Woodlands Family Theme Park facts for kids
Woodlands Leisure Park
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| Location | Dartmouth, Devon, England |
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| Opened | 1989 |
| Owner | Bendalls Leisure Ltd |
| General manager | Chris Bendall |
| Slogan | "Guaranteed all weather fun" |
| Operating season | March – November |
| Area | 90 acres (36 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 16 |
| Water rides | 3 |
Woodlands Family Theme Park is an exciting place for families in South Devon, England. It's an amusement park with lots of rides and even a special show with birds of prey! You can find it near Dartmouth, and it's part of a bigger company called Bendalls Leisure Ltd. They also own other fun parks like Twinlakes Theme Park and Wheelgate Park.
Woodlands is set in the beautiful Devon countryside. It has over 90 acres (about 36 hectares) of attractions. There are 16 different rides to enjoy. Plus, you can see around 500 animals! The falconry show features more than 50 amazing birds of prey. Every October, the park hosts a special "Halloscream Week" for Halloween fun.
The Bendall family designed the park themselves. They made sure there are many play zones. These areas have rides and equipment for everyone. Families can play together, or kids can enjoy things made just for their age. Woodlands also has huge indoor play centres. These are perfect for having fun no matter the weather. They have cool adventure equipment, soft play areas, and rides inside.
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Park History: How Woodlands Grew
The Bendall family bought the land in 1971. It was a 200-acre dairy farm back then. In 1989, they changed it into a 90-acre leisure park and caravan park. It's still owned by the same family company, Bendalls Leisure Ltd. The family designed everything, from the park layout to the cafes and shops.
When the park first opened, 60,000 people visited that year. Now, about 350,000 people visit Woodlands every year! The park has grown a lot over time.
Key Milestones and New Attractions
- 1996-1997: A second caravan park, Falcons View, opened. The first big indoor play complex was built. This cost one million pounds!
- 1999: The Tango Trolls Mystic Maze and Arctic Gliders rides were added. New roads and parking areas were also built.
- 2000: Two million pounds were spent on new indoor attractions. This included the "Empire of the Sea Dragon," with five levels of play and rides. This helped bring more visitors on rainy days.
- 2001: New toilets and admission kiosks were built. A third caravan park, Wellpark, was created. The "Master Blaster Indoor Centre" replaced older equipment.
- 2002: The Wellpark Caravan Park was finished. New landscaping was done. Water zapping Bumper Boats were added for younger kids. Parts of the Commando Course were updated.
- 2003-2006: Many new rides arrived! These included the Rock ‘n’ Roll Tugboat, Circus Train Ride (for young children), and the Avalanche Ride (a huge water drop). The Big Top Playcentre opened for under-fives. The Dune Buggy Ride and Polar Pilot Ride were added for younger children. An "Abbey Ruins Archaeological Dig" and Sand Diggers were also introduced.
- 2007: The Zoo-Farm Complex was rebuilt.
- 2008: The Swing Ship ride, a thrilling "white knuckle" ride, was installed. Dolphin Toddler Play was added, and the Bumper Boats were moved.
- 2009: The Seascape Mirror Maze and a new Play zone opened.
- 2010: Safari Adventure Golf and Mini Ninja Playtime were added.
- 2012: The Dinosaur Farm Ride opened.
- 2013: Fantasy Forest, a magical adventure in the woods, was created.
- 2014: A Chicken & Pizza Parlour opened for hungry visitors.
- 2015: The park introduced Super Hero Theming and a mascot. The slogan became ‘Unleash the Hero in You!’
- 2016: DinoTrek, a Jumping Pillow, and a Farmyard Ride were added.
- 2017: Vertigo, a new ride, was installed. A Father Christmas Grotto was also set up.
- 2021: The Christmas Grotto Experience was updated and made even better.
Exciting Attractions at Woodlands
Woodlands has many different play zones, each with its own fun. Some of the popular attractions include:
- Three Watercoasters and a Toboggan run for thrilling slides.
- The Arctic Gliders and Avalanche rides.
- Pedal Boats and Bumper Boats for water fun.
- The Tango Trolls Mystic Maze and Sand Diggers & Big Dig.
- The Swing Ship Ride and Dolphin Toddlers Play.
- Ninja Towers, Seascape Mirror Maze, and Whistle Stop Junction.
- Pedal Karts, the Commando Course, and Safari Adventure Golf.
- Indoor attractions like Teddy Mountain, Masterblaster, Circusdrome, and the Empire of the Sea Dragon.
- A large Zoo Farm Complex where you can see animals.
- An Indoor Falconry Centre for amazing bird shows.
- Newer attractions include the Dinotrek, Jumping Pillow, Farmyard Ride, and Vertigo.
In recent years, the park has also focused on special seasonal events. The Christmas Grotto, for example, has become very popular.
Where is Woodlands Park?
Woodlands Family Theme Park is located on the A3122 road. It's about 5 miles from Dartmouth in South Devon. The park is set in 100 acres of beautiful natural land. Much of it is in an old wooded valley. You can find three woodland lakes, the Laura’s Wood Wildlife Sanctuary, and lovely gardens.
Awards and Recognition
Woodlands Family Theme Park has won many awards over the years. These awards show that the park is a great place to visit and stay. Some of their awards include:
- Being a member of "Best of British Quality Touring and Holiday Parks."
- An 'AA Quality Standard’ Rating of 5 Pennants, with a high score of 92%.
- The AA Five Gold Pennant Award.
- Being listed in "Practical Caravan Top 100 Parks Awards."
- Five Stars in the ‘Loo of the Year Awards’ for excellent facilities.
- "Campsite of the Year" from Camping & Walking Magazine.
- Awards for tourism and environmental efforts, showing their care for the local area.
- Being nominated for "Best Small Business" by the Countryside Commission.
- Being named "Traditional Family Outing of the Year" and "Top Attraction" by the Good Guide to Britain.
