Top 10 Rides At Alton Towers

Wicker man ride at alton towers
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Alton Towers is one of the UK’s best theme parks that families flock to every year. With over 40 rides and attractions to choose from at the resort and 11 themed areas, finding the best rides can be tricky. If you are looking for the creme de la creme of Alton Towers Rides then you’ve landed in the right place! We have highlighted our top 10 rides at this iconic theme park with appearances from record-breaking coasters, immersive dark rides, pinball-machine-like rides and so much more.

So, without fourth ado, let’s roll out the red carpet for our top picks…

Gangsta Granny the Ride

gangsta granny the ride
This the perfect ride experience at Alton Towers for kids aged 6-12 years old, this dark ride will take you through vibrant scenes from the bestselling children’s novel Gangsta Granny.

Granny and Ben need your help to pull off the ultimate jewel heist! Take a spin through the sewers on a 360° special effects-laden wild ride to break into the crown jewels vault! Grab jewels and dodge the explosives – it’s pretty simple, right?

Although this isn’t a rollercoaster you will feel nothing but thrills as you take the jewels and flee from the feds. There are a few nervy stops and starts to build up the tension in this ride…

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Spinball Whizzer

spinball whizzer on a sunny day
Now this one’s not for the queasy or faint-hearted as Spinball Whizzer is the ultimate thrill ride! You’ll whizz along at up to 60kph while also swivelling 360 degrees at the same time! This spinning rollercoaster includes a chain hill lift ascent however, you might not know which way is up or down after taking a spin on this family-favourite ride.

Think of Spinball Whizzer as a pinball machine and you are the small metal ball being propelled around the track… With clear sound effects as well, you’ll feel as if you’re inside a game!

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Galactica

galactica alton towers
Isn’t the Earth a bit… constraining at times? Propell through the Earth’s atmosphere, through time and space as we know it and into the year 3019.

Board the AIR-WING 6000 craft and blast soar over the Earth, you’ll spiral between the rugged vistas of Vega 10 and glide through the cosmic clouds of Espin on a sensational journey like no other.

This free-flying rollercoaster ride boasts speeds of up to 75kph and lasts 1 minute and 40 seconds. You’ll get to experience cool rollercoaster features like two 360-degree inversions as well as a high level of G-force! You’ll get to lie down and fly (at the same time) in this ride as you are propelled through the air, swivelling and spiralling over treetops and towards the ground.

You’ll find this ride in the Forbidden Valley at Alton Towers.

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Hex

the hex alton towers
BEWARE OF UNEARTHING THE CURSE OF THE CHAINED OAK!

While some may argue that Hex isn’t a ride, we argue back and say YES IT IS!!! Mixing immersive storytelling, dark rides, and cinema, Hex is a topsy-turvy ride sure to give you some chills.

This spooky ride entails a bleak past and mysterious magic, set in the restored Tower Ruins. Hex is a vault ride that has been locked away for centuries until now! Take a seat and listen to the tale of the Chained Oak. Just try not to become disorientated as the room starts to spin…

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Th13teen

alton towers th13teen roller coaster
If you go down to the woods today… you might regret it… *gulps*

Located in the Dark Forest, TH13TEEN is a spooktacular ride set on top of an ancient crypt and those who dare cross its borders will be in for a sinister surprise!

The vertical freefall drop coaster puts your body through +3.2G force. But more than that, this “psychaster” is designed to create a new level of psychological fear!

What makes this ride so fantastically scary, is the way in which the ticking lift hill works and by that we mean there isn’t one! Unlike other free fall rides, Th13teen will drop you 5m through the air with no warning.

This rollercoaster ride reaches 42kph and is suitable for anyone over 1.2m – 1.96m tall.

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Wicker Man

wicker man
Ever been on a wooden rollercoaster before? The Wicker Man is an epic roller coaster that builds momentum before you have even stepped foot on the car. Watch the captivating pre-show on the screens as you anticipate the severe thrills of the Wicker Man…

Expect a labyrinth of twisted tracks, immersive theming, six-storey high flaming effigy, and heaps of cutting-edge special effects! You’ll burst through the Wicker Man’s chest 3 times while flying through flames and listening to an ominous soundtrack.

There are also fun features like secret languages. Will you be able to spot these mysterious messages and decode them?

This ride features 3 drops, 2 tunnels, and 3 passes through the Wicker Man and is located on the edge of Mutiny Bay. You must be over 1.2m tall to ride this coaster.

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Oblivion

oblivion the ride
Get ready to bow towards rollercoaster royalty… Make way for the world’s first vertical drop rollercoaster! You know the saying, “on the edge of your seat”, well that could sum up Oblivion quite well as you will quite literally, be overhanging on the edge of a vertical drop…

Oblivion has the tallest drop, out of all of the rollercoasters in the Alton Towers Resort! You’ll be hanging over a whopping 180 feet drop! And when you drop, you’ll cut through the air with G-force speed of +4.5G!

Oblivion is a sci-fi ride that is also the product of a mad scientist – the Lord of Darkness. This coaster was designed to push participating candidates to their mental and physical limits… We’ll let you be the judge of that!

You can find this rollercoaster in the X-Sector and you must be over 1.4m to ride.

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Nemesis Reborn

nemeis reborn new roller coaster
We have another Forbidden Valley coaster on our top ten Alton Towers rides list, and that is Nemesis Reborn! This popular ride is themed around monsters, sci-fi and sinister activities – and is back with a vengeance!

The coaster has a revamp with a lick of black and red paint, plus a few extra features and surprises… It acts as an inverted steel monster, breaking the rules of what’s possible by plunging its guests very close to the ground. You’ll go through an underground tunnel where a river of blood will flow… YIKES.

The track is 716m long and has 4 inversions. Riders over 1.4m tall can enjoy a G-force of +3.5G! The ride is also 13m high at its peak.

Want to know something cool? Nemesis has a sister, the Nemesis Inferno… You can find the Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park!

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The Smiler

the smiler at alton towers
This hypnotic ride is the world’s first 14-loop rollercoaster! Its twisting track combines 14 loops with a speed of 85 km/hr and a track length 3x longer than Oblivion! The Smiler is designed to challenge your body and mind.

Try to keep a straight face while laughing gas is pumped into the air. Say cheese to the on-ride photograph. Scream at the top of your lungs during the 5 twisted special effects or overcome the Inoculator…

This is one of Alton Towers’ most famous rides which you can find in the X-Sector.

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The Curse at Alton Manor

The Curse at Alton Manor
The Curse At Alton Manor has created an exciting ripple in the theme park world. This haunting dark ride will take you on a hair-raising journey into the cursed Manor.

The abandoned Manor was repossessed under mysterious circumstances but now it opens its doors to brave visitors. Keep your wits about you, stay close, and uncover the story of Emily Alton…

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FAQS

How many themed lands are there in Alton Towers?

There are 11 themed areas that contain a variety of different rides and attractions.

  • CBeebies Land
  • Dark Forest
  • Forbidden Valley
  • Gloomy Wood
  • Katanga Canyon
  • Mutiny Bay
  • The Gardens
  • The Towers
  • The World of David Walliams
  • Towers Street
  • X-Sector

What are the best water rides at Alton Towers?

There is only one water ride now that The Flume ride has been closed down, and that is the Congo River Rapids.

Why do people love Alton Towers so much?

Alton Towers has over 40 rides and attractions! This diverse collection of rides ranges from 14-loop inversion rides to flat rides, dark rides, boat rides, water rides and so much more.

There are theme park rides suitable for toddlers, teens and adults, which will provide suitable thrills. From the sci-fi plains of the Forbidden Valley and X-Sector to the haunting horrors of Gloomy Wood, there are lots of unique thrills to explore.

There are 11 themed areas at the park alongside Alton Towers Waterpark, CBeebies Land, Alton Towers Spa, Alton Towers Hotel and, of course, Alton Towers Restaurants.

There are 10 onsite eateries to grab some food from at the theme park. Enjoy everything from sugary doughnuts, grilled chicken breast, and coffee, and there is even a Rollercoaster Restaurant!

So basically, Alton Towers just has everything that families need – fun, food, and places to rest.

We have a lot more information on each of these things on our Hub page. Check out Alton Towers Hotel, Alton Towers Restaurants, Alton Towers Waterpark, Alton Towers Height Restrictions, Alton Towers Park Map & more.

 

What rides have closed down at Alton Towers?

RIP to many family favourite rides that have been reinvented or removed. Here are some of the rides that you will no longer find at the Alton Towers Theme Park:

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • The Flume ride
  • Toyland Tours
  • Air
  • Corkscrew
  • Around the World in 80 Days
  • Thunder Looper
  • Energizer
  • Ripsaw
  • Black Hole

What fun events do Alton Towers do throughout the year?

Alton Towers is well known for its spectacular seasonal events throughout the year. Here are a few events, past and future:

Alton Towers Lightopia (previous event)

Mardi Gras – 20th May – 18th June

Oktoberfest – 9th September – 1st October

Alton Towers Scarefest – 7th, 8th, 13th – 31st October

Alton Towers Fireworks – 3rd – 5th November

Alton Towers Christmas – 24th November – 30th December

Looking for more Alton Towers experiences? There are plenty of fun interactive experiences on offer for the whole family to enjoy. We have a boatload of articles detailing everything you’ll need to know about an Alton Towers visit or stay at the CBeebies Land Hotel, the Splash Landings Hotel & more. We even have articles dedicated to parking at Alton Towers, food and individual rollercoaster articles for rides at the famous theme park. Check out Oblivion or The Smiler!

Head to the Enchanted Forest, soak up the sun in the Alton Towers Gardens or meet costumed characters around the park during seasonal periods. Whatever you decide to do, make some epic Alton Towers memories today!

Interested in other major roller coaster projects or rides? We have many more theme park articles detailing all the best rides and dining experiences at other top UK theme parks like Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park.