Attraction Source Forum

MattPNE wrote:According to the Alton Towers app and live queue times, Th13teen is open today. Can anybody confirm this and does anybody have any knowledge on how they've managed to open it?

Th13teen is indeed open, as the Resort have confirmed it on their social media channels.

As for how they’ve managed to get it open, it has been seen testing with water dummies in the final three rows over the past couple of days, and there has been speculation that the Resort have been waiting on weights to arrive which they can use to simulate riders in the empty rows instead of water dummies.

Dan wrote:

MattPNE wrote:According to the Alton Towers app and live queue times, Th13teen is open today. Can anybody confirm this and does anybody have any knowledge on how they've managed to open it?

Th13teen is indeed open, as the Resort have confirmed it on their social media channels.

As for how they’ve managed to get it open, it has been seen testing with water dummies in the final three rows over the past couple of days, and there has been speculation that the Resort have been waiting on weights to arrive which they can use to simulate riders in the empty rows instead of water dummies.

Excellent, I'm so glad they worked out a way to open it, although not my fav ride it's still a good one.

Seeing huge queue times on the app though today, currently showing a 70 min wait!

They did indeed open Th13teen today. The last 3 rows are filled with water dummies with the remaining rows filled with guests (with rows left empty to accommodate for distancing). This has taken a toll on the throughput capacity but still a ride that'll take a portion of the crowd on park. I believe it was at 100 minutes at one point in the day.

Why Thirteen (I could never remember where the 13 went) is the best thing to happen to Alton Towers in the past decade. Sweeping statement right?
Hear me out guys!

This discussion wont be talking about just how the ride... Well, rides, but also the benefits it has/had on the park. (Before I get started, I just want to say that this topic isnt in 'history' because it's about the benefits Thirteen has brought about today and in the future, as well as its past.)

1. The income
Thirteen was advertised really well back in the day. TV adverts everywhere were spooky people left and right. Because of this, all the kids wanted their parents to take them to the park. This may seem like a bad thing, an influx of bratty kids, but they mostly came at peak times anyway, so it didn't make much of a difference. These kids came, with their parents money I may add, and badically threw money at Merlin. Had they not, Merlin may have sold Alton Towers on to another worse company. That would be... Bad, to say the least. This cash has helped the park out a ton, bringing small upgrades to the signs and just general refurbishments.

2. A 'step up'
Lots of people are scared of roller coasters, and are limited to the runaway minetrain. Thirteen is very similar to the minetrain, and the 'vibe' it has is that it is worse than air (by that I mean the music and stuff is more intimidating)
This lets less confident people ride the minetrain, then Thirteen, then air and possibly Nemesis too without pushing them too far in one go. I told my Mum that she had to try Thirteen, which surprisingly she did! She may have hated it, but she still tried it anyway.

3. Innovation
How many parks can claim to have a coaster that drops you downwards 2 metres and then carts you backwards underground? One. Unless I'm missing something. Anywho, Thirteen was a major technological advance for Alton Towers, bringing manicans, much more abient music and a TESLA COIL to the park. That's pretty cool. It also opened the path for more uniqueness, leading to the mess known as The Smiler.

to be honest... i'm not the biggest fan. I think if you could somehow go back in time and ride it for the first time over and over again, it wold be a different story. The thing I do like about the ride is how smooth it is but after you've been on it a few times... it becomes a tad bit boring. despite this, the setting is still great and it's a solid ride