Ms Poppins
I'm sure I'm very affected by all this Disney talk
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2009
- Messages
- 4,123
Having read many threads recently about price/rudeness/experiences etc at dlp, I thought I'd share our experience of our recent trip to Alton Towers. (Mod's if you don't think this is appropriate please accept my apologies and delete)
Now, I am more than aware that you cannot compare the two - Disney is Disney and nothing will come close to that in my opinion
- but for a couple of days away with the family the price, facilities and service can be compared.
The park:
AT is all about the rides. Not much to do if you don't want to ride anything. This is a huge down for me. I like to wander and sit and relax during the day. With the exception of the beautiful gardens, there isn't much to see. The age differences with our kids really worked here - eldest two went off and did the thrill rides, whilst dh, ds and myself took our time round the smaller things. Luckily it didn't rain at all - if it had, it would have been a complete washout - only 1 indoor ride and a show to see (which we didn't bother with).
They had some pumpkin heads around, obviously making an effort for Halloween (nothing like last year in dlp though).
Too many arcade places for me and fairground type stalls to try and win massive dogs
Huge distances between 'lands'. Sky ride was good for getting about - but if you didn't use this the hills were really quite steep. So not easy to get from one bit to the other quickly
Queues:
There were none at all. Just about every ride was walk on which was great. We got to do everything we wanted a few times over. A couple of the larger rides had waits of only about 10 or 15 mins.
We didn't buy much in the park, a toy sword for DS £3.00 and a photo of one of the rides £8.00.
Food:
Lunch at BK in the park was £28.00 - would only have cost us about £17.00 at a local BK. We didn't buy much else, but I did see vending machines with bottles of coke etc for £1.70 each.
The Hotel:
Splash Landings Hotel was nice enough - family room for 6 which is real plus for us. Good facilities in the room, kettle, tea/coffee, hairdryer, iron/ironing board, fan. Bathroom very small though and not enough towels for us all. Some evening entertainment for the kids and a small area for kids to draw/play lego etc beside the bar. We didn't make use of the waterpark this time, but have been before and it is nice. There is an extra charge for this, I was quoted £12.50 per ad and £9.00 per child which is a corporate rate.
Shops in our hotel and adjoining hotel selling usual sweets/small toys etc. I did notice kids hooded tops, unbranded for only £8.00 which I thought was very reasonable if you were stuck.
Breakfast was normal buffet style. DH had a horrible experience at breakfast here, not with a staff member, but another guest who told him to **** *** because he got a plate before her in the queue!! I have never come across this anywhere before. The staff member who overheard this commented to dh and said he gets spoken to like that all the time
The hotel restaurant had a buffet style evening meal available, £19.95 per adult, £14.95 for 7-14yr olds and £5.95 for under 7's.
I found the reception staff a bit lax and had to interrupt a conversation to get served. The receptionist rattled through everything and didn't tell me when check out was, what the early morning opening included or where to get breakfast. I worked these things out myself though, no big deal - but service in general from the hotel staff was only just sufficient.
Here's what it cost us:
First night we stayed in a hotel in Stoke - family room for 5 people was £144 including breakfast. Room was large and very nicely done.
Evening meal in local pizza hut £46.00
Second day we travelled to AT - stayed in Splash Landings Hotel. I got a good corporate deal, £100.00 for family room for 5 people including breakfast. I have since checked the website and this should have been £265.00!! I would never have paid that for what we had.
2 day tickets for us all £125.00
Lunch in park, £28.00
We went back into Stoke for our evening meal £58.00.
Filled the car with diesel before we left home £95.00
Total cost for 2 days, £596, not including lunch on the way down or back up the road at services or my shopping bill for kids in Stoke shopping centre!!
We did enjoy ourselves, but really with expenses in total close to £700 for 2 nights and some ok rides, we could have gone to DLP and enjoyed much more 'magic'. I suppose the moral is that you get what you pay for and I'd happily pay a bit more to experience Disney.
Now, I am more than aware that you cannot compare the two - Disney is Disney and nothing will come close to that in my opinion
- but for a couple of days away with the family the price, facilities and service can be compared.The park:
AT is all about the rides. Not much to do if you don't want to ride anything. This is a huge down for me. I like to wander and sit and relax during the day. With the exception of the beautiful gardens, there isn't much to see. The age differences with our kids really worked here - eldest two went off and did the thrill rides, whilst dh, ds and myself took our time round the smaller things. Luckily it didn't rain at all - if it had, it would have been a complete washout - only 1 indoor ride and a show to see (which we didn't bother with).
They had some pumpkin heads around, obviously making an effort for Halloween (nothing like last year in dlp though).
Too many arcade places for me and fairground type stalls to try and win massive dogs
Huge distances between 'lands'. Sky ride was good for getting about - but if you didn't use this the hills were really quite steep. So not easy to get from one bit to the other quickly
Queues:
There were none at all. Just about every ride was walk on which was great. We got to do everything we wanted a few times over. A couple of the larger rides had waits of only about 10 or 15 mins.
We didn't buy much in the park, a toy sword for DS £3.00 and a photo of one of the rides £8.00.
Food:
Lunch at BK in the park was £28.00 - would only have cost us about £17.00 at a local BK. We didn't buy much else, but I did see vending machines with bottles of coke etc for £1.70 each.
The Hotel:
Splash Landings Hotel was nice enough - family room for 6 which is real plus for us. Good facilities in the room, kettle, tea/coffee, hairdryer, iron/ironing board, fan. Bathroom very small though and not enough towels for us all. Some evening entertainment for the kids and a small area for kids to draw/play lego etc beside the bar. We didn't make use of the waterpark this time, but have been before and it is nice. There is an extra charge for this, I was quoted £12.50 per ad and £9.00 per child which is a corporate rate.
Shops in our hotel and adjoining hotel selling usual sweets/small toys etc. I did notice kids hooded tops, unbranded for only £8.00 which I thought was very reasonable if you were stuck.
Breakfast was normal buffet style. DH had a horrible experience at breakfast here, not with a staff member, but another guest who told him to **** *** because he got a plate before her in the queue!! I have never come across this anywhere before. The staff member who overheard this commented to dh and said he gets spoken to like that all the time
The hotel restaurant had a buffet style evening meal available, £19.95 per adult, £14.95 for 7-14yr olds and £5.95 for under 7's.
I found the reception staff a bit lax and had to interrupt a conversation to get served. The receptionist rattled through everything and didn't tell me when check out was, what the early morning opening included or where to get breakfast. I worked these things out myself though, no big deal - but service in general from the hotel staff was only just sufficient.
Here's what it cost us:
First night we stayed in a hotel in Stoke - family room for 5 people was £144 including breakfast. Room was large and very nicely done.
Evening meal in local pizza hut £46.00
Second day we travelled to AT - stayed in Splash Landings Hotel. I got a good corporate deal, £100.00 for family room for 5 people including breakfast. I have since checked the website and this should have been £265.00!! I would never have paid that for what we had.
2 day tickets for us all £125.00
Lunch in park, £28.00
We went back into Stoke for our evening meal £58.00.
Filled the car with diesel before we left home £95.00
Total cost for 2 days, £596, not including lunch on the way down or back up the road at services or my shopping bill for kids in Stoke shopping centre!!
We did enjoy ourselves, but really with expenses in total close to £700 for 2 nights and some ok rides, we could have gone to DLP and enjoyed much more 'magic'. I suppose the moral is that you get what you pay for and I'd happily pay a bit more to experience Disney.
I do find it a liitle expensive and there isnt as much to do for the little ones, however we love splash landing hotel, we have our works christmas party there, but for me dlp outshines towers every time 
