57 Drayton Manor Facts And The Rides It Has To Offer

Are you in for some family or solo fun?

Go to Drayton Manor Theme Park in Staffordshire, England. This place has something for all ages, and it literally caters to your every need!

Do you need a place to stay? It has an onsite hotel.

Do you need some fun or an adrenaline-rushing ride? It has a theme park with over 100 rides!

Do you have kids and want them to learn something on vacation as well? It has a conservation zoo with over 100 animals for education and, of course, to help the endangered species!

Drayton Manor Theme Park literally has everything one could want to do and wish for on vacation. This place is not just famous for its theme park but also for its zoo, education, and its onsite hotel!

This fourth-largest, award-winning amusement park in the United Kingdom covers 180 acres (73 ha) of land. This family theme park hosts about one and a half million people each year!

What causes so many people to gravitate towards this place? Let's look at what the theme park, Drayton Manor, has to offer!

Opening Of Drayton Manor Park

Drayton Manor Theme Park wasn't a vacation destination in the beginning; it was merely a house that belonged to a family. Look at the facts given below and learn how this lost house became one of the most thriving tourist spots in the UK.

• Up until the 13th century, this house was the property of the Bassett family. After the male line died, the heiress of the estate married Lord Stafford, and so the ownership of the estate was given to the Earl of Stafford.
• In 1483, after the execution of the Seventh Earl, the property went to the Crown.
• From then, the house had several owners until it was sold to Robert Peel, a textile manufacturer, in 1790.
• The manor house then underwent construction as per the wishes of Rober Peel's son after his death. It was turned into a grand mansion in an Elizabethian style.
• Queen Victoria and Prince Albert paid a royal visit to this place back in 1843.
• In 1926, the demolition of the house took place when the Peels were no longer the residents. Nothing but the ruins of the house remained. The only thing that is still standing is the clock tower.
• During World War Two, the ruins of Drayton Manor were used for training.
• After the war was over, George and Vera Bryan bought the land, and by 1950, they managed to open a small amusement park consisting of some children's rides.
• Four years later, a woman named Mrs. Molly Badham, founder of Twycross Zoo, came into a partnership agreement with the two entrepreneurs.
• Although the place became a perfect spot for children to enjoy themselves, the growth remained slow for three decades.
• In the late '80s, the owners installed more thrilling rides and attractions to expand their customer base.
• In 1992, Colin Bryan, the son of George Bryan, took the ropes from him and became the managing director of the theme park, Drayton Manor.
• The business remained in the family until August 3, 2020. On this date, the Looping Group purchased it.
• Even though the family business was sold, a member of the Bryan family, William Bryan, still played a rather important role by holding the position of managing director.
• The opening time of the place varies from season to season, so be sure to check it out before you book your ticket!
• You can book your ticket online or at the gate. You need not pay anything for a child below two years old. As for the rest, the cost of the ticket for ages 12 and above, when you buy it online, is £20 per person and £30 per person at the gate. The cost of parking your car there is £6.
• Drayton Manor offers discounts on the cost of the ticket for children, people above 60 years of age, disabled people, carers, and expectant mothers.
• You can even get an annual pass that is valid for 12 months and enjoy the benefits it has to offer until it expires!

Rides At Drayton Manor Park

The theme park Drayton Manor has an abundance of rides and attractions for you and your family to enjoy.

• Drayton Manor Theme Park has a number of roller coasters. The Accelerator is best for first-time roller coaster riders seeking some sort of thrill. Accelerator took the place of Sombrero, which was a polyp ride, and the Big Wheel, which was a ferris wheel.
• The Buffalo Coaster is a junior roller coaster that crosses the lake. Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster is a kids' roller coaster in Thomas Land.
• The vintage carousel is perfect for people of all ages, especially kids. A smaller version of this carousel, Lady’s Carousel, is situated in Thomas Land.
• Dodgems Ahoy is a ride where you can drive around in a dodgems car in an arena.
• The teacup ride, known as the Drunken Barrels, spins. This family fun ride is bound to leave you light-headed! Diesels Locomotive Mayhem is the kids' version of this ride in Thomas Land.
• The Flying Dutchman ride not only spins but also goes up and down in the air. You will feel like a bird in the air! The Adventure Clove area has a ride similar to the Flying Dutchman known as the Wave Swinger.
• If you like the whole pirate theme and spinning rides, then you must go on the Jolly Buccaneer's Pirate Ship.
• The Adventure Cove River Rapids is a fishing port. This cartoon-styled fishing port is definitely a ride that you and your kids will relish. It was initially called the Splash Canyon.
• If cowboys and shooting are your things, then you must try Sheriff's Showdown. This indoor laser shoot-out ride has a wild west theme.
• The Haunting is a haunted house, where your mission is to get to the bottom of what happened to the people who went missing. The eerie setting and horrifying noises make for an unforgettable ride.
• If you ever feel exhausted from going on so many rides, then you can take a moment to calm down on a train ride on the Polperro Express Train.
• Thomas Land, based on the cartoon 'Thomas & Friends', is the first theme park of its kind in the United Kingdom. A 4D cinema even shows the short film 'Thomas & Friends 4-D: Bubbling Boilers'.
• To see all that Thomas Land has to offer, families can go on the Bertie Bus bus ride, Winston's Whistlestop Tours elevated track train ride, or the Blue Mountain Engines land train ride.
• Sodor Classic Cars, a car ride, is one of the oldest and most famous rides of Thomas Land.
• Captain’s Sea Adventure is a spinning water ride in Thomas Land. Don't worry about getting wet; your kids and you will remain dry within the ships.
• The Cranky Crane is similar to the Apocalypse ride, but this drop tower ride is designed for kids.
• Kids who adore Thomas the Tank Engine will fall in love with the Thomas Train Exhibition. It is a miniature model railway train exhibition based on the cartoon 'Thomas & Friends'.
• You can leave your kids in Emily's Adventure Play, where they can have a blast. It is an indoor soft play place. As for outdoor adventure, Spencer's Outdoor Play Area is there for you.
• Thomas, Rosie, and Percy Engine Tours is another train ride based on the cartoon without which Thomas Land is incomplete. Rocking Bulstrode is a U-shaped ride in Thomas Land.
• Jeremy Jet's Flying Academy is a plane ride that gently rotates in the air. James and the Red Balloon will also take riders in the air. Harold's Helicopter Tours is another adventurous ride!
• If your kids look up to firefighters, then be sure to take them to Flynn’s Fire Rescue ride.
• For kids who want to drive before the legal age of driving, with Terence's Driving School, their dreams can come true.
• Toby's Tram Express is an adventurous ride that spins and tilts.
• The Python Looping Coaster took the place of the Jumbo Jet, a city jet coaster, but both the rides are past rides and attractions. Chair Lift is another one of the past rides.

Scariest Ride At Drayton Manor Park

If you are an adrenaline junkie who loves to go on scary rides, which get your heartbeat racing like crazy, and leave you wide-eyed and hungry for more thrill, then check out the following rides that the Drayton Manor Theme Park has to offer!

• Air Race is one of those rides which will get your head spinning with its two simultaneous simulations. In it, you get on a plane, and then once the ride starts, the plane starts to go up and down, and it even does a 360-degree turn every now and then.
• Apocalypse, as the name suggests, will leave you feeling ecstatic and exhilarated as this drop tower ride drops at 50 mph (80.46 kph) from 177 ft (54 m).
• The Bounty Pirate Ship is another adventurous ride in the Drayton Manor Theme Park. This classic ride swings back and forth at such a speed, and it goes to such a height that you can actually see the whole theme park!
• On the Maelstrom ride, you will sit facing outwards on a circular gondola. It not only swings back and forth; it also rotates as your legs dangle and as you sit at the edge of your seat.
• Drayton Manor Theme Park has more than one roller coaster, but the Shockwave is the best one for adrenaline junkies. This stand-up roller coaster is the only one in its category with a zero-gravity roll.
• Have you ever been in the sea when it is so wild that you can actually feel your stomach dropping? Yes or no, whichever answer it may be, if you want to feel that crazy storm as you cling to your life, then Stormforce 10 is the ride for you.

Other Things To Do At Drayton Manor Park

There are some other attractions and things to do at the Drayton Manor Theme Park as well.

• The Thomas Land Shop is one of the biggest shops with merchandise of Thomas the Tank Engine.
• The Dino Trail can help in educating children about prehistoric dinosaurs.
• This place even has arcade games, HB Leisure Games, for your family to enjoy!
• Crazy Golf on the left main entrance is an exciting thing to do at the theme park. The clubs and balls may be obtained from the hotel reception.
• The zoo at Drayton Manor Theme Park covers 15 acres (6 ha) of land. It houses over 100 species, including endangered species. It is an exceptional place for college students, undergraduates, and postgraduates to do research projects.
• Apart from these rides and attractions, this theme park is also home to the Drayton Manor Hotel.
• The Drayton Manor Resort caters to all your needs during your stay. It has family rooms and executive rooms for your stay.
• The resort even has themed rooms such as 'Thomas & Friends' themed bedrooms.
• The Drayton Manor Resort also has the Parklands Family Restaurant and non-stop children's entertainment! What more could you want?