On-Ride Breakdown Experiences

[bensaund]

Being stuck in the trommel is disorientating indeed, we had that experience this year

[dominoes]

Duel broke down for about 5 min whilst I was on it. At first I thought they were just letting on a person with a wheelchair, but then it kept stopping after that, and sometimes slowed down to almost a standstill. What was worse though was the fact that I hate animatronics, so this was a really, really, horrible experience...

I had exactly  the same experience! Luckily we had gone past some of the zombies, but we were stuck in the trommel tunnel instead. Was very disorientating.

What was even worse was the fact that I was right next to a zombie granny, and I could see it in the dark. It had already gone off, but I thought it might go off again, so I had my hood over my head, and my head in my hands for the 5 min...  :tears:

But it slowed to an almost standstill in the tunnel too, so that was a bit wierd...

[Henry]

I got stuck on duel, nearly in the station and because i'm small (I'm 12) and because i was with my dad, the restraint was not tight for me and i nearly got out but my dad was like "no, don't do that!" so i didnt then the maintenance man came along and was walking back doing something.

[operationguard]

8) Me and my firend where some of the first to ride Th13teen! We got on, got to the drop section. Then all of a sudden the door did not close due to a programming issue! We dropped, with much light still in the room. Then we stopeed, we didnt get shot backwards. 10 minutes later a member of staff appears and says "We are going to send you backwards in just a minute." 2 seconds later we were shot at god knows how fast backwards.

This was so much fun!

[altontowerskid]

Most people seem to get so many breakdowns compared to me!!

I've obviously been on Duel while its stopped, who hasn't!
I've also been on a failed launch on Rita. The launch procedure went as normal, slight shunt forwards, slow roll back - then nothing except the noise of the cable. I had never known it to happen before but apparently it is quite common

[Marcus]

Most people seem to get so many breakdowns compared to me!!

I've obviously been on Duel while its stopped, who hasn't!
I've also been on a failed launch on Rita. The launch procedure went as normal, slight shunt forwards, slow roll back - then nothing except the noise of the cable. I had never known it to happen before but apparently it is quite common

Wait so the launch cable 'launched' but the carriage didn't go?

[altontowerskid]

Most people seem to get so many breakdowns compared to me!!

I've obviously been on Duel while its stopped, who hasn't!
I've also been on a failed launch on Rita. The launch procedure went as normal, slight shunt forwards, slow roll back - then nothing except the noise of the cable. I had never known it to happen before but apparently it is quite common

Wait so the launch cable 'launched' but the carriage didn't go?

That's correct. The catch car was the only thing to "launch" down the track. If I remember rightly, the op came over the PA system saying "Failed Launch" while we were asked to stand back behind the airgates. 15mins later and the ride was back up and running

[rosco1982uk]

I've never been stuck on anything at Alton Towers. My mate and his wife were however stuck in the air brake run for about 35 minutes last season though. He felt seriously dizzy afterwards.

My only breakdown was this year at Universal. First time I'd ever 'ridden' Terminator 3d.

The actress did her speech and led us into the viewing hall. John and Sarah Connor burst in and started firing and the animatronic terminators did absolutely nothing. So they fired some more. Again nothing. They ran off behind the scenes, lights came up and the actress in character had to bluff about the presentation being 'cancelled'.

[rgb1869]

Only ride I've been on that broke down was Air in 2002, was stuck in the flying position for around 15-20 mins.
Probably the most comfortable ride to be stuck on 

[Rollermad]

I had a stealth rollback that was cool a few years back

[aidan.rudge.92]

Been stuck on a few rides tbh, went to alton towers last year and me and the misses got stuck on nemesis after the brake run. had to sit there for 30 mins as we couldnt reach the floor to jump down and couldnt be moved forward as the other carriage was in the station. luckily was a nice sunny day though so didnt mind to much lol.

Got stuck on air after it finished, my legs and ankles got locked in the restraints and they couldnt release them for some strange reason lol. sat there for like 5 mins while two AT staff set me free lol.

Not a breakdown but had to wait for 10 mins on the oblivion lift hill, while staff removed a camera being held by some chavvy who thought it would be good to film himself going up the lifthill lol.

Like i said, been stuck on a few and im sure theres many more to come lol

[thesanctuary11]

Well I haven't really broken down on a ride, but when I went on Th13teen first time, we had to wait at the end of the backwards bit because apparently someone in front of us had been sick and they had to clean it up. It was quite funny as we knew one of the people on that ride cart and we thought it had been her because she was bloody petrified.

[SourPretzL]

I've had so many breakdownExperience's in my life so far, Some might say. I'm unlucky and my family call ourselves 'Adam's Family' lol But anyways

Air, Opening Year. (Lift Hills at Top) Stuck for just over 45minutes. In that situation knowing your hanging on just a restraint is probably the most worrying time you could possibly think of. ' Myself being a kid at the time and actually knowing quite alot about how a ride works :') I was joking around to my mother and Said' It's not like the chainlift is going to 'SNAP' and we are going to get pushed back into the station. at that moment my mother became increasenly scared and never rode Air again! I felt evil but found it funny at the time. We always speak of that day even today.

Nemesis,Oblivion Lift Hill 15minutes Max.

Rita, Stuck In Pouring Rain for over 30minutes, I wasn't bothered about being in the rain it was my expensive leather jacket which made me unhappy as now it's ruined.

Non-AT Breakdowns


HarryPotter (2013) Broke Down For Over 1Hour!
Montu (2013) 4Hours, Lift Hill. Emergency Removal. :')

List goes on. - Alex (SourP)

[joelpagett]

I have been stuck on both Harry Potter In IOA & Montu ride last year :-p but not for 4 hours! I would of asked for a refund! Worst one I have had is Air for 1 hour needing the toilet... BADLY TO!

[Altontowersbarlow]

i was on air when it was facing alot of problems in 2012 halloween in the line it kept breaking when i was about to leave the station it broke lol

[markclo]

Watched an evacuation off of th13teen during scarefest last year. Everyone had to be harnessed off of the second lift hill. It was then closed for about 6 hours whilst fault was sorted. Managed to get on as last ride of the day. Personally though, once got stuck on Air lift hill for 10 mins or so.

[bensaund]

I'd like to have a proper evacuation like the one above, make my day more fun!

[Mogga]

Not at Alton but I had a couple last year

1) Blackpool - Alice in Wonderland.  Complete breakdown we had wait around 10 mins while the staff walked through the ride in reverse collecting riders then out through the emergency exit, interestingly this goes the workshop which was a complete sh!t tip.

2) ET Ride - Universal.  Broke down halfway, lights came on and music off.  When it started up again they didn't turn the lights off or the music back on it was just silent apart from the creaking of the animatronics for the rest of the ride.

[DeanGaryCox]

Funnily enough the only breakdowns i can remember were at AT, having been to many theme parks, nothing major though; i would be panicking so much if it was anything more than what i've experienced...

When i was younger, got stuck on Oblivion lift hill for about 5/10 minutes, with no indication why, and then just carried on as normal afterwards; talk about dying for a pee, and that's why i always go to the toilet now before i go on rides just in case it breaks down haha!

A few years back was stuck on Duel for about 10 mins, with the LED's still working, but was very odd without any sound.

And the one I remember and always worry about going on it, is Ripsaw, got stuck leaning forwards slightly half way through the ride for about 10 minutes before the maintenance guy came, and released the gondola lock so we were swinging until we were upright, and then manually brought us back down to get off; i wasn't there at the time, but other members of my party were stuck partially upside down earlier that day for a few minutes. I'm pretty sure they're due to the same reason, and after seeing it happen on Ripsaw & Rameses Revenge as well a few times, when a large person goes on it, and the restraints don't lock completely properly the ride decides to emergency stop mid ride... surely the operators/maintenance have worked out this is the case, and address the issue before it happens!?

And reading through the topic... the one ride I would hate and probably have a panic attack on would be Air if I was on it when it breaks down! or imagine getting cramp in your leg!

Probably wasn't the best idea for me to read through this topic...

[Delta79]

the one ride I would hate and probably have a panic attack on would be Air if I was on it when it breaks down! or imagine getting cramp in your leg!

my mate fell asleep during a stop on air. His mum says he can sleep anywhere, I think that proved it