u/GassyMandrill

Hi I made a post before asking how the rain may affect fright nights and if anyone had any experience at Thorpe in bad weather as I’m hoping to go this Friday the 9th, I’ve now realised I could actually go Sunday the 11th if I wanted to….

I’m just curious what people think is it a better option to go on Friday 9th with potentially smaller crowds especially earlier on and and maybe even smaller due to the rain that day, or is it better to go on Sunday 11th with no rain at all but maybe bigger crowds?

To add info I’ve done Thorpe 4 times this year and my main focus is experiencing the mazes and the vibes and areas of fright nights as this would be my first time going, I’d also maybe like to do some night rides if time permits. I also don’t have waterproof shoes, I have a rubbish rain mac and some leather and suede Nike air force (best I have all my shoes are mesh!)

Please let me know your insight🙏🎃👻

Hello people, I’m meant to be going to fright nights (for the first time) on Friday but it looks like it’s going to bloody rain all day…

Has anyone got any experience with fright nights or just Thorpe in general in the rain and can let me know what may be affected, such as bits like are the scare zones still filled with actors and do the night rides still run?

Is fright nights just utterly miserable in the rain and should I give it a miss? I have an annual pass so will only be paying for maze tickets which I haven’t purchased yet.

Thanks for any help 🎃

Hello!

I have only been to Alton Towers once and it was 7+ years ago. I can now drive and am hoping to take myself and my partner this September.

I was looking at the 24th-25th of September as it is just before the first date of scare fest and from what I can guess would be relatively quiet days to go?

I live about 4 hours away so it’s a fairly long drive and I’m quite new to driving (bit anxious!). So what I wanted to ask is:

1. Are these good dates, I know it’s 10am-4pm times but if it’s quiet and I’m there 2 days I could hopefully do it all multiple times and have time in the evening to relax the first night and the second night I wouldn’t be driving back too late or exhausted

2. Any recommendations for places to stay for one night? I don’t want to break the bank but obviously want somewhere that’s simple and nice

3. Where do you suggest getting dinner etc nearby the parks?

I’m half in the mind of oh I should go a day later and do scare fest but the problem is it’ll be much busier and if I stayed until 10pm I’m not sure I’d been comfortable with the drive home after that long day. I did scare fest once before and I’m also doing fright nights this year and lots of other Halloween events so if I got to go to the park when it’s quiet and I still got to see decoration etc maybe that’s the smarter plan?

Anyway thank you for any help! 🦇🎢🎃

Info: I’m 25, self employed earning 30-35k in a year before tax, irregular earnings some months may be as low as 1k some may be as high as 6k. 4k in a cash LISA, 50k in premium bonds and 1k in S&S ISA with aim to add 15k more this year withdrawn from my premium bonds.

Hi I recently decided to start investing into S&S ISA and a LISA. Previously all my savings were just sat in premium bonds.

I’ve decided a emergency fund to keep in my bonds of about 30k just whilst I learn, but want to reach my tax allowance in my ISA which will be 4k in LISA and 16k in s&s ISA which I’ve opted for VWRP with goal of leaving it 7-10 years (potentially much longer depending on my future savings etc).

I currently only have 1k in my S&S whilst I learnt how it worked, I’m now wondering if I just remove the 15k from my bonds and dump it all into VWRP in the next few days, or whether I trickle the money in say 5k a month the next 3 months? Other option is to bring the 15k into my 212 balance so I earn interest on it whilst I decide what route to go.

Other thing is the premium bonds draw is in a couple weeks so I’m wondering if I wait for that to draw JUST INCASE I win big on it😅

Hello people, So I’ll keep this simple I’m 25 I’m self employed so earnings fluctuate but here’s the basics.

I have 50k in premium bonds, 8k in my current account because some money just came in and I just opened a trading 212 account.

I opened a stocks ISA and put 1k into VWRP with the goal of leaving the money in there for 5-10 years. What I wanted to ask is would it be a good idea to max out my 20k allowance on my VWRP stocks ISA for this tax year leaving 30k in emergency funds, tax payments etc in premium bonds (still a chance to win some prizes but also easily accessible if I need it) then come next tax year put another 20k into the VWRP stocks ISA.

Idea being that each year (as long as I’m able to) I max out the ISA allowance, then my surplus money each month gets funnelled back into my pension and premium bonds then when the next tax year starts take another 20k out and put it into the ISA again?

I have no interest in trading individual stocks etc but I just feel as though I need to be making moves for long term saving and growth now rather than just having my bonds maxed out and money ending up in the cash ISA etc.

So goal would be max out stocks ISA each year in VWRP, keep minimum 30k in bonds for emergency funds etc. Keep 4-5k in my current account and surplus gets funnelled back into my premium bonds and my pension, rinse and repeat? Forgot to mention that I also am considering putting the max 4k a year into a lifetime ISA?

Thanks for your help I hope this makes some sense🤞

I’m sorry to be the annoying person asking for crowd level advice but I’m new to being an annual pass holder and would love help from those of you who frequent the Merlin parks.

I’m looking at going to a park on Friday the 15th of May and another park on Monday June 1st, I’ve looked at crowd calendars and both chessington and Thorpe seem very low crowds those days but I’m hesitant to trust it because it seems to good to be true? I want to go to either chessington or Thorpe on the 15th then the other park on the 1st and I’m having a hard time making the right decision. (I also want to get in stealth whilst it’s still up because I’ve never been able to ride it so far).

I’ve taken into account that half term is the week prior to the 1st and I know school trips start just after but I’m hoping they wouldn’t take place on the first day back at school? I did Thorpe 3 weeks ago so ideally was going to do chessington then Thorpe but happy to chance plans if it makes more sense.

Any insight on what regular park visitors think makes most sense would be much appreciated, thanks people 🙏