on with other people because I find it awkward sitting opposite someone so I have to sit side wards the whole journey and I feel this awkwardness. Especially when no one talks and there's the odd giggle when someone is splashed :|
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2pints
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Ive done the single rider thing when ive been in a small group and the people whom ive been with have been unable to go on certain rides, likewise its been used as a method to get through the ques quicker, it means that you dont get to ride next to your mates, - or sometimes go on the same train. but unless the thing breaks down there's not much chance to talk about stuff during the ride.

As for visiting a park solo - ive never done it yet, but i may have the opportunity to visit Alton Towers sometime towards the end of the season ( early November)  but it looks like i may be struggling to find someone to go with- yay or nay??
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loulou87
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3 days to go!!, I can certainly say I won't be doing single rider on the smiler, I need to cling to somebody!
I haven't had the chance to go on sub-terra yet I'm hoping that's gonna be good.
I'm scared now the ques gonna be long and they all gonna want to go single riders lol!
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Danny
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I don't think the queues should be too bad now the hype has died down for the smiler.
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