A Guide to The Best UK Theme Parks
We decided to put together a guide to the best UK theme parks to help you decide which parks to visit so you get the best day out. As theme park enthusiasts and content creators, we’ve been to our fair share of UK theme parks over the years. Some of the parks are ones we grew up visiting with our families and others are ones we’ve visited recently as enthusiasts. To those who might not have visited many theme parks in the UK before, it can be difficult to decide which one to visit or which one would be best for you. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, to give you some information and recommendations about some of the best UK theme parks.
We’ve chosen 9 of the top UK parks to include in this guide - but there were plenty of others that could easily have made the list. We wanted this guide to be as accurate and useful as possible, so as well as our own experiences and opinions we included data and comments from a survey we created about the 9 parks. We got 225 responses from people who had visited the parks within the past 5 years (this guide was written in August of 2020).
The survey data
Our 225 survey responses covered the following:
Value for money
Ride thrill level across the park
Overall quality of the park
Who the park is best suited to
Using the overall quality and value for money scores we calculated an overall score for each park, the ‘survey score’ (out of 5), to give an idea of how ‘good’ each park is. We also gave each park our own ‘Coaster Bot score’ to give an idea of how we rate the parks (included alongside the score from the survey). You can see all the data and scores from the survey for each theme park in the graphics throughout the guide.
We hope you find this guide useful in helping you decide which UK theme park will offer you the best day out depending on your needs/preferences.
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick overview of the best parks for different groups/people:
Best for families… Paultons Park.
Best for families with young children… Legoland Windsor.
Best for thrill seekers… Thorpe Park.
Best for animal lovers… Chessington World of Adventures.
Best for bargain hunters… Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Best for EVERYONE… Alton Towers.
*Prices and information accurate as of August 2020*
Jump straight to a park:
9. Flamingo Land
North Yorkshire | All (4+) from £33 | Parking FREE
Theme park, zoo and holiday resort in North Yorkshire
9 roller coasters / 52 attractions
Award winning zoo and on-site holiday lodges & homes
Water playground, outside concert stage and play areas for children
Themed lands including: Dino Stone Park, Lost Kingdom Reserve and Metropolis
We visited Flamingo Land in 2016. We weren’t overly impressed with the overall quality of the park compared with the other parks we had visited in the UK. Many of the themed areas didn’t appear to be well maintained or themed to a high standard (there’s lots of concrete). Having said that, it’s not a bad park and there’s a good selection of rides alongside the animals. If you’re interested in the Zoo more than then rides then Flamingo Land would be a great day out for you! The park has been improving over the years and seems to be getting consistent investments for improvement. In 2021 it will see the addition of a new, thrilling roller coaster.
Those who filled out our survey said the park is a great place for families to stay for a holiday or weekend break, but also said the overall quality of the park isn’t the best.
Roller Coasters
There are four thrill coasters at the park. One of which is known in the theme park enthusiast community for being extremely uncomfortable to ride (Hero). There are also four family coasters and one kiddie coaster.
Attractions
As well as the large Zoo - which also offers animal encounters (for an additional cost), the chance to meet some animals for free and daily keeper talks - there are also daytime shows and character meet and greets (with Peter Rabbit).
Food
We didn’t purchase any food from the park when we visited so can’t comment on the food quality/value.
The following are examples of the food available:
All you can eat Pizza & Pasta buffet | Adults £13.95 & Children £7.95
Muddy Duck Cafe | Costa Coffee, panini’s and snacks
The Gourmet Grill | burgers, pizzas and chicken etc
+
Very reasonably priced onsite accommodation (lodges and holiday homes)
Lovely Zoo and animal encounters
-
Operations can sometimes be slow (lengthens queue lines)
Quality of the theming and park maintenance is not the best
Best for families and animal lovers looking for a fun, reasonably priced weekend away.
8. Oakwood
Pembrokeshire | All (13+) from £30.60 / Child (3-12) from £20.70 | Parking FREE
Theme park located in the countryside of Pembrokeshire (Wales)
5 roller coasters / 30 attractions
Mini golf, outside stage and boating lake
Themed lands including: Spooky Street, Neverland and Adrenaline Adventure
Harry visited Oakwood in 2016 and thought it was a really nice park with lots of open space. The one day he visited it was very quiet, which meant the atmosphere wasn’t as exciting or buzzing as you might expect a theme park to be. Also, some of the lands/areas were better maintained and themed than others. However, he felt there was a good variety of rides across the park, especially since it’s such a small park. He loved both Megafobia and Speed, the two largest thrill coasters. This park would also be great for kids who are looking to overcome a fear of roller coasters as the coasters increase in thrill level - allowing kids to work their way up to bigger and scarier thrills!
Those who filled out our survey said the park has a great selection of rides for a small park, but also said some of the empty space in the park feels untouched and could be used better.
Roller Coasters
There are three thrill coasters at the park. One of which is a wooden roller coaster (Megafobia). There’s also one family coaster and one kiddie coaster.
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there is also a mini golf course, kids playground, arcade and air target shooting range.
Food
Harry can’t quite remember what he ate when he visited the park (probably a hot dog!) but from the looks of it the food was standard theme park fast-food at a reasonable price.
The following are examples of the food available:
Woody’s Burger Bar
The Little Darlings Cafe
The Haunt | Pizza Restaurant
+
Great small park in a countryside setting
Often quiet with short queue times
-
Areas of empty, untouched space which could be used better
Quality of the food is not always the best
Best for those looking to visit a smaller, quieter park for a great day out.
7. Drayton Manor
Staffordshire | All (12+) from £28.50 / Child (4-11) from £24.50 | Parking £6
Theme park and zoo located in the former grounds of Drayton Manor in Staffordshire
4 roller coasters / 40+ attractions
On-site hotel with themed rooms and own caravan/camping site
Mini golf, indoor kids play area, animals, live shows, outdoor activity park and dino trail
Themed lands including: Thomas Land
We’ve visited Drayton Manor on a number of occasions over the years. It’s a really great family park with a good selection of rides and attractions. Thomas Land is by far the best area in the park in terms of theming and overall quality, and would be perfect for younger families to enjoy (especially with any Thomas the Tank Engine fans). However, the park lacks thrill rides for older children and adults, outside of Thomas Land the park could use some attention. But following the recent sale of the park to Looping Parks (a French leisure company) we might see improvements and even some new additions to the coaster line-up soon.
Those who filled out our survey said that Thomas Land is really great for small children, but also said that the park could do with some TLC in other areas and new investments/additions.
Roller Coasters
There’s one thrill coaster at the park which is a stand-up roller coaster (Shockwave). There are also three family coasters of different thrill levels.
Attractions
As well as the rides and zoo, there is also a mini golf course, an indoor kids play area, live shows, an outdoor activity park and a dino trail.
Food
Harry grew up visiting Drayton Manor often and it’s a tradition for him to have a hot dog when visiting the park - so that’s what we normally grab for lunch! You can’t go wrong with a theme park hot dog.
The following are examples of the food available:
Burger Kitchen
Chicken Diner
Boathouse
+
Thomas Land is a brilliant, high quality themed kids area
Excellent accommodation options
-
Lack of thrill rides for older children and adults
The park is in need of some investment and TLC
Best for young families - especially those with Thomas the Tank Engine fans!
6. Thorpe Park
Surrey| All (3+) from £39 | Parking £7 (online)
Theme Park on it’s own small island in Surrey
7 roller coasters / 26 attractions
Merlin Park (included in Merlin Annual Pass)
On-site hotel with ‘shark cabins’
Water slides with beach/pool and outdoor stage
Themed lands including: Amity, Old Town, Swarm Island and Lost City
We’ve been visiting Thorpe Park regularly for many years now. It’s a park that’s very much aimed at thrill seekers and young adults, although there are some areas which young families would enjoy (the beach). It can be quite a busy park at times with long queue times - this might be because the actual area/size of the park is relatively small. However, if you’re looking for some big thrill rides then you’ll love Thorpe Park. There’s also ‘Derren Brown’s Ghost Train’ which is a fantastic VR attraction which we highly recommend checking out. We’d love to see a new coaster added to the park soon to update and freshen up their thrill coaster line-up.
Those who filled out our survey said the park has some great thrill rides, but also said the theming across the park could be improved and that the atmosphere is not the best (due to the high number of teens that visit).
Roller Coasters
There are five thrill coasters at the park, all of which are very different so there’s a good variety. There are also two family coasters (one of which is indoor).
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there is also a selection of outdoor water slides, an outdoor beach/pool area and outdoor stage.
Food
We often visit the unlimited pizza & pasta buffet which is great value for money (especially with the Merlin Annual pass discount) and really tasty. These pizza & pasta buffets are at all the UK Merlin parks. We’ve also eaten in Amity fish and chips, Burger King and KFC in the past - but the pizza buffet is our favourite by far. The food quality is what you’d expect for fast food but often slightly more expensive than we think it will be, which is why we opt for the buffet option.
The following are examples of the food available:
Infinity Bar & Kitchen | Burgers (£11.95) & Pizza (£13.95)
Sombrero’s Street Food | Mexican
Amity Fish & Chips
+
Lots of big thrill rides & water rides
Unique VR attraction (Derren Brown’s Ghost Train)
-
Atmosphere and attractions heavily aimed at teens
Themed areas could be more defined
Best for thrill seekers and teens looking for an exciting day out.
5. Legoland Windsor
Berkshire | All £26 | Parking £7 (online)
Lego-themed resort located in Windsor
3 roller coasters / 55 attractions
Merlin Park (included in Merlin Annual Pass)
Two on-site hotels with Lego-themed rooms
Live character shows and meet & greets
Miniland (Lego models from around the world), Duplo play areas (one water) and Lego model building workshop
Themed lands including: Lego Ninjago World, Knights Kingdom and Heartlake City
We’ve visited Legoland Windsor many times over the years and I have fond memories of the park from my childhood. It’s a fantastic family park and a dream for fans of Lego. All the lands are themed to a very high standard and there are loads of attractions for families to enjoy together. Miniland is great to walk around for a relaxing break from the rides and there are plenty of Lego models to keep you entertained throughout the day. However, this park is not well suited to thrill seekers as all the rides cater to families - but despite being adults we still have a great time when we visit!
Those who filled out our survey said the park is perfect for young families, but also said it can get very busy on peak days.
Roller Coasters
There are two family coasters at the park, both of which are in Knights Kingdom and themed to dragons (one is more thrilling/larger than the other). There’s also one kiddie coaster in Duplo Valley.
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there is also Miniland (Lego models from around the world), Duplo play areas (one water) live shows, character meet & greets and Lego model model building workshops.
Food
As this is also a Merlin park, we often eat in the unlimited pizza & pasta buffet because it’s such great value for money (and we love their pizza).
The following are examples of the food available:
City Walk Pizza & Pasta
Pirate’s Burger Kitchen
Knights Table Rotisserie
+
Fantastic park for young families with small children
Huge variety of Lego-themed attractions and rides
-
Can get very busy on peak days
No thrill rides for older children and adults
Best for young families with small children - especially those who love Lego!
4. Chessington World of Adventures
Surrey | All (3+) from £29.50 | Parking £4
Theme park resort and Zoo located in Surrey
4 roller coasters / 33 attractions
Merlin Park (included in Merlin Annual Pass)
Zoo, Sea Life Centre, on-site glamping opening 2021 and two on-site hotels with themed rooms
Daily animal talks, character meet & greets and live shows
Themed lands including: Rainforest, Wild Woods and Land of the Tiger
We’ve been to Chessington a few times recently and have been really impressed with the park overall. In the past few years they have made some fantastic improvements and added some great new attractions. There’s now a Gruffalo ride and a Room on the Broom themed attraction. The themed areas are much more defined than they were in the past as some areas have been improved or re-themed, and their new attractions are all of a very high quality. However, it would be great to see a new family coaster as the next addition to the park to update their coaster line-up.
Those who filled out our survey said the park and zoo make for a great family day out with lots to do, but also said they would like a new roller coaster added soon.
Roller Coasters
There are three thrill coasters at the park. One of which is a spinning roller coaster (Dragon’s Fury). There’s also one family coaster (Scorpion Express).
Attractions
As well as the Zoo (which offers animal encounters for an additional cost) and Sea Life Centre, there are also two toddler play areas, kids play area, safari truck journey, live shows and go ape nearby (additional cost).
Food
The last few times we’ve visited Chessington we took our own picnic with us. But as it’s a Merlin park they have the same kind of food outlets that we see in other Merlin parks - like the pizza & pasta buffet for example. Apparently the Smokehouse is really nice!
The following are examples of the food available:
Vampire's Burger Kitchen | Burger meals (£7.75)
Smokehouse BBQ & Bar
Street Dogs
+
Fantastic theme park & zoo resort for families with a great atmosphere
Various types of attractions and things to do
-
In need of a new headline roller coaster
Lack of big thrill rides as the park is aimed at families
Best for animal lovers and families looking for fun day out or weekend away.
3. Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Lancashire | Adult (12+) from £28 / Child from £26 | Parking from £15 (small dedicated car park)
Seaside theme park located in Blackpool
10 roller coasters / 38 attractions
Ice skating arena, indoor shows, arcades, water display and two on-site hotels
Themed lands including: Nickelodeon Land
Over the years we’ve visited Blackpool Pleasure Beach many times. It’s a unique park due to the fact that it’s full of very old ‘vintage’ roller coasters, one of which has been there since the 1920s. There are also newer coasters like Icon and lots of other attractions to enjoy. As BPB’s collection of rides and attractions spans many decades, the atmosphere in the park can sometimes feel a bit jumbled and the theming often lacks continuity. However, there’s no doubt that the park offers excellent value for money (there’s so much to do) and it gives guests the chance to ride coasters that are soaked in history. The location of the park is also great - you get a view of the Blackpool seaside when you’re on the taller coasters.
Those who filled out our survey said the park has a great seaside and vintage feel to it, but also said that the park is dated in some areas and could use some TLC.
Roller Coasters
There are seven thrill coasters and three family coasters at the park. The oldest of the roller coasters was constructed in 1923 (Big Dipper) and the newest coaster was added in 2018 (Icon).
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there is also an ice skating arena, indoor shows, arcades and a water display.
Food
BPB has it’s own version of the unlimited pizza & pasta buffet we love at Merlin parks, so we’ve eaten there in the past and it was great. We also had a meal in the cafe near Icon’s brake run when I was vegetarian as they served jacket potatoes. The meal was cheap and cheerful but I struggled to find any other exciting vegetarian options at the park. We’ve also eaten at one of the fast food outlets which was fine but it took a very long time to get our food.
One thing to note about the food at BPB is that bringing your own picnics and snacks is not allowed. All food consumed in the park must be bought from the restaurants and cafes on-site (any of your own food will be thrown away or put in a paid locker at the entrance during the bag check).
The following are examples of the food available:
Big Pizza Kitchen
Southern Fried Chicken
Burger King
+
Unique seaside & vintage atmosphere
Value for money is high as there are so many rides and attractions on offer
-
Some areas are dated and in need of some TLC
Your own picnics & snacks are not allowed into the park
Best for families and thrill seekers looking for great value for money.
2. Paultons Park
Hampshire | All (1m +) from £35.75 / Under 1m FREE | Parking FREE
Theme park and animal garden located on the edge of the New Forest
5 roller coasters / 70+ attractions
Animals, gardens, water play area, multiple kids playgrounds, lake and water mill
Themed lands including: Peppa Pig World, Lost Kingdom and Critter Creek
We visited Paultons Park for the first time this year and were really impressed with the park. Despite being adults (not their target audience at all), we had a fantastic day experiencing the rides, seeing the animals and relaxing in the gardens. Peppa Pig World, their most popular area, was themed to a very high standard and had a great selection of kids rides. We also loved The Lost Kingdom (prehistoric area) which was also themed very well and had some solid family roller coasters. The atmosphere of the park was great and once their brand new area opens (Tornado Springs) the park will be even more impressive!
Those who filled out our survey said the park is modern, well-maintained and well themed, but also said some of the areas at the back of the park could do with an update in the future.
Roller Coasters
There is one thrill coaster currently at the park but a second brand new thrill coaster will be opening in 2021 in the new area. There are also four family coasters.
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there are also animals, gardens, a water play area, multiple kids playgrounds, a lake and water mill.
Food
We ate in the Wild Forest Family Restaurant when we visited the park and both had the Tex-Mex chicken wrap with chips (£7.50). The wraps were really tasty, very reasonably priced and the restaurant itself was great. We loved being able to sit down and have a rest while eating in a restaurant setting but without having to pay extortionate prices for meals.
The following are examples of the food available:
Wild Forest Family Restaurant | Burger meals (£12.50) & Wraps with chips (£7.50)
The Railroad Diner | Fish & Chips
The Hay Barn | Burritos and loaded fries
+
Well-maintained park with a great atmosphere
Fantastic themed areas and rides for all the family to enjoy
-
Some areas at the back of the park could do with updating in the future
No extreme thrill coasters for thrill seekers and adults
Best for families looking for a relaxing, fun-filled day out.
1. Alton Towers
Staffordshire | Adult (12+) from £34 / Child from £28.50 | Parking £6
Theme park & resort located in the grounds of what used to be a private estate
10 roller coasters / 37 attractions
Merlin Park (included in Merlin Annual Pass)
Three on-site hotels with themed rooms, glamping pods and enchanted lodges
Sea Life Centre, Alton Towers Dungeon, mini-golf, waterpark, tree top quest, gardens and conference centre
Themed lands including: X-Sector, CBeebies Land and Dark Forest
Alton Towers is most definitely our most-visited theme park and our favourite park in the UK for obvious reasons: it’s got a huge selection of coasters and rides, it’s well-themed and maintained, and the atmosphere is always great. There’s something for everyone at Alton Towers - for young children there’s CBeebies land, for older children there’s a selection of family rides to introduce them to roller coasters, and for the thrill seekers there are huge coasters to get on. The theming across the park is fantastic (especially the newest ride - Wicker Man) and there are additional attractions to enjoy, like the Dungeons and Sea Life Centre.
Those who filled out our survey said they love the selection of coasters and the staff are really friendly, but also said that the park is very large so there’s a lot of walking involved (there are cable cars between areas to help combat this issue).
Roller Coasters
There are eight thrill coasters at the park. The newest (2018) is a modern wooden roller coaster (Wicker Man). There are also two family coasters.
Attractions
As well as the rides and coasters, there is also a Sea Life Centre, Alton Towers Dungeon, mini-golf, waterpark, tree top quest, gardens and conference centre.
Food
As we’ve visited Alton Towers so many times, we’ve eaten in a lot of the food outlets and restaurants on-site. Aside from our usual favourite, the pizza & pasta buffet, we’d really recommend the Roller Coaster restaurant. Not only is the food great, but eating there is an experience in itself (kids will love it) and is unique to Alton Towers. Sometimes we order the half chicken and chips meal with a side of extra chips to share between us to reduce costs - it’s enough for both of us! Woodcutters is another great restaurant if you’re looking for a relaxing sit-down meal. With the Merlin Annual pass discount the meal prices there are very reasonable and the quality of the food is excellent. Aside from that there are standard take-away food options across the park if you’re looking for a quick bite.
The following are examples of the food available:
Roller Coaster Restaurant (meals travel on a track and arrive at your table)
Explorers Pizza Pasta Buffet
Woodcutters Bar and Grill
+
Fantastic park with a huge selection of high-quality rides and attractions
Beautiful gardens, scenery and grounds
-
Large park which involves more walking than your average theme park
Standard car park is a distance from the entrance
Best for families and thrill seekers looking for a fantastic day out or weekend break filled with great rides and attractions.
We hope you found this guide useful and that it helped you decide which UK theme park you’ll be visiting next! There are so many fantastic parks to choose from in the UK - there’s something for everyone.
- Zoe
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