REVIEW: Drayton Manor Park
When it comes to keeping two children entertained for a whole day during the summer holidays it can be quite a challenge – but Drayton Manor Park has it covered.
We visited the Staffordshire-based theme park following the opening of its all-new River Rapids ride, teamed with recently launched nautical-themed area Adventure Cove.
The Adventure Cove River Rapids is the latest addition to the area, joining a host of other bright and colourful coastal-themed attractions. It takes families through a cartoon-style fishing port where they board their own boat around the rapids course, twisting and turning past painted shacks. It also provides a sensory experience – immersing guests in the sounds and smells of the port.
It is a fantastic ride the whole family can enjoy – even those not so keen on rides (like me). We enjoyed it so much – we even went on it five times in a row. I'm sure it will be a hit with visitors of all ages.
While the new Adventure Cove also features a new children's play area Tidal Towers and swing-seat ride Wave Swinger – which we were also big fans of.
Rollercoaster Shockwave has been given a facelift with new colours, while the iconic light house tower for Stormforce 10 has also been repainted. We didn't get to ride Stormforce this time round though as it was closed until early afternoon – with long queues later on.
From there we enjoyed a number of rides – including the 4D cinema, Accelerator, Buffalo Coaster, Drunken Barrels, Sheriff's Showdown, Bounty Pirate Ship and Air Race. The theme park is also home to Thomas Land, which is a big hit with younger children.
During our day out, we also explored Drayton Manor's 15 acre zoo – home to more than 100 animals from all over the world including endangered species. From meerkats to flamingos, to monkeys to lynx's. My personal favourite was the red pandas – and it was a delight to see one of them running around and exploring their enclosure. The zoo also features a reptile house and a Dino Trail.
The whole day was a big hit for all the family – and we left the theme park with huge smiles. Drayton Manor Park is overall a great day out to enjoy with the whole family over the summer holidays – and we are already looking forward to our next visit.
