Why Alton Towers?

A lot of fun can be had at theme parks. One of the most popular theme parks in the UK is Alton Towers. But why is it so popular? What is so good about it? Well, you're about to find out.

Alton Towers is a theme park in a little town called Alton in Stoke on Trent in England, hence being called ‘Alton Towers.’ It has been open since 1980 and currently is home to 10 exciting rollercoasters designed mainly for adults and teenagers. It's not just for the older people. As I say, it has big scary rollercoasters, such as Nemesis and The Smiler, for older kids but also little gentle rides, such as Octonauts and Twirling Toadstool for smaller kids. There is quite clearly fun to be had for all the family. Some of the most famous rides are The Smiler and more recently The Wicker Man due to them being the most recent rides added to the park and, in the case of The Smiler, the accidents and issues which have taken place on them.

I first went to Alton Towers when I was 12. I wanted to do it for my birthday as I'd never been to a proper theme park. I remember it vividly, which is unusual due to it being 6 years ago. I went with three of my friends and both my parents. It was a reasonably warm day: the sun was shining like a diamond, it was bone dry and there was a nice breeze to keep us all parkgoers cool. I was so excited. It felt like an adventure. I could challenge myself to win prizes, go on big scary rides to conquer my fears and have a fun day with my friends and family, laughing and running around after one another like we were toddlers again. I was right to be so excited. I can honestly say that Alton Towers has been one of the best experiences of my life, so much so that it has become an annual event for me and my best friends.

My favourite ride is Galactica, a VR virtual reality rollercoaster which sends you in to space through multiple different worlds while turning you upside down and round and round on loop the loops and causing you to scream the whole way through.
More recently, the Wicker Man has been catapulted to the top of the list. It is based on an old legend which surrounds the idea of people being ‘the chosen ones’ to be sacrificed to gods and leaders. In the middle of the rollercoaster, there is a giant Wicker Man sculpture which seemingly sets on fire as you hurtle through it. It is unbelievable and amazing and honestly one of the best rides, if not the best ride, at Alton Towers to date.
I have been back multiple times since, having just as much fun and laughing and smiling (and screaming) the whole time.

When thinking about why people love Alton Towers, there are lots of things to take in to consideration. Do they love the rides? Do they love the location? Do they love the history of it? Do they love the experience, the adventure of something new? Do they love the thrill? There are so many different reasons as to why people love theme parks in general. But Alton Towers stands out. After a lot of research and from talking to friends about their experiences, I've found out why that is.

After looking on the TowersTimes forum asking why people love Alton Towers, a common theme is the atmosphere. A lot of people say there is some kind of magic about Alton Towers which is infectious and you just get caught up in it all. It's like you end up in a different world with so many new things to explore, so many happy people to meet and so many thrills to feel.

Another thing is surprisingly, not the rides but, the location. As I have said, Alton Towers is located in Alton in Stoke on Trent. It is surrounded by green hilly countryside and hundreds of thriving majestic trees and high blue skies, making it such a pretty place to visit. The Skyride which transports you from ride to ride, from one side of the park to the other, is the perfect place to just enjoy the view and revel in the beauty of what's surrounding you. Alton Towers also houses a garden which you can explore to your heart’s content and it is something you might not find in other theme parks like Thorpe Park or Chessington’s World of Adventures.

Of course, the rides do come in to it as well. But this poses another question. What do the rides at Alton Towers have that other places don't?

Alton Towers are always open to being better and bigger than they were before, better and bigger than everyone else. They are always looking to find ways to make their rides better or the park in general.
One thing that I haven't seen anywhere else is the VR virtual reality headset available on Galactica. By adding the option of VR, it gives you the chance to experience something that you couldn't experience anywhere else and it enhances the ride more than you could imagine. It's so different and unique.

Another thing is the Wicker Man. It is a wooden rollercoaster which isn't common for rollercoasters of today. Wood is very unheard of in terms of rollercoaster materials and so by creating a wooden rollercoaster, it stands out. Plus, it gives the illusion of the wooden sculpture setting on fire which I definitely have never seen before. It's new and exciting, and that's what makes it different from all the other rides.
There is also the fact that their rides hold some pretty good acallaides. For example, Rita is the 5th fastest rollercoaster in the UK and when it opened in 2005, it was the rollercoaster with the quickest start in the whole of Europe (as sourced from an article on the Independent’s website called ‘Hold on to your lunch: Rita is the fastest roller yet.’)

Nemesis was Europe's first inverted rollercoaster when it was built and it was only the second one to ever be built in the world.
As if that wasn't exciting enough, Oblivion was marketed as ‘the world's first vertical drop rollercoaster’ as it opened on 14th March 1998.

If you ask me, everything you've just read is why Alton Towers is so popular. Is it the location? Yes. Is it the rides? Yes. Is it the adventure? Yes. Everything about Alton Towers is exciting and unique and gives you the opportunity to experience things you've never experienced before. It is brilliant for a day trip or a long weekend and is fun for all the family.
What more could you want?

If you want more information about Alton Towers, visit their website which is www.altontowers.com and feel free to visit the websites referenced in this article such as the TowerTimes forum - forum.towertimes.co.uk - or the article from 2005 detailing Rita’s speed and acallaides on the Independent’s website.

Kenzie