A VIP day at Alton Towers

I know quite a few of you have been wondering about the VIP day I recently experienced at Alton Towers so here we go, what do you get and how does it work?

I originally booked this day back in April – ironically just after I’d booked my Hex behind the scenes experience. I’d been fancying the VIP experience for a while and decided to splash out in lieu of the holidays I never get!

It cost just over £300 (there’s a package for those without a Merlin card and that’s about £350 per person) which got me the following:

• Front of queue access with chosen seats
• a VIP host for the whole day
• a meal voucher for one of the restaurants
• a snack / hot drink voucher
• express parking
• all ride photos included
• an exclusive backpack, lanyard and badges
• a refillable coca cola cup

So a few weeks before my due date I got an email with a few questions to answer. This basically asked me what time I planned on arriving, where I would like to meet my host (hotels, entrance plaza), where I’d like to eat, dietary requirements; and most importantly what type of person I was – of course I ticked “Thrillseeker”.

A couple of days before I was called by Ruby from VIP services – she was just confirming I was indeed still coming, and that my choices still stood. We agreed to book a time for my dinner (12 noon) and she confirmed I would either be with Joel or Dylan as my host.

The day arrived and I set off as usual at about 7:35am (no pickups this time so straight to the park), making good time and arriving at the express parking at about 9:15. The lane into the park was busy – today was going to be a very full day with a lot of school trips expected – and they were right!

I went up to the entrance, walked through security (no bag, so no bag check) and used my Merlin card to enter the park – finally messaging the mobile number and saying “I’m here!”!

About 10 minutes later Joel came up carrying my backpack, and after a quick 5 minute chat where he asked me what I wanted to do he got the measure that I was up to ride as much as possible as many times as possible, and that multiple rides in a row were indeed achievable. He was happy to ride with me, which was good for us both!

I grabbed my first fill of Dr Pepper in my included drink cup and we headed off to start the marathon, of course heading to my usual start of day location – X Sector, with just two coasters and no flat rides (currently).

Smiler was delayed opening due to a problem, but we headed over to Oblivion and had a few rides of that. The format for most rides is you enter through the exit, or the non ambulant accessible queue. The ride operators chat with your host and you can pretty much say what you would like. For Oblivion I was fairly flexible – I think both rows give a great view.

As we did our 5th or 6th successive ride (you can’t stay on, but you can be back on the ride within 2 minutes after collecting the photo) we noticed Smiler had started running and headed over there. Oblivion had a 50 minute queue by the time we were riding the last time.

The route around Smiler was very fast. We initially went in up the lift (located in the shop) and had our own special storage area for our belongings. We then went around the ride (front row for all rides), went over the bridge and then through the doors back onto the platform and across for our next ride.

Smiler was showing a 90 minute queue at the end and the single rider queue was all the way out of the door. Yes the park was now very busy – and there were a lot of school groups in.

Our next ride was Th13teen. RITA is currently long term unavailable (possibly permanently) but we did have a few rides – I had a couple of front seat and a couple of back seat rides. Access, again, was through the exit – non ambulant rider queue. This ride was again busy and showing a 50 minute queue.

By this point the morning was over and it was time to head over to Katanga Canyon for the pizza/pasta buffet. This was all included (again, including drinks) and I have to say it was rather enjoyable. Plenty of choice! It wasn’t busy at all (Joel said the sit down restaurants were generally quiet on school trip days as they were out of the price range of kids).

At about 1pm we reconvened at Runaway Mine Train and had some back row rides of that. This ride entrance was through the regular fastpass queue, although Joel did tell me that if the fastpass queue was busy we could also go in through the exit. It had a 40 minute queue.

We continued down to Forbidden Valley, quickly taking in Curse of Alton Manor and then next was Galactica. Again entrance was through the non ambulant access, and again I was asked where I wanted to sit. I did some front, some back, but Galactica is very much of a muchness wherever you are.

Next was Toxicator, and a few rides of this saw us get somewhat wet! The fountains are definitely very much turned up now!

Of course no visit to Forbidden Valley is complete without multiple rides on Nemesis Reborn and multiple rides is what we did. Breaking half way through to get a drink and ice cream (and meet John Wardley and John Burton – unexpected bonus!)

John Wardley is one of the people who made Alton Towers what it is. He was the creative mind behind so many of their major rides, including Nemesis.

He had come to see Toxicator running.

…and speaking on Nemesis, yeah we had a few more! Virtually all front seat rides. Entry was through the Non ambulant access again (same as the exit pretty much).

Time to leave Forbidden Valley and head back up to the entrance – of course there are two coasters missing from our tally, and of course we wrapped them up. Spinball first – accessed this time through the regular fastpass queue, because obviously you can’t really choose a seat on this one. A few rides were added to the tally. I also got some of the best ever photos I’ve caught on this ride – it is very hit and miss for photos.

It had just turned 4 o’clock at this point so the last hour was to be spent on Wicker Man, with it’s 50 minute queue time. Now Wicker Man was a little different to all other rides – because there’s a pre-show and they won’t let you skip it – so a round on Wicker Man was about 10 minutes from start to finish including the pre show. It was also the only ride I queued for, but I still got chance to pick front seat every single time.

On leaving the ride we went through the photo section, then backtracked a little to go through the gates back to the start of the pre show. Luckily we left our bags in the baggage hold for the full time we were riding.

Our very last jaunt brought us off the ride at just after 5:05pm and that was it. My last little bit of the day was a trip to Corner Coffee for my “drink & snack vouchers”. A deliciously cold iced latte and a Homer doughnut felt apt.

Joel and I then parted ways and I went for a look through Towers Trading, before walking back to the car (all of 100 yards) and heading home.

All in all an absolutely superb day and well worth it if you’re planning to really hammer the rides. If I hadn’t had my VIP pass I would probably have managed 6 rides at most based on the queue lengths. July is definitely a bad month to visit Alton Towers as a regular customer, but with a bit of special treatment it’s a mind blowing experience.

Would I do it again? Yes. Next July!