Alton Towers Resort Reviews 

Have to say enjoyed my time here during the fireworks event but your prices are robbery to the point many will stop going eventually. Also you charge high prices in most parts but give poor quality food. Stop treating customers like mugs and start to give a standardised affordable price for everyone.

How this company is being allowed to even consider not complying with the Equality act 2010 is completely beyond me. Compliance with an act of parliament is not voluntary especially as this is backed by the UN charter. This company should be brought to task by Parliament and told in no uncertain terms that discrimination is illegal

Very anti-disabled, it’s absolutely disgusting. Will never visit again.

Unsafe venue for people with disabilities

We booked a short break back in 2024, we enjoyed it all very much and it was very good value. Now the kids are a little older we thought we would book the same break again - 2 nights in one of their hotels, a day in cbeebies/mutiny bay and a day in splash landings. When I first looked at the available bookings online this was priced £348, when we came back 2 days later it was £398. We booked then and there so as not to see the price increase further. However our experience since has been very poor and we haven't even got there yet! I've not been able to link the short break to my app, I keep receiving a message saying my reference isn't valid, when it is. We received an email stating that breakfast reservations were open, but when I followed the link in the email the booking system wasn't working. When I went to use the online chat help service I was told not to worry as the bookings only open 14 days in advance of my stay. Brilliant, not to worry, I'll wait. However, when I did go to use the link to book at exactly 14 days in advance (so i could book suitable times for my young family to eat) I found all the suitable times already booked up because apparently the bookings opened 21 days in advance, not 14. So we are now stuck with a dinner reservation at a restaurant we didn't want (Flambos - we prefer the Secret Garden) and with breakfast reservations 1hr earlier than we would have wanted. We haven't been able to find a booking at any restaurant on site for the second night we are there, so we will be going to a pub nearby, outside of the park. To top it off, I received my ticket barcodes today and when I tried to link them to my app it wouldn't work. I waited 25mins for support on the chat function, and then gave up and telephoned. But waited 50 mins to speak to someone (Sophie) who, to be honest, didn't seem that bothered by anything but did try to help. She managed to get me to link the tickets to my app, but not the hotel stay. And she couldn't help at all with the restaurant bookings. She kept telling me how busy the helplines were due to a recent advertisement promotion.
It seems that Alton Towers are more focused on new bookings than supporting existing ones. We are very disappointed and we haven't even got there yet!

As a parent of a child with Autism, DCD, OCD and huge sensory challenges, yet again we find an organisation deciding to downgrade and discriminate against children who are not "disabled enough" or disabled in the "right way".

Autism and sensory issues are hard. They are hard for the person with them, they are hard for those who care for them.

Navigating a neuro-typical world when neuro-divergent is tiring, expensive and difficult. There are extra medical costs, having to constantly explain, battles with govt department just to get basic needs met - the list goes on.

For goodness sake - budget airlines provide fast track through airports and assistance - this puts Merlin Group and Alton Towers below them in levels of decency and caring for neuro-divergent paying guests.

This is not a case of Neuro-divergent vs those with physical disabilities as the PR team have tried to spin - it is down to costs and cost cutting and maximising shareholder profit at the expense of the vulnerable customer base.

As a previous regular visitor to the park - both as a child myself and as a parent of children, I will not be going back. Its a shame when companies put costs above those with special needs.

Shame on you Merlin and Alton Towers.

Disgusting treatment of those with disabilities. If you, or a group meebrr expects any level of support from this park you can forget it. You will be treated as a pain, and told it’s your fault. Staff simply don’t care. Avoid any attraction owned by Merlin.

We used to go 3 or 4 times a year but now we have had our nimbus card taken away our autistic son won't go as he has a multitude of issues from low muscle tone to severe sensory needs sorry but you lost another good paying customer

I suppose us parents with autistic children should just stay locked indoors for the rest of our days

We were hoping to visit Alton Towers during half term, but now they are discriminating against people Autism and we can no longer go. My son was previously approved a RAP, and it is still in date. However Merlin have now cancelled this saying his disability doesn’t meet the criteria. He struggles with sensory issues and can not wait in the regular queue line as it causes immense distress, so previously we would use the access pass and do our time out in between rides. I am absolutely disgusted with this approach that Merlin are taking. We will not be returning.

The recent changes to RAP have made Alton towers inaccessible to our family. We have attended numerous times over the past few years but we are now unable to visit,

I have cancelled my son’s Merlin Pass, which we have loyally held for 4 years, due to the recent decision by Merlin to discriminate against autistic individuals. I don’t need to say any more than that.

With the new accessible policy this will make Alton Towers no longer accessible for my family. In a world where people and places are being more inclusive, Merlin take a step back into the 1800’s!! Absolute disgrace and Alton towers should be stripped of anything saying they are Autism friendly!!

Absolutely disgusted by Alton Towers and their discrimination towards disabled children. We were going to book splashlandings and CBeebies in a few months but we shall not be visiting now. Not all disabled children have visible disabilities. By excluding ADHD, autism and anxiety from queue adjustments, Alton Towers and Merlin Entertainments are redefining disability around what can be seen, not what is experienced. This is gatekeeping access, leaving neurodivergent children behind. Disabled children should not have to prove their distress in public before they are believed. When access is restricted to what can be physically seen, families are forced into impossible choices, endure harm, leave early, or stay away altogether.

Inclusion only works when it recognises invisible disability as real, valid, and deserving of dignity not as an inconvenience to be managed.

Disgusted by the discrimination against Neurodivergent families being imposed at all Merlin attractions. Alton Towers was somewhere we loved - not any more. This is unlawful and morally wrong. Access clearly outlined that the new “difficulty with crowds” symbol DOES include queues… but this has been blatantly ignored and you have chosen not to include this symbol for Ride Access. We’ve gone back in time here… all the hard work to fight for equality and have hidden disabilities recognised has been undone thanks to Merlin. 1000’s of children and adults in the UK are being severely let down!!!

I come 2/3 times a month and spend money on food drinks and merch while in the park and after the announcement I can no longer come as you don’t accommodate for my disabilities I am so so disheartened their no support now for my issues with crowds I will find somewhere else that accepts me for my neurodivergence

As a local family and loyal Annual Pass holders, we used to visit Alton Towers 3-4 times a month. It was a safe haven for us. However, Merlin Entertainments has effectively banned us by changing their Ride Access Pass (RAP) policy to exclude the "Difficulty with Crowds" symbol.

Despite our frequent visits in the past, their new stance now makes it impossible for us to attend. It is unlawful and discriminatory for clear reasons:

Hierarchy of Disability: They are prioritizing physical disabilities (difficulty standing) over neurological ones (difficulty with crowds). The Equality Act protects both equally, yet Merlin has decided one is valid and the other is not.

Refusal of Service: Instead of providing the access we legally require, they are offering refunds. Telling a disabled family "here is your money back, go away" because you don't want to accommodate them is a direct refusal of service based on disability.

We are devastated to lose our local days out. Avoid this company if you have neurodivergent needs.

We have been visiting the Merlin parks with our autistic/ADHD children for 15 years - they buy merch, and food, we stay in the hotels and we have annual passes as a family. They are now adults and still need the same support but AT have decided they are no longer entitled to the reasonable adjustment of having a RAP which enables them to wait away from the queue line so they would not become overwhelmed with noises and jostling from others which would result in sensory overload and ruining theirs, and ours, day. This seems a bizarre way of saying disabled guests are no longer welcome. We were annual pass holders but we will not be renewing as it is clear Merlin Entertainments no longer want us visiting their parks.

Buying a 'sensory pack' or heading to a sensory room when you are 45 minutes into a queue and the person becomes overwhelmed, is not a reasonable adjustment.

Absolutely terrible decision by Merlin.

We have visited Alton towers multiple times over the years. My daughter who is 7 (ASD/ADHD amongst other things) loves theme parks so we try and visit multiple times a year. I find Alton Towers (and all Merlin sites) very unaccomodating when it comes to SEN. For example my daughter will literally only eat plain pasta - I purchased this for her on our recent trip to AT and was charged £7 for a bowl with approx 15 pieces of penne pasta in it. I honestly cannot understand how they can justify charging that for a bowl of plain pasta? I obviously logged a formal complaint upon our return but just continued to receive copy & paste AI responses that just said they will pass on my comments. Now with the recent updates to RAP it means my daughter cannot attend AT anymore (or any other Merlin attraction) as she simply cannot stand in a queue for an hour at a time. As others have said, we visited Disney in October last year and the way they deal with disabilities is incredible! Different queues to get into the theme park itself, passes that allow speedier ride access along with NO time outs. Merlin really are years behind knowing how to deal with disabled gusts when you compare them to the likes of Disney!! We have now cancelled our Merlin annual pass and will attend other theme parks in the UK who do appreciate and respect their disabled guests

Spent most of the day queuing up here. Didn’t meet my expectations. Will probably not go back again