Best UK theme parks?

Daydrambeliever · 2021-08-15T22:07:04+00:00

For family that consists of two adults, 12 DD and 6 DS. I HATE theme parks! But kids desperate to go to one. I hate queues, I hate crowds, I hate scary rides.

MadeinBelfast · 15/08/2021 23:14

It depends where you are but Paulton's is great. It's smaller than some of the others and never seems as busy. There's a good range of rides but also a splash park, a little zoo and of course Peppa Pig!

cameocat · 15/08/2021 23:35

I second Paultons. If you avoid peppa pig world then the queues are generally OK. They don't have repetitive music everywhere and the rides are good but not extreme like elsewhere. Extreme enough to keep the children excited though.

PinniGig · 15/08/2021 23:40

I love Alton Towers. We used to stay over at the hotel and make a weekend of it which was an extra win because guests are allowed early entry into the park before they open the main doors to public.

At 6 and 12yrs the kids will probably be OK to ride without you having to accompany I'd have thought? Sure most if not all rides are based on height rather than age so provided they meet the minimum you may not need to get on a single ride if you hate them.

Mybalconyiscracking · 15/08/2021 23:42

Love Alton Towers, put them on the scary rides, you can ride the cable car and walk round the gardens.

Original poster

Daydrambeliever · 15/08/2021 23:57

Thanks folks. I fear it may have to be Alton Towers. We're in Scotland so Paulton’s is maybe that bit further away. Good shout about staying in the hotel and getting early entry. Just had a look at website and there is a waterpark ticket...is that worth getting too?

OP posts:

Original poster

Daydrambeliever · 15/08/2021 23:58

I love that I can now maybe just let them go for it whilst I hold the jackets!

OP posts:

PinniGig · 16/08/2021 00:04

@Daydrambeliever

Thanks folks. I fear it may have to be Alton Towers. We're in Scotland so Paulton’s is maybe that bit further away. Good shout about staying in the hotel and getting early entry. Just had a look at website and there is a waterpark ticket...is that worth getting too?

We used to stay in the Splash Landings Hotel which included entry into the pool so it's worth booking there than the main one.

If your kids want to ride the larger coasters that get ram packed full with long queues the early entry is an absolute winner. If you plan and get the kids straight to the larger rides first thing, you can usually get on and around them way before the park opens up and gets busy.

Just don't stock up or have them eat a massive breakfast. Every time we stayed over staff were putting down shavings at the platform at the side on Nemesis from where someone had eaten a massive fry up and then spewed the lot straight after they got off.

Honestly I have never had a bad experience or stay over at Alton Towers. It's well run, reasonably priced (other than snacks inside the park and the wasp issue but you can take your own food in if preferred) The staff are brilliant and there's so much more to do than just rollercoasters if you're not keen.

Enjoy!

Bopahula · 16/08/2021 00:06

I love AT. Been 4 times this year. But the queues are some of the worst I've known here. If you're going to do it then if you can afford it, but fast passes for some of the rides too.

The water park is cool too. My 8 year old loves it in there.

MazDazzle · 16/08/2021 00:15

Paulton’s is lovely. Lots of greenery and nature walks as well as theme park. We’ve been twice from Scotland. We stayed in London and got the train.

PinniGig · 16/08/2021 00:16

@Bopahula

Agree about the fast passes. Most popular rides with the worst queues are by far The Smiler, Galactica, Wicker Man and Nemesis which if you don't get on early enough you're looking at up to and even over an hour's waiting time.

PinniGig · 16/08/2021 00:25

Also, just waiting in the queue for any length of time for the Smiler would be enough to drive anyone nuts.
My son does video games design and audio and has worked with some of the guys from IMA Score that wrote the theme music for the main roller-coasters at AT. I especially love the music from The Smiler which is such a gritty, industrial soundtrack but enough to drive you potty if you have to hear it for more than about ten minutes.

Standing in the god-damn queue for an hour with “HA-HA-HA, HA-HA-HA, HA-HA-HA-HA-HA” would be like torture 🥺

Babyroobs · 16/08/2021 00:39

@Daydrambeliever

Thanks folks. I fear it may have to be Alton Towers. We're in Scotland so Paulton’s is maybe that bit further away. Good shout about staying in the hotel and getting early entry. Just had a look at website and there is a waterpark ticket...is that worth getting too?

Yes waterpark is great for kids and adults. There is also a crazy golf which is good. We did the splash park and crazy golf then stayed overnight in the splash landings hotel and did the theme park the next day.

LemonMuffins · 16/08/2021 00:43

Alton towers is my favourite but the queues can be insane in school holidays. Smiler was almost 3 hours when we were there last week.

PinniGig · 16/08/2021 00:56

@LemonMuffins

Alton towers is my favourite but the queues can be insane in school holidays. Smiler was almost 3 hours when we were there last week.

Morph2lcfc · 16/08/2021 01:21

@Daydrambeliever

Thanks folks. I fear it may have to be Alton Towers. We're in Scotland so Paulton’s is maybe that bit further away. Good shout about staying in the hotel and getting early entry. Just had a look at website and there is a waterpark ticket...is that worth getting too?

You don’t get early entry at the minute, thus hasn’t been in place since COVID. Water park is good and worth a visit

felulageller · 16/08/2021 01:26

NEVER got to Alton Towers without fast passes.

Lemonsandlemonade · 16/08/2021 03:59

Drayton Manor is nice with a good hotel smaller than some.

Best UK theme parks?

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