Alton Towers

History

Rides and attractions

Roller coasters

Ride statistics

Flat rides

Water/Dark rides

Children's rides

Theme park transport and grounds

Past rides and attractions

Past roller coasters

Main Past Attractions

Other notable past rides

• Adventure Playground 1974–1993
• Adventure Railway 1982–1992
• Alpine Bob Sled 1980–1986
• Astroglide 1979–1992
• Barney's Playground 2000–2002
• The Blue Carousel 1981–1991
• Bouncing Bugs 1982–2008
• Cable Cars 1964-1986
• Cine 360 1981–1987
• Cine 2000 1980–1992
• Cred Street Carousel 2000–2005
• Cred Street Playground 2006–2008
• Dinosaurs 1980–1983
• Doll's House 1981–1995
• Fantastic Fountains 1981–1992
• Ferris wheel 1985–1986
• Gravitron 1990–1992
• Magic Carpet 1984–1985
• Magic Show 1980–1986
• Miniature Golf 1980–1994
• Mississippi Showboat 1985–1996
• Model Railway 1957–1992
• Motor Museum 1987–1992
• 1997–1998
• Nina's Science Lab 2014-2018
• Octopus 1984–1991
• Old MacDonald's Singing Barn 1995-2013
• Old MacDonald's Tractor Ride 1995-2013
• Park Railway 1953–1996
• Paddling Pool 1963–1992
• Peter Rabbit and Friends on Ice 1994–2005
• Planetarium 1972–1987
• Rowing Boats 1923–1996
• Sea Lions 1957–1990
• Space Boat 1983
• Spider 1986–1991
• Splash Cats 1966–1996
• Splash Karts 2004–2007
• Sun Liner Trains 1984–1986
• Swan Boats 1987–2003
• Tea Cup Ride 1986-2007
• Thunderbirds 1982–1990
• Towers Express 1974–1983
• Tri-Star 1989–1992
• Turbo Star 1984–1989
• Tweenies Playground 2003–2005
• Vintage Cars 1983–2005
• Wobble World 2009-2015
• 3D Cinema 1981–2004
• 1001 Nights 1985–1994

  Food facilities

• Theme Park
• * Towers Street: Costa Coffee, Towers Street Hot Dogs, Towers Street Doughnuts, Treats, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * CBeebies Land: Little Explores Lunch Box, Big Fun Showtime Snack box
• * X-Sector: Just Chicken, Donut Factory, Rehydrator, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * The World of David Walliams: Burger Kitchen
• * The Towers: Archway, Front Lawns, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * Dark Forest: Woodcutters Bar and Grill, Eastern Express, Tormented Treats, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * Forbidden Valley: Rollercoaster Restaurant, Costa Coffee, Nemices Donuts, Forbidden Valley Refresh, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * Gloomy Wood: Nitrogenie, Gloomy Wood Kiosk, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * Katanga Canyon: Explorers Pizza and Pasta Buffet, Coca Cola Freestyle
• * Mutiny Bay: Burger Kitchen, Costa Coffee, Welcome Inn, Eastern Express, Courtyard Hot Dogs/Wraps/Waffles, Mutiny Bay Doughnuts, Pirates Kiosk, Coca Cola Freestyle
• Accommodation
• * Alton Towers Hotel: Secret Garden Restaurant, Costa Coffee, Dragons Bar, Captains Bar
• * Alton Towers Conference Centre: Algenon's Bar, Sir Algenon's Grill
• * Splash Landings Hotel: Flambos Jambo, Ma Garrita's Bar, Costa Coffee, Burger Cove
• * Enchanted Village: Crooked Spoon
• * CBeebies Land Hotel: The Windmill Restaurant
• * Stargazing Pods: Stargazing Bar
• Midway Attractions
• * Alton Towers Waterpark: The Cave, Ice Cream Shack
• * Tree Top Quest: The Crooked Teaspoon

  Past food facilities

• McDonald's
• Burger King
• Pizza Hut
• KFC
• Fried Chicken Co.
• Forest Feasts
• Towers Street Bar and Grill

  Alton Towers Theme Park

Timeline of park areas

Towers Street

Katanga Canyon

Gloomy Wood

Forbidden Valley

Adventure Land

X-Sector

Mutiny Bay

The World of David Walliams

Dark Forest

CBeebies Land

The Towers

The Gardens

Alton Towers Waterpark

Resort accommodation

Alton Towers Hotel

Splash Landings Hotel

Enchanted Village

CBeebies Land Hotel

Stargazing Pods

Recreation

Alton Towers Spa

Extraordinary Golf

Tree Top Quest

Future developments

Secret Weapon roller coasters

Events

Concerts

Oktoberfest

Scarefest

Seasonal Scarefest attractions as of 2019

• Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skin Snatchers, live action horror maze, set in the baron town of Altonville. A family of inbred hillbillies are outcast due to their hideous disfigurement and warped way of life. Through desperation they begin capturing townsfolk, before removing their skin and stitching it into their own in a hope that this may finally give them the beauty they so desire.
• Sub Species: The End Games, a live action horror maze returning in 2018, which will push the boundaries of Scarefest's mazes with multiple routes. A post-apocalyptic, sewer dwelling community have been infested by a species from another world. In order to survive, they appease the creature's hunger by sacrificing innocent people from the surface. However, over time, insanity has twisted the feeding ritual into a sick contest. Your demise is now their entertainment. Let the death race begin!
• Project 42 - The Phalanx base has been compromised and the team is in demise. The base had been used for civilian tests on a unique virus but something's gone wrong; the test subjects, now infected by the virus, have broken out. The Phalanx requires volunteers to enter the compound, find the vaccination and rescue the technician. Can you get out before contracting the infection?
• Darkest Depths -. Board the infamous ghost ship 'The Mutiny' and journey into the darkest depths to earn your piece of eight. The treacherous Sirens will try to lure you into the ocean as you dodge the swords of the mutinous ghost pirates and come face to face with the sea's meanest legend of all... the Kraken!
• The Attic: Terror of the Towers -. Return of the iconic maze with new storyline and route. Dare you venture up to The Attic in this live action maze where you'll discover the ghost of 'The Governess'! According to local legend, she tries to avenge the death of her charges by taking the spirits of the living as penance - will you be her next victim?

  Past seasonal Scarefest attractions

• Terror of the Towers. The first incarnation of this long-running annual scare maze was introduced in 2002, and was located in the Towers ruins themselves. Many scenes from the original maze are still used. Visitors walked through the long, winding corridors of the Towers, through themed scenes while being pursued by live actors. The finale featured a winding pathway around actors behind fences, who lunged towards visitors, accompanied with heavy strobe effects. For 2003 it was restructured and given the tagline and theme "Bloodfest Banquet".
• "TH13TEEN: After Dark" has an enhanced queue line for Alton Towers' newest roller coaster, using fog and lighting effects as well as live actors. This attraction did not return for 2012.
• Terror of the Towers – Bloodfest Banquet was a new version of the Terror of the Towers scare maze, running from 2003 to 2008. It retained much of the original version, but featured new scenes that included scripted dialogue from the several characters, and a new storyline was added. The strobe maze finale was moved to another point in the maze and replaced by a new ending, in which visitors become trapped in a small room with cages on every side, as actors reach for them through the metal bars for almost a minute. Every year, Terror of the Towers kept changing slightly with revised scenes and new scares. However, for the 2009 Scarefest event, Terror of the Towers was once again completely rethought, with the tagline "What Lies Within". The new incarnation drops the scripted scenes and characters; meaning it is similar to the original Terror of Towers of 2002. The whole layout for the maze was also reversed, with what was previously the entrance becoming the exit.
• Room 13 was first introduced in 2006 and was located in the conference room of the Alton Towers Hotel. It was only available to guests of the hotel, who were led around the maze as many live actors appeared to scare them. Room 13 had positive reviews and returned in 2007, but was replaced by The Boiler House in 2008.
• Field of 1000 Screams was first introduced in the 2007 Scarefest event and was the first maze at Alton Towers not situated inside a pre-existing building. The Field was located entirely outdoors in a moderately sized field of maize, which had to be planted especially for the event several months earlier. It purported to be a fictional village called Altonville that had become overrun by zombies. Visitors walked down a long pathway cut through the corn, and encountered characters and scares along the way, before the finale took place. The Field of 1000 Screams did not return for the 2010 event.
• Haunted Hollow Live was first seen in 2007 and consisted of several sinister, costumed actors performing along the Haunted Hollow walkway in Gloomy Wood. The attraction was similar to Duel Live, which was introduced the year later. Haunted Hollow Live returned for the 2008 Scarefest event, but was cancelled for 2009.
• Duel Live was first introduced in the 2008 Scarefest event. Throughout this period, the park's haunted house dark ride, Duel, became host to this attraction, which included live actors situated around the ride circuit. Duel was available to ride normally until 12 pm, when the laser guns and LED targets were switched and the actors took their positions. This was changed in 2009, when Duel Live took place throughout the whole day and many more actors than the previous year were present. Duel Live was aimed at the family audience, and included such features as new music playing throughout the ride, as well as a butler or maid who would welcome you inside the house. The attraction was changed slightly for the 2010 season and featured the park's Scarefest mascots.
• Skelvin's Haunted Adventure was a newer version of, introduced in 2010, and took over Duel – The Haunted House Strikes Back! throughout Scarefest. As in previous years, the attraction included live actors situated at different points around the ride. The laser guns and LED targets were switched off during this time. The ride featured the Scarefest mascots, notably the character of "Skelvin".
• The Boiler House was a scare maze first introduced in 2008, and was situated next to the Alton Towers Hotel. Originally, the scare maze was set in an abandoned industrial facility and featured live actors in make up. This was changed in 2009, when a new storyline was added. The scare maze later featured the fictional "Hamble Twins" serial killers hiding in the industrial building, and visitors have to escape them as they are chased through the scenes. Visitors queued outside, past a van labelled "Alton News 24", from which television screens play news reports on the activity of the serial killers. Guests then walk through a covered walkway, which hides the marquee that the maze is contained in from view. Once inside, a man appears and warns guests about the dangers of coming inside. The murderers then appear and kill him, before chasing visitors away. Each of the Twins are played by two different actors wearing the same grotesque, latex mask. They appear at different points in the maze, creating the illusion that one character is in several places at once. Dim lighting and scent effects are heavily used. For the 2011 Scarefest, The Boiler House moved along with the Carnival of Screams to the X Sector, where they both shared the old Black Hole tent. After three years it did not return for the 2012 season.
• Carnival of Screams was a scare maze that debuted for the 2010 Scarefest event. During its debut it shared the same temporary building as the Boiler House. John Wardley contributed to the development of Carnival of Screams, which was entered through a large clown face with horrific features. For 2011 it and the Boiler House were relocated to the X-Sector area. The maze is a mixture of humor and serious scares, and the music used is the former Toy Land Tours attraction theme music warped for dramatic effect. From 2012 onwards, the attraction was situated opposite the hospitality suite, with the exit inside the Goal Striker unit. In 2013 and its final incarnation, the maze gained a theatrical ending involving a knife thrower.
• The Sanctuary was new for the 2012 Scarefest event and returned in 2013 and 2014. The attraction was set in a research facility operated by "The Ministry of Joy". Alton Towers released the following description at the time: "Lost your Smile? Then check yourself in for a refreshing check up at The Sanctuary. After being closed for new patients for almost 50 years The Sanctuary, The Ministry of Joy’s earliest establishment, is now holding important trials searching for 'Advocates' for its 2013 project." It was revealed to be part of marketing for The Smiler roller coaster, which opened in 2013.
• Scary Tales Scare Zone was a walk through scare zone that ran for the 2014 event. The attraction setting revolved around fairy tale stories that were rewritten in a nightmarish manner.
• The Haunting of Molly Crowe, a multi-sensory maze set in the Towers ruins. The maze was based on the old and abandoned house of Molly Crowe, who was last seen engulfed in flames in the cellar of her house, emitting a scream of non-human origin. This ran for the 2015 event.
• Nox:Infernus Scare Zone, a scare zone which ran for the 2015 event, set in the Dark Forest. The underworld rises again - Will you join the Cult or face the end of the world as we know it?
• Dark Apocalypse Scare Zone, a scare zone which was first introduced for the 2015 event and returning in 2016. A deadly virus has spread across Forbidden Valley. The infected show signs of highly aggressive behavior and rapid physical decomposition. Phalanx control has quarantined the area however, a recent security breach has questioned their ability to contain the virus and keep society safe.
• Terror of the Towers – What Lies Within, the signature maze situated inside the Towers themselves, first introduced in 2002. A new format was introduced in the 2009 Scarefest event, along with the new tagline "What Lies Within" replacing "Bloodfest Banquet". Visitors queue outside in Her Ladyship's Gardens, and the attraction itself starts in the derelict Conservatories. Batches of guests watch a short video showing two men exploring the Towers for ghosts. The video then cuts short, and guests enter the Towers to find the men. At certain points in the maze, the bodies of the two men are each seen hanging from a noose. Visitors become lost in the lengthy corridors and themed scenes in the Towers, with live actors pursuing them in every room. The finale to the attraction is a maze-like walkway that winds around actors in cages, with strobe effects.

  Fireworks

Other events

Incidents

The Smiler

Sky Ride

Runaway Mine Train

Court cases