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What UK parks do you have a specific desire to revisit regularly regardless of new major draws?

What UK parks do you have a specific desire to revisit regularly regardless of new major draws?

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Matt N

Matt N

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Hi guys. Here in the UK, we have a wide smorgasbord of different theme parks, distributed up and down the country. From the major Merlin parks like Alton Towers and Thorpe Park to the smaller independent players like Paultons Park and Flamingo Land, there’s a lot of choice in the UK. But for some parks, you might only be tempted to revisit them when they have a new major draw, whereas for others, you might have a specific desire to revisit them even in the absence of any new major draws. With this in mind, I’d be interested to know; what UK parks do you have specific desire to revisit regularly regardless of any new major draws? What parks keep you wanting to come back regardless of investments?

I’ll get the ball rolling with my answer.

Personally, the two UK parks that keep me wanting to come back regularly regardless of investments are Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. I love the rides on offer at both parks, and I just really enjoy the overall product they offer! I’ll always try my best to go to Alton Towers and Thorpe Park at least once annually, as I do really enjoy the offerings at both!

Blackpool Pleasure Beach would also be in that list if it was closer to home, but it’s almost 200 miles from where I live and requires a much greater time investment to travel to and from than Towers and Thorpe, so I don’t think visiting annually is as feasible. I should really get back there at some point, though… I haven’t been in 5 years!

With regard to some of the others; I’m not saying they aren’t fun days out, but I don’t feel as much specific desire to revisit them regularly for a variety of reasons. With Paultons Park, to offer an example, I had a very fun day there, and for what it is, it’s an immensely pleasant experience, but what it is isn’t really targeted at my demographic (21 year old men who often visit solo are not Paultons’ top target group…).

But I’d be keen to know; what UK parks do you have a specific desire to revisit regularly regardless of new major draws? What UK parks keep you wanting to come back regardless of what new things they put in? Do any keep you wanting to come back regardless of new major draws?
P.S. I apologise for there not being more options in the poll. Only so many were allowed, so I capped it off with a few of the more notable ones and put “Other” to encompass any other parks.
 
I have to answer this question a little hypothetically as my location in the North East means that the it’s not so easy to visit the Merlin parks regularly as they’d have to involve hotel stays rather than just being quick days trips.

If I imagine that I lived in a theoretical central location with all parks within a fairly easy drive then I think that the one I’d want to visit on a regular basis would definitely be Thorpe Park. Even before Hyperia opened (which I still haven’t been on yet) I found the hardware at the park to be more my thing than the hardware at Towers. I also really like the size and layout of Thorpe Park whereby it’s not too big and it doesn’t feel like you need to go on a cross country trek to get from one side of the park to the other. And looking at it from a family point of view I think CWOA would also be one that I could see myself visiting regularly. However I do have to say that I find the idea of seeking out and visiting new parks in Europe (and enjoying the travelling and sightseeing that comes with it) much more appealing than just revisiting parks in the UK that I’ve already been to.
 
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Towers and Forpe for me. With our MAP it’s an easy day out, and gets chimp outside and off her phone (for a bit anyway)
 
I don't live close enough to any parks to visit regularly, but if I did I would pick Paultons because it's the least stressful to visit to me.
 
Towers but for nostalgia reasons more than anything. I have some special memories there of nearly 4 decades. As the place continues to decline in quality, I find myself visiting less and less which is sad.
 
Given I'm Scottish...

If there is a special attraction that has opened somewhere down south like say Nemesis reopening then that has full attention to try and get down there. Other than that, going regular is impossible.
 
Matt.GC said:
Towers but for nostalgia reasons more than anything. I have some special memories there of nearly 4 decades. As the place continues to decline in quality, I find myself visiting less and less which is sad.
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I do think Altons got a shot in the arm with Nemesis Reborn and other rides rennovated or being rennovated (with at least two new attractions being built), so its malaise doesn't seem permanent (even if this season got obvious hiccups). I may go next year, off season, when Alton Towers gets more settled.

And the UK theme park I will go back to on the semi-regular will be Paultons Park, mainly due to being the closest high quality theme park to Bristol now.

And while not the biggest park, with not the biggest rides, its quality and management seems more consistent than Merlin's and it is on a more rapid upward trajectory next to say, Chessington or Thorpe.
 
Paultons, with child, is just the best. It gives pure joy and happiness, with pretty much nothing that detracts from the day for either child or (wallet holding) parent.

Adventure Island. Granted, I wouldn't travel for it repeatedly but I like supporting my local park and enjoy the current line up.

Thorpe and Alton would be close to making it based on what they have to ride, but both are usually so very frustrating to visit they've put themselves in the position of needing something new to make it worth my while.
 
Right now, none of them. back 15 years ago when I had an annual pass we would make regular visits to AT, Thorpe, Warwick Castle etc irrespective of new additions. But lost interest more recently.
 
Honestly? None of them

I love going to Towers, but from London it's a mission to get up there without a car. I obviously live far closer to Thorpe, Chessie, and Legoland, but even then I can't really be arsed tbh

Blackpool, Mingo, and Drayton are either too far and/or a bit of hassle to get to. Paultons is a great park, but it's not really worth it as a solo adult to go down there frequently, and the rest are more "one and done" parks more than anything else
 
Blackpool, just for the bar staff in Crevettes.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Somebody tell them from me please.

And one or two of the punters.
 
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