The Holidays are Coming - Sponsored by 4D

[Bob's Orange]

Haven't been recently (last went Sept 2020), but have been to Alton Towers plenty in recent years. In my opinion fast track isn't worth the cost, I've never needed it. Get there early enough and you'll be able to do 3 or 4 of the big 6 (7 if you include Wicker Man as well) within the first hour or so. Likewise rides are very quiet toward the end of the day.

I don't think they're doing early ride time at the moment, so all rides should open at the same time. Most people will head straight for Wicker Man or The Smiler, so I'd head to Dark Forest and get Rita & Thirteen done then to Forbidden Valley for Nemesis and Galactica.

Biggest tip is don't go during school holidays! I tend to do Sunday/Monday in April and/or September and it's a straight walk on to most rides. When they do have early ride time, you can get in an hour earlier by staying in one of the on-site hotels.

Oh yeah, you can download the Alton Towers app to check queue times too. Worth checking in the days before you go to see what queue times are like at certain times of the day.

Thanks for the info Samdy, that's really helpful and is appreciated. Unfortunately we only have our visitors over next weekend so fairly inflexible on when we go and will be during school holidays (I think) so will aim to get there as early as possible and get as many of the big rides done asap.

[Batch]

Back from Tenerife. Definitely worth it. Absolutely no queues at Bristol and only a queue at Spanish passport control to get home (nothing when we got there).

the testing and forms were minor inconveniences really

[penhillbilly]

Back from Tenerife. Definitely worth it. Absolutely no queues at Bristol and only a queue at Spanish passport control to get home (nothing when we got there).

the testing and forms were minor inconveniences really

did you have to do a test over there mate,how easy was it and how much?
thinking of going to Canaries later in the year but the faff with testing puting me off

[Samdy Gray]

I'm booked to go to Turkey next April, currently that will come with an additional £3k quarantine hotel stay so I'm hoping things change in the meantime.

[Batch]

yes you do

so as things stand if you are double jabbed for canaries/spain (an Amber country) you need to

- fill out spanish health/locator form 48 hours before travel

-take proof of vaccination with you (NHS app or printout)

- get an antigen test within 48 hours of coming home. you can either order an approved one here before you go (cost £30) or book at an approved centre out there (35 EUR) .

near where we were there was a doctor's doing the test. we booked in and it was  very easy, get called through, get a ticket stick up the nose, get a stamped bit of paper within 20 minutes. in the bigger places there were walk in appointments (but with queues)

obviously no idea what it'll be like where you are, or how the 'buy before and take it with you' approach works

- fill in a UK locator form 48 hours before your return. needs pcr test ref (see below)

- take a day 2 PCR test on return (approx £75) you need to book this before you go. you will get a ref via email needed for the above UK form.

all forms can be done online. we printed most of ours out of paranoia + it's easier than faffing with phone.

obviously the situation can change from either UK or spanish side.

if you have kids, or aren't double jabbed then things get a bit more complicated/expensive

[Batch]

I'm booked to go to Turkey next April, currently that will come with an additional £3k quarantine hotel stay so I'm hoping things change in the meantime.

eek 🤞

[RobertT]

I didn't think travel to a Red List Country was permitted?

[The Grim Reaper]

Canaries in early September....any TEFers been and give me a real time heads up on what the procedure is??

I’ll be in Tenerife for 2 weeks from September 18th.

[Batch]

I’ll be in Tenerife for 2 weeks from September 18th.[/quote]

Even in 'level 4' it was fine for us. Things shut at midnight, but if I went out all night nowadays I'd need 3 days to recover anyway

[The Grim Reaper]

I’ll be in Tenerife for 2 weeks from September 18th.

Even in 'level 4' it was fine for us. Things shut at midnight, but if I went out all night nowadays I'd need 3 days to recover anyway

Same, went for 2 weeks same time last year. Although quiet most things were open and bars until midnight. I’m usually back on the apartment balcony with a beer way before that.

[Bob's Orange]

I'm booked to go to Turkey next April, currently that will come with an additional £3k quarantine hotel stay so I'm hoping things change in the meantime.

I'm hoping to get to Turkey before then as we haven't been out to our apartment since this time last year. There were earthquakes in Izmir so I don't even know if there has been any damage to it. I suspect not as we are quite high up on land but it would still be nice to know.

We're probably going to flog the place anyway so will have to get out at sometime to see how on earth we go about that!

[THE FLASH]

yes you do

so as things stand if you are double jabbed for canaries/spain (an Amber country) you need to

- fill out spanish health/locator form 48 hours before travel

-take proof of vaccination with you (NHS app or printout)

- get an antigen test within 48 hours of coming home. you can either order an approved one here before you go (cost £30) or book at an approved centre out there (35 EUR) .

near where we were there was a doctor's doing the test. we booked in and it was  very easy, get called through, get a ticket stick up the nose, get a stamped bit of paper within 20 minutes. in the bigger places there were walk in appointments (but with queues)

obviously no idea what it'll be like where you are, or how the 'buy before and take it with you' approach works

- fill in a UK locator form 48 hours before your return. needs pcr test ref (see below)

- take a day 2 PCR test on return (approx £75) you need to book this before you go. you will get a ref via email needed for the above UK form.

all forms can be done online. we printed most of ours out of paranoia + it's easier than faffing with phone.

obviously the situation can change from either UK or spanish side.

if you have kids, or aren't double jabbed then things get a bit more complicated/expensive

Top Man!!

This is superb info.

Three of  us, all double jabbed and no kids.

[Batch]

just keep an eye on it as they (govt) are 'advising' the test to be taken before coming home is PCR.

but as that's advice, and PCR is 2x the cost nobody is doing it.

maybe they'll make it mandatory

[Samdy Gray]

I didn't think travel to a Red List Country was permitted?

It's still possible. I know people who've travelled to Turkey (to stay with family) in the past few weeks.

[Sippo]

Looking at booking a holiday in October. Do we think Turkey will be 'open'? Prices are super cheap at the moment.