Alton Towers rides

Alton Towers ride reviews:

The park is divided into 10 areas, Forbidden Valley, X-Sector, Ugland, Katanga Canyon, Merrie England, Cred Street, Old MacDonalds Farmland, and Adventureland. Gloomy Wood contains the Haunted House area, and Also there is the area of the Towers and green.

Forbidden Valley:

This area contains some of the best rides for thrill seekers.

Air: (>1.4m) This is new coaster which opened at the start of 2002 - travels at speeds of up to 70kph. It's very different to most rollercoasters in that you are held parallel to the track - certainly a unique experience. Well worth a go - in fact this ride is a very good reason to come to Alton Towers for, but the queues can be very long, 175 mins was on the board for a time on one day we were there. There is a photo on the ride.

Nemesis:

(>1.4m) The legendary suspended coaster - a great experience to go on, even the way the queue winds round and over the red river. Forces up to 4g and speeds of up to 80kph. It has been around for a while now but still holds up against the new rides. There is a photo taken.

Rip Saw: (>1.4m) Takes you 50ft up in the air, spins you round looping and turning and dangles you upside down into a jets of water - not really my kind of ride but it's very popular.

Also in Forbidden Valley are Blade (Excellent pirate ship ride - for >0.9m tall) and Dynamo (for >1.4m tall.)

X-Sector:

Black Hole: (>1.2m tall). This has now closed. There's no news over what will replace it yet. It was a fast rollercoaster set in the dark.

Oblivion:

(>gt1.4m) tall. Menacing looking vertical drop coaster. I only recently went on this for the first time and I'd heard it was just a drop then it was over, but I was quite impressed - although it's over quickly it's quite an experience: a 60m drop, reaches 110kph with up to 4.5g's. There is a photo taken, and remember to smile at the top when you get dangled over as this is included in the picture.

Also in X-Sector is Submission (for >1.2m tall.), and Enterprise (spins round and tilts up at an angle so you go upside down, like Zodiac at Thorpe Park - for >0.9m tall)

Ugland

A Dinosaur themed area designed to represent a prehistoric playground.

Rita - Queen of Speed (>1.4m) - *New for 2005* A launched coaster, going from 0 to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds. Max G-force 4.7.

Corkscrew (>1.2m) - the famous Corkscrew opened in 1980 and was the first rollercoaster of its kind.
Also in Ugland are UG Bugs (for 1m-1.5m tall.), UG Swinger (chair-o-planes - >1.2m) and Bone Shaker (>1.2m)

Katanga Canyon

Congo River Rapids

(>0.9m tall) - river rapids ride with white water valleys and walls of water, you can get VERY wet on this one. There is a photo taken.

Runaway Minetrain (>0.9m tall) - this is a pretty decent minetrain ride, with photo too.

Merrie England

Log flume (>0.9m)
Tea Cups (>0.9m)

Cred Street

Vintage Car Ride
Cred Street Carousel
Toyland Tours
Frog Hopper

Old MacDonalds Farmyard

Farmyard attractions

Adventure Land

Generally themed for young children.

Squirrel Nutty Ride

The Beastie
Gallopers Carousel
Spinball Whizzer (>1.2m) New for 2004 - definitely not for young children, this is the spinning coaster. A good ride, quite an intense experience with some steep turns and drops.

Also in the park is Hex (>0.9m) - starts out with some history and archaeologists discovering a hidden secret. Has clever effects in the final part.
In Gloomy Wood is Duel (>1.1m) - the haunted house has been converted into a fun interactive ride where you shoot coloured lights with blasters - very similar to Tomb Blaster at Chessington.

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