After briefly losing his bottle, Steve Wollaston agreed to give the new Toxicator at Alton Towers a go, having been convinced by his teenager that it would be a good idea
It’s not every Friday night you are 78ft up in the air, spinning round and round in the darkness and being lowered face down over a pool of toxic alien slime.
That was my experience at Alton Towers Resort as I was among the first to try out the ride’s latest attraction – Toxicator. For me, it was a bit of an extra special experience because way back in 1997, I remember queuing up with friends to experience the brand new ride Ripsaw, right in the same spot.
This latest ride is a homage to that very ride that was retired in 2015, and for anyone who loved Ripsaw, they are in for a treat. This is another suspended top spin ride that swings riders round on two giant arms, as they sit in giant spinning carriages.
It is the tallest ride of its kind as it is mounted on two platforms above the queue lines, something that builds up the suspense as you wait to experience it. The theming around the ride is incredible, and once again something that Alton Towers does so well. It is bathed in yellow and green lighting and looks spectacular from all angles.
It’s all about toxic alien waste and experimentation and it’s tied in perfectly to the resort’s Nemesis IP brand. The backstory of the world famous coaster is used brilliantly as the storyline for this new ride and it strengthens the atmosphere and look of this section of the park.
At 48-years-old I have tried pretty much every type of theme park ride, and whilst I can still handle the rollercoasters, this is the kind of ride that now terrifies me. Due to waiting a short while for our turn, I stood and watched it in action, hurtling through the darkness, screams from all angles.
I told my teenage daughter I was going to give it a miss, I blamed old age, a couple of cocktails beforehand, and a general lack of nerve. As all good teenagers do, she savaged me, told me to get a grip, and literally kicked me on the ride.
The memories of those many rides on Ripsaw came flooding back as Toxicator raised us into the sky, with our faces still staring at the floor. The crisp Spring evening bit at my fingertips as my nerves hit top levels. I allowed myself a somewhat calming glance into the sky as the bright full moon allowed me a moment of peace and a wonderful view over the neighbouring Nemesis Reborn ride.
And then, the spinning began. By now the ride was not only swinging, it was rotating the carriage devilish pleasure. I felt like I was in the middle of a washing machine on a spin cycle. Luckily for us and perhaps down to the cold evening and the weather conditions, the toxic slime cannons stayed well clear of our face as we were lowered towards them. You might not be so lucky in the summer.
There’s been a few comments prior to the launch that it’s just a copy of Ripsaw, I see it more as a retro revival with the best of new technology methods added.
Yes it’s a very similar ride, but Ripsaw was a quite abrasive experience, this is so much smoother, and unlike the previous ride, it has dual carriages either side giving you a different experience each time. Despite being genuinely terrified at the start, I loved every second of Toxicator, at no point did it feel aggressive or too much for the ‘older generation’.
I’ve definitely had moments lately where I have been thinking that I am getting too old for the big theme park rides – this restored my faith and made me realise there’s plenty of life left in the old dog yet! So my message to anyone thinking they are too old for these rides, you aren’t, give it a go – embrace the spin!
Toxicator has a height restriction of 1.4m and riders must be a minimum age of 10.
Ticket prices for Alton Towers start at £29 online at www.altontowers.com