Alton Towers Splash Landings Waterpark: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re heading to Alton Towers with your family and thinking about visiting the Splash Landings Waterpark, I’ve got everything you need to know to plan your visit — especially if, like us, you’re a neurodiverse family. During our recent half-term mini break, we stayed at the Splash Landings Hotel and got to experience the waterpark both as regular guests and, rather excitingly, through a special behind-the-scenes tour after closing. Since filming isn’t usually allowed inside the waterpark, this vlog was a bit of a unique one, and I wanted to share more here on the blog for anyone looking to plan their own magical break.

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Please note that all video and photography was taken with permission during scheduled press events and after hours tours. Photography in the waterpark is strictly prohibited.

Booking Your Waterpark Visit

Something to be aware of straight away is that waterpark entry isn’t included in your theme park ticket or even with a Merlin Annual Pass — you’ll need to book it separately. Merlin Annual Pass holders do get a discount though, which helps, and you can book your tickets directly through the Alton Towers website. If you’re staying at one of the resort hotels, you can sometimes bundle your booking with discounted waterpark tickets too, so it’s definitely worth checking when you book.

During busy times like weekends and school holidays, timed entry might be in place. We visited over the May half term, so we made sure to book our slot in advance. Entry times and prices can vary, so always check the opening times online before you travel.

The waterpark usually opens at 10am, and closing times vary depending on the time of year — sometimes as early as 4pm on quieter weekdays, or later into the evening during peak periods.

What It’s Like Inside

Even just walking down into the waterpark from inside Splash Landings Hotel sets the tone — the whole resort is themed in a colourful, tropical style, and that continues throughout the waterpark.

Once you’re inside, you’ll find an indoor and outdoor area, a mix of exciting slides, interactive water features, and plenty of pools. There’s a large indoor play area called Wacky Waterworks, a relaxing bubbling hot tub-style pool called the Bubbly Wubbly, and an outdoor pool with twin flume slides called Flash Floods.

One of the main attractions is the Master Blaster, which is essentially a water rollercoaster that uses jets to blast you uphill on a giant inflatable ring. You’ll need to collect your ring at the bottom of the stairs before heading up to the ride itself.

It can get busy, but if you qualify for the Ride Access Pass (more on that in a moment), you can collect a purple wristband at reception and skip the main ring queue.

There’s also Rush ’n’ Rampage, which we didn’t try on this visit, but it’s high on our list for next time. These slides let you choose your music and lighting for the ride, which sounds like so much fun.

The waterpark also has a shallower splash area for younger children, known as Little Leak. Zara, our youngest, loved it there, and it was shallow enough that she could stand comfortably while still having lots of fun.

Food-wise, there are a couple of snack shacks inside the waterpark where you can pick up things like jacket potatoes, nachos, hot dogs, crisps, ice creams, and even grown-up drinks. I didn’t have a pink gin this time, but I definitely noticed they were available.

You can pay with your watch or card inside, or pop back out to the changing rooms to grab your wallet if needed.

What to Pack (And What to Know)

There are a few practical things to keep in mind before you visit. First, you’ll need 20p coins for the lockers, so make sure you bring some change — I know I never seem to have any coins on me anymore, so it’s worth planning ahead. You can rent towels if needed, but we brought our own, and there are plenty of family changing cubicles, plus accessible showers and toilet facilities too.

The waterpark is lovely and warm — even the outdoor pool was around 31 degrees when we visited, which meant it was still really comfortable to swim outside even though the air was a bit chilly. If you’re visiting on a colder day, you can also enter the waterpark directly from the jacuzzi area through a little flap, so you don’t have to get out and be freezing.

Tips for Neurodiverse Families

As a mum of four children with autism, accessibility and sensory considerations are always top of mind for me. One of the reasons I was so keen to share this behind-the-scenes footage is because I know how important it is for our children to know what to expect before going somewhere new. The waterpark isn’t always the easiest environment — it’s loud, there’s a lot going on, and it can be overwhelming — but there are definitely things you can do to make it easier.

Firstly, the Ride Access Pass can be a huge help. You need to apply for this in advance on the Merlin website, and if you’re approved, you’ll be able to pick up a purple wristband from reception on the day. This allows you to skip the main queue for collecting inflatable rings and access a shorter queue for certain slides like the Master Blaster. We used this during our visit and it made a huge difference.

Sensory-wise, the waterpark is fairly stimulating. There’s background music, flashing lights, and plenty of water features making noise. Zara wore ear defenders in the Rollercoaster Restaurant, but she didn’t need them in the waterpark at all during our visit.

There are plenty of lifeguards and staff around, and we found them all incredibly helpful. If you need anything, just ask — they were brilliant with us throughout our visit.

Final Thoughts

If you’re planning a family break at Alton Towers, I highly recommend adding the Splash Landings Waterpark to your itinerary. It’s warm, well-themed, and genuinely fun for all ages. It’s not often you find a waterpark that caters so well to both thrill-seeking teens and splash-happy toddlers, but this one does exactly that.

We loved our time there, and the behind-the-scenes access gave us a new appreciation for just how much thought goes into the design and running of the waterpark. Whether you’re staying at Splash Landings Hotel or visiting for the day, it’s well worth a few hours of your trip.

Watch The Vlogs

If you’d like to watch our full vlog from this trip, including the rare waterpark tour, room tour, and dinner at the Rollercoaster Restaurant, you can find it over on my Magical Adventures channel.

And if you want to play the same This or That game we did in the park the next day, you can grab the printable cards I made as a little gift from me to you.

You’ll find them inside the Magical Adventures Club, along with loads of helpful travel resources to help you pack and plan your own magical escape.

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