You can't blame Alton Towers for the weather. But the British climate certainly won't help it to compete with the UK theme park's worst nightmare--EuroDisney. Opening this weekend the much-hyped EuroDisney claims it will attract over 11 million visitors in its first year, with around one million visits from the British and a total of 26 million visitors by the end of the century. It is the biggest threat yet to the UK's L110m theme park market.

Surrey-based theme park Thorpe Park is investing L1.5m into promoting itself as the South-east's best attraction. EuroDisney won't be shaking in its boots.

How does Alton Towers plan to survive the Disney challenge?

Through branding, says marketing director Nick Varney. "We want to brand Alton Towers as the most magical event in Britain."

Varney joined in September 1990 from the fast moving consumer goods school of branding at Reckitt & Colman, which has

Alton Towers insists it is doing its best, spending L3m this year on the "magical" atmosphere of the entire experience. "Alton Towers--where wonders never cease and the magic never ends" runs the TV ad catchline. It was created by JWT Manchester and breaks on national TV this week.

In a dual bid to draw in the crowds and promote itself as a "great family day-out" Alton Towers has accepted a L250,000 deal with the Sun, offering readers free tickets.

Like Frank Bruno it will never hurt the best in the business, but a few rounds with the champion should equip it to make some impressive knockouts on home ground.

But for the parents Alton Towers can work a little magic: price. Tennant sees positioning and price as Alton Towers' armour. "It probably can compete. There's a lot of credence to the idea that Alton Towers is a day-trip experience. It's relatively inexpensive for UK people," he says.

"We're trying to draw people away from the traditional 'honeypots'," says Staffordshire tourism marketing officer Roger Bradshaw. "We want to make people aware of Staffordshire as a holiday destination."

And Varney's approach to Alton Towers reflects what he sees as some of the similarities between theme parks and packaged goods. "Getting in front of the customer is very important. The Disney threat has focused Alton Towers' attention on its customer base. There is one big problem. Half the two million annual visitors are young--between 15 and 24-years-old.

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