Worth the money and good rides (Drayton Manor)

Member Name: frankie1984

Product:	Drayton Manor
Date:	18/12/08 (671 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheaper than other theme parks and good selection of attractions

Disadvantages: None really

I have been to Drayton Manor on numerous occasions and first discovered the place when I was in high school and we went on a school trip - I'd never even heard of it then and wasn't sure if I was going to like it but boy I was wrong! We had one of the best theme parks days I can remember and since that day I have been back quite a few times. I now go every year with my Husband and our friends as we go to about 3-4 theme parks every year and Drayton Manor is always on the list.

Location:
Drayton Manor is located in Staffordshire near Tamworth and it is very easy to find. For people using a Sat nav you'll need the postcode which is B78 3TW. We travel from Manchester to go to Drayton Manor and it takes us about 1hour 30mins and it is a nice easy straight run on the motorway. You need to come off the M42 at either junction 9 or 10 and the park is well signposted from both junctions.

Opening hours:
The park hours vary depending on the time of year - generally the park opens at 9.30am with rides starting at 10am and the park closes at 5pm. However it is worth checking before you go as sometimes in summer the park will remain open until 6pm. Also near to Bonfire night they do a late opening with a fireworks display.

Rides:
The park has a good mix of rides for everyone - I will just give brief overview of the main rides:

Maelstrom - a swing that has all the seats in a circle - as it swings the circular bit also turns - very deceiving but I reckon one of the best rides here!
Apocalypse - a straight drop ride that takes up to 54 metres before it then tilts you forward and goes into free fall! Not for the faint hearted and I still actually haven't been on this but every years my friends do and say how good and scary it is at the same time!

Shockwave - it is a rollercoaster that you can stand up on! The usual turns and drops but all while standing up!!
Pandemonium - it is two giant swings that swing next to each other but in opposite directions - the swings go all the way over. Pretty good but not for those who get sickly and a bit of a head spinner!

G force - another great ride as this is a roller coaster without overhead bars! It only has a bar across the lap but because of the g force (hence the name) they are not needed over your head even though you go upside down! Short but good!
Storm force 10 - this is the main log flume ride at Drayton manor which has 3 drops one of which is backwards! Very wet especially the last one and a good ride

The parks has plenty of children's rides to but, I cannot really comment on how good they are as I've never been here with children young enough to go on these. However it does seem to be popular with families so it must be appealing!

Other facilities:
Now another thing that Drayton manor has is a zoo and it's not really a small zoo either considering it's a theme park! They have all the usual zoo animals and a couple of big fields with some space for farmyard animals too. The zoo has a small picnic area in too for people to sit and eat which is nice during the summer! I do love going around here as it is well looked after and the animals seem to be happy. At certain times of the day you can see the animals being fed and this is a highlight for many especially when the tigers feeding time comes! There are some toilets also in the zoo area which means when looking around this area you wouldn't have to come out of the zoo section should nature call!
Also in the park there is a pub for those that like to drink while going on rides or those that don't really want to and would rather sit and drink! In the summer I have seen this place become very busy and so I guess it would be a nice place to relax but, personally I would never pay to go in a theme park and then go to the pub so it is not really somewhere I would ever use! The park also has plenty of places to get something to eat and because the park isn't spread out in the way that Alton Towers is where it takes quite a while to get from one place to the other, you are never too far away from a food outlet. Prices for food is about on par with other theme parks so if you can take your own food in a cool box it is definitely worth doing so as you can go out to the car park and back in again as they stamp your hand so they know you've already paid.
There is also a function room which can be hired for weddings and other events but, I'm not sure about how much you'd be looking at for this service and what they would include in the package! I guess it is a novel idea for those who want a wedding with a difference as I presume the whole point is that the park can be opened for the guests.
Lastly, there is a campsite just outside of the park which is located in the grounds that Drayton Manor is on and by the amount of tents I have seen there in the past is quite a popular site during the summer. I am not sure if the park has any special deals for campers on entry fees but, if interested it is probably worth contacting the park itself.


Price:
Price wise I don't think it's as expensive as some of the other major ones like Thorpe park or Alton so that is a bonus but, one thing I will stress is that there is always a way round paying full price anyway and I have never paid full price entry for any of the ones I go to. I would recommend anyone to look out for the 'buy one get one free' vouchers before going and another good one is that Tesco vouchers can be used for Drayton Manor so these can get you free entry altogether which is what I've done on numerous occasions. Tickets at full price for this season are currently £20.95 for an adult which, as I mentioned is over ten pounds cheaper than both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. Children's tickets are £16.95 but family tickets can be purchased which cost £66 for 2 adults and 2 children under 12. Also a note to mention is car parking is free so no extra for that either.

Overall opinion:
I do love Drayton Manor as there is something for everybody and price wise I think it is good value in comparison to its competitors. It has won the best UK attraction award a couple of years running so that tells you something really! I like that there is enough to keep everyone entertained in this park as there are thrill rides and children's rides and with the added bonus of the zoo it really does have something a bit different to it. The pub is probably a welcome relief to those family members dragged along who don't like rides and if you're the type who wants something a bit different for their wedding well why not hire the park?
A great park that I'm sure most people will have a great day out in!

Summary: A theme park with something for everyone