Can I suggest staying overnight in the hotel on site. When we did it, it was £99 per night for a room that will sleep 4 people, and you get to go on the rides an hour before anyone else is allowed in, and you get an “eat as much as you can” breakfast first. It also means you can get slaughtered in the bar the night before, and use the best hangover cure I have found: Nemesis.

PS. in IE the comments box fills the full width of the window and sits under the sidebar as soon as you start typing anything!