A pyramid filled with fantasy fun (Fantasy Island Skegness)

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Product:	Fantasy Island Skegness
Date:	13/08/02 (747 review reads)
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Advantages: loads to do, fun for all

Disadvantages: expensive rides

Fantasy Island is a multi award winning family visitor attraction and holiday destination. Most of the complex is inside a huge glass and metallic pyramid shaped building towering over Lincolnshire’s seascape. The pyramid looks very small from the outside, but as soon as you go inside (wow) It’s huge!!! It is located down Sea Lane in Ingoldmels, which is a few miles away from Lincolnshire’s top resorts - Funcoast World (Butlins holiday camp) and Skegness (popular seaside resort). It doesn’t matter whether it is a sunny day or a rainy day, as there will always be something for everyone either inside or outside.
The entrance to Fantasy Island is awesome. The front of the building is nicely shaped with lovely things built into the walls such as palm trees etc. There are also rides right outside the door, and rides that go all round the outside.

It is open most days from 10am, but you would have to check through www.fantasyisland.co.uk to find out which days it’s open. Saturdays and bank holidays are the busiest days, as that’s the days most people have off work.
Entrance to the complex is free. You just have to pay for the car park, rides and food etc. Bear in mind that Skegness and Ingoldmels are very busy, especially in the high season, with all the tourists flocking to the beach or Fantasy Island to enjoy all the entertainment, so the queues for the rides will be longer.

Getting to Fantasy Island couldn’t be easier. It is signposted all the way from Skegness if you are coming that way and there are bus and taxi services (from Skegness centre to Fantasy Island centre) that run every 10 minutes for easy and quick access. If you decide to travel by car, there is a huge car park located on the grounds for a small charge, which is the same all throughout the year. Just incase you go on a mega busy day, you can park in any of the other car parks near Fantasy Island or even on the side of the road, thou
gh it won’t be as secure as it would be in the car park. You can also travel by coach or train.
If you decide to travel by train you can save a lot of money as you can obtain a £20 voucher (all-in-one ticket) from your train station, which will include the train fare to and from Skegness, then you would get the bus to Fantasy Island from the train station and when you reach the complex you will be given £20 in ride tokens.
If you would like this cheaper option then you have to ring 0870 000 60 60 to book a ticket etc.

Inside the complex, everyone is catered for, whether you are young, old or disabled. It is wheel chair and pushchair friendly, and there are disabled facilities, baby changing facilities and toilets all throughout the complex, so you don’t need to worry about that. Also, all the times I have been to the complex, the toilets have been very clean, unlike others in Skegness itself.
If you need to go to the bank, you will find Nat west, Yorkshire bank, Halifax, Barclays and Lloyd’s cash machines. If you can’t keep away from the bookies, you will find a Ladbrokes.
If you fear you might lose a child, there is a lost children department.
If you happen to need medical treatment for any reason what so ever, there is a First Aid centre.
I have also noticed that the staff are very friendly. Once when my mum and I couldn’t work the ride token machine, we asked a member of staff and they were very polite, friendly and helpful. You can ask them for any information you like. They always seem to know exactly what they’re talking about (unlike the people in PC world).
There are loads of gift shops and normal shops (30 in total, so you’ll be spoilt for choice) selling postcards, T. shirts and caps etc all bearing the logo of Fantasy Island. There are also many side stalls selling souvenirs where you can have your name printed on them, near the arcades.

If you want to stay in Ingold
mels longer than 1 day, i.e. for a weekend etc, why don’t you stay in 1 of the many self catering caravans surrounding the complex? If so, you have to ring 01754 764173 for more information or to make a booking. What could be better than having a beach and loads of different entertainment including amusement arcades and bingo on your doorstep?

Also, why go into Skegness for some night entertainment when you can go to Fantasy Island? Yes you heard me right!!! Fantasy Island has night entertainment. There is an entertainment venue called Scallywags Showbar. This is situated inside the complex next to the Lagoon Stage. There is a great entertainment programme with many top cabaret attractions taking place all throughout the year. There are 4 bars in total with lots of evening entertainment. Also during high season, the rides are open into the night. The darkness of the night and the flashing of the rides, people screaming in excitement and bands playing in Scallywags showbar makes a fantastic atmosphere.

There are many restaurants situated inside and around the complex. You will find everything from fish and chips to burgers and carvery meals etc.
I have listed the restaurants below:

Burger King (of course, where in England can you go without spotting one of these?)
McDonalds (same as above)
Nescafe Café Shop (mmm if you like coffee)
Ice cream and snacks (mmm yummy)
Bamboo Take Away (I’ve never been in here, so I can’t tell you what it’s like)
Bella Pasta (cooks pasta I suppose hehe)
Island Diner (sells jacket potatoes and pizza’s to name a couple)
Hot Roast Carvery Diner (mmm never been in here, but it sounds yummy)
Elite fish and chips (now you can’t go to the seaside with out finding a fish and chip shop can you? Or can you?)

I will also list the entertainment venues located in the complex for you, though I have never been in the bars, so I can’t tell
you what they’re like.

Scallywags show bar (you’ve already heard about)
Lagoon Stage
Cave Bar
Woody’s Wine Bar

I will next move onto the entertainment for the children. If you want to keep them occupied whilst you go and have a game of bingo or a drink at the bar, why don’t you leave them in the hands of the friendly staff at ‘Tiny Tots Village’? This is a big play area centre opposite the road. Your kids will love it in there. There are many slides, ball pits, climbing apparatus and activity modules etc. If you don’t want to leave them, why not go to Lagoon Stage located at the top of the complex. During the day, there are kids shows like Punch and Judy etc. There are also loads of rides for the younger generation, so I’m sure they will be kept entertained throughout. Also you never know who you might bump into, as there are lots of dressed up characters that roam the pyramid every day.

If you fancy something a bit different, why not visit the market? I hear you say..market? Fantasy Island has a market (shocked)???
Well Fantasy Island is the home to Europe’s largest 7-day indoor and outdoor market. You will find a huge range of bargains for everyone, from the many different stalls, ranging from colourful stalls, auctioneers, craft workers, cat walk fashion shows, sweets, clothes and electrical stalls etc. This is situated right outside the entrance of Fantasy Island and this too, is completely free to look around.

Now I am sure you are all dying to hear what rides there is (as you can see, I have saved the best til last)

In the complex, (which is pyramid shaped incase you’d forgotten), are many many rides for the kiddies, but the bigger rides such as the roller coasters are outside. Rides can only be accessed via tokens. You can buy tokens from the many token machines or token desks situated around the complex. They cost 50p each and most
rides take between 2 and 4 tokens except the millennium roller coaster which takes 8.
I have only been on the Magical Seaquarium and the Secrets of Fantasy Island dream like ride, but nothing else as it all looks too scary for me. Oh and I have also been on the Merry Mixer (Twister). This one is very fast, so beware!!! There are all different types of rides and attractions to suit any taste, so I will list the main ones below:

DRAGON MOUNTAIN DESCENT

This is a ride I didn’t dare go on. It is Europe’s longest water coaster. You have to walk around this adventure area, such as rope bridges etc and when you get to the top, you are seated in a dinghy and you go down this flume, and you have a 99% chance of getting wet.

VOLCANIC ERUPTION

This is a ride where you sit in seats at the bottom and you shoot up very fast up into the air, and no before you ask, I have not been on this and never will.

SIM EX MOVIE RIDE ADVENTURES

This is one of the simulators where you sit on seats and the seats move. I didn’t dare go on this and it’s also not for people with back problems.

MAGICAL SEAQUARIUM

This is the best ride ever apart from the cine 2000 on my Wicksteed Park opinion. On this ride you sit on a boat which goes through this track which is on the water (don’t worry it doesn’t go off the track and no you don’t fall out) and it goes through this cave which is all lit up and you get to see all these lovely types of fish and mystical sea creatures. (They’re not real by the way) They are all doing things that human’s would do. It’s so lovely and magical to see. The boats spin round slowly whilst it goes along the track, so you have a chance to see everything along your journey. The only thing I don’t like is when you get on and off the boats as they don’t stop, they are moving slowly, so I am always scared I will fall out, but the atte
ndants are very friendly to you and they always help you get in and out safely.

KENTUCKY DERBY / HOOK A DUCK

Some of the many side stalls around the complex, where you can try and win prizes.

BALLOON FLIGHT

You sit on a hot air balloon and it goes in a circle very slowly and you get to see other rides in action and just marvel at the beauty of Fantasy Island. Not for the faint hearted though, as there is a big drop. It is quite high off the floor you see. Small children can also ride on it.

MILLENIUM COASTER

Now this is a huge roller coaster. I feel terrified just looking up at the track. I feel as though I am swaying and the track is swaying. There are loads of loops that are high up in the air and the roller coaster looks very fast from where I like to stand and watch. It also comes quite close to the ground, so you may have to duck (only joking!!!) Now there is no way I would go on this ride.

JUBILEE ODYSSEY

This ride is over 4,200 feet long and it’s Europe’s longest suspended roller coaster. (Sounds scary)

LITTLE TIKES PLAY AREA

This is a little play area for the kiddies, to keep them out of mischief if you do not wish to take them to the Tiny Tots Village

WILD MOUSE SPINNING COASTER

This is a ride where you sit in these little mouse cars and the cars race up and down these roller coaster tracks, whilst your car is spinning round cars (a bit like being on the waltzers)

SECRETS OF FANTASY ISLAND

This is a ride where you sit in these little cars (a bit like a monorail) and you go through these caves on the track in the air. Inside the caves, there are flowers etc that are all lit up and illuminated and believe me, it looks like something out of this world.

MERRY MIXER (otherwise known as a Twister)

This is one of the rides where 2 or 3 people can share one car and there are a few cars in each bit and it go
es round and twists in and out!! Lovely! Though be careful, as you will get totally squashed.



RHOMBUS’S ROCKET

This is apparently a roller coaster for all the family to enjoy. One where you sit on a rocket powered train on a track. It is a journey you have to hold on tight for as you twist in and out.

KIDS ROLLER COASTER

This is a roller coaster for little kids that twists and turns through jungle landscaping

THE BEAST

This ride is for the daredevil in you. You end up suspended 60 feet above the ground, whilst the beast subjects you to triple rolls at 360 degrees. Certainly not for the faint hearted, not even to watch I don’t think!

FANTASEA FLUME

This is where you ride this water track in a raft and you are guaranteed to get wet whether you sit at the front, middle or back. You also get filmed coming out from the top and they take a photo of you, which you are free to purchase if you desire.

JELLY COASTER TRAIN RIDE

This is a roller coaster for the little kiddies, which goes through Jolly Jelly World.

DODGEMS

Those bumper cars you have to drive your self where you can’t resist hitting the car to the side of you. There is also a dodgem course for the little kids.

Fantasy Island is home to loads of different rides – some being more daredevil than others. Some are bigger than most in Europe and what makes Fantasy Island so unique is that most of the complex is indoors! So whatever your tastes in rides, Fantasy Island has it all. You don’t have to worry if you need help with anything or any information, as attendants walk around the complex all day so they will be there to help you. If you can’t spot anyone, just ask the people standing by the ride entrances. As I have said before they are all lovely, friendly people.

Also, the rides and food is quite expensive, so it’s perhaps best to take
a picnic with you and sit on the beach. You do get your moneys worth on the rides as the big ones will be a different experience for you. You can also go to those tourist information centres and see if they have any leaflets about the complex. I did that, I got a leaflet and it had a coupon on it, where you buy £20 worth of tokens and you get £20 worth completely free. Or again as I’ve said before, you can go via train and get one of those all-in-one vouchers.
I hope you have a great time (though I am positive you will) if you decide to go!

Thanks for reading my opinion. I hope it has been very useful for you. I hope so anyway – it has taken me ages to do!!!hehe

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