A popular UK park is adjusting its operational schedule for the late May bank holiday period, offering additional hours for guests.
The shift in opening hours reflects a broader strategy to manage expected attendance during the school holidays while launching the first permanent rollercoaster based on a global children’s television franchise.
Management has confirmed that the theme park will transition to an extended operational window between 22 May and 31 May. Under the new Twilight at the Towers initiative, the resort will move to a 10:00 to 20:00 schedule, providing guests with ten hours of access to the park’s infrastructure.
This extension is designed to provide a more flexible experience for visitors, allowing them to utilise the rides later into the evening. For industry observers, this move signals a push to increase guest dwell time and alleviate peak-time congestion by spreading ride demand across a longer evening period. Standard day tickets for this period are priced at £39.
The arrival of Bluey the Ride
A primary driver for the increase in family footfall is the debut of the world’s first rollercoaster themed after the Australian animated series, Bluey. Titled Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies!, the attraction has bolstered the park’s appeal to the CBeebies demographic.
In addition to the physical ride hardware, the resort is integrating the IP through its entertainment programme at the Big Fun Show Time arena. This venue will host a series of interactive events featuring characters such as Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli. This investment into established family brands remains a cornerstone of the resort’s strategy to attract younger age groups alongside its traditional thrill-seeking market.
High-thrill capacity and resort infrastructure
While the new investment focuses on the family sector, the resort’s major rollercoaster assets remain a key part of the May offering. The 20:00 closing time allows visitors to experience rides including Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler, Oblivion, and Wicker Man during the twilight period. The resort has described the venue as the “perfect destination for a full day of adventure, packed with excitement for the whole family”.
The 2026 season also serves as a commercial milestone for the resort’s accommodation sector as the Alton Towers Hotel marks its 30th anniversary. Since its opening in 1996, the hotel has been central to the site’s development as a multi-day holiday destination.
To support the extended opening window, short break packages have been released starting from £70 per person. The resort’s accommodation portfolio also includes the CBeebies Land Hotel, the only one of its kind in the UK; the Caribbean-themed Splash Landings Hotel; and the Enchanted Village Woodland Lodges.
These packages are intended to incentivise overnight stays during the half-term peak, further solidifying the resort’s position within the domestic short-break market.
