Drayton Manor Resort facts for kids
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| Location | Drayton Bassett, Tamworth, Staffordshire, Staffordshire, England. |
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| Coordinates | 52°36′39″N 1°42′48″W / 52.61083°N 1.71333°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1 May 1950 |
| Owner | Looping Group |
| General manager | Victoria Lynn |
| Slogan | Epic Family Fun |
| Operating season | Theme Park Main season: March – November Drayton's Magical Christmas: late November to December February Half Term: selected days in February Drayton Manor Zoo Same Times As The Theme Park Drayton Manor Hotel Year-round Conference Centre Year-round |
| Area | 180 acres (73 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 47 (as of 2025) |
| Roller coasters | 5 (Jormungandr [formerly The Buffalo Coaster], Gold Rush, Accelerator, Troublesome Trucks, The Wave [formerly Shockwave] ) |
| Water rides | 3 (Stormforce 10, Thomas and Percy's Submarine Splash, Adventure Cove River Rapids). |
Drayton Manor Resort is a popular theme park for families in Staffordshire, England. It has a zoo and a hotel on the grounds of an old estate called Drayton Manor. The park is huge, covering 180 acres (73 hectares), and about 1.5 million people visit every year.
It's the fourth-largest amusement park in the UK. The park is famous for having Thomas Land, a special area based on the Thomas & Friends TV show. It also has the Drayton Manor Zoo, which is home to over 100 animals like red pandas and monkeys.
In August 2020, a company called Looping Group bought Drayton Manor Park. They also own other UK attractions like West Midlands Safari Park.
Contents
History of the Park
The land where the park sits was once owned by the Peel family. A large house, Drayton Manor, was built there in 1835. By 1926, most of the house was in ruins, but its clocktower still stands at the park's entrance today.
During World War II, the British Army used the land for training. After the war, a husband and wife team, George and Vera Bryan, bought the land. In 1950, they opened a small amusement park with a few rides for children.
In 1954, they teamed up with Molly Badham to open a zoo. The park slowly grew over the years. In the late 1980s, it started adding bigger, more exciting rides to attract visitors from all over the country.
In 2017, a serious accident happened on the Splash Canyon rapids ride. The park closed the ride for four years to make major safety improvements before reopening it in 2021.
On August 3, 2020, the park was bought by the Looping Group. However, the Bryan family, who first started the park, are still involved in running it.
In recent years, the park has added exciting new areas. In 2022, a new area called Vikings opened with new rides. The park also changed its name from 'Drayton Manor Theme Park' to 'Drayton Manor Resort'. In July 2024, a new roller coaster called Gold Rush opened in another new area, Frontier Falls.
Rides and Attractions
Drayton Manor is divided into different themed areas with fun rides and attractions.
| Attraction key | Thrill rides | Family rides | Other |
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Adventure Cove
This area has a fun, seaside theme.
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Race | 2014 | Zamperla | This ride feels like you're in an acrobatic airplane, spinning you 360 degrees upside down. |
| 2 | Maelstrom | 2002 | Intamin | A giant swing that spins you around as it swings back and forth. It's 22.5 metres tall! |
| 3 | The Wave | 1994 (2024) | Intamin | A steel roller coaster that used to be a stand-up coaster called Shockwave. Now you sit down as it speeds through four upside-down turns. |
| 4 | Stormforce 10 | 1999 | BEAR GmbH | A water ride themed around a sea rescue. It has three drops, including one that sends you down backwards! |
| 5 | River Rapids | 1993 (2021) | Intamin | A river rapids ride that takes you on a journey through a cartoon-style fishing port. It was known as Splash Canyon until 2017. |
| 6 | Tidal Towers | 2021 | Outdoor Play UK | A climbing frame area with play towers, rope bridges, and slides. |
| 7 | Wave Swinger | 2021 | Zierer | A classic swing ride that lifts you up and spins you around. |
Vikings
This area is themed around brave Viking warriors.
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Thor | 2022 | Zamperla | Named after the Viking God of Thunder, this ride spins you back and forth on a giant disk. |
| 9 | Jormungandr | 1987 (2022) | Zamperla | This roller coaster travels over the park's lake. It was once called the Buffalo Coaster and is now themed after a mythical serpent. |
| 10 | Loki | 2022 | Zamperla | Named after the trickster god, this ride has four arms that swing and spin at the same time, creating a cool visual effect. |
| 11 | Sleipnir | 2022 | Metallbau Emmeln | A horse-riding track for younger children, themed around the mythical eight-legged horse of the god Odin. |
Frontier Falls
Step into the Wild West in this themed land.
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Gold Rush | 2024 | Intamin | A family thrill roller coaster that launches you forward and lifts you up hills for lots of "airtime" fun. |
| 13 | Sheriff's Showdown | 2000 | I.E. Park | An indoor ride where you use laser guns to shoot at targets in a Wild West town. |
| 14 | Blasting Barrels | 2006 | Intamin | A teacup-style ride where you spin around in barrels that also lift up at an angle. |
| 15 | The Haunting | 1996 | Vekoma | A "madhouse" ride set in a haunted vicarage. The room seems to spin around you! |
| 16 | Falls Theatre | 2009 | Simworx | A theatre that shows short 4D films, like 'Looney Tunes 4D'. |
| 17 | Accelerator | 2011 | Vekoma | A boomerang-style roller coaster that sends you forwards and then backwards along the track. |
Main Park
This area includes some of the park's classic rides.
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | The Bounty | 2007 | Intamin | A classic swinging pirate ship that swings high into the air. |
| 19 | Carousel | 1958 | Savage | A beautiful, old-fashioned merry-go-round. |
| 20 | Dodgems Ahoy | 1990 | I.E. Park | A pirate-themed bumper cars ride. |
| 21 | Flying Dutchman | 1983 | Intamin | A wave swinger ride that spins you through the air. |
| 22 | Jolly Buccaneer | 1992 | Mack Rides | A spinning boat ride with a pirate theme. |
| 23 | Polperro Express Train | 1971 (2003) | Severn Lamb | A narrow-gauge train that takes you on a trip around the park. |
Thomas Land
This area is perfect for younger visitors and is themed entirely around Thomas & Friends. It has many gentle rides and attractions based on characters from the show.
Some of the popular rides include:
- Troublesome Trucks Runaway Rollercoaster: A fun first roller coaster for kids.
- Thomas, Rosie and Percy Engine Tours: A train ride that takes you from Thomas Land to the zoo.
- Cranky Crane's Drop Tower: A mini drop tower ride.
- Harold's Helicopter Tours: A ride that lifts you up for a great view of Thomas Land.
- Thomas and Percy's Submarine Splash: A mini log flume ride for the whole family.
Drayton Manor Zoo
Drayton Manor is also home to a 15-acre (6 ha) zoo. You can see over 100 different types of animals from around the world, including monkeys, Eurasian lynx, and cute red pandas. The zoo is a great place to take a break from the rides and learn about wildlife.
Special Events
Drayton Manor hosts special events throughout the year, especially during school holidays.
Halloween
In October, the park has two Halloween events.
- Pumpkin Smash Bash: A daytime event for younger kids with spooky stories, games, and trick-or-treating in the "Castle of Spooks."
- The Haunted Manor: An evening event for older visitors with scary attractions, night rides, a live DJ, and fireworks.
Places to Stay
Drayton Manor Hotel
The park has its own 4-star hotel with 150 rooms. Some rooms are even themed around Thomas & Friends, making them perfect for families with young children.
Camping and Caravanning
For those who like the outdoors, there is a Camping and Caravanning Club campsite right next to the park. It has spaces for tents and caravans, as well as a children's playground.
