There always comes a time when you need to kick back, relax, shut your mind off and just have some fun! This is what happened when some of us from TechNuovo decided to take a trip to one ofthe UK’s most popular attractions… Thorpe Park!
We left London pretty early to avoid queuing for too long at the gates. We had to get tickets, but an online purchase in advance could avoid the waiting times. They are also cheaper if you pre-book tickets in advance too which is a great. Nearly 50% saved per person. Thorpe Park also execute a buy one get one free entry system if you bring along the correct vouchers. These can be found on chocolate bar wrappers and cereal boxes.
Once inside we were greeted with the large lobby area which splits off into many directions depending on which rides you want to go on first. We headed straight to the big coasters to get them out the way before the crowds started to flow through the park. There are currently four coasters on offer, each with a different feeling of adrenaline on offer. Our group was divided when asked what their best coaster was. Nemesis sores through the air so smoothly, plus it’s mega quick. Colossus sends you around 10 loops and even holds a record for the most consecutive loops. Swarm is the first winged coaster in the UK, and Rush, well, hold on to your seats for that one.
There are facilities for pretty much everyone, at any age, including the little kiddies. I must say however, that most rides did require a height of around 110cm minimum, so bare that in mind when you’re taking younger children. Even the smaller rides like the Dodgems and Teacup rides had minimum height restrictions.
We took advantage of Thorpe Park’s fast passes, sub-tickets you buy at the door so you’re able to skip the queues. Of course you’ll be queueing with the fast pass riders but in comparison to the main queues, this took no time at all. Every ride has a fast pass queue for those of you who want to skip the crowds.
We stopped off for lunch just outside their Angry Birds children’s area. We were pretty standard and ate in their Burger King restaurant which I can only describe as looking like an old skool 50s American diner. It was great and the food sorted us out. There are other options on offer like a pizza and pasta buffet, a BBQ place which sold traditional meaty foods. There are also places to grab a quick pint too which was welcoming after a day of walking.
There were a couple of times we got lost trying to find an entrance to a ride, especially as the fast pass queues were sometimes inside the ride’s exit area. We asked members of staff for directions and received very friendly receptions. We were put right and on our way in clear, simple instructions. I don’t want to make it seem like there were only a couple of friendly people, every single staff member, from the ticket stalls, to food courts, to cleaners all spoke with a smile and were more than happy to help us.
If rollercoasters aren’t your thing then there are some more tame rides such as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train opening lateron this year and the Angry Birds 4D cinema to enjoy. We didn’t manage to get on these however because they were extremely popular choices, and to be honest, we were searching out the adrenaline, but each to their own. There’s even a large choice of traditional arcade machines such as the claw or Time Crisis to choose from. The arcades do come at an extra cost though.
We spent a total of around seven hours at the park, and definitely enjoyed every single minute of it. The selection of rides, the choice of food and the vast array of things just to look at is amazing. If you get a chance this summer, pre-book some tickets online to save yourself a small fortune and make a day of it. And don’t forget, the ride pictures in the exits are an absolute treat to look and laugh at. Check out more information on the Thorpe Park website.
