February Half Term has seen pirates take over Alton Towers Resort, with an array of swashbuckling activities and entertainment available across both the theme park and hotels during the event.
Guests enter the theme park onto Towers Street, where it is evident that the pirates have been very busy decorating. Theming includes nautical features such as crates and nets, along with flags and bunting – reportedly two miles of bunting has been used across the event, which we can certainly believe! At the bottom of Towers Street is a large sail bearing the event’s logo, protected by a number of cannons which periodically ‘fire’ with synchronised audio, lighting and smoke. The nearby frog fountains have also been suitably dressed for the event, with each wearing their own pirate costume that includes a jacket and pirate hat, and for some even a beard!
Unsurprisingly, the focal point of the event is Mutiny Bay, and this is perhaps the most alive the area has ever been. At the entrance to Mutiny Bay, Captain Black’s crew can be found handing out maps to guests who wish to complete the Pieces of Eight Treasure Hunt. In order to earn a special reward, guests are required to explore the area and tackle a range of challenges, in doing so obtaining a secret code. On their journey, guests will encounter plenty of townsfolk, some of which they may find to be more helpful than others. As well as making use of Mutiny Bay’s permanent features, a number of additional cabins have been added to the area to house the different challenges. Those who are successful earn themselves a drawstring bag containing a small selection of chocolates, along with a keyring and special gold coin.
The Mutiny Bay Courtyard itself is the location of an impressive, themed stage which is host to two live shows which run throughout each day of the event. Pirates of Mutiny Bay: The Hunt for the Crown of T’Hulu is a brand new show from the infamous pirates, featuring a sizeable cast of pirates on a race to find the whereabouts of the mythical Crown of T’Hulu and become the greatest pirate of all time! Captain Finn’s Pirate Training Camp is an opportunity for guests to learn all the necessary swashbuckling to become a professional buccaneer. The stage is set up so that guests can watch from the seating located beneath the central canopy, therefore being able to stay dry even during any wet February weather. The Welcom-inn is open for the event, providing a nearby bar from which guests can purchase drinks.
In a new experience for February Half Term 2024, guests can join Seadog Starkey’s Sailing School. This actor-led version of Battle Galleons sees its water guns substituted for sea shanties aplenty and other surprises along the way! This is certainly a unique way of experiencing Alton Towers’ Splash Battle ride, with the splash battle element removed in order to be more suitable for the February climate. Another attraction which has seen enhancements for Pirate Takeover is Sharkbait Reef, which is host to an interactive underseas adventure where guests can discover the Secret of the Smugglers, alongside viewing the aquatic exhibits. This is another experience where actors have been used to bring an existing attraction to life for the event.
Alongside the event specific attractions, the theme park ride line-up includes the rest of Mutiny Bay’s attractions (Heave Ho and Marauder’s Mayhem) and the majority of CBeebies Land’s attractions, with this being the first time that the latter has opened for February Half Term.
The pirates’ takeover also extends to the Resort’s hotels, with the Alton Towers Hotel extensively decorated for the event, transporting guests under the sea. There is a programme of pirate-themed live entertainment, along with a pirate disco for younger guests. Theme park admission, which includes access to all of the above, is priced at £15 per person.
Overall, we had a brilliant time experiencing all that Pirate Takeover 2024 had to offer. A key part of the event are the actors and performers who feature across every aspect, which serve to create a truly piratical atmosphere when paired with all of the extra thematic touches. We hope this is indicative of the effort that’s set to be put into all of the 2024 event line-up, which will include Oktoberfest, Scarefest, Fireworks and Christmas. Pirate Takeover runs every day until Sunday 25th February.
February Half Term has also provided the chance to see some of the work taking place around the theme park ahead of the main 2024 season. With Skyride having remained closed throughout the 2023 season, there is currently scaffolding both outside and inside at the Towers Street station, with it evident that replacement of wood and painting is ongoing. Unlike Hex – The Legend of the Towers, which has been confirmed as returning for the 2024 season, Skyride remains listed on the Resort’s ride availability page. Therefore, it is unclear whether it will be operational from the start of the season.
At Wicker Man, a wooden frame for a new canopy above the Ride Access Pass queue line, as well as the main queue line, has been erected in the area in proximity of the merge point, just prior to the baggage hold. Smaller frames have also gone up at Battle Galleons and outside Sharkbait Reef.
Following the rebranding of the CBeebies channel last year, the logo for CBeebies Land has been updated to reflect this, with a new sign added to the rainbow entrance portal that was installed for the 2022 season. After opening in 2014, Alton Towers are set to celebrate 10 years of CBeebies Land in 2024 with new additions for the season ahead – the first of these has been announced as a new meet and greet with Bluey from Saturday 23rd March.
Outside of the theme park, work on widening and resurfacing the path between the car parks and theme park front entrance now appears to be largely complete – alongside new attractions, it’s good to see Alton Towers also investing in infrastructure improvements.
Have you visited for Pirate Takeover or are you planning a trip this February Half Term? Are you looking forward to the main 2024 season at Alton Towers Resort? Let us know via our social media channels.
