Meet the Creator
Stoke on Trent
Our Arrival & First Impressions
We wanted a day out that would keep both our lively 8-year-old and our 7-month-old baby happy, which isn't always easy. Alton Towers Waterpark seemed like a good fit and, for the most part, it really was. We paid just under £100 for a family ticket covering both the indoor and outdoor areas. Knowing it's open all year round was a big plus, as we didn't have to worry about the weather ruining our plans.
The waterpark is inside the Splash Landings Hotel, so parking and entry were simple and straightforward. As soon as we walked in, the place felt warm, bright, and welcoming. There was loads of seating to choose from and even high chairs for the little ones, which made life a lot easier with the baby. The Caribbean theme gave the whole place a fun holiday vibe — palm trees, tropical music, and colourful décor everywhere — even if it's not quite the real thing. Our 8-year-old's eyes lit up the moment she saw the slides, and the baby was already wriggling with excitement at the sight of all the water. We planned to stay indoors most of the day but kept things flexible for snack breaks and baby naps.
Activities Breakdown
Our 8-year-old was straight into the slides and didn't stop grinning all day. She tried everything from the gentler rides to the big, twisty tubes, racing between splash zones with seemingly endless energy. The mix of big slides for older kids and gentler areas for the little ones worked brilliantly for us as a family with such a big age gap. Meanwhile, the baby was happy splashing about in the shallow pool, which was full of colourful water features and little games — though it could have been a touch warmer for him. We ended up staying about four hours and honestly could have stretched it longer. There's loads to keep all ages busy, and by the time we left it felt like we'd had a proper little getaway without any of the hassle.
- 1
The Master Blaster
The undisputed highlight of the entire day. Our 8-year-old went on it about a dozen times, loving every high-speed turn around the park. It's a thrilling, fast-paced slide that had her screaming with excitement and running straight back to the queue for another go. - 2
Baby Splash Pool
Full of colourful water features and little interactive games, the shallow pool was perfect for our 7-month-old. He loved splashing around and taking it all in. It could have been a touch warmer, but it was still fine for a decent play together before wrapping him up in a towel. - 3
The Big Twisty Tube Slides
Beyond the Master Blaster, there was a great selection of twisty tube slides ranging from gentle to hold-on-tight. Our daughter tried every single one, and the variety meant she never got bored. Some had us laughing until our sides hurt, others we didn't dare try twice. - 4
The Outdoor Area
We mostly stayed indoors, but when the sun popped out the outdoor area was a really nice change of scenery. It gave us a breather from the busier indoor sections and the kids loved having even more space to explore and splash around. - 5
The Caribbean Atmosphere
The tropical theming throughout the waterpark — palm trees, Caribbean music, colourful décor — genuinely gave it a holiday feeling. Our daughter almost forgot we were still in Staffordshire, and it made the whole experience feel like more than just a trip to a swimming pool.
Food & Drink
There's no shortage of food and drink at the waterpark, which is just as well when you've got kids who seem to get hungry every half hour. We tried a bit of everything — the pizza and burgers went down well, and it was nice to see salads and sandwiches too for when you want something lighter. Our daughter made a beeline for the ice cream stand between slides, while we grabbed smoothies and found a spot to chill for a few minutes.
Prices were about what you'd expect for a resort like this — not cheap, but the food was fresh and tasty, which made it feel less painful. The eating areas were clean, easy to get around with a pushchair, and had a nice family-friendly buzz. With the Caribbean décor and the sounds from the pool drifting over, it felt fun and relaxed rather than hectic.
We didn't go for a big sit-down meal this time, but there was plenty to keep us going for the whole day without having to leave. If you're planning a longer visit or staying overnight, the Splash Landings Hotel has even more dining options, which would make the whole trip even easier and let you keep the holiday feeling going into the evening.
Money-Saving Tip
Bring your own snacks for the kids to cut down on costs — the food on-site is good but resort-priced. If you're planning a full day, packing some fruit, cereal bars, and drinks for between meals can save a family of four a decent amount. Save the on-site treats like ice cream and smoothies as special rewards between slides.
Pros & Cons Summary
What We Loved
Didn't feel crammed in, even on a weekend — we found plenty of space and quieter corners to relax.- Friendly, helpful staff who actually seemed happy to be there and made the day smoother.
- Slides for every age group, so nobody felt left out — from gentle baby pools to high-speed tubes.
- The Master Blaster slide is an absolute standout that kids will want to ride over and over again.
- Caribbean theme gives the whole place a genuine holiday feeling, even in the middle of Staffordshire.
- Open all year round, so you don't need to worry about the weather spoiling your plans.
- High chairs and pushchair-friendly eating areas make it genuinely practical for families with babies.
- Indoor and outdoor areas included in one ticket, so you can mix it up depending on the weather.
- Easy parking and entry via the Splash Landings Hotel — no complicated logistics to deal with.
Could Be Better
Food is good quality but still resort-priced — bringing your own snacks is a smart move.- Baby pool could have been a touch warmer, especially for very young children.
- Main pool area got loud and a bit chaotic at peak times, making it tricky to relax with a baby.
- Some areas of the venue look like they could use a bit of a refresh and updating.
- Just under £100 for a family ticket is a significant outlay, even if it feels like good value overall.
- Weekends can get busy — a quieter weekday would be a better bet if you have the flexibility.
Overall Verdict & Ratings
Plenty of staff around, everything felt clean, and we were happy letting our 8-year-old roam a bit while knowing the baby was safe too. The venue was well-maintained and lifeguards were visible throughout.
Great mix of rides — from the hold-on-tight high-speed slides like the Master Blaster to the gentle baby pool where you can just sit and splash. Perfect when you've got kids at totally different stages.
Snacks and meals were better than we expected. Fresh, nicely done, and not eye-wateringly expensive for a resort. The ice cream and smoothies were definite winners with the kids.
It never felt like we were shoulder to shoulder with other families, and we didn't have to queue for ages for slides or food, which made the day so much easier. The main pool area did get loud at times though.
The Master Blaster became our 8-year-old's new obsession, and with the Caribbean music and palm trees, we almost forgot we were still in Staffordshire! The baby loved splashing around too — big smiles all round.
For just under £100 for the four of us, it felt like proper value. A full day's fun covering indoor and outdoor areas without feeling like we'd been rinsed. You could easily spend four hours or more here.
The Final Verdict:
We left Alton Towers Waterpark feeling like it was a pretty good shout for both our energetic 8-year-old and our 7-month-old baby. It wasn't perfect — at times it felt crowded and loud, especially in the main pool, which made it a bit tricky to chill with the baby. But our 8-year-old had the time of her life, running between slides and splash zones, and we did manage to find quieter spots to sit and watch. The Caribbean theme really added to the fun and gave it that little holiday feeling, even if a few areas looked like they could use a bit of a refresh. We mostly stayed indoors, but when the sun popped out, the outdoor area was a nice change. Food and drink prices were higher than we'd like, so bringing snacks for the kids was definitely the right call. Overall it was a fun and easy day out that ticked a lot of boxes for us. There were queues, there were busy moments, but there were also big smiles, a lot of laughs, and some proper family memories. We would go back, but next time we might pick a quieter weekday and maybe even be brave enough to try a couple of the bigger slides ourselves.
"We set off from Stoke-on-Trent for a day at the waterpark, not really sure if it would live up to the hype. Some of the slides had us laughing until our sides hurt, others we didn't dare try twice. A few took us by surprise too — here's exactly what we honestly thought about the whole day!"Ilze Berke
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