Spinball Whizzer is a fast-paced steel spinning roller coaster located at Alton Towers Resort in the beautiful Staffordshire countryside. The ride is loosely themed on a high-octane pinball machine, with the name itself serving as a playful pun on the classic song “Pinball Wizard” by The Who.
Spinball Whizzer at Alton Towers
Opened in 2004, this popular attraction underwent a major transformation in 2010 when it was re-branded as Sonic Spinball as part of a high-profile sponsorship partnership with Sega. During this time, the track was repainted in signature blue and red colours, with bespoke audio and decals from the video game franchise added throughout the queue line. When the sponsorship deal concluded in 2016, the ride reverted to its original name and classic identity: Spinball Whizzer.
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Spinball Whizzer Statistics
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- Top Speed: 60km/h (37mph)
- Original Cost: £3.5m
- Estimated Cost Today: £5.5m
- Track Length: 1540ft (470m)
- Height: 56ft (17m)
- Manufacturer: Maurer Söhne
- Type: Steel Spinning Coaster
- Lift/Launch: Chain Lift Hill
- Inversions: 0
- G-Force: Unknown / Variable
- Trains: 8
- Passengers per Train: 4
- Ride Duration: 1m 15s
- Year Opened: 2004
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A Unique Spinning Coaster Experience
Spinball Whizzer is a perennial favourite because of its unpredictable nature. The four-passenger cars rotate freely on a central axis, meaning the ride behaves differently every time you board. Depending on your group’s weight distribution, you might experience a gentle glide or a frantic, high-intensity spin. The more your car rotates, the more intense the ride feels, often resulting in a whole lot of laughter!
Signature Elements: The “Immelmann” Turn
The ride features a technical highlight known as the Immelmann-style turn, where the track rises vertically, executes a 180-degree rotation, and drops back to Earth. This is beautifully framed by a smaller horseshoe turn that threads through the main structure, creating an excellent “headchopper” visual effect for riders.
The Full Alton Towers Coaster Collection
Spinball Whizzer is one of seven fantastic rides at the resort. Browse our comprehensive visitor guides for the other signature layouts:
- Wicker Man: The UK’s first new wooden coaster in 20 years, fusing timber tracks with simulated fire.
- Galactica: The B&M flying machine that completely redefines the sensation of flight.
- Nemesis Reborn: The iconic inverted beast, fully retracked and enhanced for 2024.
- Oblivion: The world’s first vertical drop dive coaster.
- Rita: An intense launch machine firing riders from 0 to 61.1mph in just 2.5 seconds.
- The Smiler: The world-first 14-inversion record holder.
- Th13teen: A unique psycho-coaster featuring a vertical freefall drop in the dark.
Planning your journey? Explore our master Alton Towers Resort Directory, read our breakdowns on Alton Towers Secrets, or map your day out using our comprehensive Alton Towers Insider Tips.
UK Record-Breaking Leaderboards
See where the park ranks nationally by reviewing our ultimate statistics matrices tracking the Tallest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Longest Roller Coasters in the UK, the Fastest Roller Coasters in the UK, and the definitive countdown of UK Roller Coasters with the Most Inversions.
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