Review: ‘I conquered my fear of rollercoasters thanks to Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers’
I put my fears of rollercoasters aside and boarded the newly revamped Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers – and it was as exhilarating as it promised to be.
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After a highly anticipated 18-month wait, Nemesis reopened to visitors with a new name and new look on Saturday, which also marked the first day of the new season at the Staffordshire attraction.
The original ride opened in 1994 and has developed a cult status among thrill seekers ever since, evident in the number of super-fans who donned dedicated merchandise to board the revamped ride for the first time.
It was a day of firsts for me too as it was not only my first time visiting Alton Towers, but also my first time on a rollercoaster of such magnitude.
I have always been quite terrified of rides – spinning teacups even push my limits – but I was determined to see if Nemesis Reborn lived up to the hype.
Upon arriving at the park around 40 minutes after its opening time of 10am, the security guard informed me that there had been a queue time of around four hours for the ride at the start of the day – four hours!
Thankfully, I was generously gifted a platinum fast-track pass which meant I was able to skip the queues on most attractions, something I would recommend splurging on if you want to cut your wait times.
As I boarded the ride with my partner and strapped myself into the vibrant red seat, I was starting to feel the nerves creep in, a feeling that didn't appear to be shared by others in my carriage who were chanting with excitement.
It then shot off around the 716-metre-long track featuring vibrant red veins, a new addition to the ride following its makeover.
Reaching speeds of 50mph and G-Forces of 3.5, we zoomed past hundreds of people still eagerly waiting in the rain in a queue that stretched back for miles, at points travelling upside down as we followed the twists and turns of the track.
Within what felt like seconds, the ride came to a halt, marking the end of my experience on Nemesis Reborn.
Bianca Sammut, divisional director at Alton Towers Resort, said: “Saturday marks the culmination of an extraordinary project - to transform Britain’s most-loved rollercoaster for a new generation.
“The original Nemesis rollercoaster has been cherished for three decades, making this project a real labour of love for everyone involved in it.
“Today we have seen an extraordinary buzz across the park as we finally unveiled Nemesis Reborn to guests.
“Judging by their reaction we’re confident we have created a worthy successor that will captivate thrill-seekers for generations to come.”
This rollercoaster is a must for all thrill-seekers and one to add to the list for the more nervous riders like me who are up for the challenge.
I left Alton Towers having conquered my fears and already can’t wait for my next visit.
