It’s the classic UK theme park question: Alton Towers or Thorpe Park? We’re here to help you pick the right one for your group!
Both resorts are firmly among the best theme parks the UK has to offer, but they’re brilliant for different reasons. Thorpe Park is all about record-breaking thrills packed into a compact site, while Alton Towers spreads a wider mix of coasters, family fun and gardens across its historic Staffordshire estate.
Grab a cuppa and let’s compare the coasters, water rides, family attractions, overnight stays and getting there, so you can work out which park is calling your name!
Quick answer:
- Thorpe Park is home to Hyperia, the UK’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, so it’s the one for thrill-seekers.
- Alton Towers has the wider spread of rides overall, with CBeebies Land making it a brilliant pick for families with little ones.
- Thorpe Park’s compact island site sits close to London, while Alton Tower’s sprawling grounds mean a longer drive from the South East for most visitors.
- Alton Towers is the stronger choice for an overnight stay, with five places to stay, an indoor waterpark and mini-golf on site.
- Couples and families with young kids tend to get more out of Alton Towers, while groups of friends chasing thrills will prefer Thorpe Park.
Roller coasters - Thorpe Park vs Alton Towers
Both parks have invested heavily in new coasters and re-themes since 2024, so if you haven’t visited in a while, you’re in for a treat!
Thorpe Park’s roller coasters
Thorpe Park’s headline act is Hyperia, and it’s a beauty! It opened in May 2024 as the UK’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, soaring to 236ft and hitting speeds of over 80mph, with Europe’s tallest loop thrown in for good measure.
The rest of the line-up keeps that thrill-first spirit going strong:
- Stealth launches you from 0-80mph in under two seconds
- Colossus twists through ten inversions
- The Swarm sends you soaring on the UK’s first winged coaster
- If you fancy something a little scarier, SAW - The Ride and The Walking Dead: The Ride bring the horror theming to braver guests!
Beyond the coasters, Thorpe Park’s flat rides add to the thrill-heavy reputation too. Rush, Samurai and Detonator are all firm favourites if you and your group want to spin, swing and drop between coaster runs.
Alton Towers’ roller coasters
Alton Towers offers 11 coasters, giving you the broader spread between family-friendly fun and full-on thrills. Nemesis made a triumphant return in 2024 as Nemesis Reborn, following an 18-month project to retrack and retheme this 30-year-old fan favourite, and The Smiler still holds the world record for the most inversions on a roller coaster at 14!
If you’ve got younger kids in tow, CBeebies Land added Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies! in March 2026, joining old favourites like Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure and Runaway Mine Train.
Roller coaster comparison at a glance:
Thorpe Park | Alton Towers | |
|---|---|---|
Total roller coasters | 7 | 11 |
Headline ride | Hyperia | The Smiler |
Best for younger riders | Flying Fish | Bluey the Ride, Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure |
Newest addition | Hyperia (2024) | Bluey the Ride (2026) |
Water rides and ways to cool off
Both parks have trimmed their water ride line-ups in recent years, so here’s what you can still splash about on.
Thorpe Park’s water rides now centre on Tidal Wave, an 85ft Shoot the Chute ride that still delivers one of the biggest soakings you’ll find anywhere in the UK, alongside Storm Surge and Depth Charge. It’s worth planning your splash time around these three rides.
Alton Towers keeps its two long-standing water rides, Congo River Rapids and Battle Galleons. They’re gentler than Thorpe Park’s line-up, making them a great fit for younger children or for cooling off on a warm afternoon without getting completely drenched!
Family rides and attractions for younger guests
Alton Towers has long been the more family-focused of the two resorts, and CBeebies Land is the biggest reason why. The area now includes Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies!, alongside Gangsta Granny: The Ride in the neighbouring World of David Walliams area, plus a full roster of pre-school favourites your little ones will adore!
Thorpe Park caters for families too, just on a smaller scale, and it’s best suited to children who are already over a metre tall. Flying Fish gives younger kids their first taste of a roller coaster, while Depth Charge and Storm Surge offer family-friendly ways to get wet.
If your group included toddlers or children under 130 cm, Alton Towers is likely to keep everyone entertained for longer. If your children are a little older and ready for bigger thrills, Thorpe Park’s family rides make a great warm-up for Hyperia and Stealth.
Overnight stays and resort extras
Alton Towers has built itself into a proper short-break destination, with five different places to stay on-site:
- Alton Towers Hotel
- Splash Landings Hotel
- CBeebies Land Hotel
- Enchanted Village Lodges
- Alton Towers Treehouses
Beyond the theme park gates, there’s also a separate indoor Alton Towers Waterpark and an Extraordinary Golf mini-course, so your second day can be just as busy without setting foot back in the main park.
Thorpe Park has closed the gap with the Thorpe Shark Cabins, a quirky overnight stay just steps from the park’s biggest coasters. Stay in a ride-themed cabin, including a Hyperia-themed room, and you’ll unlock extra Fastrack perks for your second day!
Both resorts now give you a genuine reason to turn your trip into a short break rather than rushing it into a single day.
Which park suits your group?
Different types of travellers tend to get different things out of each park, so here’s how Alton Towers and Thorpe Park compare depending on who you’re travelling with:
Your group | Single day out | Overnight stay |
|---|---|---|
Adult couple | Both work well - Thorpe Park is quicker to reach for a spontaneous day out | Alton Towers, for the gardens, spa options and resort feel |
Group of friends | Thorpe Park - for back-to-back thrill coasters and less walking | Either park works, though Thorpe Park keeps the energy focused on rides |
Family with young children | Alton Towers, for CBeebies Land and gentler rides | Alton Towers, for family-themed accommodation and the indoor waterpark |
Whichever category best describes your trip, the table above should help point you towards the right park before you book. And if you’re planning more than one trip this year, say a friends’ weekend now and a family holiday later, it’s worth bookmarking this guide to come back to!
Final verdict - which park is best for you?
Both resorts keep raising the bar, from Hyperia’s record-breaking stats at Thorpe Park to Alton Towers’ new Bluey the Ride and Toxicator. Picking between them really comes down to who’s in your group and what kind of day you’re after.
- Thorpe Park is the stronger choice if you’re a thrill-seeking teen or an adult group wanting one action-packed day chasing the UK’s biggest coaster stats.
- Alton Towers suits families with little ones in tow, coaster fans who love variety, and anyone happy to turn their visit into a two-day adventure.
Whichever park you choose, you’re in for a brilliant day out!
