I. Entrance
- Get there early, queues for rides are shorter at the beginning of the day. If you
really want to do loads of rides try to be in the park entrance queue with your valid
ticket 30 minutes before entrance, as this will ensure your choice of rides.
- Alton Towers ERT (Early Ride Time) - Some Alton Towers tickets let you have early
entrance to certain rides, if your ticket entitles you to ERT try to use it, as some
of the best rides are open, exclusively for you.
- Know where to go – Make sure that you know where in the entrance area you have
to go to get your ticket, there are staff patrolling the area, but the entrance area
will be bustling with people before the park opens.
- Try to pre-book – Not only does it make tickets cheaper, but you don’t have to
queue for ‘on the day’ tickets, these also entitle you to ERT at Alton Towers
II. Times to Ride
- The best times for shortest queues are at opening, 1-2pm and just at closing, remember
that the time rides close is not the time that the ride closes, it is the time that
the queue is closed, so if you are queuing by the closing time, you are entitled
to ride.
- The best days to visit are mid week during school term time, queues will be unbelievably
short.
III. Get a map
- You don’t want to get lost looking for a ride which is “roughly that way”
IV. Purchasing on site
- Merlin Parks are costly so bring a packed lunch, you save money, and can eat in
queues.
- Make sure to buy your parking ticket, you don’t want to cause hassle at the exit.
- Fastrack – it can save you lots of time queuing, but it’s also very expensive,
don’t buy too much, or you’ll leave having ridden more rides, but with a lot less
money than you started out with.
V. Rides
- Don’t just do the big rides – smaller rides are often little gems, and will have
shorter queues.
- Use the loo before you queue – it goes without saying that you don’t want to queue
up, and have to queue up again after needing to use the toilets.
VI. Rest
- Make sure you have as much rest as you feel you need, your body can only take so
many rides, and an excess can leave you feeling nasty.
VII. Most Importantly
- Have Fun - too many people go to theme parks and stick to regimental rules which
will leave them doing the most and saving the most money. No amount of rules are
going to make you have a good day, you know what you enjoy and what you don’t, so
do what you feel is right. Use these tips as advice to improve your day, and you
should come away with a smile on your face.
