Port Aventura??? Come and tell me all about it please.

[SoggySummer]

We are off to the Costa Dorada for 2 weeks during the summer holidays with our 2 children 11 and 14. We chose our hotel on price tbh but reading the details and reviews realise we are a short walk from Port Aventura.

We are considering if we should buy tickets for Post Aventura. The DC love theme parks but the youngest is not a fan of big scary rides. We did Disney Florida 5 years ago and loved the shows,parades,rides and general atmosphere. Just wonder if after Disney we will be dissapointed with Port Aventura??

Normally we camp in the UK and once every 2 or 3 years we manage a week (usually a last minute cheap deal) somewhere hot in the med and are happy to just loll by the pool, read, go to the beach and a few local strolls etc. Basically we dont tend to do too much - the kids usually play all day in the pool. We have never done 2 weeks on this type of holiday before (with the kids) and wonder if a few days at PortAventura will break the holiday up nicely.

So I need advice and as much info about Port Aventura as possible please. Everything from how many days ticket will we need to enjoy it properly. The dos and don'ts. Must sees. Things to watch out for etc?? And where can I get a good deal on tickets?? I have been looking at the 3 consecutuve day ticket?? But wonderderd if there are other better value ones.

One of the things I wondering is if there are tickets like the Disney Ultimate - which let you leave the park during the day and return later.

A friend stayed at the same hotel as us last year and although did not do Port Aventura herself - says they walked to if from our hotel and it really is only 10 minutes walk away. She seems to think people came back to the hotel for dinner and then went back to the park in the evening.

Tickets that allow us to do this would be brilliant as we are on a bit of a budget and are half board at the hotel.

Hmm I can't help you too much about tickets and pricing as I don't remember but I do remember that we had a fab time and stayed all day to the end when there was a fantastic lights/fireworks show with boats all lit up on the lake. It was brilliant.
There is also a water park so the three day tickets sounds good and you spend a day there.
Def worth going to as there isn't a huge amount to do otherwise apart from beach/pool

Not sure about current ticket prices but we went last year with a five, three, and 18 month old, and they all loved it.

Sesame adventure land has lots of gentle rides for small kids, and there are bigger coasters and rides throughout the rest of the park, and a wonderful play park in China.

It is a little bit like a mini Islands of Adventure, lots of different areas with a mixture of attractions.

If you are too hot, go to the bubble show, fantastic entertainment and an air conditioned theatre.

We got tickets which allowed you to go for a week, it was only marginally more expensive than a day pass ticket on their website. Your friend may have stayed at one if the three portaventura hotels, you have unlimited entry to the theme and water park if you stay there.

Oops just re-read your op, think the China play park will be way too young for your DC!

I thought your kids were about the same age as mine

We went a couple of years ago, although we stayed on site so it was a bit easier for us. It gets really busy so be prepared to queue. We always found the cooler evenings better for us.

My kids loved it though. There is quite a bit of entertainment laid on. They loved the evening fountain show.

Which hotel are you staying at OP? As we've been looking at going to that area at some point, mainly because DH is a big kid
PM me if you don't want to say on here.

I've never been to Disney but I bloody love port aventura. Its a universal studios park so it is really good with some excellent rides. Your kids are excellent ages for all of them which is great, and the shows are amazing, especially the one at the end which someone mentioned.

You can buy fast track tickets which are amazing in the summer holidays when its packed, but really expensive. The shows are really good. IMHO its better than the uk theme parks if that helps give you a comparison to Disney.

I haven't seen anything on the website about pop out and in tickets but you can get evening only tickets, or more than one day passes. So it looks like there isn't a Disney ultimate type ticket. BUT the restaurants inside are actually really good, especially in the Mediterranean area, and not ridiculously priced, so don't let it stop you.

I go most years as our holiday home is nearby but this summer ill be 8 months pregnant so will be giving it a miss.

We bought a 7 day ticket from this site which often have sales on, and it was fab. We did one long day but didn't worry about queueing too long for anything as knew we could go back. Best time was after 4pm when cool and quiet. We didn't do the water park as was August and we would have fried (pale ginger DS etc), but we did the beach every day from the afternoon.

Have a fab time :)

Sorry - meant the first time we did a long day, then went back for lots of short visits after 4pm.