When people think of UK theme parks, Alton Towers is usually the first to come to mind and understandably so. We love it! But there’s another theme park in Staffordshire and for a long time, we dismissed Drayton Manor as not worth the effort. Yes, they have Thomas Land, the area with rides and attractions based on Thomas the Tank Engine, but we never felt drawn to visit. Turns out, it’s a pretty decent theme park.
Apart from having one of the best children’s areas in the country, or so we’re told (we don’t have kids), the park has been completely transformed over the last few years. The new owners have created new themed lands like Frontier Falls and Vikings, making it a great destination for the whole family.
It’s got some decent roller coasters and good water rides. We got DRENCHED on Stormforce 10. There’s even a zoo. And yes, we did get a little more excited about Thomas the Tank Engine than we thought we would.
Here’s our guide to having a great day at Drayton Manor!
Where is Drayton Manor?
The park is located near Tamworth in Staffordshire. It’s about a 30-minute drive north of Birmingham. We stayed at Birmingham Airport and rented a car. It was really easy to get to from there.
Because it’s so close to the major road networks, it’s actually easy to get to from anywhere in the Midlands and cities like Leicester, Coventry, Derby and Nottingham are not too far. It’s built around a large lake and feels very green and spacious compared to some other theme parks.
Getting There
The one thing we find a little frustrating about theme parks in the UK is how difficult it can be to get to without a car but here are your options.
- By Car: This is definitely the easiest way to visit. It’s located just off the M42 and the A5 so it’s a very straightforward drive. If you need a rental, we always recommend checking Discover Cars for the best deals.
- By Train: The nearest major train station is Tamworth which is well connected to London and Birmingham. From Tamworth station, it’s about a 10-minute taxi ride to the park entrance. There’s also Wilnecote station nearby but fewer trains stop there.
- By Bus: There are local bus services that run from Tamworth and Birmingham (like the 110 route) that will drop you close to the park but the car or train is much faster.
Parking & Arrival
There is lots of car parking space but you do have to pay for parking. We recommend booking your parking ticket online in advance because it’s cheaper than paying at the barriers on the day and you just drive straight in. Just remember to enter your car registration when booking so the barriers open automatically for you!
Once you get parked, it’s a short walk to the main entrance. Make sure to take a note of where your car is. We were a few minutes searching on the way out in the rain!
Security is usually quick and efficient. If you’re staying at the onsite hotel, you get free parking (if you book direct) and a separate entrance into the park which saves a lot of time.
Where to Stay
There are a few options for your visit to Drayton Manor if you want to make it more than a day trip.
- Drayton Manor Hotel: This 4-star hotel is right beside the theme park. It’s great for families and even has Thomas & Friends themed rooms. We’d have loved a Thomas the Tank Engine room! It’s the most convenient option for staying near the park.
- The Fazeley Inn: This is the closest accommodation outside the resort with rooms about a kilometre from the park entrance. It’s perfect if you want something cheap and cheerful without having to drive far to the park.
- Holiday Inn Express Tamworth: Another reliable family choice just down the road. It usually includes breakfast in the room rate and it’s right next to the SnowDome if you want to add some indoor skiing to your trip!
- The Belfry Hotel & Resort: For something a bit more luxurious, this well-known golf resort is only 15 minutes away. It’s great if you want to combine the theme park trip with spa treatments or a round of golf. We don’t do golf but we have stayed here before and it’s lovely!
- Birmingham City Centre: If you want to combine the theme park with a city break, staying in Birmingham is a great shout. It’s only a 30-minute drive away and there are lots of great things to do including Cadbury World!
Getting Your Tickets
Theme park rule number one applies here as always: never buy your tickets at the gate! It’s always more expensive on the day.
Booking online in advance can save you money and it means you can walk straight to the turnstiles when you arrive. We find GetYourGuide decent for getting tickets and sometimes they have combo deals.
Useful Info
- Fast Pass: Drayton Manor has a virtual queuing system called Fast Pass where you can pay extra to skip the regular queues. You can book your Fast Pass in advance or from Guest Services on the day but they do sell out sometimes. There are three different levels – Silver, Gold & Platinum. The more you pay, the more queues you can skip.
- Height Restrictions: Most rides have height limits so it’s worth checking on the website in advance so you have an idea what rides your kids might not be able to go on.
- Ride Access Pass: The park has an accessibility pass for guests who struggle with queues. You need to apply for it online via the Nimbus Disability system before you arrive.
- Download the App: The free park app is great for checking wait times and navigating your way around the different lands.
Themed Areas & Attractions
The reason we were eager to visit was because we’d heard the park has really stepped up its theming game lately. You can see the effort being put into the new areas. The park is split into several lands and there’s something for everyone. Here are our highlights.
Frontier Falls
This is the newest area of the park and the Wild West theming is fun. Gold Rush is the centre piece and everything else fits in around it.
- Gold Rush: This is a new Intamin family coaster and it’s brilliant. It has a unique track-switching system which means you get launched backwards and forwards. There are actually two different ride sequences that run randomly so you never know exactly what ride you’re going to get.
- Sheriff’s Showdown: This is an interactive dark ride where you go through a Wild West town shooting your gun at targets to get the highest score. We get far too competitive on these and always have a good laugh.
- Accelerator: This is a family boomerang coaster which is a bit more intense than we expected. You get pulled backwards up a tower before being dropped back through the station. You then complete the whole track forwards before doing it all again backwards. They’re making changes to it to fit into the Wild West theme.
- Blasting Barrels: We’d go as far as saying this is the best-themed teacups ride we’ve seen! The big building it’s in helps. You get into oversized explosive barrels and spin around as fast as you can. It’ll leave you feeling dizzy (and maybe wanting to puke!)
- The Haunting: This has been one of the most well-known rides in the park for a while and they kept it when they created Frontier Falls. It’s an indoor ride that will completely disorient you. It has a fun spooky storyline that makes you feel like you’re on an episode of Most Haunted.
Adventure Cove
This beach-themed area is bright, colourful and home to some of the park’s biggest thrill rides. It has a fun seaside vibe and is definitely the best place to be if you need to cool off on a hot summer day.
- The Wave: This is the biggest roller coaster in the park and was recently transformed. They swapped the old stand-up trains for sit-down ones with lap bars. It’s smooth, fast and lots of fun.
- Stormforce 10: A brilliant flume ride with three drops. Be warned: you will get absolutely soaked on this! We’re convinced they shouldn’t have a ride that gets you this wet in England.
- River Rapids: This is a family water ride that winds its way through the area, even going under The Wave. You board a circular boat and bounce along the currents. It’s good fun for the whole family but be prepared to get splashed if your side of the boat hits a wave!
- Maelstrom: A giant spinning pendulum ride that swings you high into the air while rotating. It is disorientating but good fun if you have a strong stomach.
Vikings
This Viking-themed land is really detailed and has a great atmosphere.
- Loki: A spinning family thrill ride that sends you soaring into the air while rotating. This was the first of its kind in the UK.
- Thor: A Disk’O Coaster that spins you back and forth along a half-pipe track. It’s good fun (although once you’ve been on Riddler’s Revolution in Warner Bros. World in Abu Dhabi, no Disk’O will ever be the same!)
- Jormungandr: This is a reimagining of the park’s family roller coaster that’s been around for years. It weaves its way through the trees and gives you lovely views over the lake. It has no big drops so it’s the perfect first coaster for younger kids (or adults) who are feeling brave.
- Sleipnir: If you have little ones who want a bit of Viking action, this is perfect. It’s a gentle track ride where kids can saddle up on their very own mythical horse and go for a trek around the area. They have something similar in Emerald Park.
Thomas Land
If you have young kids, this is the main event. It’s a big area with over 20 rides themed entirely around Thomas & Friends. It’s widely considered one of the best themed areas for toddlers and younger kids in any UK theme park and it really does bring the classic show to life, even for those of us who were fans in the eighties!
- Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster: This is the perfect first roller coaster for kids. It’s fast enough to be thrilling but smooth enough not to be scary.
- Winston’s Whistle-Stop Tours: This is an elevated monorail ride that takes you on a tour above Thomas Land. You get to ride in Winston the track inspection car and it gives you great aerial views of the whole area. It’s perfect for spotting which ride you want to go on next!
- Thomas Engine Tours: You can actually ride Thomas, Percy or Rosie from Knapford Station right across the park to the zoo! It is a lovely relaxing train journey and we enjoyed our journey on Rosie a lot more than we probably should have.
- Discover Thomas & Friends Exhibition: If you want a break from the rides, this is worth checking out. It features the original miniature sets and models used in the classic TV series. It’s a great bit of nostalgia for those of us who used to love the show when we were kids!
Drayton Manor Zoo
One of the best things about the park is that it has a 15-acre zoo included in the ticket price. It’s a decent attraction in its own right and has over 500 animals including red pandas, meerkats and tigers. It’s great for a break from the noise of the roller coasters AND you can ride on Thomas, Percy or Rosie to get there!
- Tamarin Trail: Make sure you ramble through this themed walk-through experience. It brings you up close to the enclosures so you can watch these adorable little monkeys swinging through the branches.
- Dino Trail: This area has lots of life-sized dinosaur models hidden among the trees. It’s in a much quieter part of the park so it’s good to get away from the madness for a bit.
Food & Drink
There are plenty of places to grab something to eat across the park. There will be something to suit your budget and taste.
- Safari Pizza & Pasta: This is a great spot if you want a decent sit-down meal rather than just fast food. It’s located on the edge of the zoo and has lovely fresh pizzas and pasta dishes. We ate here and really liked it.
- The Burger Kitchen: Located near the main entrance, this is your standard fast food stop. It does good burgers and chips if you need something quick and reliable.
- Chicken Diner: This is in Adventure Cove and is a great spot for fried chicken. They have really big portions for a theme park too!
- Sodor Airport: This is right in the middle of Thomas Land at the airport famous from the TV series! It has sandwiches, hot drinks and handy lunch boxes for kids. It has an outdoor balcony area which gives you views over the rides while you eat!
Shopping
You might be too busy with roller coasters to think about souvenirs but there are a couple of spots you should check out before you head home.
- Thomas Land Shop: Yes, it’s a giant shop full of every type of Thomas & Friends merchandise you could ever imagine. They have some great exclusives and stuff that kids will love. There might even be a few bits for those of us filled with nostalgia after being re-acquainted with Thomas the Tank Engine after many years.
- The Gift Shop: Located right near the exit, this is the best spot to get official park merchandise. You can pick up pins, mugs and hoodies featuring the thrill rides like Gold Rush and The Wave.
Tips for Your Visit
To help you get the most out of your day, here’s some of our best advice.
- Check School Holidays: Just like Alton Towers, this park gets really busy during the UK school holidays. If you can manage a mid-week visit during term time, you’ll walk straight onto most of the rides.
- Ride The Wave Early: The big coasters usually get the longest queues early in the day. Head to The Wave or Gold Rush as soon as the gates open to beat the rush.
- Bring a Poncho: Stormforce 10 doesn’t just splash you, it drenches you! We know from experience! Unless it’s a hot summer day, bring a poncho or a change of clothes.
- Use the Zoo Strategically: When the park is at its busiest between 1pm and 3pm, escape the crowds by rambling around the zoo and the Dino Trail.
- Sort Your Parking in Advance: Book your parking ticket online beforehand and enter your car registration. The barriers will then just open automatically for you when you arrive!
- Go Cashless: Drayton Manor is a completely cashless theme park so make sure you bring a card or have your phone set up to tap and pay.
- Get a Height Wristband: If your kids are near the height restriction mark, head to Guest Services first. They’ll measure them once and give them a wristband so you aren’t held up getting checked at every single ride.
Final Thoughts
Drayton Manor exceeded our expectations. We went in thinking it wasn’t going to be up to much but we were definitely surprised. We started off with Gold Rush which is a decently themed family coaster, probably one of the better ones in the UK. That really set us up for the day.
We ended up on such a nostalgia buzz in Thomas Land. We walked around laughing and joking and we didn’t even get on anything other than the train to the zoo. There were some other nice surprises like The Haunting which has really great theming and Stormforce 10 which is easily one of the best water rides in the UK.
If you want a theme park that balances family charm with decent thrills, you should add Drayton Manor to your list. It’s absolutely worth a visit and we’re genuinely raging we didn’t do it sooner.
