Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. Yesterday, I asked about Fantasy Island in Skegness, Lincolnshire and whether it would be worth me doing a trip to. Responses to that question were quite mixed, with some giving very positive views and encouraging me to go for it and others advising me that it wouldn't be the best choice. With this mixed reception in mind, I've decided to widen my search for a new UK park (or parks) to visit this summer slightly. I'm definitely not ruling out Fantasy Island based on the advice given, but I thought that I should consider my other options as well. With this in mind, I decided to pass my other options by you all and see what your thoughts are.
I should note that as well as my local train station, Lydney, Bristol Parkway is also a station option. My dad has said that he'd happily drop me off at Parkway on his way to work if it would make any of my solo trips easier.
This may look like an odd medley of choices, but these are all of the UK parks that I haven't been to that I would consider to be semi-major, in terms of having at least one noteworthy draw. They are:
Fantasy Island
Due to how close these two are to each other and how far they are from me, I feel like I'd best visiting both of them in one trip.
However, I am drawn to the day trip potential, shorter journey time and favourable public transport links of Adventure Island, Rage looks fun, and there is some other interesting-looking stuff there...
And while the parks in Norfolk/Suffolk are a long way away, it would be a convenient trip in terms of being able to knock off two semi-major parks that are very close to one another...
And while Margate appears to lack draws aside from the Scenic, I was spited by the park when I was in the area in 2019, so it would be nice to finally ride the Scenic and get some redemption...
So, which of these solo trips do you think sounds best? Do you reckon I should go for Fantasy Island, Adventure Island, Great Yarmouth/Pleasurewood or Dreamland Margate? Or do you reckon I'd be better off just going to a UK park I've already visited? As an example, I haven't been to Blackpool in 5 years and have said for the last couple of years that I should try a solo train trip there.
I should note that as well as my local train station, Lydney, Bristol Parkway is also a station option. My dad has said that he'd happily drop me off at Parkway on his way to work if it would make any of my solo trips easier.
This may look like an odd medley of choices, but these are all of the UK parks that I haven't been to that I would consider to be semi-major, in terms of having at least one noteworthy draw. They are:
Fantasy Island
- Location: Lincolnshire
- Ideal Train Station: Skegness
- Train Journey Time: ~5.5 hours and 1 change (Nottingham) from Lydney, ~5 hours and 2 changes (Birmingham New Street, Nottingham) from Bristol Parkway
- Train Return Cost with 16-25 Railcard: ~£75 from Lydney, ~£103 from Bristol Parkway
- Noteworthy Draw(s): Odyssey and Millennium
- Key Pros: Has more noteworthy draws than any other individual parks, Odyssey and Millennium are likely the two most significant UK coasters I haven't ridden, some of the dark rides sound interesting
- Key Cons: Train journey is very long at 5-5.5 hours, rest of park aside from Odyssey and Millennium garners very polarised reception, operation of Odyssey is very weather-dependent, possibly not the most convenient in terms of public transport
- Location: Essex
- Ideal Train Station: Southend Victoria
- Train Journey Time: ~3h 50m and 3 changes (Gloucester, London Paddington, Stratford) from Lydney, ~2h 50m and 2 changes (London Paddington, Stratford) from Bristol Parkway
- Train Return Cost with 16-25 Railcard: ~£40 from Lydney, ~£63 from Bristol Parkway
- Noteworthy Draw(s): Rage
- Key Pros: Potentially doable in a day trip from Bristol Parkway, some unique-sounding flats that might be worth a try, very good public transport links with only a 15 minute walk between station and park, up to four potential creds as the Zierer Tivolis and Pinfari don't look too "kiddie" for me to ride
- Key Cons: Only one noteworthy draw, Rage is a cloned ride rather than a custom coaster (albeit a cloned layout I haven't yet ridden, and not a ridiculously common one)
Due to how close these two are to each other and how far they are from me, I feel like I'd best visiting both of them in one trip.
- Location: Norfolk/Suffolk
- Ideal Train Station: Great Yarmouth
- Train Journey Time: ~5h 50m and 4 changes (Newport, London Paddington, London Liverpool Street, Norwich) from Lydney, ~4h 50m and 3 changes (London Paddington, London Liverpool Street, Norwich) from Bristol Parkway
- Train Return Cost with 16-25 Railcard: ~£69 from Lydney, ~£62 from Bristol Parkway
- Noteworthy Draw(s): Roller Coaster at GYPB, Wipeout and Cannonball Express at PWH
- Key Pros: Some very unique draws, with Roller Coaster being a brakeman coaster and Cannonball Express being a rare Schwarzkopf, multiple noteworthy parks close together
- Key Cons: Wipeout is a very commonplace cloned layout that I can ride at numerous other more appealing parks in the future, rather long train journey at 4h 50m minimum, unsure of what non-coaster draws exist at these parks
- Location: Kent
- Ideal Train Station: Margate
- Train Journey Time: ~5h and 3 changes (Newport, London Paddington, London St Pancras) from Lydney, ~4h and 2 changes (London Paddington, London St Pancras) from Bristol Parkway
- Train Return Cost with 16-25 Railcard: ~£58 from Lydney, ~£51 from Bristol Parkway
- Noteworthy Draw(s): Scenic Railway
- Key Pros: Scenic Railway, being a unique brakeman coaster and the UK's oldest coaster, is a very unique draw, very good public transport links with only a 7 minute walk between station and park
- Key Cons: Park appears to lack draws aside from the Scenic, possibly making it a rather long journey for 1 coaster
However, I am drawn to the day trip potential, shorter journey time and favourable public transport links of Adventure Island, Rage looks fun, and there is some other interesting-looking stuff there...
And while the parks in Norfolk/Suffolk are a long way away, it would be a convenient trip in terms of being able to knock off two semi-major parks that are very close to one another...
And while Margate appears to lack draws aside from the Scenic, I was spited by the park when I was in the area in 2019, so it would be nice to finally ride the Scenic and get some redemption...
So, which of these solo trips do you think sounds best? Do you reckon I should go for Fantasy Island, Adventure Island, Great Yarmouth/Pleasurewood or Dreamland Margate? Or do you reckon I'd be better off just going to a UK park I've already visited? As an example, I haven't been to Blackpool in 5 years and have said for the last couple of years that I should try a solo train trip there.