What are Alopecia UK doing at Alton Towers? Expand Simply facilitating a large group of people to go and do an activity that is typically avoided by those with alopecia, i.e. going on rollercoasters. We find that having plenty of us there gives a confidence boost! You can find out more information about the day here.
When will the event take place? Expand Saturday 9th April 2022. Alton Towers will open at 10am however our tickets allow us entry at 9:30am. Ride queues close at approximately 5/5:30pm (this can change on the day depending how busy they are). We ask people to arrive between 9am and 10am.
Why a Theme Park? Expand Theme parks and rollercoasters can typically be an activity that people with alopecia either avoid or don’t enjoy as much as they should due to worrying over concerns about wearing wigs and hats on rollercoasters. Alopecia UK organised an Alton Towers day out for the first time in 2014. It was a fantastic day that was enjoyed by everyone, so much so that we decided to make it an annual event so that more people affected by alopecia can enjoy the experience.
Do I have to buy a blue Alopecia UK t-shirt and/or jacket/hoodie? Expand It is not compulsory however we would recommend that you do as it will help you to feel included and a part of the event on the day. Everyone wearing the blue tops is what creates the supportive atmosphere in the park and everyone has fun spotting the blue tops as they make their way around the park (particularly the children so please do make the effort if you can!). If it is someone's first time and they feel a bit nervous about standing out as having alopecia, then it is perfectly understandable that they may not feel entirely comfortable wearing the blue tops. But trust us when we say they might feel differently on the day which is why we recommend getting a top just in case! It helps to have any accompanying friends and family in the blue Alopecia UK tops too. Power in numbers! You can read a bit more here under Useful Information.
I've bought an Alopecia UK t-shirt/hoodie. When will it arrive? Expand If you buy your t-shirt/hoodie as part of your website registration (when you buy your tickets or register if you've got tickets from elsewhere) you will receive your order in the last week or March (subject to printers delivering on time). If you buy your t-shirts/hoodies through the Charity Custom Print store they will arrive up to two weeks after you have placed your order.
Is everyone going to be showing their alopecia and removing wigs/hats to go on the rides? Expand It is about personal choice and whatever you feel comfortable doing. There will be lots of us around doing some awareness raising and taking wigs/hats off to go on the rides. We have found in previous years that lots of people actually want to remove their headwear and felt quite empowered doing so, particularly because it was amongst a large group of others with alopecia. Some people wear wigs and hats, others don't, and some just take it off in the queue for rides. The nice thing is that people feel free to choose. It can be quite a nerve-wracking thing to do if you don't normally show anyone your alopecia, if this is the case for you we would encourage you to join an Alopecia UK group just in case you do decide you want to remove headwear for going on rides. You certainly do not have to and you will be respected, as well as supported, in what you choose to wear or not wear. While many may have wigs/head coverings that stay on when going on rollercoasters, we want to create an environment where people feel comfortable to have the choice in what they do! (Weather permitting - it can be quite chilly in April!).
Do we have the whole park to ourselves? Expand No unfortunately not. Alton Towers is a huge theme park! But we will organise for everybody to meet up so that you can go round the park in a group if you want to. See here for more information on the day.
Can I meet other attendees beforehand? Expand We will set up a private Facebook group one week before the event and invite attendees to join so they can meet others before the day. We do this with most of our events as we find it helps to break the ice and reduce any nerves. People also find it useful for information and advice.
How can I get there? Expand It is your own responsibility to get to Alton Towers and collect your tickets in time.For any ID requirements for the park, age limits for rides, transport/parking questions or questions about disability, please refer to the Alton Towers website.
What about accommodation? Expand It is up to yourself to arrange accommodation if you want to stay over at all. Many people often stay in the nearby Premier Inn (Uttoxeter) and Travelodge (Ashbourne).
Where can I contact the organiser with any questions? Expand You can contact Alopecia UK via email at [email protected] or by phone on 08001017025.
I don't want my photo taken and shared publicly, what can I do? Expand We want everyone to come along and have a good time at Alton Towers and don't want anyone worrying about photos of them going out publicly via Alopecia UK. As mentioned in our Terms and Conditions we will be taking photos at this event and usually have a photographer or two following some of the groups round the park. We can't guarantee that you won't get captured on camera, however, on the day you will be able to register for ‘no photos’, this will entail taking one photo of you on the day so we can identify you in our photos afterwards. This will ensure you will be removed or blurred out from our Alopecia UK photos before anything goes out publicly on Alopecia UK website and social media. We ask that you make a conscious effort to remove yourself from posed group photos where possible as these will be used publicly and to advertise future events. (Please note that we cannot guarantee that other attendees won't take and share pictures on their own social media. Please see Alton Towers own photo policy for how they might use any of their photos taken round the park).