Your worst experience at Alton Towers

Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:25 pm

For me, the worst time I went to AT was recently on a school trip. i was in a group with me and about 6 friends. And oh my God it was so tedious.

As I was one of the only ones who had actually been to AT (many times), you'd naturally assume that my advice would be taken. Well, honestly, it wasn't (most of the time).

'Bring your own food' - one friend made sandwiches for everyone, I brought crisps and drinks for everyone, no-one else brought any and then complained at the high food prices.

'We'll do a variety of rides' - As two members of our group don't like big coasters, I suggested to go on some smaller attractions. The only rides those two went on were Hex and Duel. Me and one other also did go on Runaway Mine Train (which I used the Priority Pass for that I got off Wicker Man, more on that later)

'If we eat lunch while in a queue line, we can get on more rides' - This didn't even go noticed at all.

Now for some rants for which are more AT's fault:
The Skyride was closed due to the heat (which was a problem for me as I always take the Skyride to FV therefore we ended up a bit lost)
Oblivion was closed (my friends really wanted to go on this)
Wicker Man was stuck for about 20 mins with the other half of our group still on it.

Also, our group left at 4pm, the other school was there from 11-3, which in my opinion isn't enough time to enjoy yourselves properly.

Although, props for AT reducing prices for school trips, £5 is a much more reasonable price for a photo.

Right, that's my rant over, what was your worst AT experience?

Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:51 pm

Most of the time when I have had problems at Alton they have broken out the Priority Passes to placate me including getting return ones for Thirteen that I got in February due to it ceasing operation as <5 deg (used recently to bypass a 1.5hr Congo Rapids que).

wished thorpe park did this after I was stuck and ended up being evaced on ride after 45 mins in the underground car on ghost train

Swarm Chris · Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:59 pm

Doublethink wrote: wished thorpe park did this after I was stuck and ended up being evaced on ride after 45 mins in the underground car on ghost train

They are meant to and normally do. Either the Island Action Squad get dispatched or a couple of managers. Not sure why that went doubly wrong for you in that instance.

Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:00 pm

Swarm Chris wrote:
Doublethink wrote: wished thorpe park did this after I was stuck and ended up being evaced on ride after 45 mins in the underground car on ghost train
They are meant to and normally do. Either the Island Action Squad get dispatched or a couple of managers. Not sure why that went doubly wrong for you in that instance.

Strange... Have had two evacs on DBGT over the last two years (once due to headset issues and other due to doors not shutting) and didn't get any kind of reride or priority pass options both times

Swarm Chris · Wed Aug 29, 2018 3:30 am

Doublethink wrote:
Swarm Chris wrote:
Doublethink wrote: wished thorpe park did this after I was stuck and ended up being evaced on ride after 45 mins in the underground car on ghost train
They are meant to and normally do. Either the Island Action Squad get dispatched or a couple of managers. Not sure why that went doubly wrong for you in that instance.
Strange... Have had two evacs on DBGT over the last two years (once due to headset issues and other due to doors not shutting) and didn't get any kind of reride or priority pass options both times

There certainly has been inconsistency, as I've seen enough complaints saying a similar thing for other rides at the park. Occasionally you may have to wait around for management to show up if the ride staff don't have a set of pre-printed tickets with them already, but a ride evacuation, especially on Derren Brown should mean immediate passes issued.

I have seen people being issued tickets in the Derren Brown evacuation points before, plus they have Derren Brown themed priority passes explicitly for that ride. So a bit of a pain when that doesn't happen.

Wed Aug 29, 2018 11:18 am

Piplup2003 wrote:The Skyride was closed due to the heat (which was a problem for me as I always take the Skyride to FV therefore we ended up a bit lost)

Believe me, it's actually horrific on the skyride in the heat, in school trip season when you went it was reaching upwards of 40°C in the gondolas.

Mon Sep 03, 2018 2:26 pm

Doublethink wrote:Most of the time when I have had problems at Alton they have broken out the Priority Passes to placate me including getting return ones for Thirteen that I got in February due to it ceasing operation as <5 deg (used recently to bypass a 1.5hr Congo Rapids que).

wished thorpe park did this after I was stuck and ended up being evaced on ride after 45 mins in the underground car on ghost train

The problem with priority passes is that a significant chunk of people then have a pass so you have to run to another major ride because normally only one or two coasters are included on the pass and are actually open otherwise you will be stuck behind the other 200 people with the priority pass and you still have to wait half an hour