Alton Towers Roller Coasters Ranked by Two First-Timers

We just recently got back from visiting Alton Towers for the first time! It’s a park that has been high on the bucket list for both of us (John and Eric) for a long time, especially since Coaster101 got a commemorative brick there way back in 2018 (despite none of us having ever been there)! But mostly we were excited to go because of the famous coaster lineup.

Overall the coasters were all great. A unique thing about Alton Towers is that all the rides have to stay at or below the tree line. That means that all of the coasters stay relatively low to the ground, or even underground, and it creates so many atypical coaster experiences.  Because of how unusual that is, everything felt well worth riding for two first-timers. Plus the theming on everything! As Americans we’re always so jealous that European parks put this much detail into their coasters.

So after two days of riding, here are our complete Alton Towers Coaster Rankings.

Alton Towers’ Kiddie Coasters

Eric: Alright, so here’s where I confess I did not ride the two kids coasters at the park. Decided to go get some extra rides on Smiler and Hex instead. So I’ll let John take it away with these two.

John:
2. Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure — I was not familiar with this TV show. I always enjoy an aquatic-themed ride. It is the smallest coaster at the park; therefore, it is a great “starter coaster” for coaster enthusiasts in training. But unless you’re trying to rack up your coaster count (like me), you can likely skip this one.

1. Bluey the Ride: Here come the grannies! — While I’m more familiar with Bluey, I did not know the concept of “grannies” within the context of the show. That didn’t matter, because I thoroughly enjoyed this coaster and the commitment to the Bluey universe. One of the most memorable parts of the experience was not on the coaster itself but in the themed queue, which even had a midway play area for kids. More queues should have those.

Alton Towers’ Full Size Coasters

RANK	ERIC’S PICK	JOHN’S PICK
9	Spinball Whizzer I think we’re probably on the same page here. It was fine, but not particularly interesting or well themed. Not a skip, but not a must ride.	Spinball Whizzer I don’t care for spinning coasters, but thankfully our car didn’t spin too much, likely due to weight distribution that worked in our favor.
8	Runaway Mine Train All I’ve got to say is, Choo-choooo. The interaction with the terrain and rapids ride was great. From here on down every coaster was fun and I’d happily have ridden them more. And don’t complain to us about it being a powered coaster.	The Smiler I knew going in that 14 inversions would be too much for me, and unfortunately, that proved to be the case. I loved the compact, subterranean layout. I think I would have enjoyed it much more with fewer inversions.
7	Galactica I’m kind of surprised it’s down this far for me. I liked it, but it felt just less memorable than everything above it. Probably hurt by having 1 train ops so we only got one ride on it.	Runaway Mine Train This was such a fun, quaint little coaster. I loved the tunnel as well as its interaction with Congo River Rapids. It’s a perfect “stepping stone” coaster for thrill seekers in training.
6	Th13teen Ranking these middle of the pack rides is hardest for me. I think I’ve got Th13teen here because the main surprise/gimmick isn’t unusual anymore. I kept thinking of it as a slightly less interesting Verbolten. So fun, but not as stand-out to me as the others.	Galactica I enjoy flying coasters, but my body does not enjoy forceful pretzel loops. So usually, B&M flying coasters are a one-and-done for me. Galactica was more intense than I was anticipating, but it was far less painful on my chest than a Manta or Tatsu.
5	Oblivion Who knew such a simple ride could be so fun. Turns out diving straight into a black hole makes me laugh and clap my hands! Above ground dive coasters are lame.	Oblivion I love a B&M dive coaster, and Oblivion was no exception. Sure, it’s a one-trick pony, but it’s a really fun trick. The fact that a height-restricted park was able to build a coaster with an 180-foot drop is quite the feat.
4	The Smiler I was worried I’d feel like John and it would be too much for me, but I loved it. The whole ride felt very fluid and swoop-y, pretty seamlessly transitioning between elements. I loved the opening roll before the lift, and I loved that ops pretty much always had two trains on the track at once. The creepy, culty theme was also fun (the exit path might be the scariest thing at the park).	Th13teen I loved this coaster. The theming, the pacing, the (spoiler alert) drop track, the backward segment — it is unconventional in the best ways. Its placement in the park, away from the hustle and bustle, makes its spooky theming even more fitting. This is one I could have ridden many more times.
3	Rita Rita was probably the biggest surprise for me, I didn’t know anything about it. It rides more like an Intamin blitz with twists above the ground, which I love. Proof that you don’t need a top hat for a hydraulic launch to be good!	Wicker Man Wicker Man is a fantastic GCI coaster. I didn’t anticipate loving it so much, perhaps because its stats are relatively unremarkable. But the coaster’s pacing, coupled with its theming, yielded a thrilling coaster that was a standout during my visit.
2	Nemesis Reborn B&M inverts are always great, and then Nemesis adds all of the tight passes through ravines and tunnels with beautiful rockwork. Plus a big alien monster in the middle! It’s awesome (and really fun to watch).	Rita Rita was the surprise hit of the trip. As was the case with some of Alton Towers’ other coasters, my expectations going in were low. I thought the launch would be fun, but I didn’t think the coaster would be that memorable without a signature element like a top hat. The hydraulic launch and the low-to-the-ground layout made for an incredible ride experience.
1	Wicker Man Wicker Man takes my top spot. I love GCI coasters, and this is one of my favorites. It’s wonderfully paced and full of great GCI tunnels, twists, and headchoppers. Then you add the great looking Wicker Man statue, and the creepy preshow. Fantastic ride.	Nemesis Reborn Nemesis Reborn has it all — an unconventional layout, fiery pacing, immersive theming and a decades-long legacy. I was worried it wouldn’t be as great as I envisioned, but I am so happy to report that I loved it just as much — if not more — than I thought I would. I’m so glad the park invested in its re-tracking so that the ride can be enjoyed for years to come.

 

The Alton Towers coasters absolutely lived up to the hype for two first-timers. The tree-line rule that seems like it would be a limitation turns out to be one of the park’s greatest assets. It forces every coaster to get creative in ways that most American parks rarely have to, and the results speak for themselves. Pretty much all of these were solid to great rides, and even just a few of them would make a great lineup.  And if you’re planning a visit, don’t sleep on the dark rides either.

And as proof, here’s our commemorative brick.

So, do you agree or disagree with our rankings? Let us know in the comments below, or hit us up on social media!