I VISITED LITTLE-KNOWN THEME PARK WITH £16 TICKETS AND HARDLY ANY QUEUES

Summer holidays are upon us and finding fun things to do with your kids that don’t break the bank can be a real challenge.

So, when Megan Shaw from Yorkshire Live found there was a lesser-known theme park tucked into the side of a hill in Yorkshire, she knew she had to go and check it out.

Gulliver's Kingdom in Matlock Bath has been awarded a Travellers' Choice Award on Tripadvisor, with visitors noting the absence of large crowds allows for more frequent turns on the rides compared to larger, more popular parks. Better yet, tickets cost just £16.

The family decided to head along and check it out for themselves to see if it matched up to the hype.

“My children are fans of amusement rides, but they detest waiting in line,” Megan said, so when they arrived to find the carpark rammed full of cars, she was apprehensive.

However, when they reached the entrance they were able to walk straight in, without a queue in sight!

Sadly, the log flume was out of order due to a technical fault which Megan said was disappointing because it was what her children were most looking forward to. But it turned out the park had plenty more to offer them.

“Our adventure began with the crazy barrels as the first ride, which was such a hit that the kids wanted to go on it again. Thanks to the quiet atmosphere and the accommodating staff, they were able to enjoy a second round," she said.

The Drop Tower was another massive hit, with Megan’s oldest child riding it repeatedly.

“This was a major plus point as usually, long queues at other parks make multiple rides impossible.”

The Chair Lift was another popular choice, as it provided panoramic views of the park - and made it easier to get around with small children.

Megan said: “The steep walks between rides could be challenging for those pushing prams, but for us, it was a great way to clock in some steps. Despite the number of cars in the car park, we never had to queue for more than a couple of minutes - a blessing when you have an impatient three year old constantly asking "is it my turn now?"

A zipline course, pirate ship and logger rollercoaster were all equally popular with her kids - although height restrictions on some rides meant her youngest couldn’t rice the more grown up ones, but that wasn’t an issue.

“Even if he had been freak-ishly tall for his age, he'd never have had the bottle! Much like his mum," she added.

It wasn’t just the rides that Megan and her family were so overjoyed with - the park is also well laid out so that you rarely cross paths with other families, and the pricing of food is fairly good too.

“We stopped off for a bite to eat grabbing a toastie, two hot dogs, four drinks and four ice creams and it came to around £25 - which we thought was fairly reasonable.

“You always expect to pay a little more in places such as these, and had we been more organised, we could have easily saved money by bringing a picnic as there were loads of places we could have set up camp. My general thoughts were the park was great value for money, the kids really enjoyed it, I didn't bankrupt myself and I didn't leave feeling like I needed a spa weekend to recover.”

Some areas were “ a little dated” Megan admitted, and could do with a lick of paint - but overall, it was worth the trip if you have small children.

“No, it's not Alton Towers, but nor is the price tag. The prices are really reasonable if booked online in advance, it's £16 for adults and children and tots under 90cm are free," she said.

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2024-07-11T13:30:20Z dg43tfdfdgfd