Alton Towers ( ) (also known as Alton Towers Resort) is a historic estate, theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, mini golf and hotel complex.
Originally a stately home of the Earls of Shrewsbury, the Alton Towers grounds were first opened to the public in the late 19th Century. In the 1950s-70s, several new attractions were added, such as a scenic railway and cable car. It started to be developed as a theme park from 1980 with the installation of several rides and the adoption of a pay-once ticket structure. In 1990, the park was purchased by The Tussauds Group, which was merged into Merlin Entertainments in 2007. The park now has many attractions such as Congo River Rapids, Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler and Wicker Man.
It offers a range of accommodation and lodging options alongside the theme park. Facilities include Alton Towers Waterpark, Alton Towers Conference Centre and Extraordinary Golf. The theme park is open seasonally from mid-March to early November, whilst many of its hotels and amenities are open year-round. Special events are hosted throughout the year, including Scarefest, Fireworks and Christmas.
History
Early 20th-century public opening Alton Towers first opened to the public on a regular basis following the opening of Alton Towers railway station. Money raised from railway excursions was paid to the Earl to help maintain the grounds.
In 1924, a group of local estate agents formed Alton Towers Ltd to take ownership of the estate and kept the gardens open as a visitor attraction. The estate was later closed to the public upon its requisition by the military during the Second World War.
In the early 1950s, ownership returned to Alton Towers Ltd, now solely controlled by the Bagshaw family, and the grounds were reopened to the public. From this time, Alton Towers grew as a visitor attraction, with additions including a railway, fairground and, by the 1960s, a boating lake and chairlift. After marrying into the Bagshaw family, property developer John Broome became a director of the family business and began leading its development into a theme park.
Early theme park developments (1980-1990) Under John Broome's leadership, Alton Towers was opened as a theme park in 1980 with the introduction of a pay-one-price ticket structure and new attractions, including the Corkscrew. The following years saw permanent rides and areas added, including the Log Flume, Talbot Street featuring Around The World in 80 Days, and the Black Hole indoor coaster.
Between 1985–88, further major development saw the opening of a new entrance complex that included the admissions area, themed street with numerous retail and food outlets, a monorail and car parks, as well as the Grand Canyon Rapids and Skyride transport system. Numerous steel roller coasters were also introduced.
Tussauds Group developments (1990–2007) In 1990, Broome sold Alton Towers to The Tussauds Group, then a division of Pearson plc, after the park's development of the former Battersea Power Station encountered financial difficulties. The change of park ownership brought another era of major development, involving the opening of many new themed areas and attractions between 1992–97, such as Runaway Mine Train, The Haunted House, Toyland Tours, and Nemesis. The first on-site accommodation, the Alton Towers Hotel, opened in 1996. Tussauds' park development team from 1990 to 2002 included attraction producer John Wardley among others.
The Tussauds Group was sold to venture capital firm Charterhouse in 1998. Oblivion opened that same year. Air (now Galactica) opened in 2002, followed by Spinball Whizzer in 2004. A second hotel and water park, Splash Landing Hotel and Cariba Creek, were opened in 2003.
In 2005, Dubai International Capital (DIC) acquired Tussauds for £800 million. That same year, Rita–Queen of Speed was built in the Ug Land area of the park. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Ride opened in 2006, based on the Roald Dahl book.
Merlin Entertainments developments (2007–present) In May 2007, The Blackstone Group purchased The Tussauds Group for US$1.9 billion and merged it with its then-subsidiary Merlin Entertainments. Dubai International Capital also gained 20% of Merlin Entertainment.
On 16 July 2007, Blackstone and Prestbury announced a sale and leaseback of certain Merlin property assets, including Alton Towers, for a total of £622 million, with the properties leased back to Merlin on 35 year renewable leases.
In December 2021 the leases over Alton Towers and three other Merlin sites were extended by a further 35 years in return for a capital contribution of £33.45 million, and the UK rent reviews changed from uncapped RPI increases to CPI plus 0.5 per cent, subject to a floor of 1 per cent and a cap of 4 per cent.
Prestbury's interest subsequently passed to Secure Income REIT, which merged with LXi REIT in July 2022; LXi was in turn acquired by LondonMetric Property in March 2024. In October 2022 the freeholds of Alton Towers and Thorpe Park were sold for £257 million as a 65-year income strip, with 999-year leases granted back to the seller and the right to repurchase the freeholds for £1 after 65 years.
The freehold of the Alton Towers site is registered to City Place Nominees 1 Limited and City Place Nominees 2 Limited, companies incorporated in Guernsey, as nominees for Northern Trust (Guernsey) Limited as trustee of the TP2 Unit Trust; the price recorded on 19 October 2022 was £122,789,028.
As of early 2008, the resort changed its name to Alton Towers Resort to better reflect its status as a multi-day destination. At the end of the 2008 season, the Corkscrew closed and its corkscrew track element was placed in the park admissions plaza as a feature in early 2010. TH13TEEN, the first roller coaster to feature a freefall drop track, opened in March 2010 on the former site of the Corkscrew.
In 2020, Alton Towers operated on a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, operating on a limited capacity from 4 July to 5 November. The resort resumed normal operations on 12 April 2021.
In 2024, Nemesis was revamped as Nemesis Reborn after a year-long refurbishment, along with a revamp of the surrounding Forbidden Valley area. The following year saw the opening of Toxicator in the area, a HUSS suspended topspin, on the former site of Ripsaw. 2025 also saw a cut to entertainment offerings, with the stage on the lawn being removed and a decrease in live actors.
In 2025, Alton Towers announced a new junior roller coaster based on the Bluey (TV series) was being developed for Cbeebies Land, which opened in March 2026, replacing Postman Pat Parcel Post.
Rides and attractions
Roller coasters NamePictureOpenedTypeManufacturerHeightMin.ParksectionNotesPrevious AttractionRunaway Mine Train 1992Steel/Mine TrainMack Rides1.1 mKatanga CanyonA powered family roller coaster.Nemesis Reborn 1994 (2024)Steel/InvertedBolliger & Mabillard1.4 mForbidden ValleyEurope's first inverted roller coaster. Revamped in 2024 after being retracked.NemesisOblivion 1998Steel/Dive coasterBolliger & Mabillard1.4 mX-SectorThe world's first dive coaster.Galactica2002Steel/FlyingBolliger & Mabillard1.4 mForbidden ValleyThe world's first Bolliger & Mabillard flying roller coaster, formerly known as Air (2002–2015). From 2016 to 2018 it featured virtual reality.The BeastSpinball Whizzer 2004Steel/SpinningMaurer AG1.2 mThe TowersA spinning coaster themed to a game of pinball. Between 2010 and 2015 it utilised the Sonic the Hedgehog IP and was named Sonic Spinball.Rita 2005Steel/AcceleratorIntamin1.4 mDark ForestA hydraulic launched coaster.TH13TEEN 2010Multi Dimension CoasterIntamin1.2 mDark ForestA family coaster featuring the world's first "vertical free-fall drop" element on a roller coaster.CorkscrewThe Smiler 2013Steel/InfinityGerstlauer1.4 mX-Sector Holds the world record for most inversions on a roller coaster at 14. Black HoleOctonauts Rollercoaster Adventure 2015SteelZamperla0.9 mCBeebies LandA children's coaster themed to the TV show of the same name.BeastieWicker Man 2018WoodenGreat Coasters International1.2 mMutiny Bay A wooden coaster featuring live fire effects.The Flume Bluey The Ride: Here Come The Grannies 2026 Steel Zierer 0.9 m CBeebies Land A children's coaster themed to the TV show of the same name. Postman Pat Parcel Post
Flat rides NamePictureTypeOpenedAreaManufacturer NotesReplacedToxicator Suspended Top Spin2025Forbidden ValleyHuss RidesTop spin ride atop a 16 ft-high platform. RipsawMarauder'sMayhemTeacups Ride 1987Mutiny BayMack RidesA teacups ride themed as barrels of gunpowder.Tea Cup Ride
Water/Dark rides NamePictureTypeOpenedAreaManufacturer NotesReplacedBattle Galleons Splash Battle2008Mutiny BayMack RidesA pirate-themed Splash Battle ride.Splash Kart ChallengeCongo River Rapids Rapids ride1986Katanga CanyonIntaminA water rapids ride.The Curse at Alton Manor Dark ride2023Gloomy WoodMack RidesA haunted themed dark ride.DuelHex – The Legendof the Towers Walk-through/Madhouse2000The TowersVekomaA themed attraction based on the legend of the chained oak, concluding with a Madhouse ride.Gangsta Granny: The Ride Dark ride2021The World of David WalliamsGarmendale EngineeringA dark ride based on Gangsta Granny, written by David Walliams. Wobble WorldNemesis Sub Terra Drop tower / walkthrough2012Forbidden ValleyABC RidesAn attraction themed to the Nemesis story, including a small indoor drop tower.Lava Lump
Children's rides and attractions