Today was the official opening day of Gangsta Granny the Ride at Alton Towers and here’s our official Gangsta Granny The Ride review and our thoughts on the brand new David Walliams World area.
Ben and his Granny are on a mission to steal the crown jewels and you’re along with them for the ride on the heist of the century.
Step inside the Garmendale manufactured royal carriages and be amazed as projections, 2D and 3d effects mixed with lasers, bubbles, smell pods and more combine to bring the pages of the book alive with majestic aplomb.
Our Journey Begins inside the queue line as regal curtains hang from the windows and picture frames display a whole variety of easter eggs incorporating Alton Towers mythology and history with a David Walliams charm.
With audio depicting each character pictured within the frame and the walkthrough experience providing a class without going over the top it’s a wonderful set-up for what you’re about to witness.
Step into the carriage and away you go.
Gangsta Granny the Ride Review
Situated in the old Wobble World / House of Monsters building this ride is housed in a small area but with a ride duration of over 4 minutes (one of, if not the longest dark ride in the park), it utilises that space very well.
With stops and starts as you watch scenes unfold you never feel like you’re hanging around too long and with a full 360-degree motion of the ride trains you can take in your surroundings as the story unfolds around you.
I loved how the ride dragged you into the story and with calibrated movements, scents, effects and more it really is a solid all-around experience. For children.
I must admit the first time I went on the ride I was very impressed but the more you ride it the more and more faults you pick with the ride.
If I had any niggles about our two rides is that both times there was the perfect opportunity to be sprayed with water, this didn’t happen.
Whether it’s been turned off with restrictions in mind (although 4DX screenings haven’t been switched off this whole time) or for another reason, it certainly felt like a missed opportunity.
I’d also say the curtains that divide the scenes don’t block out the sound from previous or subsequent scenes so you can sometimes hear the audio from the next scene being played whilst you’re watching your own. Some soundproofing there would be wonderful.
Seeing the track in front of you completely detaches you from the immersion and it just feels like in parts there’s too much empty space.
Last but certainly not least the throughput is rather terrible.
It’s a slow-moving queue and we were told on the day it could only accommodate 400 people an hour and that’s if every train is full (8 person capacity) so when groups of 2 or 3 people are going on the ride, it’ll slow down the queue line even more so.
Expect very long queues on this particular ride during holidays and weekends.
If you’re going to experience this particular ride make sure you get yourself over to David Walliams World early as those queues are going to get mental.
With all of the positives (and negatives) discussed it’s safe to say it was certainly above my own expectations, but only slightly.
As you exit the ride you enter Raj’s Shop and the fun doesn’t stop there.
Raj’s Shop Review
Normally when I enter an Alton Towers shop I’m greeted with the most mundane merchandise in terms of variety.
Yes, the designs are great, but there are only so many T-Shirts, Hoodies, Bears and keyrings one can own.
Inside Raj’s Shop, there was a variety of merchandise from fake crown jewels to granny costumes, bobbleheads and more.
It wasn’t up there with Pleasure Beach merchandise of course but it was certainly a refreshing change of variety.
Naturally, there were a whole host of David Walliams books on display but in terms of merchandise, I was very impressed.
Not just that but the shopkeepers are in character, it’s a live stage show within the shop as you’re still immersed in the World of David Walliams.
Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango
After a plethora of funfair rides graced Alton Towers in 2021 there was a Twister hidden away in David Walliams World that finally opened today to the public.
Now the other three rides were labelled as temporary rides but this Twister not only has fencing around it that’s themed to the area but an area branded name and branded sign entrance.
Something tells me this funfair ride might be here to stay.
Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango was running on a very family-friendly cycle but the second we asked the ride-op if it was going to be as slow as the last lap the ride-op only went and cranked up the speed for us.
Legend.
Raj’s Bouncy Burp
Here you see a 41 year old man and a 29-year-old man on a kids frog hopper ride.
Yes, that happened.
Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp bounces its way up and down with numerous fart noises echoing throughout David Walliams World.
It was certainly hard to keep a straight face on this fun and fart-friendly ride.
David Walliams World
From live entertainment from the queen’s guards to the beautifully painted landscape and overall area, it’s such a wonderful place to be.
There was a real atmosphere and that’s rare at towers other than the glimpses of roaming actors and characters here and there.
This is one area focused on themed entertainment. It was very character heavy.
Children, adults and big kids alike will all come away with a huge smile on their faces in this wonderful new expansion.
When I was going to Alton Towers this morning to bring you this Gangsta Granny the Ride review I was expecting to not enjoy it.
I’m proud to say it went above and beyond expectations (which were insanely low) and for the first time around it was fabulous fun but just for the first time. The more you go around Gangsta Granny the ride the more faults you end up picking with it and trust me, there are many!
Does the fun continue the more you ride it? Well, sadly not. But for children, they’re absolutely going to love it!
Check out the full VLOG on Lift Hills and Thrills below:
