Alton Towers Ultimate Firework Spectacular

[Dom]

Alton Towers have confirmed that the fireworks will have an intergalactic theme this year.

Here is the video they released onto Facebook

[Stan.H]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT-ripFqKQU Video on the fireworks prep so far!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3psPUVz-Pxg Alton Towers have also released a promotional video.

[Ladyofthelake]

I'm not quite sure what I make of that promotional video. If the 'Captain' is any indicator of what we're going to see played on the screens then I'm really not keen. The character in that clip seems ridiculously over the top and cheesy and whilst I appreciate that the Resort want to create a fun character for the display this seems to be a rather Americanised character which is a shame. The character just seems to jar with the tone established on Galactica.

[Stan.H]

I guess though, that all the Alton Towers Fireworks characters are always cheesy and other the top, so I guess it kinda fits in with the general light hearted tone of the display(s). Although, I do agree, it doesn't fit in with Galactica and would maybe rather Eve (I think she's called) feature instead.

[Stan.H]

Just a shout for anyone visiting tomorrow, even if you have an annual pass. Get there as early as you possibly can, as the park is at capacity, and from the tweets I have seen traffic is a MAJOR issue in and around Alton/Farley (it seems to be Alton Towers Live Bad). If you've got pre-booked tickets, try to get there early as well, just to make sure you get in. I can see tomorrow being as busy as it is today, as many people who have been refused entry today will probably try again tomorrow! Hope this helps you!

[Justin]

Excellent display tonight. Added Spoiler tags just in case...

Spoiler

I especially liked the fireballs, lazer battle and 8 bit finale!

Having the Captain and the daughter worked well for the storyline. Although, who else thought the alien sounded like The Controller?

Not as magical as last year, but still a very good show. I've never seen it that busy before!

[Jack]

Today was both a disaster and a triumph for Alton Towers, I heard a few members of staff talking about how this may be the busiest day in Alton Towers history and the display itself was magnificent as always...But for me it was tainted by the horrific issues that plagued annual pass holders and people who generally arrived late with prebooked tickets alike. The lack of any sort of ability for annual pass holders and the amount of leniency given to people without prebooked tickets caused absolute chaos with parking, as all parking spaces on the whole resort were apparently filled and through the night people with annual passes and no tickets were able to get into the park if they didn't have a car or could walk there for any reason.

Added to this there was a lack of communication between staff to establish what was happening meaning that the whole thing was made worse, and any Annual Pass holders that could not park were given, drumroll please....discounted entry tickets for their next visit.

The fact that Alton Towers didn't make this a prebook only event in which Annual Pass holders and standard tickets alike to adequately fill the parks capacity without causing mayhem on the roads of Alton and on the property of Alton Towers itself is baffling to me as it was obviously going to be a capacity day with the removal of the Friday firework display even if the park were expecting all three days to be empty in comparison to previous years.

I left the park with a bittersweet taste in my mouth, the event was enjoyable, the display was brilliant and inside the park was actually well organised, but the failing to properly address the issue of capacity which left a good friend, an annual pass holder, unable to get into the park along with many others who may or may not have prebooked park tickets and only being told that they "should have arrived earlier" really left me feeling like Alton Towers could have, and should have, done more to prevent this issue.

[Xenor]

Yeah it wouldn't be that difficult for them to implement a system where you have to reserve your entry online and tell people not to turn up if they haven't reserved. Include it as standard with prebooked tickets and maybe charge a quid for it for pass holders to cover costs of setting it up. They do it with the London dungeon so why not.

I loved the show, probably the best fireworks display I've ever seen in the UK. First time I've been to Alton Towers fireworks and it was well worth the 200 mile trip. Didn't get on many rides but that's expected due to how busy it was. Traffic was indeed a nightmare, especially leaving. It was so cold last night that I couldn't stay until the end. I left at 8pm and it probably took 15 minutes just to get from the carpark to the exit.

I'm going again today and will set off earlier and leave later if I can tolerate the cold after the show. Going to wear an extra layer.

For those who didn't go yesterday and will go today - the best viewing spot seemed to be to the left of the stage at the front. Make sure you can see the whole Towers without any of the stage in your view. The stage has a screen with a story but generally you'll be watching the sky not the screen so you don't want that blocking you.

[quackers]

I'm done now with Alton Towers fireworks, and maybe Alton Towers in general. They use to be my favourite displays. Just look back to the 2014 fireworks. " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Amazing display, using mist over the lake as a projector, i think it was that year they even had fireworks that turned into smiler faces as they fell.

This year, fireworks just as bad as last years, weak display, except this time we get an awful cringe video to go with it. Then for some reason they put the display on over only 2 nights not 3 this year and look at the chaos that caused. Its always manic on fireworks night there but even more so with 3 nights worth of people packed into 2. You could tell with the ride queue times, they were stupid.

Alton towers is just going down bank.

Hex, closed
Nemesis Sub Terror, closed
Ripsaw, gone
Log Flume, gone

So just with those rides gone, the other queues just get worse!

Add to that Air, ruined with this awful galactica, causing longer queue times. (I love VR, i have the Playstation VR at home, but i refuse to use it on galactica, its awful, and ruins what was a great ride, it needs turning back to Air).

The Magic has gone at Alton Towers now. Its being run very badly. Sad times.

[onair]

After reading all the comments about last night fireworks I am kind of glad I did not visit now,I always go each year.

I know you can't beat being there but its kind of nice watching it on YouTube now in the warm.

The organisation at Alton Tower currently seems to be chaotic with very bad planning all around. From watching videos this years display looked good but think 2013 was best in terms of all round quality.

Really hope 2017 seems major changes for the better as I agree the place is currently seems to be sliding into Oblivion.

[Owen]

I'm quite glad I didn't make it for fireworks as well, as for me I don't feel like I'd have enjoyed it so much with the crowd and display not being as so 'magical'...

Still gutted I didn't make 2013's display if I'm honest :lol

[DrKelman]

From what i have heard from the event i'm kind of glad i didn't visit as well. I do kind of feel sorry for the staff members that had to deal with the abuse they received on Facebook though.

[Adam.W]

This should really act as a wake up call for AT - The park nor the staff are suited to this number of visitors, they seriously need more activities other than rollercoasters, since that's 90% of what they have now for the majority of visitors.

[Theme Park Callum]

The Fireworks were good this year. but the Galactica story not so much. It did seem too cheesy, and didn't have that same connection as previous years. However, the fireworks and effects were great. It was definitely the busiest I have seen Alton Towers, especially since Alton Towers Live a few years back. There were long queues of traffic to get out of the resort, using alternative side exits as well as the main exit. It was so busy that even the overflow field car parks were used as well as the one near to the Enchanted Village. But, I still enjoyed my day and I think the rides were operated really well. I got on all the rides I queued for without them breaking down at all. Overall, it was a good day, and fireworks display, I just think the story wasn't that great (too cheesy for me).

[Justin]

I think Alton Towers must be given credit for trying something new as this year's display was a break from the format which has been familiar for the past couple of years.

What we have to remember is, fireworks are a family event and I think this year's display was pitched and themed perfectly, especially with the launch of Galactica . Yes it the characters were cheesy, but so are many superheros/children's tv characters. I did enjoy the story being aided by visuals though as it added to the atmosphere. Although I prefer last year's storyline, the fireworks and lasers were fantastic as usual! There is no other display like it at this time of year!

With regards to operations, apart from the traffic and capacity issues earlier in the day on Saturday, the park ran smoothly despite the numbers on park! Congratulations must be given to the resort for their smooth proceedures. The car park operations alone, I was out in 20 minutes, so I was impressed!

[ROYJESS]

I can't believe all the negativity around this years Fireworks. I always expect the fireworks event to be busy and I only expect to ride all the rides that I want to once only (no re-rides on a busy day). Any additional rides are a bonus for me.

I thought this years fireworks were fantastic, apart from last years final hex/HOTMK mash up, I though this years were the best ever. I turned up at the park first thing on both days, I got on all the rides that I wanted to without too much queuing, I avoided certain rides after lunch due to the queues. It was nice to bump into a few of the TT members as always.

A really great couple of days.

[owenrita121]

Can I just say, the amount of negative over the park being busy is absolutely ridiculous, of course it would be busy! Obviously Saturday was a bit crazy however Sunday was fantastic!

The firework display was amazing, the best I've ever seen! I absolutely loved it! Everyone else around me loved it too! It was the perfect way to end the season!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tryst]

Yesterday was the first time that I've ever been to AT for the fireworks, and I have to say that I was impressed, not just with the fireworks, but also with the way that the event was run, and the lengths that AT went to to ensure that it was a safe event for such a large crowd.

Given how busy the park was (to be expected!), I was also appreciative of the time after the fireworks to go ride Nemesis and Air, which also meant that most of the traffic had gone by the time we left.

[Owen]

I think it's fair to criticise the resort's management with crowds, it is of course an aspect of the event, as well the show as it may not be for everyone. Any criticism can be useful to the resort in order to improve for future events.

As long as it wasn't quite as bad as Alton Towers LIVE! then I'm sure it was bearable, as that was absolutely horrendous!

[Jack]

I have no problem with the park being busy, in fact I listed it as a positive thing in my post. I am criticising the management of the crowds outside the park and prior to the event, the fact that annual passholders weren't given the opportunity to prebook and as compensation for telling them to go back home, Alton Towers offered half price tickets, something useless to annual passholders. I thought the management inside the park was actually very good and could not fault the staff at all, in fact all of the staff in the car parks, hotels, and generally around the park did a brilliant job and I am in no way criticising these people. In my original post I said, and I still believe this, the park should have made both days only for those prebooking tickets for standard guests and annual passholders meaning they could easily limit the number of people who turned up in comparison to how they actually dealt with it.