In the final Resort update of 2023, Bianca Sammut, Divisional Director at Alton Towers Resort, reflects on her first year in the role, which has included the opening of The Curse at Alton Manor, the return of Nemesis Sub-Terra, a packed line-up of seasonal events and entertainment, as well as additional investment across both the theme park and accommodation. Bianca also looks ahead in anticipation to 2024 which it is said will see new additions to the Resort’s rides and entertainment for both families and thrillseekers, with Nemesis of course set to be back with a vengeance!
The full update is published below:
Season’s Greetings from all of us at Alton Towers Resort! As the year comes to a close and on behalf of our colleagues, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your continued support and enthusiasm, as well as reflect on some of the 2023 highlights.
This year has been an incredible journey, and as we embrace the last of the festivities, I find myself reflecting on the memories we’ve shared throughout the year. The arrival of The Curse at Alton Manor received a great reception from families and thrillseekers alike. The later additions to the attraction were one of our best-kept secrets as we worked behind the scenes to bring some spooky surprises to the experience for the start of Scarefest!
The Spring also saw the much-anticipated return of Nemesis Sub-Terra, a key milestone in the re-imagination of Nemesis. The award-winning campaign continues to generate incredible excitement for its return, and I know this will be a memorable milestone for us all in 2024.
It’s been my first year seeing our events in action and working with our incredible event and entertainment teams to understand how these may look moving forward, as well as reviewing our guest feedback in great detail to shape our future.
A new scare attraction (in partnership with Daz Games), refreshed storylines (Altonville Mine Tours: Tiny’s Revenge), the return of a free scare zone (Burial Grounds), and additional theming during Scarefest, as well as new additions to our main space for Oktoberfest celebrations, are just some great examples of the steps forward we are looking to make to some of our key events. This step change will continue in 2024 as we review what we can offer to our guests long-term. Working with YouTube sensation Daz Black was a great example of innovation for the theme park. It immediately scored incredibly high with families and young thrillseekers. We know from research these audiences were looking for something different from a traditional scare maze and sought an element of interaction and competitiveness in their experience. There is a new generation of people looking for something spooky that we haven’t offered before, and guest feedback reflects that we delivered this.
For me, this year has been so much more than just new rides and attractions. We have invested in some of our overall guest provisions and Resort experience. These enhancements have included new and improved theming additions such as the arrival of our Katanga Canyon vehicle, refreshed artifacts, and retuning ride effects. Additional live entertainment over the summer was also rolled out as a new standard of guest experience at peak times. The introduction of themed food and beverage options in Gloomy Wood and event-themed menus helped us take our first steps in this too. Permanent installations to ensure improved immersion and atmosphere all year round, including smoke machines and lighting, have also been made. New Guest Service Hubs across the park have also been a much-needed addition to our service delivery. I am passionate about attention to detail and how all this, no matter how big or small, goes a long way in contributing to the overall Resort and guest experience.
And it’s not just the theme park – our accommodation has received investment and enhancement with new live entertainment and additional theming to reflect our ambition to up weight the experience, particularly during our key events.
For me, our Fireworks Spectacular was everything and the perfect way to close our main season. It was something I spent all season looking forward to and seeing it develop behind the scenes only heightened my excitement. Everyone kept talking to me about this iconic show from the moment I arrived!
I hope you have found the time to make your own fond memories at the Resort this year and share our deep excitement for 2024, which I can assure you is shaping up to be fantastic in so many ways.
Details for our 2024 season will be revealed in the new year and will include fans seeing the return of some exciting activities, as well as new additions to our rides and entertainment for both families and thrillseekers. As you will have seen, the return of Nemesis is well underway and will naturally play a pivotal role in a year that is set to be incredibly exciting.
It’s been a memorable first year for me as Divisional Director, spending time with our teams and guests across the Resort alongside all the changes. My first year at the Resort has warmed my heart, witnessing the smiles, laughter, and pure delight that fill our park daily. This is what I most look forward to in 2024.
Finally, on behalf of us all at the Resort, thank you for being an integral part of our Alton Towers journey. I want to wish you a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to welcoming you back to join us in the New Year.
These updates have been a welcome and appreciated addition to the Resort’s communications this year, with the first in the Summer and another following in October. It is evident that Bianca has an ambitious vision for Alton Towers Resort, and has already been able to make a positive impact during 2023.
