Sonic at Alton Towers thread of... HOORAY!

[Trixie the Great]

OMG FIRST POST IN 7 MONTHS-

Im packing up some clothes since im going to Alton Towers tomorrow with my 2 cousin's where we shall be staying in the Sonic Room. So does anybody know anything fun to do in the room, and which rides should I go on?

(You know. Besides the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii thats in the room.)

Edited August 3, 2011 by Emeraio

[Badnik Mechanic]

So does anybody know anything fun to do in the room, and which rides should I go on?

TAKE A FAN!

That room gets very hot in the summer! I wish I'd taken a fan with me as it gets so hot. Also the window opens more in you pull it down as apposed to lifting it up.

Anyway, other than the consoles theres not much else to do in the room, there are some 'games rooms' one in the hotel that the Sonic room is in, the other is in Splash landings (thats the better one) definately go explore that hotel because it's great. Especially how the carpets gradually change as you go from one hotel into the other.

They have plushie machines in the hotels too! Go wild!

As for rides, well theres the Sonic ride (although it is quite a wild one). Otherwise these are the ones I usually go on.

Runaway mine train.

The haunted house (it's not some kind of shooter but it's still fun).

Hex.

Charlie and the Chocolate factory (just wait until you get to the great glass elevator section).

Or if you want some more intense rides.

Nemesis (at the very most just walk around it, the scnery is epic).

Oblivion.

Air

Thir13een. (According to many roller coaster fanatics, this one is a tad over-rated, but it should still be quite a fun ride).

Also... and this is a must... GO TO OLD MCDONALDS FARM! It's a kids thing, but it's hilarious, especially the pig.

Finally... don't just go on the rides... walk around the 'towers' it's an old castle/mansion but it's pretty cool, and the gardens are also really well kept.

Take photos and video for us all.

Edit: I just had a look at the Alton Towers website... it would appear that the Sonic ride now has it's own fast food outlet.

Spinball Noodles opened this year.

[Trixie the Great]

Thanks dude! Im taking my video camera and I shall visit the Game Rooms and try out the plushie machines.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Another big bump! But one hell of a bump. Over at Sonic Wrecks, AAUK has uploaded a video of the actual opening ceremony of the Alton Towers Ride.

To my knowledge this had never been recorded in full on video, whilst a lot of photos exist, video of the event hasn't ever been posted other than the small clips Flyboy Fox recorded on her phone.

Also whats interesting, the video has Roger Craig Smith's "Alton" voice greeting them, this is the first time it was heard by public ears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bt6xAB_5Ss

Really really awesome!

Sigh... and kinda sad, since this might be the last year it's there.

Source: Sonic Wrecks

Edit: Also includes AAUK dirty haxoring the claw machine =p

Edit 2: one day they'll remember to take me with them =p

Edited March 6, 2012 by Hogfather

[Debug Ring]

[MegaMan_EXE]

I want to ride this ride!

SO MUCH!!

[Badnik Mechanic]

More never before seen stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80EIZ4H2lio

Contains footage of the first time anyone went into the Sonic Hotel Room, as well as the initial 'OMG does this mean Sonic 4 assets!' also footage of the Sega Beach party that they had... and how it was that hot all the Xbox 360's broke down.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Alton Towers are now making Sonic themed merch!

 

Mainly related to the ride, found it on facebook, I know it's an SSMB member who uploaded the pics, only I can't remember their username =(

 

 

 

 

Anyone going to Alton any time soon? Would really like one of those!

[Tracker_TD]

Alton Towers are now making Sonic themed merch!

 

Mainly related to the ride, found it on facebook, I know it's an SSMB member who uploaded the pics, only I can't remember their username =(

 

 

 

 

Anyone going to Alton any time soon? Would really like one of those!

They've had those for a while actually. O.O;

[Badnik Mechanic]

Why didn't anybody say anything 0_0

 

I would have loved to have bought one from somebody who was going =p

[Semi-colon e]

I don't really buy the Alton merch, but it looks pretty cool. I wonder what else there is (I haven't actually read this thread). Isn't it gonna stop being called Sonic Spinball at some point, though?

 

Personally I want to go back to get on that new coaster, The Smiler, because more coasters is always a good thing! And because Nemesis is the best ride in the park anyway.

 

Edit: Actually, I have read the thread, and I even said Nemesis was the best ride in the park then too!

Edited February 8, 2013 by Semi-colon e

[Crash]

I don't know if they will change the ride name soon though. Probably when Sonic becomes less popular. Beano Land in Chesington went a couple of years ago because not many people knew what the Beano was (It's still going though.).

[JonoD]

I think the SEGA deal was due to end at the end of the last season, but there's been no talk on the park's various fan-forums about the Sonic theme being removed. If anything, it wouldn't surprise me if they just kept it as it is (After all, Sonic was represented in Toyland Tours from ride-opening in 1994 all the way to the ride's close in 2005).

 

As mentioned by Semi-Colon too, building The Smiler is at the top of Alton Towers' priority list, especially given they're a couple of months behind schedule with it, so I think Sonic's place in the theme park is fine for the time being, but I don't know if that applies to the hotel room too (which sucks because I really want to stay there) because I know they are outfitting some rooms with a new theme.

[Jolt_TH]

I'm not a big theme park ride fan, (my eyes make it nigh on impossible for me to go on theme park rides) but I am considering booking the Sonic Room and going on the ride for my 20th this year, is the room still going to be around by september time? If so, anyone want anything? (looking at you Hogfather)

[JonoD]

Well, the room is still listed on the Alton Towers Hotel website so I think it's fair to say that the room's (immediate) future is pretty safe. Also... sign me up for pretty much one of everything Sonic related from there

[Sapphire]

Phew! I was quite worried that they would be taking the Sonic room down and re-themeing the Sonic Spinball. They need to keep it all up for my distant honeymoon, of course!

[Badnik Mechanic]

Sonic will be there for 2014!

 

Alton have posted details about their half term break in 2014. And Sonic Spinball is listed as being one of the rides that will be open.

 

http://www.altontowers.com/short-breaks/half-term-breaks/#Rides

[JonoD]

Aaaand this topic still exists!

 

Anyhow, remember how we were talking a while ago that Sonic's presence was dying at the resort? (It's lost to the partial wipe now, but whatever) Anyhow, I was at Towers again yesterday, and low and behold...

 

 

 

Merch! Recent merch too! This is the only photo I grabbed, but the Sonic drinking mugs had also appeared in the main Towers Trading shop. Still don't know what the immediate future of the ride is though.

[Kittea]

I'm hoping it'll be open again this year as my mother is planning a trip there for the Summer

 

Alton Towers used to be a regular holiday for me and my family as a child but I haven't been there in years, It'll be fun to go back

[Gabz Girl]

So are they finally giving it some major TLC? Because last time I saw pictures of it the rollercoaster and its queue looked like it was falling apart. =/

[JonoD]

So are they finally giving it some major TLC? Because last time I saw pictures of it the rollercoaster and its queue looked like it was falling apart. =/

 

In essence, it's not really in that different of a state to what it was last year, so if you thought it was looking in a bad way then, you'll likely think the same this year (though I didn't really pay any attention to the queue games when I was walking through). Sonic's nose is still on, but the paint is looking to flake quite badly on it.

 

The ride is definitely open for the year though, and it's just as mad as its always been.

[Gabz Girl]

Oh dear...well I'm glad to hear it's still standing at least. XP I just wish they could make it look nicer again.

[Oscillo]

Well, I'm planning on going there soon, so that's very good obviously. Is it likely it'll last much longer though? I'm just saying because the last time, we were talking about the ride being close to closing because it looked ill-maintained, and it still seems to be the case, so I wonder.

[JonoD]

That's just a general thing about Alton Towers sadly. One of the things they're not great at is keeping things looking new. As an example, the Oblivion roller coaster was jet black when it initially opened, and they allowed it to go from this:

 

 

to this...

 

 

They did repaint it eventually, but it's pretty standard for Alton Towers to put off sprucing something up until they really can't get away with it.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Holy crap. 

 

Yeah I forgot how Oblivion used to be black!

 

The last time I was there, it was pretty obvious how Alton is in desperate need for a serious maintenance job. A lot of rides where broken down and even the garden was out of bounds due to a fungus infestation. 

 

I'll be going back later this year, so I'll be interested to see what the Sonic side of things is like. For those who want a comparison, here is what it looked like last year.

 

 

I just wish they would bring back those medals.