All the Alton Towers News, Reviews and Park Information You Could Ever Need

Unlike 2002, there's no new rollercoasters coming to the park for 2003 (unless Alton Towers have managed to keep it extremely discreet) but there's a number of new attractions and changes on their way - Alton Towers Almanac takes a look...

First spotted with the relaunch of the official website, a modified park logo for the 2003 season. Although the imagery of this logo is the same, the slogan "Where the Magic Never Ends" has been removed. A good move if the park continues to be in the same state as it was last year. Also the "Alton Towers" lettering has changed from the old logo.

Next to the new park logo, a new logo for the existing hotel opened in 1996. Formerly the logo was a variation of the park logo, now it is completely different and features the flying machine found in the hotel entrance area. This change is believed to be to keep up with Calypso Springs, both hotel logos now feature the theme of their hotel.

Along with the Calypso Springs Hotel & Splash Landings Waterpark is the new Alton Towers Conference Centre, accomodating upto 400 delegates. This state of the art facility offers 8 breakout rooms and a fully equipped business centre.

Hope you all got in a last ride on the Haunted House during the 2002 season as it will never be the same again!

Alton Towers are converting the Haunted House into a interactive attraction named Duel : The Haunted House Strikes Back. This is presumably to do with the success of Tomb Blaster at Chessington and the diminishing popularity of the Haunted House.

We are currently unsure as to whether the house will be totally changed internally or if it will remain the same. What we do know however is that there will be a gun for each rider and targets throughout the ride, your task is to shoot as many as possible. Shooting a target will add to your score, presumably these will be printed onto your on-ride photos as well as being displayed upon leaving the ride. Daily/Monthly/Yearly high scores seem a popular trend with these rides also.

Whatever Duel brings it will undoubtably add great re-ride value to the Haunted House.

Chessington World of Adventures have their Ribena sponsored attraction, Thorpe Park have theirs, now the worldwide drinks company are sponsoring a New for 2003 attraction at Alton Towers.

Ribena Berry Bish Bash will be located on Old McDonald's Farmyard in the old barn (which hasn't been used since 2001). The attraction will be of a similar nature to Dennis' Madhouse at Chessington World of Adventures and Master Blaster at Woodlands.

The description of Master Blaster is as follows "Involve the whole family as thousands of foam balls are propelled, raised and shot around the 4,000 sq.ft. Alien Planet. Balls burst from blasters arch from catapults, roll up conveyors and spring from multi-mechanical Hi Tech devices."

Ribena Berry Bish Bash is expected to be very similar, lots of good harmless fun with foam balls!

It's been rumoured for a while that Barney & Friends will be leaving Alton Towers at the end of the 2002 season. Now the recently relaunced Alton Towers official site states "An all-new live show coming in 2003." for the Cred Street area of the park.

Also if Barney does leave the park then we'll see Barney's Playground renamed and rethemed for 2003.

But what will replace him? Rumour suggests Tweenies...