So, yesterday a bunch of us Avox types went to Alton Towers. It was a great day out, and as I haven’t been since 2004, a lot had changed, and I was able to try out Rita: Queen of Speed and the Spinball Whizzard for the first times. In all, 11 of us went, and that equals good times.
I got up around 7:30, and left to go get petrol and screenwash at 8am. I was meant to pick up three people at twenty past, but they were late and only came out around half past, the time we were meant to leave! With an hour and a half journey ahead, we were supposed to be at the towers for 10am, however we only got to the rendezvous point with the other cars at Redwither Tower at 9:40. One person also didn’t turn up; we waited for a bus that arrived, then left at 8:45, fifteen minutes later than expected. We drove to the Uttoxeter junction where we were to get off the dual carriageway the A500, and had a McDonalds breakfast, another 15 minute delay. Eventually we were there for half past, but the entrance traffic meant we were in the queue for our first ride for 11:00. A car with two in was delayed after the car in front hit a hound from a chase (it was fine). After an hour of queueing for the Spinball Whizzard (the closest ride to the entrance) without them , we only had six hours of ride time left.
So we quickly sped to the X-Sector, where Oblivion was situated and met with the two late peeps who by this time had been on Rita, after this we would go to Rita, and then the water rides and the Forbidden valley. However, we went on Enterprise, an old ride after Oblivion. Here we split off as two of the group wanted to try other rides and had been on Rita, and two wanted to go to the Sea Life centre and were scared of Rita, so off we five went; however, two people were hungry so went to Burger King instead. At this point, there were four groups, all of two, apart from our own threesome. After queueing for Rita for around ten minutes, it broke down, so we left for The Rapids instead, the burger king was nowhere to be seen, so off we went. This was fun, especially as I didn’t really get wet except for the arse (wet seat), while the others did.
We sped off for Nemesis, and met with the Burger King couple. The queue was maxed out, so we went into the single riders queue again (we had for Rita and Oblivion), and so waited 20 minutes instead of the 45 in the main queue. After that, we went on Air as well, but two of the group split off (they weren’t fussed about air and wanted to ride Ripsaw). We met with the two that went on the Spinball Whizzard here, and as they hadn’t been on it, being late because of the hound!
If you’re lost, there are now nine of us, I may have neglected another couple that vanished between Oblivion and now. We were outside Duel, a Zombie shooting ride, waiting for the two SeaLife people. They took their time so we went in anyway, we shot some doods, and I was fourth when it came to the score, I think.
Then we went to the rapids again. The 9 of us split into groups as the maximum seating per car is 8. I didn’t get very wet, again; but the other were even wetter. Once we were off the ride, two people went to meet the people who went on ripsaw earlier, and two others made motions for leaving the park. After this, our group of five finally headed to Rita, and rode it. The acceleration was immense but I still managed to smile for the camera. However a blue slushie meant my mouth was blue. It was twenty to six when we started queueing, after getting off, the park was closing, and we all made a beeline for the entrance. We did pause for a photo opportunity in front of the towers. The park was scarily empty by now, but as we got near the entrance, the familiar crowds had returned, and the queue for the monorail was estimated at 45 mins. Unwilling to wait in another queue, and with our aching feet beginning to blister, we walked for the car park. It took an age, but when we got to the car, we split into our three cars and left. Our car stopped in the same McDonalds we had that morning, and it was 9pm by the time we got back. I was attempting to catch up to someone using the estimated time of arrival on my TomTom as a reference (I caught up by 10 mins!), but I didn’t due to a series of slow cars.
All in all it was an excellent day out, and if you’ve thought of going, do so. I only wish it was 8am to 9pm opening times or something. It’d be worth it I think for the park!
