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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Thorpe Park or Chessington WOA

18 replies

overthesea · 14/04/2011 19:16

We live over in the west and have decided to take our two under 8s to a theme park for a half term trip. I can't tell from the websites which of these two is better for younger families. We have done Legoland to death. We don't want to bowl up and find that our smallest can't get on any rides.

Also does anyone know if they have those Q jumping devices at either?

OP posts:

ClancyCrew · 14/04/2011 19:18

PAULTONS! in southampton
the nicest in teh world

smokinaces · 14/04/2011 19:19

Chessington is more child orientated, Thorpe Park more teen and adult. Depends how tall they are and how much they like fast rides?!

Original poster

overthesea · 14/04/2011 19:22

Brill. Thanks for your advice smokin Do you know if Chessington has the fast Q systems?

clancy I have been to Paultons and it is lovely isn't it? but I think they want to go somewhere new. Smallest is only 0.9m.

OP posts:

Whatevertheweather · 14/04/2011 19:23

Thorpe park much better imo - bigger variety of rides, more modern park and some excellent big rollercoasters if they are tall enough - check the website for height restrictions. The water rides there are fab too but you do get soaked so worth doing early! They do have fast passes but you have to pay for them and can be quite pricey and the ones for the best rides go fairly early on. Last time I went to chessington it very dated/tired and in need of a total makeover

ooooh I love thorpe park - would be planning a trip myself if I wasn't pregnant - couldn't go and not go on the rides!!

CarGirl · 14/04/2011 19:25

Not Thorpe Park at 0.9m is there are hardly any rides to go on.

Please be aware that you have to be 1.2metres to go on the log flumes now as well

Whatevertheweather · 14/04/2011 19:26

Peppa pig world opened at paultons last week if that interests them. We went in the week as it's only 10mins away from where we live - was really good. My dd is 4 though and peppa mad!

smokinaces · 14/04/2011 19:34

I took DS1 to Chessington last year at 1m and he had a fab time - 0.9m will mean he's restricted on some rides, but would still have a great time. And theres the Zoo and Sealife centre there too.

The Log flumes going up to 1.2m has gutted poor DS. He is currently 114cm - we are willing him to grow 6am by the end of June when we go again!!!

Not sure about fastpasses - we always go in term time when its quieter.

smokinaces · 14/04/2011 19:35

6cm not 6am!!

check out their website - they have a map listing with all the height restrictions

CarGirl · 14/04/2011 20:09

We snuck dd4 on the log flume before she was even 0.9cm - put on her clunky shoes and she used to go on tipitoes to get her head to touch the measure sitck

ClancyCrew · 14/04/2011 20:46

i think if they are under 8 save yourselves the hassle tbh
loads of teens etc at hte bigger parks - theres loads of time

smokinaces · 14/04/2011 20:46

Car, going to get DS1 to do that this year. It was his favourite last year and he did it about 3 times and still talks about it all the time. Broke his heart when he saw the new restrictions, he sobbed for ages

ClancyCrew · 14/04/2011 20:50

am thinking of taking s1 and his mates ( all 12/13) to TP for his birthday a Sat in July.
am using tesco points

will we HAVE to buy a fast pass on top?

CarGirl · 14/04/2011 20:52

You don't have to. You're better off going on a not such good weather day, get there very early - you have to queue to buy your tickets whilst passholders walk on through and then stay late.

SoupDragon · 14/04/2011 20:53

You don't have to buy them, of course you don't. You can queue for hours instead.

For under 8s, definitely not Thorpe Park.

The Fast pass thing at Chessingtom is, IMO a rip off. You pay your £XX and it allows you to queue jump once per ride for the top 7 rides. Or at least that is how it used to work. There is also, IIRC, a more expensive one that allows you to queue hop all day. Compare this to the last time I went to Disney world where you just swiped your park entry card and it gave you a time slot to come back in. Free.

ClancyCrew · 14/04/2011 20:55

ok so ticket buying takes a while..

smokinaces · 14/04/2011 21:00

can you buy online before you go with tesco points? I know you can buy standard tickets online from thorpe park or chessington websites

chopchopbusybusy · 14/04/2011 21:02

Definitely not Thorpe park for under 8s. Chessington much better.
I've never bought fast passes at Thorpe park. Get there before it opens and queue for tickets. There is usually a different queue for tesco voucher tickets, so don't stand in the wrong one.
Last year Saw and Samurai had the longest queues so I'd recommend those first. Stealth didn't have a very big queue, we managed to go on that a few times.

Original poster

overthesea · 15/04/2011 10:17

Ok Chessington it is.I'll investigate the fast passes but they sound too good.

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