publication date: Dec 3, 2011
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author/source: Alex Bell
On a perfect, crisp, blue
November Sunday, we travelled to Staffordshire to
Drayton Manor for an audience
with
Father Christmas at
Santa's Magical Workshop.
Drayton Manor's larger rides were
closed for
annual winter maintenance but this did nothing to deter Toby and
Pippa's
enthusiasm for the trip. Toby and Jon rode the park's new
Ben 10
rollercoaster not once but
seven times, while little sister Pippa was as happy
as could be in
Thomas Land, a pre-school friendly
playground of rides and soft
play. As parents, we marvelled at the
lack of queues an out of season visit
allowed and the
luxury of
riding and
re-riding together with relaxed staff who
were happy to indulge their
young visitors' requests for more turns. There are
23 different attractions at
Thomas Land which would more than filled our
outing.
Drayton Manor have mixed and
matched their
Santa experience with their pre-school theme park,
Thomas Land,
offering an effective
two for one experience. Through adult
eyes the
Santa experience was not overwhelming but the small
tableau of snowmen
and penguins, pleasant and friendly staff dressed as
Jack Frost, the snow
princess and
Santa's elves drew Toby and Pippa into their
magic before they sat
in the
sleigh for a quick chat with the man himself. After this
each child was
given an age appropriate gift: for Toby (aged seven) a
Ben 10 cup and for Pippa
(aged three) a very glittery looking
unicorn and
mini hair brush.
The children were
delighted by
the experience and ready to go back to explore more rides at
Thomas Land before
warming up in
Emily's soft play barn. The family groups we saw while we there
mainly consisted of
pre-school age children, which was ideal. Toby was more
interested in the
Ben 10 ride but also enjoyed sharing
Thomas Land with his
little sis and reminding her of his
three year-old memories of an early
review
trip.
I would normally bring a
packed
lunch for a
day trip but as we ate this on the journey there we headed to an
undercover heated marquee structure for
jacket potatoes and
bacon butties which
tasted delicious. This was followed by more rides, a song from the
Fat Controller
and "snow" and an out of season
ice cream before we left for home.
For the
Thomas fan in your life
this is a
fabulous Santa experience.
PWT rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Drayton's Magical Christmas is open until 2 January, 2012
excluding 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 24, 25 and 16 December 2011.
Tickets (£28 per adult or £13.50 per child) can be purchased
online where there is a
2 for 1 offer or by calling 0844 472 1960
Drayton Manor Park is near Tamworth,
Staffordshire on the A4091, just off the A38 / A446, J9 M42 & Exit T2 M6 Toll.
Car Parking is £2 per car.
