ULTIMATE Alton Towers for Toddlers Guide

Are you looking for a comprehensive guide of Alton Towers for toddlers? Well look no further. In this guide we round up the best Alton Tower rides for toddlers and our tips for enjoying Alton Towers with toddlers. 

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Tips for Alton Towers with Toddlers 

Best Time to Visit Alton Towers with Toddlers

Alton Towers is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Peak District. As such you can expect there to be huge crowds especially when you are traveling at peak times such as school holidays and weekends. 

One of the great benefits about traveling with toddlers is that you can travel off peak. Therefore if you are traveling to Alton Towers with toddlers we recommend trying to visit off-peak to reduce your waiting times and also to save you some money – keep reading to find out why.

Is there an Alton Towers Toddler Ticket? 

There is indeed an Alton Towers Toddler ticket and it is a great way to save money if you are visiting Alton Towers on a budget. 

On select off-peak dates Alton Towers offers a parent and toddler ticket  for £25. For purposes of this ticket toddlers are defined as under 5s and allows a grown up and toddler to spend the day at Cbeebies Land. However this is not available at weekends or during holidays and does not allow access to other lands at Alton Towers. 

Are Toddlers Free at Alton Towers? 

Toddlers by the Alton Towers Definition goes to age 5. However for toddlers under the age of 3 entry is free. 

However I would caveat this. We went with my two year old who is exceptionally tall and we found that he could not go on many rides and the day was a bit of a waste for him. Therefore I would advise waiting until your toddler can go on more rides. 

Best Age for Alton Towers?

While you may be tempted to take children under the age of 3 to Alton Towers due to the free entry, we would advise against this. 

My toddler who is very tall could not go on much at Alton Towers. However rather than waiting for a specific age we recommend waiting for a specific height. 

We recommend not taking toddlers to Alton Towers until they reach a minimum of 0.9metres (which our toddler was) or more ideally over 1 meter in height to ensure that they can get on enough rides to make a day at alton Towers worthwhile. 

What is the best area of Alton Towers for Toddlers?

As with many theme parks there are several lands at Alton Towers. The main lands that you will want to visit with toddlers at Alton towers are Cbeebies land and the pirates area. 

For a full Cbeebies land Review check out this post. 

Should I stay on-site at Alton Towers with toddlers?

Perhaps when you are looking at visiting Alton Towers with toddlers the biggest decision you have to make is whether to stay on or off site. 

Now usually when we travel to theme parks with toddlers such as Disneyland Paris with toddlers we always recommend staying onsite. That is because you can get into the parks early and make the most of your day. On top of that they usually have character meet and greets too. 

However I don’t think it is strictly necessary when visiting Alton Towers with toddlers. 

The reason for this is because there are limited toddler rides at Alton Towers so I don’t think you need to get there for opening to ensure you do everything with toddlers. 

However if you are traveling a distance to visit Alton Towers with toddlers then you may decide it is worth staying on site. If you do plan on staying on site there are two hotels to choose from:

• Cbeebies Hotel
• Splash Landings Hotel

The Cbeebies Hotel has some fantastic theming that Cbeebies fans will love. There is also some evening entertainment for toddlers at this hotel. 

Alternatively you can stay at Splash Landings which has a water park. This can be good for those visiting on a rainy weekend however there are limited slides that toddlers can go on too. 

Can you do Rider Swap at Alton Towers?

One of the biggest disappointments for us at Alton Towers when visiting with toddlers was that the park does not offer Rider Swap. 

When we have visited Disneyland Paris with toddlers or even UK theme parks such as Legoland Windsor with toddlers, we have used rider swap. 

Rider swap is where the members of your party who are tall enough to ride queue, while one adult waits with the baby or toddler. Once the first group has ridden they wait with the little one while the other person swaps onto the ride. 

However this is not available at Alton Towers. This effectively means that adults visiting Alton Towers with toddlers can not go on the larger rides and rollercoasters which Alton Towers is most famed for. 

What to Pack for Alton Towers with toddlers

Now whether you are going to Alton Towers for a day or staying overnight it is worth planning on what to pack for Alton Towers. 

We recommend bringing the following with you:

Bring a Stroller / Pushchair 

The thing that surprised me about Alton Towers is how hilly the site is. If you re visiting with a toddler I would definitely recommend bringing a stroller with you to save your little ones legs. 

While Cbeebies land is at the top of the site, the rest of the site is on a big slope and it is quite a walk to the car park or to the Alton Towers hotels. 

We would never go to Alton Towers with a toddler without a stroller. 

Bring a Carrier 

While a stroller is a necessary for getting around the site, you may also want to bring a carrier. The reason for this is that strollers are not allowed in queues at Alton Towers. If your little one is liable to get tired queuing then a carrier may be worth having with you to save their legs in the queue. 

Bring Snacks

We found the food at Alton Towers to be both expensive and not all that great or healthy. For this reason we recommend bringing plenty of snacks for your little one to have in the queues. 

This will save you money and be more convenient. 

Best Rides at Alton Towers for Toddlers 

When you go to Alton Towers the thing you go for has to be the rides. In this section of the guide we will round up all the best rides at Alton Towers for toddlers. 

Alton Towers Rides with No Height Restrictions 

The first rides we will look at are those Alton Towers rides with no height restriction which mean toddlers of any age and height can go on these rides.

In the Night Garden Magical Boat Ride

The In the Night Garden Magical Boat Rides sees guests board a boat and go round the night garden and seeing their favorite characters such as Iggle Piggle, Upsy Daisy, The Pontypines and more! 

My two year old liked this ride however my five year old did find this boring and I thought that the scenes were rather sparse and in need of an update. 

Get! Set! Go! Tree Top Adventure

The Get! Set! Go! Tree Top Adventure is one of the most popular rides in the Cbeebies land area. For this reason we recommend heading straight for this ride when you arrive otherwise you are looking at around a 45 minute wait on peak days. 

This ride is basically a treetop car you board in twos that takes you on an aerial viewing of the park. 

Postman Pat Parcel Post

If you have a Postman Pat fan this would be hit. You board the post van and head around with Pat on his delivery route. 

Bugbie-Go-Round

This is effectively a carousel with little cars that you can steer. All kids will love this. 

Royal Carousel

Let’s be honest, a carousel is a hit in any park. 

Skyride

This takes you on an aerial viewing of the park but can close own a windy day. 

Alton Towers Rides with 0.9m Height Restrictions 

Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom Ride

This along with the Octonauts Ride was my older child’s favorite in this area. On this ride you board the Vroomster and control the height of the vehicle as it goes round. 

Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure

This is the only rollercoaster in the Cbeebiesland area and will definitely be the favorite ride for those traveling with children at the upper end of the Cbeebies land age range. 

This is a classic small coaster where you meet underwater animals on your journey.

Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop

This is a classic up and down ride. It is easier if you have taller children however as they can go on alone which is a benefit as there is only one grown up seat on each vehicle. 

Heave Ho

This is another classic but isn’t in the Cbeebies Land but in the Pirates land at Alton Towers. This is a classic spinning pirate ship that children can go on once 1.1.m

Battle Galleons

This is one of the few water rides taller toddlers at Alton Towers can go on. You board a galleon and shoot water at other vessels on the water. 

Runaway Mine Train

Another rollercoaster that is suitable for younger children at Alton Towers. 

Alton Towers Rides with 1.1m Height Restrictions 

Congo River Rapids

Rapids are another theme park staple. There is nothing exceptional about this ride that would scare toddlers or preschoolers who meet the height requirement. 

Marauders Mayhem

A classic Teacup style ride with barrels instead of teacups in the Pirates land at Alton Towers. 

Cbeebies Land Meet and Greets

However there is more for toddlers at Alton Towers than just rides. Other things that you can do include Character Meet and greets in the Cbeebies Land. 

Characters that are usually available include:

• Bing and Flop
• Ubercorn from GoJetters
• Hey Duggee

What else is there to do at Alton Towers for toddlers

But if you want some other things to do beside rides and meet and greets the following should be included on your Alton Towers itinerary. 

Justin’s House Pie-O-Matic Factory – 1.1m

This is an interactive play area where you collect and fire balls at each other. My five year old loved this but younger children who meet the height requirement may find this experience overwhelming. 

Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig

This is part interactive show and part dinosaur dig. Basically if your toddler is a dinosaur fan they are going to love this one. 

Sharkbait Reef by SEALIFE

This was definitely my toddlers favorite area at Alton Towers. My toddler loves an aquarium and this is a great little area to get away from the crowds or escape the weather on a rainy day at Alton Towers. 

JoJo and Gran Gran At Home

This is an interactive make believe play area that will appeal to the younger Cbeebies audience. 

Hey Duggee’s Big Adventure Badge

This is an interactive play area with trampolines, slides and more. This was a hit with both my children. 

Something Special Sensory Garden

This is your typical sensory garden but it is of a limited size. 

Big Fun Showtime

Both my kids loved this area as they watched shows with Duggee and Bing. 

Is Alton Towers Good for Toddlers?

So overall is Alton Towers good for toddlers? I would have to say it really depends on the height of your toddler. 

If your toddler is 0.9m or 1m then chances ar your kids will love it as they can go on plenty of rides and meet characters. However as my little one was .89m we found that it really wasn’t great for him especially in relation to the rides. 

We would not go back with children under 1 meter and as parents were disappointed that the park offers no ride swap. 

For this reason we don’t think it is the best UK theme park for toddlers. 

However if they are over this height and love Cbeebies I am sure you will have a great day in the park. 

Important Information for visiting Alton Towers with toddlers

CBeebies Land is open from March until November every year. The theme park opens daily from 10am and closes at 5.00pm – 6:00pm. 

Have you visited Alton Towers with toddlers? What did you think? we would love to hear your thoughts in the comments