Bewilderwood, Hoveton, Norfolk
Meet “crocklebogs” on a trip to the fantasy land of Bewilderwood, full of tree
houses, jungle bridges, crazy slides and boat trips through marshland. The
50-acre park, which opens on the Norfolk Broads on May 25, offers
educational country trails. Details: 01603 783900, www.bewilderwood.co.uk.
Adults £9.75, children £8.75.
Dickens World, Chatham, Kent
Jump aboard the Great Expectations dark boat ride, with thrilling twists and
turns plus a few splashes as you pass through a smelly sewer pipe and then
across the rooftops of London. You can also meet Scrooge and the Spirit of
Christmas, take the kids to a Fagin’s den play area, and visit a Dickensian
shopping mall. Details: 0870 2411415, www.dickensworld.co.uk,
adults £12.50, children £7.50. Opens April 20.
Go Ape! Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire
Coming to Scotland this year is this Tarzan-style park where you make your way
through the treetops on a combination of swings, rope bridges and zip wires.
The park, which opens early in May, will have one of the longest zip wires
in the UK, at 1,312ft (400m). More parks are opening at Alice Holt Woodland
Park, Surrey; Bedgebury Forest, Kent; Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire; and
Poole’s Cavern, Derbyshire, taking the group’s tally to 12. Details:
0870 4445562, www.goape.co.uk,
minimum age 10. Adults £25, children 10-17, £20. Height and weight
restrictions.
Ropes & Ladders, Llanberis, Snowdonia
Swoop down in a huge swing and enjoy a glimpse of Snowdon above the treetops,
then jump, climb and zip your way through obstacles and challenges in the
treetops in Padern Country Park. The course is designed to take about two
hours and includes a climbing and abseil tower. It opens on May 14. Details:
www.ropesandladders.co.uk,
adults and children £16. Age restrictions.
The Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire
Coming later this spring for white-knuckle riders at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
is Infusion, a confusing corkscrew of a rollercoaster, its 2,200ft of steel
track comprising five loops, a double line twist and water effects. The
Beach has 146 rides and attractions, including a double-lane rollercoaster. Details:
0870 4445566, www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com.
Prices likely to be £5-£7.
Chessington World of Adventures and Zoo, Chessington, Surrey
No new rides this season, instead Chessington is inviting guests to “face
their fears” by taking part in various daily challenges including cleaning
out the lions’ den, gorging on doughnuts, riding rollercoasters blindfold or
nominating their own devilish task to carry out in front of other park
visitors. Details: 0870 9990045, www.chessington.com,
adults £22, children £15 for advance bookings.
Alton Towers, Alton, Staffordshire
Alton Towers’s latest attraction — “There’s something in the Dung Heap” — is
aimed at younger children, with various play areas centred on the perennial
theme of animals and what comes out of them. There’s also a new “Haunted
Hollow” — a ghostly walk through ancient woodland — and opening this month,
a mini 18-hole golf course. Details: 0870 4444455, www.altontowers.com,
adults £24, children £16 for online bookings.
Drayton Manor, Tamworth, Staffordshire
This other Staffordshire theme park has a new, swinging pirate ship ride and
the introduction of rare white-lipped tamarind monkeys to its zoo. Otherwise
there’s a mix of white-knuckle rollercoasters and family rides. Details:
0870 8725252, www.draytonmanor.co.uk,
adults £18, children £15.
Thorpe Park, Chertsey, Surrey
Rather than a new rollercoaster, Thorpe Park boasts that it has tweaked its
existing “Stealth” monster: its nitrogen-booster system now accelerates
adrenalin junkies from zero to 80mph in less than two seconds, and up to
250ft at its highest point. Details: 0870 4444466, www.thorpepark.com,
adults £24, children £16 for advance online booking.
Be aware that some theme parks consider an adult to be 12 or over. Information:www.enjoyengland.com/family
Beat the queues
Buying tickets for theme parks in advance can save money and queuing time.
Some agencies offer discounts for buying online and sell passes — such as
the Disney World 14-and 21-day passes — that are not available overseas.
Keith Prowse, 0870 1232425, www.keithprowse
tickets.com, Seligo, 0871 2300030, www.seligo.com,
Attraction Tickets Direct, 0845 1303876, www.attraction-tickets-direct.co.uk,
Theme Park Tickets Direct, 0870 0400210, www.themeparkticketsdirect.com,
365 Tickets, 0870 0130663, www.365tickets.com.
i was just wandering how much wristbands cost for both children and adults at hayling island's well loved funland and if there are limited times, what are they?
overall hayling island's amusement park is well worth exploring and the ride "TORNADO" is grrreat!!! when your on it, it swings so much that you over look the water you have to be a daredevil to ride it!
the hayling island sand is beautiful! sand all along and the sea temperture is warm, (perfect!) you will without a doubt get a fine golden bronze suntan here!
its worth everypenny! (funfair) good luck-enjoy!
chris, portsmouth, great britain