Thorpe park with 3 12 yr olds

[chocoholi]

My daughter always plans her bday early! Sorting out holidays out for the year and it's got her thinking, It's in august and she wants to go to Thorpe park with her friends.

Would this sound ok....would you be ok if your child got an invite -

We live an hour and a bit away so without expecting their parents to take them I'm thinking hiring a 9 seat minibus for the day
( there's also me, husband and 1 yr old )

Allowing her 3 friends to take so that's 4 of them

We would pay for tickets and lunch

Then would it be acceptable at that age ( 12 and some maybe 13 ) to let them go off and meet back for lunch ?

Just coz at that age walking around with parents they prob will like some independence and also we can take baby round to the smaller stuff or just walk around

I know it's probably some parents idea of hell lol but last year she had a sleepover for 3, hired tipi tents, a Hot tub, pizzas and all in all it was quite costly and said I'm not doing all that again! We are definitely going out!! So I don't mind the expense so much

Thoughts welcome parents please 🙏

Sounds fine. It'll be very hot. My kids live locally and go all the time. From aged 12 most parents drop them off them pick them up, because the site is self enclosed. But that's because the kids have been many times and know their way around. For a first timer stay. Plus take swim stuff and small towels for beach bit, and wiping down after water rides.

@Oblomov22 thanks, that's good then thought as much. We will definitely stay in the park. And they can get a map 🤣or call if they get too lost

X

It's fine. My dc have both been on 12yo birthday parties to thorpe park where the parents saw them inside at 10am and picked them up at 5. So, the lunch meet up is a bonus.

Agreed. Give them a bit if space, to feel independent, and then re-meet up. For lunch. She'll like that.

And, sorry I never should have said 'fine', how entitled does that sound, sorry! A Thorpe park party is massive, a huge treat, so don't play it down!

Great idea, we went with dd to Alton towers/Chessington for many years, as she got older she went off with her friends and met them later on.
One small thing to check is are they all tall enough for the rides? Think it's 140cm min for a lot at Thorpe, dds quite small and was miffed at one birthday at having to sit next to me rather than a friend as she wasn't tall enough 😂

We live near to Thorpe park and it’s not so big that they can easily get lost, it’s quite safe in that you have to go over a bridge to enter/exit, therefore they stay in the park. Unfortunately like most theme parks, on a busy school holiday day,, it will be busy and you may have to purchase fast passes to save them queuing for hours.

@Oblomov22 it's ok didn't read it like that 🙂
It's going to cost a couple of hundred if not more but then so has every bday and to be honest I don't mind, I don't throw her parties and I let her chose every year - she's so good and up until just having a baby she's been my only child for 11 yrs so can justify the spends 😊we all work so hard so why not

X

@Mindymomo yeah that's a good point
May do that as when we have gone at busy times it's horrible queuing x

Agree on fast passes. And height - are any of them small?

I will have to check their height x

I'd leave one parent and the baby at home, and just take a car full. Id happily leave my 11 year old to roam free with friends and a phone

@CatOnTheChair we are definitely getting the minibus and all going. Don't like the thought of that. Will just make what we can with the 13
Month old. We tend to do that with the baby - she just comes along with us whatever we are doing.

Yeah I think the age is ok to do that and from what I've read here thank you x