Two Staffordshire theme parks rank in top 10 list of UK's best-value amusement parks

The study by saving experts BravoVoucher analysed the ticket price, star rating, review sentiment, and the number of rides and attractions of the UK’s top 60 amusement parks to determine which offers the best value.

Drayton Manor in Tamworth came third overall.

Its 44 rides make it the sixth-best for variety. With a £29.50 ticket price, it costs around 67p to try each attraction once.

Drayton Manor also has the sixth-highest percentage of reviews praising its customer “deals” (four per cent), with an average rating of four stars.

Alton Towers came in seventh. Visitors can enjoy its 42 rides for a £35 ticket price.

Five per cent of reviews mentioned the word “free” while five per cent also used the word “value” and it had an average star rating of 4.2.

Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, was named the UK’s best-value park.

With 38 rides and attractions, the ninth most in the UK, and a £20 ticket price where bought online in advance, it has the fifth cheapest cost per ride in the country, working out at around 53p, over half the national average of £1.30.

Adventure Island ranks among the top 10 parks with the most frequent positive mentions in TripAdvisor reviews.

Over one in five guests praised its “value” (22 per cent), and almost one in six mentioned the “free” admission (14 per cent), the sixth and eighth-highest nationally, with an average rating of 4.5 stars.

Woodlands Family Theme Park, Totnes, Devon, ranked as the second best-value park.

A ticket costs £13.95, and it has 46 rides and attractions, the sixth-cheapest and fourth-highest in the UK.

That works out at just 30p per ride, the third best-value for a ticket overall.

The park also ranks among the top 20 whose guests praise its great value. Over one in six (17 per cent) reviewers use the word “value” when describing the park, and almost one in 10 (nine per cent) used “free” with an average star rating of 4.2.

Paultons Park, in Romsey, Hampshire, took fourth place.

While its tickets are one of the UK’s priciest at £43.50, its 39 rides and attractions ensure the admission price stretches, costing around £1.12 per ride, below the UK average.

It ranks among the highest-rated parks online, with 4.7 stars on Google, the second-highest in the UK. Almost one in 10 reviews praised its “value” (nine per cent).

Fantasy Island, Skegness, Lincolnshire, ranked fifth.

While admission sits slightly above the average at £29.50, it packs a whopping 34 rides and attractions, the 12th-most in the country.

That means it would cost you around 87p to try everything once, well below the £1.30 national average.

Fantasy Island has some of the most frequent mentions in reviews praising its value. It has the highest number of “bargain” mentions in the country, found in seven in 100 reviews (seven per cent), and almost one in 10 used the word “cheap” (nine per cent), the third-highest nationally.

Flambards Theme Park, Helston, Cornwall, took sixth place.

Guests enjoy a below-average cost per ride at around £1.09. Analysis of TripAdvisor reviews reveals park guests frequently compliment its cost-effectiveness, with over one in six mentioning the word “free” (17 per cent), followed by “value” (14 per cent).

Gulliver’s Kingdom ranked 8th, Chessington World of Adventures was 9th, and Blackpool Pleasure Beach took 10th position.

The UK’s worst-value park is Clarence Pier in Southsea, Hampshire, according to the research.

Clarence Pier has among the fewest rides in a UK park, resulting in the nation’s third-highest cost-per-ride; setting you back £2.50 each time.

Marco Farnararo, CEO and co-founder at Bravo Savings Network, said: “With cost-of-living pressures hitting UK households and families feeling the squeeze during school holidays and weekends when kids want to go out, our research aims to help families decide which days out will help their money stretch the furthest.

“By looking at multiple factors beyond the ticket price, we can better evaluate where guests of all ages are most likely to enjoy their time and feel the cost was worth it.

“While it’s true some of the UK’s best-loved parks like Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventures rank among the 10 best value, residents living near the more local parks can still enjoy a great day out.

"Some even have a much cheaper price per ride than some of the bigger parks."