Best theme parks within 2 hours of London

[christie1]

We may brave a theme park this summer. UGH! any suggestion. We have been to legoland and found the rides lame, the prices too high and the lineups too long. I suspect anything else would be the same? Chessingtons in London? Anyone tried the new charles Dickens theme park near rochester? What is butlins all about anyway? Brighton? HELP!!!!

The only person I know who's been to the Dickens thing said it was terrible.

Chessington or Thorpe Park are probably your best options, but fundamentally if you go to a theme park in the summer holidays it's going to be expensive and crowded -- that's just the way life is.

What age? Drusillas Park in Alfriston, East Sussex is great for little ones - zoo, giant playground (indoor and outdoor), full-scale fire engines and buses to play on, working diggers, paddling + swimming pools, free train that goes around the site... but might be a bit lame for older kids.

We normally go to Adventure Island at Southend. Not too expensive and near good shops if you get fed up and want to get shot of the family for a couple of hours

Sadly Dicken's World is getting very poor reviews atm. It's not finished yet and won't be fully operational until at least late August, yet they are charging the full admission price. Also, the main boat ride attraction can only be used be anyone over 1.2 m tall, so most under fives can't go on it.

I pass it daily and keep thinking it's a real shame because it should be a great attraction, but I've yet to hear a review that would make me want to spend £50 taking my family to visit it. Cost a fortune to build, took ages, and at the moment it looks like a bit of a white elephant.

Chessington and Thorpe park are both good, but as you rightly say, will be crowded with lots of queues.All theme parks are pricey - no getting away from that unfortunately (unless you win a MN comp for a trip to Alton Towers ).

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How old are your kids ? There's also Diggerland in Kent.

well according to multimap its 2 hrs 12 minutes 9though London being so huge that could vary so much LOL), but paulton aprk in the New fdorest is pretty good, we iked it anyway when we went last year

depends how old your kids are

Chessington better for younger age group, Thorpe Park better for older.

I hate hate hate hate theme parks and I can just about cope with Chessington and Thorpe Park. They are a million times more bearable than Legoland.

DS1 looooves Diggerland

'The summer fun's right here at Diggerland...' (groovy website song) was our family anthem for a while

We recently went to Gullivers near Milton Keynes which ds (just 3) and dd + friends (6) loved - any older and I think it would be too lame. But it is smaller, less busy and cheaper than Legoland, and the little ones have quite a few rides they can go on.

Ashdown Forest. Loads of wildlife, millions of trees to climb, ponds to fall in, streams to jump over. And no bloody queues. There's even an ice cream van sometimes. Oh yes!

Theme parks. Keep away from them.

T I just can't stand waiting in queques for 30 minutes for a 3 minute ride. I am not a theme park person but it is my dh's birthday so I am willing to make the effort once a year. These are great suggestions. I think a park with play equipment and some rides and ice cream would go over really well, especially if I can get some swimming in as well.

Oh, kids range from 2 to 10 but the birthday boy is going to be 7 so I will aim it for him. Diggerland might appeal to him. If htey had a crash some big toys and explode them land, that would be right up his alley!