Alton Towers is offering some families the chance to visit the resort for as little as £11, but only certain families will be able to benefit from the money-saving offer.
As all parents (and thrill-seekers) know, Alton Towers can be an expensive day out. On paper, visiting the theme park seems like a great thing to do with kids, getting them out in the fresh air and keeping them entertained all day. But definitely wouldn't normally be described as a cheap day out, with on the day tickets costing a whopping £68 per adult. At certain times of year, especially around Black Friday, you can usually take advantage of some hefty discounts, but sadly they're not available all year round.
School holidays can also be an expensive time to visit, which can make it difficult to make ends meet, but there are clever things you can try to reduce the cost of admission.
1. Look for Merlin vouchers on cereal boxes
Cereal fans should check the boxes of their favourite breakfast foods before throwing them in the recycling bin to check whether there is a Merlin voucher on the box. This promotion has been running for years, and offers discounted tickets to those with the 10-digit code (which can be found on the inside of Kellogg's cereal packets with the Merlin promotion). This has historically been a 'kids-go-free' promotion whenever a full-price adult ticket is purchased.
This can be a crucial way to save money if the only time you can go as a family is at the weekend or during school holidays.
2. Book in advance
Turning up to a theme park like Alton Towers on the day and buying your tickets on the door is a sure fire way to pay the highest prices. Instead, make sure you book online in advance of when you go. For example, an on the day pass for Alton Towers costs £68 for an adult, while advance tickets start from £29. The cheapest tickets can be found on less busy days, which is great for adults who can take a random day off work and take advantage of off-peak prices, but can be much harder for families whose kids are in school. Even if you have to visit at more peak times, like weekends and school holidays, booking in advance can help save you some money.
3. Take advantage of the Parent & Toddler Pass
If you have a child who hasn't reached school age yet, then a Parent and Toddler Pass is the way to visit Alton Towers for less. The pass costs £29 and will give a parent and child under 5 access to the whole theme park and CBeebies Land, working out at just £14.50 per person. For an extra £5, you can take an additional child under £5, which works out at just over £11 per person.
While children this age will be too young to go on a lot of the rides in the main park, CBeebies Land (which celebrates its tenth birthday this year) could be right up their street, thanks to attractions including Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge, Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig, and JoJo & Gran Gran At Home. And new for 2024, there's a chance for a meet and greet with Bluey!
If you were desperate to have a go on some of the adult rides yourself during off-peak times, you could rope another friend in to come along where you could take turns watching the kids. Even buying an advance adult ticket at off peak times, is likely to work out cheaper than an on-the-day adult ticket.
However, this pass does have its limitations. It's only valid Monday to Friday during term time and it is only for children under five. This can be hugely difficult to navigate if you have one child in school and one under the age of five. But if you plan ahead for any TED days that might be in your child's calendar, you might be able to take advantage of cheaper tickets for the whole family.
If you do head for a family day out at an attraction like Alton Towers and it's ruined by the rain. All may not be lost. Check to see if they have a rainy day guarantee in place, that means you can go again free of charge.
