February Half Term has seen pirates return to Alton Towers Resort, with a selection of family rides open and a bounty of swashbuckling activities and entertainment available across both the theme park and hotels.
Upon guests entering Towers Street, they are greeted with the first signs of the pirates’ takeover with a variety of nautical themed decorations as well as bunting. The large sail which bears the event’s logo is in-situ at the bottom of Towers Street once again. The frog fountains are also back in their pirate costumes, having seemingly been enlisted into the crew of the “Jolly Hopper”. Themed audio and the sound of cannons blasting only add to the immersion. We were also greeted by Alton Bear who had similarly dressed up for the event, as well as the wet weather!
The focal point of the event is Mutiny Bay, at the entrance to which members of 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, but nonetheless make for some wonderful interactions. Those who are successful earn themselves a small chocolate bar and treat size Haribo packet, along with a special gold coin – this is unfortunately a downgrade on the reward offered in 2024.
As in 2024, the Mutiny Bay Courtyard itself 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 returns following its debut last year, 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 food vans from X Sector have been relocated to the Mutiny Bay Courtyard for Pirate Takeover, serving fish & chips and loaded fries. Meals start at £8.50 and both outlets offer Merlin Annual Pass discount. The outdoor bar is also open in the courtyard serving a variety of hot drinks, soft drink and alcoholic beverages
Seadog Starkey’s Sailing School is open again for 2025, with this actor-led version of Battle Galleons seeing its water guns substituted for sea shanties aplenty and other surprises along the way – Ned was a fantastic captain during our visit and had us all singing as we took to the high seas. Although Sharkbait Reef is open for this year’s Pirate Takeover, sadly the actor element introduced in 2024 under the ‘Secret of the Smugglers’ tagline has not returned.
In addition to the entertainment and event-specific attractions, a selection of family rides and attractions are open across Mutiny Bay (Heave Ho and Marauder’s Mayhem) and CBeebies Land. 2025 has also seen a more thrilling offering with the addition of Spinball Whizzer to the line-up! Theme park admission, which includes access to all of the above, is priced at £15 per person although is now understood to have sold out for the remainder of the event. Wait times for rides didn’t exceed 20 minutes with Spinball Whizzer having a maximum wait time of just 5 minutes.
The Pirates have also taken over the Alton Towers Hotel. The lobby and bar area are decked out with vibrant bunting and decorations, complementing the pirate-themed entertainment played from Sir Algenon’s flying ship.
Overall, we had a very enjoyable day – lots of laughs were had with the Pirates and we easily filled our time at the resort with all of the activities, shows and ride line-up on offer. The actors and performers who feature across every aspect of the event are undoubtedly a highlight of the event and central to creating a truly piratical atmosphere. With the recent announcement of a change in approach to events and entertainments by Merlin Entertainments, the parent company of Alton Towers Resort, it remains to be seen what impact this will have on the delivery of these aspects of the Resort during the rest of 2025.
With Pirate Takeover running every day until Sunday 23rd February, have you visited for Pirate Takeover or are you planning a trip this February Half Term? Let us know via our social media channels.
