The theme park season ends with a bang, as Alton Towers Resort holds its fantastical 3-day Fireworks event. Guests can enjoy rides in the dark, before being enchanted by a wondrous fireworks display.
Key Information
Dates: 8th – 10th November 2024
Opening Times: 10am – 9pm
Display Time: 7pm, lasting for around 25 minutes
This year’s Fireworks display will be based on the story of Nemesis Reborn, to celebrate the iconic ride returning with a vengeance for 2024. As day turns into night, guests will be invited to the Phalanx Expo, a showcase headed up by the shadowy organisation charged with keeping the Nemesis beast under control. Using the famous Towers as the backdrop, the spectacle will be filled with stunning lights, live music and breathtaking pyrotechnics.
Bianca Sammut, Divisional Director at Alton Towers Resort, said:
“We can’t wait for guests to feel the thrill of the UK’s most immersive fireworks show.
“Building from previous years, 2024 promises to be bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before, weaving in captivating story and surprises in true Alton Towers Resort fashion.”
In a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, the Fireworks show will also include a British Sign Language interpreter.
Taking more than 12 months to devise, design and create, the Fireworks extravaganza is delivered in partnership with the award-winning Jubilee Fireworks, who are renowned for delivering dynamic, innovative and artistic performances, lighting up the sky across the globe.
A standard theme park admission ticket for one of the Fireworks dates will allow you to watch the display, as well as enjoying all of the park’s rides and attractions! Merlin Discovery passholders must purchase a standard admission ticket, while Merlin Platinum passholders can pre-book for free. All other passholders must pre-book for £25pp, unless they have booked a short break at Alton Towers via the Merlin Holiday Club.
A Fireworks VIP package is available, which includes:
- Golden Circle Fireworks viewing area
- Gold Fastrack – one ride on Wicker Man, Oblivion, Rita, TH13TEEN, The Smiler, Galactica, Spinball Whizzer, Gangsta Granny: The Ride, The Curse at Alton Manor, Marauders Mayhem, Battle Galleons, Runaway Mine Train and Hex – The Legend of the Towers
- 2 course buffet
- Freestyle Vessel
- Personal welcome letter
- VIP merchandise, lanyard and event card
- Glow in the dark merchandise
- Unlimited Digital Photo Pass
- FREE Standard Car Parking
A package including theme park admission is £200pp, while excluding theme park admission it was £165pp. For all ticket queries and for booking we recommend checking out the official Alton Towers Resort website.
Ride and attractions will open from 10am during Fireworks, with the exception of The World of David Walliams and Cuckoo Cars Driving School which will open at 11am.
Ride queues will close at 9pm during Fireworks. However, all attractions in CBeebies Land and The World of David Walliams will close at the earlier time of 5pm. Due to low lighting, the Gardens will close to guests at 4pm. Note that Congo River Rapids will be closed on all Fireworks dates.
Rides closing before and during the fireworks show
Some areas of the park are within the fireworks firing zone, and so must be clear of guests by 6pm, meaning that queue lines will close from 4pm. The rides will reopen from around 8pm until park close. These areas and rides are as follows:
- Dark Forest – Rita, TH13TEEN
- X Sector – The Smiler, Oblivion
All other attractions not mentioned in any of these lists, including Wicker Man, will be open throughout the fireworks show.
Following the fireworks show, Mutiny Bay will operate as a one-way system for a short period to help clear the area efficiently. This will provide access to Wicker Man, Katanga Canyon, Gloomy Wood and Forbidden Valley. Guests looking to access X-Sector should remain in the Arena.
For information regarding getting to the Resort, please visit our dedicated page.
As Fireworks attracts a lot of guests to the Resort, it can take a significant amount of time to leave the Resort, which you may wish to consider factoring in to your journey home. Traffic is busiest straight after the Fireworks display so stick around later to avoid the main rush.
There are two main exit points after the Fireworks show:
- Exit 1 – For all Car Parks. The quickest exit is through the Galactica Gates in Forbidden Valley (via Katanga Canyon and Gloomy Wood)
- Exit 2 – For Drop Off and Pick Up Points, Coaches and Disabled Guests. Exit via the Theme Park Entrance.
Queuing
Please be aware that Fireworks is likely to be very busy and queues will be large for many of the rides and attractions.
It is always advisable to ride the most popular rides (such as Wicker Man and The Smiler) at the very start and end of the day. Remember that some rides will close in preparation for the fireworks display, however it can be a good opportunity to beat the queues when they reopen.
Other methods and tips to avoid large queues are available on the Queue Busters page.
Handy Hints
- Temperatures will drop as the park gets dark so remember to wrap up warm!
- Stick around after the Fireworks display to avoid the main rush of traffic and enjoy the Resort’s rides in the dark.
- Prepare to see Forbidden Valley transform at night with lighting throughout the area, alongside synchronised lighting around Nemesis Reborn!
- Fireworks is your chance to ride Wicker Man in the dark – the ceremony’s flames look even more intense at night!
- Spinball Whizzer is generally much quieter in the afternoon and evening as many guests rush to ride it first in the morning.
- Make sure to ride Oblivion to get a a great view of X Sector and The Smiler at night!
- Riding TH13TEEN at night brings a whole new meaning to the Dark Forest, with there being next to no lighting around the ride’s circuit.
- Buy your parking token from a machine or ticket booth at the start of the day to beat the queues when leaving the park.
- Leave the theme park via the Galactica Gates to avoid the queues for the Monorail.
