Our review of Thomas Land on its 15th anniversary as Drayton Manor opens for new season
It's back! Drayton Manor has opened its doors for the season and it just so happens to be Thomas Land's 15th anniversary.
So we packed up the kids, aged two and five, and headed to the Staffordshire attraction for their very first trip to a theme park.
Thomas Land has more than 25 rides so we headed straight there. Our five-year-old could go on everything, while the youngest only had to miss out on a couple.
Short queues and fun rides made it a perfect day out for the all of the family. It's well-organised, spaced out and has really friendly staff.
A real highlight for our five-year-old was Troublesome Trucks – it's a fast children's rollercoaster aimed at getting young thrill-seekers used to rides. She loved it so much we went on it three times.
Others that proved to be a hit were Bertie’s Bus, which we went on twice, Cranky’s Drop Tower, the Diesel’s Locomotive Mayhem, Jeremy Jet’s Flying Academy, Harold’s Helicopter Tours and the Rocking Bulstrode.
When you add to this appearances from characters Sir Topham Hat and engineers Rusty and Dusty, it makes this a very special day out.
Our two-year-old absolutely loved the train ride on Thomas to the other end of the park. You could get to go on Percy or Rosie too. We stopped off at the zoo, which sits in a lovely quieter area of the resort next to an outstandingly good adventure playground – which we were at for over an hour – and the dinosaur trail.
The whole place was very child-friendly, and the rides varied and fun. Outside of Thomas Land, we enjoyed the carousel and swinging pirate ship.
Elsewhere in the Drayton Manor resort, thrill-seekers can head for Maelstrom, Accelerator, Shockwave and Storm Force 10 and a whole host of superfast and varied rides. The only problem for us was my five-year-old wanting to go on them all.
A tip for those wishing to visit would be if you want to include everything in one day then go early and make a plan. It's a lot to fit in. There is an app that's handy with its map, timings and useful information.
Also, if you don't want to spend a small fortune on eating at the resort, it's a good idea to take your own food. We packed a picnic and it made the day even better.
The anniversary celebrations, which last a whole month, will see street entertainment, party games, a Thomas-themed Easter egg hunt, and special live performances at the Knapford Station Balcony from Sir Topham Hatt alongside his sidekicks, Rusty and Dusty.
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In 2023 the Drayton Manor theme park is open on most dates from 1st April until 5th November
The gates open at 10am, rides start at 10.30am, and the closing time is usually 5pm.
To find out more, visit draytonmanor.co.uk
