The Milky Way (amusement park) facts for kids
The Milky Way Adventure Park is a popular theme park in Higher Clovelly, North Devon. It's known as one of the top theme parks in the UK. The park has won many awards, including Devon's Large Attraction of the Year in 2016. Trip Advisor also named it one of Britain's best amusement parks in 2015 and 2016.
The Milky Way offers over 110,000 square feet of fun. It has both indoor and outdoor activities for all ages. This makes it the biggest all-weather family day out in North Devon.
Thousands of people visit The Milky Way every year. They enjoy roller coasters, adventure rides, and indoor dodgems. There are also huge bouncing pillows and a mini-train. You can see an amazing collection of Sci-Fi items. This includes costumes from Star Wars and Doctor Who, like Darth Vader and Daleks.
The park also features exciting birds of prey shows. Visitors can try archery and explore large indoor soft-play areas. The Clone Zone is another popular spot. The park also has daily shows, some with Merlin from Britain's Got Talent.
In 2014, the park opened "Little Stars." This is a special play centre for children aged 0-6. It has areas just for babies and toddlers. There's even a sensory room for the youngest visitors. Little Stars also hosts award-winning baby and toddler classes.
The Park's Story: How It Began
The Milky Way Adventure Park started in a unique way. On April 1, 1984, new rules about milk production caused problems for the Stanbury family's dairy farm. Trevor and Christine Stanbury owned the farm. They decided to try something new to save their business.
Just three months later, on July 1, they opened their farm to the public. Over the years, the Stanbury family worked hard. They added many attractions, rides, and shows. This turned their farm into the exciting adventure park it is today.
In 2007, Trevor Stanbury received a special award. He was given an MBE. This award recognized his great work for tourism in southwest England. In 2015, the park added "The Old Barn." This is a beautiful 17th-century barn. It can now be used for weddings and special events.
Exciting Things to Do at The Milky Way
The Milky Way Adventure Park always has something fun happening. They organize special events all year round. This helps attract visitors even when it's not summer. One popular event is the annual Santa's Grotto during the holidays.
In 2015, the park started offering weddings. Couples can get married on the park grounds. They can even enjoy rides like the dodgems as part of their special day!
Ride the Lynbarn Railway
The Lynbarn Railway is a cool feature at the park. It's a 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) narrow gauge railway. This means the tracks are closer together than regular train tracks. The railway is a modern version of the old Lynton and Barnstaple Railway. The coaches used on the Lynbarn Railway were once used at Thorpe Park.
