Brilliant family day out

I took 3 of my children aged 16 14 and 11 to Drayton Manor on a Saturday and we had a fantastic day out Had I read some of these reviews I might have given it a miss as we live 350 miles away but honestly can say we had the best day ever and so have decided to write a review to counter some of the negativity The park was smaller than expected but meant you could get around easily enough Also it allowed us time to enjoy the zoo in addition to the rides I think the criticism levelled at this part seems unfair while not a big zoo the animals all looked in the best of health and we enjoyed seeing them particularly the monkeys and red pandas My older daughter who couldn t go with us as she is at university training to be a vet can be quite a stickler for animal welfare but she would have been happy with what we saw so it s well worth taking the time away from the rides to go round this part Can t comment on the food side of things as we took our own but there were plenty of picnic spots so there was no trouble for us to find a picnic table in a nice spot under a tree All the staff we encountered were very nice friendly and helpful I think the whole park is probably pitched at younger kids than mine but there were a few big rides we enjoyed if you are more of an adrenaline seeker However only one of us could stomach the Apocalypse tall tower drop or Pandemonium like 2 small pirate ships making a complete rotation so we bypassed them That said we went on the Accelerator twice which shoots you down a short course to a full stop and then you do it again backwards Short but sweet It did break down during the day but was up and running again quite quickly The buffalo coaster was closed for much of the day with technical difficulties as well and therefore when it did open there was quite a long queue which wouldn t have been worth it if you were expecting big thrills but it s a nice wee ride and you get to go round the track twice in 1 ride Shockwave the stand up rollercoaster delivered on the adrenaline fix though somehow we found ourselves on the front row although I did close my eyes every time we went upside down Air-Race spins you 360 degrees round in each plane as the whole thing goes round OMG I felt green after going on it twice but my kids tried it at least 6 times and loved it As they did on Maelstrom again I only managed once but 8 goes later it was time to go on our last ride of the day Stormforce which was nicely themed around a lighthouse in a storm Prepare to get not just wet but soaked through I thought the big splash would come at the end but quite near the start you climb a wee ramp then get shot backwards and get drenched Even the tsunami after the final drop is a wee splash in comparison Has to be the wettest ride we ve ever done and we ve been on a few We had been really looking forward to the Haunting but found it a tad disappointing My son s favourite ride at Alton Towers is Hex which is a similar Madhouse ride experience but tbh just a lot better however my other son got a bit spooked with the ghostly effects so each to their own The 4D cinema was fun and lived up to its name would definitely recommend that What else - I felt Thomas Land was really well done and had my kids been younger they would have absolutely loved it but they re older now so it wasn t such a big draw However we still enjoyed some of the little rides available there like the flying academy Cranky drop tower Toby s tram express and the troublesome trucks coaster My younger son wanted to have a go at the driving school but he was too big so he was a bit upset and we d got the train there specially from Thomas Land part to the bottom of the zoo hey ho Make sure to allow time for the Sheriff shoot out showdown my kids loved that as well as the drunken barrels I hadn t expected the base to lift up at an angle lol The pirate ship went higher than I think I ve ever been on a pirate ship and we d sat at one of the ends thank you son so had quite a ride Also enjoyed the dodgems jolly buccaneer and I could have done the flying dutchman all day For 130 for a family of 4 or had we booked in advance 88 to spend all day enjoying the rides and zoo I think was fairly priced so would highly recommend this as a family day out We could have done all the rides but my kids didn t want to do the baby ones instead wanting to repeat some of the bigger ones which was fine so it was definitely a good time to go and we felt we got value for money We got to the park early so by the time we d parked up got our tickets and walked into the park the rides were just opening My kids voted Maelstrom and AirRace as their favourite rides of the day and definitely want to return so we will come back one day Thank you Drayton Manor for a great day out

Emlyn Scott

6734 reviews

N/A

10 months ago

thomas land at drayton manor theme park

my tickets for myself my support staff and my mum were booked for a certain date in february 2020 as i was going for my birthday to thomas land in drayton manor and there had been a big flood and the date had to be changed to another date in later february they were very lovely and understanding to my staff on my phone they understood i was highly charged this point at the change in date-i am classic autistic with mild learning disability and the drayton manor phone staff were very quick to swap me to the next available date when we went there we did not realise how far away thomas land is from the opening this coud be made clearer to disabled people im also physicaly disabled and my mum is in her seventies so both of us really struggled and were left in agony by the time we got to thomas land at the oposite end of the park lots of bits in thomas land were not open because of the flood so there was actualy very little of thomas which upset me a lot as he is my favourite character from pre CGI thomas however this wasnt drayton manors fault so i communicated to my staff i wanted to go in the two gift shops and i spent a lot of money in them getting new track master sets and other things that are exclusive to drayton manor so for anyone who is going who is quite strongly autistic or has autistic loved ones- depending on the weather and time of the year keep a close watch on the river websites showing the levels of rivers and brooks that suround drayton manor theme park as these are what can flood the park and cancel your visit- causing a lot of change and upset for you your loved one use social stories and or pictorial schedules to help process the steps of what will be happening-you can use software like widget online to do this if you dont have the schedules to hand already bring some form of alternative communication such as traffic light cards on a dangly chain PECS or pictorials or a high tech AAC like mine such as proloquo2go even if theyre completely verbal usualy they may find it to difficult to comunicate with all the noises and stimulation going on they change the rideable train that goes around thomas land- so for any thomas fans expecting to see thomas like i was perhaps put into place a social story to help prepare the loved one that thomas may not be there be aware there are two gift shops one big one and one smaller one its worthwhile using social stories and schedules to help your loved one try to process they may not be able to get or find what they want but most of all enjoy yourself i know i will be going back with my support staff when the covid 19 situation has calmed down

The Kensington Photographer

6734 reviews

N/A

10 months ago

As a wedding photographer

As a wedding photographer I have had the privilege of capturing many beautiful moments at Drayton Manor Hotel The setting in the Staffordshire countryside is breathtaking and the hotel provides a unique and stunning backdrop for weddings The venue offers a variety of options for ceremonies and receptions including three beautifully appointed wedding suites and an outdoor space licensed for civil ceremonies One of the standout features of Drayton Manor Hotel is the opportunity for wedding photos to be taken within the theme park The picturesque lake and the charming carousel provide an exceptional and unforgettable location for capturing those special moments The couple and their guests can also enjoy the attractions of the theme park adding an extra element of excitement and fun to the day Overall I highly recommend Drayton Manor Hotel as a wedding venue The staff are knowledgeable friendly and professional and they go above and beyond to make sure every wedding is a success Whether you re looking for a traditional elegant or fun-filled wedding this venue has something to offer everyone Kindest regardsThe Kensington Photographer

Familyautism

6734 reviews

N/A

10 months ago

Fantastic experience once again

Had another fantastic visit on Friday this will be our 3rd visit since becoming pass holders and I m so incredibly happy that we decided to become pass holders We really struggle with days out and find places that my son is comfortable at because of his autism but theme parks Drayton manor is definitely the best for this 90 of the staff are really paitant and clam with him which is fantastic unfortunately you do get the odd staff member that doesn t no what to do but that s ok too because I understand that it might not necessarily be apart of there training so there unsure We visited the new ride on more the one occasion and it was really good my son loved it which was even better because he hates storm force 10 so I wasn t really sure how the water ride in Thomas Land would go so I was very nervous when he asked if we could go on it but he loved it and wanted to go on again and again Both members of staff was lovely made you feel very warm and welcome with there smiles and greeting very professional and polite Well done Once again a lovely day had by all and can t wait to visit again even if we have been 4 times in short space of time

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3.45

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Rated 3.45 out of 5 by 109 Happy Customers

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