February Half Term has once more seen pirates return to Alton Towers Resort, to take over with an array of unique activities and entertainment.
The swashbuckling fun begins for guests immediately on arrival at the resort, as we were promptly greeted by pirates on the theme park’s entry plaza, before the safety shutters had even risen. Pirates passed through the gathered guests, leading the assembled crowds in excited cheering and setting the tone for the event.
Howard Ebison, Alton Towers’ new Vice President, was greeting guests at the entrance and sporting a fantastic pirate-themed jacket! Entering the theme park onto Towers Street it’s clear the pirates have taken over more than Mutiny Bay. Plenty of bunting is present throughout the street, leading to the large sail at the bottom of Towers Street featuring the event branding. The centrepiece however, as is now tradition, is the frog fountains which as well as featuring the frog fountains in an array of wonderful pirate costumes, this year additionally feature a selection of tentacles, which we believe originally featured in the former Darkest Depths scare attraction!
The heart of the event is Mutiny Bay which always looks its very best during Pirate Takeover, taking on additional theming to enhance the year round pirate offering in the park. Here guests can find The Pieces of Eight: Treasure Hunt, where those looking to take home a piece of the treasure can complete a series of challenges throughout the land in order to obtain the secret password. Well themed cabins can be found throughout Mutiny Bay offering a wide variety of interactive challenges. It’s highly recommended to prioritise these during a visit, as queues can build quickly for the challenges due to their nature.
In Mutiny Bay’s Courtyard Theatre, guests can enjoy two different shows throughout the day: The Pirates of Mutiny Bay: The Hunt for the Crown of T’Hulu and Captain Finn’s Training Camp. Both shows are returning from previous years and provide a strong entertainment offering, particularly given the setting is covered from the February elements. The courtyard also features an array of seasonal specialties from two food trucks, though neither the indoor nor outdoor counters of The Welcom-Inn were open. Just outside the Mutiny Bay Courtyard, Eastern Express is open and features the usual tasty menu.
Sea Dog Starkey has once more taken over Battle Galleons in order to offer his Sailing School. Sea Dog Starkey’s Sailing School is an adapted version of the attraction which sees the splash battle’s water guns switched off and instead, boats are manned by an actor to provide an experience reminiscent of the Disney Parks attraction Jungle Cruise. Featuring corny jokes aplenty and some fun additional theming elements throughout the attraction and queue, this is an imaginative way to make the attraction viable for the winter months.
Alongside these event exclusive offerings, the remainder of Mutiny Bay is open, including Marauder’s Mayhem, Heave Ho and Sharkbait Reef. For thrill seekers, Spinball Whizzer is also being offered at the event, however the attraction was unavailable for our visit due to very low temperatures. CBeebies Land is also open, offering the land’s multitude of attractions, as well as entertainment at Big Fun Showtime. Bluey the Ride: Here Come The Grannies! remains under construction throughout the event, necessitating the closure of the surrounding area and resulting in a slightly awkward layout of the land. The event did however offer an opportunity to view the construction on this attraction, including a first look at the completed Heeler house!
All together, we had a very enjoyable time at this year’s Pirate Takeover. Priced at £18 per person for day guests, the event offers a good value way to enjoy the less thrilling offerings at the park, whilst also placing a large focus on entertainment. The highlight of the event is undoubtedly the performers, who create a truly immersive atmosphere, and never fail to stop a guest to make them smile. With entertainment taking a back-seat throughout the 2025 season due to various cuts, we hope this can be a sign of good things to come in 2026.
Back on the entry plaza, the Corkscrew monument is currently being refurbished with the track and supports stripped down revealing the original colour scheme of the coaster. A nice sign has been installed that informs guests about the work which is likely to be finished by the time the park opens for the main season in March.
