One of the ways I'm planning to celebrate my forthcoming retirement is a day out at Alton Towers, with a friend. Neither of us have ever been before so we're really looking forward to it.
I know it sounds trivial but what do you do about taking bags etc on the rides ? Obviously we'll have a certain amount of stuff with us - purses, cameras, phones etc. My friend's even suggesting we take a change of clothes for when we get drenched on the water rides !   But I'm thinking it would be quite difficult to go on some of the rides carrying anything too bulky or cumbersome. 
Can anyone offer any advise or any other tips as to how we can get the most out of the visit ?

Relax! They sell plastic cagoule-type affairs if you want to stay dry - if not, you'll dry off eventually. If it's raining you'll get wet anyway.

Plan to get there as soon as it opens and head straight for the ride you most badly want to go on. The queues build up very quickly, and most of your day will be spent standing around.

Most theme parks I'v been to have shelves on the other side of the track for you to put your stuff on, so when you get of ride you can get it straight away....I think though Alton Towers have lockers so maybe that would be another option if you didnt want to carry it around.

most of your day will be spent standing around.

hmmm...so not quite the action packed day I was hoping for !!

For the popular rides the queues can be over an hour in the height of the season.

Alton towers do have lockers, and the shelves as already pointed out, although leaving your valuables on the side of a ride is not secure so be careful, try not to take to much stuff with you.
As for photo's you can buy a ticket although off hand I can't remember the price, with this when you go on rides that take pictures you buy the photo and pick it up later when you leave the park near the exit. (not to sure if it's four or six photo's) It's a good option and we allways buy it. Most of the major rides have camera's and they photo's are pretty good, just remember to pose LOL :-D
Another thing is to wear comfy shoes, because you'll be doing lots of walking although there are sky lifts they only stop at three places.
Try not to wear jeans as they take ages to dry! They do also have huge dryers but they are quite expensive and I don't know how effective they are getting you dry.
Yes sometimes the queueing is bad, but if you can try to go during the week and not to late in July as lot's of schools have trips there, I no it's late now but we allways try to go late March, during May (but not during holidays), and early June.
Food is average priced and there are some nice places to eat, there are the fast food options too.

Have fun! It's a super day out and we love it there. :-D

Diane

For camera's, phones, money (and my lipstick :-D) we all take our bum bags, so much easier, you have nothing to carry, you can fit plenty in them and you can go on all the rides without the worry of where to put your handbag.

If you don't have a light cagoule which you can just tie around you, (again nothing to carry) then as JG has said they sell them there for all the water rides, enjoy the gardens too they are lovely and relaxing, there is plenty to do there and it is a lovely day out you will enjoy it, we shall be going there again shortly.

go to your asda and if it's like mine should have a £1 section there is a pack of 2 rain mac's for £1, ideal for alton towers for the water rides. I've just been there with my sons school, went to help out for the day and got to go on all the rides with the kids !

> They do also have huge dryers but they are quite expensive and I don't know how effective they are getting you dry.

Rubbish!! You would have to stand and pay around 30 quid to get dry completely i would suspect lol, they are a bit bobbins! feel nice though if your cold!

Try not to take too many items and things, i usually take a small bag, but only with my purse in it, i tend to leave my phone hidden in my car as if anything did go missing, i have that safe, i just put my things on the side of the ride and in the lockers they have, from experience i never have *touch wood* had a problem

Have fun!!!

thanks  - some really useful info :) 
If the weather is OK we'll probably be going on Thursday :)

> If the weather is OK we'll probably be going on Thursday :-)

Don't know what the weather forecast for Staffs is on Thurs, but here in London it is meant to be 26c!

If you dont have any I have some vouchers for buy one get one free for entry to Alton Towers that you would be welome too.

> Rubbish!! You would have to stand and pay around 30 quid to get dry completely i would suspect lol, they are a bit bobbins! feel nice though if your cold!
>

Lol I have never used them just seen people feeding money into it, have used the "free" hand dryer in the loo's before though when my daughter was very cold lol ;-)

Thanks, Carolyn. I have sent you a pm.

haha i tell you the hand dryer would probably get you dryer, no joke, i am guilty of using the hand dryer if i am honest to dry my top so it turns back to not being see through!! LOL

Our son hs gone today as a leaving school treat.

Hiya,
I am going on Thursday with my partner and eldest son (youngest is away on a school trip!!!)
Questions.
1. It is going to be very hot, So my plan is to wear sandals that strap on around the ankle so will not fall off. and shorts along with a strappy Tshiirt. Will this be okay????
2. Can you still get out to your car???? I am planning on making a pack up and leaving it in the cool vbox in the car  and going back to it at lunch.
3. we have 2 tickets and going to book James on line tomorrow (why is it the are classed as adults at 16 everywhere but Alton Towers where it is 12!!!!!) does it mean we will be able to get in at 9am???
Lea :) :) :)

1.  I'd take a thin long sleeved shirt to put on top in case the sun is out all day.
3.  Spend £10 at Tesco at the moment, scan your clubcard and get a voucher for BOGOF. You could get James in for free ! :)

I am going on Thursday with my partner and eldest son

We went to Stoke-On-Trent for the weekend and arrived at Alton Towers for 10.15am the traffic was horrendous, we haven't been to Alton Towers for a good 5 years but never, ever have I seen traffic like it, the queues were on the road to get in so early in the morning and by the time we had parked the queues to the monorail were so bad most people were walking.

Hopefully on a Thursday you will find it much better :-) but be prepared just incase, we won't be going back at the weekend again. 

We decided to go straight to our favourite rides to try and avoid the masses of queues which worked quite well. *thumbs up*

We had a great time as always, but sad to say the magic for me is not there so much now that my boys are all but men, I think the wonder of it was seeing the glee on the boys faces, can't do the squirrel and tractor rides anymore either. :-D Still love the water rides though.

If any other CDer's were there at the weekend, I was the one screaming my head off on the runaway train. :-D

I confess I'm still boycotting Alton Towers after they slaughtered all the animals at Old Macdonald's Farm during the F&M outbreak in case they caught it and the Park was quarantined so they couldn't rake in the cash.

I confess I'm still boycotting Alton Towers after they slaughtered all the animals at Old Macdonald's Farm during the F&M outbreak in case they caught it

That was so sad wasn't it?  We had been to Alton Towers just a few weeks previous and hubby and I had commented on how well looked after and clean the animals were, I have a lovely video of my sons stroking the sheep there and walking around the 'farm' it was so sad to think they were all slaughtered shortly after. I guess their insurance company had a lot of input there with the thousands of people visiting.

It was a terrible shame and I agree it did leave a nasty taste in my mouth too at the time. :-(

Lea there is a 'fast track' car park which is right next to the entrance it cost £10 instead of £5 in the ones a distance away.  We went a couple of weeks ago on Thursday and we arrived at 10am (gates open at 10) and as it is not school holidays the queues shouldn't be too bad.

Enjoy......... :)

i have  free tickets for 2 people for this weekend but to be honest i wont bother going...i hate the place......
would rather spend money on going to The Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn bay where 2 baby Snow leopards have been born...unfortunatly i will be working this weekend so not doing either...

All tickets will be pre ordered so will get in at 9am :D
thats interesting about the car park :) :) Although cant work out how they can charge for parking when you are paying so much to get into the park!!!!!
What about being let back out to the car?????
And What footwear???? Will sandals that are buckled onto my anckles be ok ????????
Lea :) :) :)

Lea you keep your tickets once you are inside the grounds so I imagine you can be let in and out although I didn't try.  As long as your sandals are comfy that is the main thing as you will be doing lots of walking, and as yours have got buckles on then they won't be falling off on the rides :)  They have waterproof kagool like things available (at a cost) before you go onto the wet rides and they also have drying machines at the end of the rides if you get too wet!  I know they have lockers to leave your bags too, I didn't use them so don't know if they cost extra.

I know the parking is expensive, but I felt it worth paying the £10 to be so close to the gates, but I was walking around with my 4 year old grandson so didn't want him being tired before we actually got into the venue.

I am sure you will have a great day :)

Thankyou :) will wear my sandals but put trainers in just in case:-) ordered james ticket so will pick that up at gate. And as it is going to be 30 tomorrow. I dont think i will need the water proofs! Will be going on the rides to cool down :) :) :) yeah.   Lea :)

I will warn you that last year the first 2 weeks of July were when Alton Towers allow the school trips so it was packed with school kids when we went, the big rides were hour long queues and i only got to go on 2 of them and the rapids =[

Might be different this year, think you can check on their website.

I dont think i will need the water proofs! Will be going on the rides to cool down  :) :) :)  yeah.

You enjoy yourself Lea :)