Theme Parks

HAVING braved Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in Los Angeles, I thought I knew what terror felt like.

I was wrong. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer, spine-chilling fear of being shoved into a four-by-four cell, separated from your family and having a twitching, masked lunatic scream repeatedly in your face.

Welcome to Scarefest 2026.

I’d dragged my two thrill-obsessed kids — 12-year-old son Corben and daughter Piper, ten — along to Alton Towers for the grand opening.

We went in expecting a few cheap jump-scares, fake cobwebs and a bit of a laugh. Instead, we got a Hollywood-level masterclass in pure, unadulterated fright.

The big buzz this year is around Final Exhibit — the park’s newest scare maze which promises to “immerse guests in a world of fear”.

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Beyond the doors of the abandoned warehouse lies The Curator’s forgotten collection, where each room reveals a dark secret.

Upon entry, a strange, long-haired woman sits seemingly frozen at a desk.

But as we approach, what I think is a mannequin is in fact a terrifying, ghostly creature that comes to life, furiously thumping the desk with a stamp.

The corridors are filled with archivists — a silent workforce of hypnotised servants whose primary job is to terrify the bejesus out of you.

But this is more than just a scare experience. Visitors are told that those who fail to escape will be transformed into living exhibits, trapped within the archive forever.

The production value is off the charts and it all feels authentic.

Fortunately, my kids and I did eventually escape but we were blown away by the movie-style special effects.

But the real stars of the show are the scare actors — an army of performers that don’t just jump out from behind doors.

They stalk you from the shadows, crawl along the floors and track your every move before “attacking” with menace.

Monsters keep their distance in the other scare mazes, but at Alton Towers they reach out, touch your arms, grab your shoulders and brush past your neck in the dark. It turns a simple walk-through into an immersive nightmare.

Corben gasped in horror as a creature reached out from the shadows and grabbed his arm, sending us sprinting for the exit.

A serious word of warning to parents thinking of taking under-12s inside any of the scare mazes — they are NOT for the faint-hearted.

Visitors are spoiled for choice, with scare mazes including Final Exhibit, Edge of the Forest, Altonville Mine Tours: Tiny’s Revenge and the epic Compound. If Final Exhibit tests your nerves, Compound utterly destroys them.

In this terrifying attraction, visitors are torn away from their group and thrown into individual cells in a brutal mental asylum.

I was shoved into a tiny padded cell with a screaming lunatic frothing at the mouth. It was one of the most intense theme park moments I’ve ever experienced.

Thankfully, Alton Towers hasn’t forgotten about families with younger kids who want the Halloween atmosphere without the trauma.

The park is packed with fantastic, family-friendly frights that hit the sweet spot for younger children.

Piper loved Trick O’ Treat Town, which allows kids to knock on doors down colourful Spooky Avenue, collecting sweet treats along the way.

Another hit for families is Amigos in the Afterlife — a vibrant, Day of the Dead-themed walk-through bursting with brilliant costumes, upbeat music and glowing displays.

And, of course, a trip to Alton Towers wouldn’t be complete without tackling the world-class line-up of rollercoasters and rides, which take on a completely different personality once the sun goes down.

For those who fancy an overnight stay, the monorail will take you to the Alton Towers Hotel where family rooms come with a double bed for the adults, and bunks for the kids.

Good luck getting to sleep after those frights, though.

A EUROPEAN theme park that is a great Disney alternative has revealed it is opening a grand new hotel in just months.

Park Asterix in France, which is cheaper than Disneyland Paris and is under 19miles from the centre of Paris, is opening a themed hotel for up to 750 guests in March.

Opening on March 26, The Odyssey will be the park’s fourth hotel and boast 301 rooms across four themed sections.

The hotel will have a more “mineral theme”, designed around Asterix’s travels to the Orient.

The hotel will be inspired by caravanserais – typical fortified buildings used as a lodging by merchants and their animals in the likes of Egypt.

The hotel will have four facades surrounding a central courtyard with a number of common areas on the ground floor and bedrooms then on the upper floors.

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In the courtyard, there will be four areas around a central oasis.

Each will be a garden with a different theme including Persian, Phoenician, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian.

And then the interior of each facade will correspond with one of the four themes.

In the Mesopotamia area, for example, there will be different artisans.

Then in the Phoenicia area, the theme will centre around welcoming merchants.

And finally the Egyptian section will transport guests to the banks of the River Nile.

The entire roof of the hotel will then also feature lots of plants.

When it comes to the bedrooms, each will have a double bed that can be separated into two single beds if needed and an alcove with a bunk bed in.

Rooms will be able to host between three and six people.

And if you fancy something a little more lavish, there will be four suites and large terrace on the second floor as well.

The four-star hotel will be twice the size of the other three hotels at the park.

When it comes to dining options, there will be two all-you-can-eat restaurants – La Table des Rois (The Kings’ Table) and La Table Gourmande (The Gourmet Table).

A bar is also in the plans, at the centre of the gardens.

The new hotel was first announced in October last year when the park was also revealed to be the second most visited theme park in France.

And the hotel is part of a wider €250million (£212.6million) investment project to expand the park by 2030.

This year, the park transformed its Egypt area including the re-theming of the Oxygénarium attraction to become The Descent of the Nile.

Les Chaises Volantes then also became The Flight of Ibis and the Le Cirque restaurant became Le Comptoir d’Epidemaïs.

In 2027, the park will also open a new Greek zone with two family attractions, a playground and a restaurant.

And in 2028, there will be a Londinium Zone which will be an indoor area inspired by Asterix in Britain comic books.

Veronica Lorraine , Gardening Editor and Associate Head of Features, who recently visited the park, said: “With more than 50 attractions, there really is a ride for everyone, regardless of age, or fear factor — you definitely need more than one day if you want to get round all of them.

“Disney certainly has the monopoly on world-renowned characters and a blow-out budget to create that real wow factor, all of which seems impossible to compete with — yet somehow Parc Asterix does.

“The tickets are cheaper, the food is better, the shows are spectacular and the rides are a total revelation.

“Add in a sprawling protected countryside backdrop just 30km outside Paris, with three separate hotels within the grounds at very reasonable prices, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

“It’s pure escapism, based all around the cherished world of Asterix — the man who, in famous French comics, protected France from the Romans.”

PAULTONS Park was recently named the best theme park in the country and it’s about to get even better.

The much-loved theme park in Hampshire has revealed plans for a huge new holiday village which will be the first on-site accommodation for guests.

The new holiday village will have a Scandinavian theme with 129 lodges, cabins and suites, ranging from two to four bedrooms.

The welcome building would act as a “gateway” to the village, with a bag drop-off area and a second entrance directly to the theme park.

A 400sqm restaurant will be part of the village, as well as a small supermarket-style shop.

The new village will also have an entertainment room, as well as a games room for indoor activities.

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James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, said: “Our vision is to deliver 129 units, designed to comfortably accommodate just under 600 guests at full capacity, 100 guests fewer than previously outlined.

“We anticipate it will be several years before our vision for on-site accommodation is brought to fruition; however, we are committed to continually reinvesting in our attraction, providing a world-class experience for our guests, and planning for the long-term.”

It isn’t the only addition Paultons Park is planning either.

Set to open in 2027 is a new water coaster called Serpent’s Curse, with twists, a hill and a final lake plunge.

Overall, the water coaster will be 471-metres long and reach speeds of up to 44mph.

Talking about the new ride, Paultons has said it will be one of the ‘biggest rides ever built’ at the park.

The theme park was also recently named the Theme Park of the Year at the UK Theme Park Awards.

The park is home to more than 70 rides and attractions, including the recently opened Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, with Paultons Park’s first inverting coaster, Drakon.

EUROPE is home to a theme park you might not have heard of, but was named one of the best in the world – and it’s about to get some huge upgrades.

Futuroscope in France is often overlooked by its busier neighbour Disneyland Paris.

Yet earlier this year, it was named one of Europe’s best theme parks by Blooloop and was even dubbed the equivalent to Universal Studios in Europe”.

Celebrating its 40th birthday next year – it opened in 1987 – it has since announced huge new multi-million plans.

Called Vision 2025, the €304million (£260million) masterplan has already included the Aquascope waterpark, three rides and and two themed hotels.

One of the biggest upcoming investments will be a fourth hotel at the park, with a science fiction theme throughout.

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The four-star hotel is currently under construction, with 240 rooms randing from premium to suites.

A 400-seat restaurant, an 120-seat bar and a huge spa area are all part of the plans too.

Guests will be able to access the park directly via a pedestrian bridge when it opens.

An official opening date and prices are yet to be confirmed.

Olivier Héral, Creative Director, said it will be a “spectacular and immersive hotel, designed as a world unto itself, where architecture, scenography and services tell a true story”.

Also new next year will be ATHOS, a new IMAX film at the park’s Kinemax.

The new Dance with the Robots attraction will see 10 robots dancing to music, while others include the illusion show Imagine, Live Show.

But there are also some exciting new additions to the park this year too.

From December 5, the new Magical Nights parade will launch with five floats and 23 artists.

In the mean time, there is still loads of things to do with 40 rides and attractions.

This includes the Aquascope indoor waterpark, which have eight slides and a lazy river with four themed universes – and even an “aquatic cinema”.

One visitor previously said:  “Aquascope is a kind of aquatic nightclub crossed with a James Cameron film.“

HALLOWEEN is just around the corner, and Butlin’s has announced some very exciting things coming to the park this autumn.

All three resorts –  Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness – will be transformed in time for the spooky season.

Returning this year are the Spooktober breaks, which will turn the fairgrounds into ‘Scaregrounds’.

New this year is Skyline Gang Monster Mash Up, a Halloween-themed show where guests in the audience will vote for which member is scariest.

There will also be the Eerily Silent Disco and pumpkin carving as well.

Spooktober four-night breaks start from just £39 when staying on October 5 at Skegness.

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Based on four people sharing a two-bedroom Comfort Room, this works out to £10pp, or just £2.50 each, per night.

All breaks come with access to the Splash Waterworld waterpark, as well as Skypark playgrounds and all live entertainment.

The holiday resort has also revealed what to expect from their October half term breaks too.

It will be the last time to see The Masked Singer Live, which ends later this year.

And they will also include firework displays as well.

October half term breaks start from £49 based on four people, or from £13pp.

Mike Godolphin, Entertainment Director at Butlin’s said: “With autumn well and truly upon us, our teams are busy transforming all three resorts for Spooktober.

“As the Home of Entertainment, next month is one of our favourite moments in the Butlin’s calendar, and we want families to feel the Halloween atmosphere from the moment they arrive on their holiday. 

“There’s a brilliant energy across the resorts during this time of the year and we can’t wait to welcome the tens of thousands of guests visiting us this October.” 

Earlier this month, Butlin’s announced eight new shows launching at the parks next year as well.

This includes Britain’s Got Talent and DreamWorks’ Madagascar musical.

Also new this year at self-serve bars across the parks, which are the first of their kind in Europe.

SOME hotels give you a quiet pool, a basic buffet and a slightly battered table tennis table in the corner.

Others serve up 81 water slides, life-size dinosaurs, hypercoasters, wave machines and entire fairytale kingdoms.

Variety is the spice of life, after all.

These are the resorts where the accommodation isn’t just somewhere to sleep – it is the holiday.

You could venture outside, obviously, but when there’s a full-scale waterpark or theme park right outside your bedroom door, convincing the children to leave the grounds would require a serious family negotiation.

I’ve hunted down eight of the wildest, most action-packed family resorts available this autumn and winter.

We’re talking theme park stays from £353pp and all-inclusive waterpark breaks from £405pp, with prices based on a family of four.

Every deal includes return flights and access to the hotel’s headline attractions too – so here are my eight picks guaranteed to ruin basic swimming pools for your children forever.

Aqua Mirage Club & Aqua Parc, Morocco – from £573pp

You know a resort takes entertainment seriously when its grounds cover 20 full hectares beneath the Atlas Mountains.

Aqua Mirage features a massive on-site waterpark packed with free-fall tower slides, a sprawling wave pool and an interactive splash castle for preschoolers.

Away from the water, you get six tennis courts, football pitches, evening shows and several pool areas – including a dedicated adults-only pool and spa for parents trying to remember what silence feels like.

It also gives you two holidays in one: a high-energy waterpark resort and easy access to Marrakech’s historic souks and main square.

I found a five-night all-inclusive break from £573pp, flying direct from Manchester on 26 December 2026.

That means you can swap the post-Christmas slump for slides, sunshine and unlimited food and drink – without having to wrestle another turkey into the oven.

My insider tip at this hotel is to take advantage of its free shuttle into central Marrakech, saving your family a fortune on taxis when you do fancy a break from the slides.

PortAventura Hotel El Paso & Theme Park, Spain – from £353pp

First things first: this isn’t just a hotel with a couple of slides attached – it’s a property built inside one of Europe’s largest theme park resorts.

Designed like a colourful Mexican hacienda, Hotel El Paso sits right on the edge of PortAventura Park, giving you easy access to six themed worlds packed with massive rollercoasters such as Shambhala and, my personal favourite, Furius Baco.

Right next door is Ferrari Land, home to Red Force – the 112-metre-high vertical accelerator that launches riders from 0 to 112mph in five seconds flat. I’m not speaking from experience this time. No, thank you.

The best bit is that PortAventura theme park tickets are included with your stay.

I found a five-night room-only package from £353pp, flying direct from Manchester on 24 October 2026 – right in the school half-term window.

When you consider how much standard admission to the park can cost on its own, getting your hotel, flights and multi-day park entry for £353pp in the school holidays is an absolute steal.

HL Paradise Island, Lanzarote – from £405pp

There are waterpark hotels, and then there are waterpark hotels with giant prehistoric creatures towering over the slides.

Guests staying at HL Paradise Island get free entry to Dino Aquapark, where multi-lane racing chutes and enclosed tubes twist around massive, life-size dinosaurs.

The main resort features several swimming pools, sports courts, live evening entertainment and full all-inclusive dining.

Lanzarote stays pleasantly warm right through autumn and winter, making it a brilliant option for some sunshine when the UK enters full freezer mode.

I found a five-night all-inclusive break from £405pp, flying direct from Birmingham on 13 February 2027.

As those dates fall over the February half-term period for many families, that’s excellent value for a school-holiday escape with food, drink and waterpark entry covered.

My tip here is to book an apartment. Having a separate living space and kitchenette means parents get somewhere to relax once the children crash out after a day of chasing dinosaurs.

LIVVO Costa Taurito & Waterpark, Gran Canaria – from £495pp

Taurito looks like someone has built an enormous holiday resort inside a canyon beside the coast.

At the heart of it is Lago Oasis Waterpark – a massive saltwater park packed with kamikaze chutes, racing slides and a giant pirate-ship splash fortress.

Guests at LIVVO Costa Taurito get access to the park, putting all the water-slide madness just steps from their room.

Southern Gran Canaria is one of Europe’s most reliable winter-sun destinations, and the hotel offers all-inclusive dining to keep the holiday food admin nice and simple.

I found a four-night all-inclusive stay from £495pp, flying direct from London Luton on 14 February 2027.

It’s a compact half-term hit of winter sunshine, with flights, meals, drinks and waterpark access all rolled into one price.

I also love the natural volcanic-sand beach just 200 metres from the hotel, giving you somewhere quieter to escape whenever you need a breather from the slides.

Sol Dunas Family Fun, Cape Verde – from £430pp

Sol Dunas is less of a standard hotel and more of a self-contained holiday town.

This sprawling resort features multiple swimming pools, water slides, splash parks, playgrounds and sports courts, forming part of the wider Melia Dunas mega-complex.

Cape Verde is the closest thing to a long-haul winter-sun holiday on this list, serving up temperatures around 25C, plenty of blue skies and broad golden beaches on the island of Sal.

I found a six-night all-inclusive package from £588pp, flying direct from Bristol on 26 October 2026.

Being in the autumn half-term, this deal gives families almost a full week of reliable warmth without the faff of a connecting flight.

It costs slightly more than some of the Spanish options, but a full week of reliable warmth, direct flights and comprehensive all-inclusive dining at a resort of this size still represents excellent value.

Pickalbatros Aqua Blu Sharm, Egypt – from £638pp

Aqua Blu features enough slides to make your local UK “waterpark” look like a damp garden shed.

Part of the enormous Aqua Park City complex in Sharm El Sheikh, this brightly themed resort boasts high-speed racing chutes, wave pools, raft rides and towers of twisting tubes.

The resort is fully all-inclusive and includes access to a private beach via a quick, free shuttle.

Sharm El Sheikh delivers reliable warmth throughout the year, making it a strong choice for autumn or winter sun.

I spotted an eight-night all-inclusive stay from £638pp, flying from Birmingham on 14 February 2027.

It’s the most expensive deal on this list, but you’re getting more than a week of winter sun, all your food and drink, luggage and unlimited access to an enormous waterpark during a peak family-travel period.

The real insider perk, though, is the dedicated children’s buffet, built at a lower level so little ones can grab their own meals without endless parental manoeuvring. Genius.

Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort – Neverland, Hurghada Egypt – from £565pp

This resort features 81 individual water slides.

Eighty-one.

That includes giant family raft rides, multi-lane racers, wave pools and massive themed splash fortresses spread across a complex that feels as though it was designed by a child given an unlimited construction budget.

Beyond the waterpark, Neverland packs in VR gaming arenas, ice skating, huge live productions and an enormous selection of speciality restaurants.

Despite the ridiculous scale of the property, Egypt’s competitive resort market keeps prices shockingly low.

I found a six-night all-inclusive break from £565pp, flying indirectly from Manchester on 16 February 2027, with hold luggage included.

That gives you six nights of all-inclusive dining, luggage and non-stop access to 81 slides during the February half-term period for less than £600pp.

It’s also well worth using the hotel’s internal land train, which runs constantly around the complex, so tired little legs don’t have to walk miles between the slides and your room.

A NEW Minecraft rollercoaster and hotel is coming to the UK next year as part of a huge new theme park expansion.

Chessington World of Adventures announced the new £50million Minecraft World earlier this year, which will be the first of its kind.

And new details about what will be in the land have been revealed.

The main ride will be Escape the Nether, the first Minecraft rollercoaster in the world.

Passengers will be taken through ‘dark mines’ on the indoor ride, before travelling through a Nether Portal to an Overworld themed area.

Little else is known about it, although it says it will be a ‘high-speed indoor adventure’.

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The park has also revealed what to expect from the new Minecraft World Hotel.

Inside will be 69 rooms spread across four floors, ranging from standard to premium.

Guests can expect the famous Minecraft blocks and items within the rooms, while the ‘Nether Portal’ themed lifts and mine tunnel corridors will add more to the immersive experience.

Also inside will be a Woodland Mansion themed ‘potion’ bar as well as an underwater-themed restaurant.

This is alongside other retail and dining attractions in the land as well.

An official opening date for the new land is yet to be confirmed with it being sometime in 2027.

Daisy Mercedes, Creative Producer at Merlin Entertainments, said: “We promised something truly special when we announced Minecraft World earlier this year, and with Minecraft World Hotel we are offering even more.

“Not only will fans be able to experience the game imagined for real life, but they’ll be also able to sleep inside it, ensuring fans respawn exactly where they want to be.

“Seeing the Minecraft World Hotel take shape alongside the attractions we are building at Chessington World of Adventures theme park is a Minecraft fans biggest dream.

“Every room, corridor and detail has been crafted with immense love for this game, the stories made within it and its community.

Trains from London to Chessington take around 35 minutes. Tickets start from £34 each.

In the mean time, you can visit the UK’s first dedicated Paw Patrol-themed land, which opened at Chessington earlier this year.

A UK-based theme park has beaten competition from across the globe to be named the best in the world, and a brand-new ride that only opened this summer also scooped a major award

The Park World Excellence Awards has named its top theme park picks for 2026, and the coveted Best of the Best award has been given to a British theme park that has beaten competition from across the world.

The north west resort scooped the prestigious prize at the awards ceremony held on Wednesday (September 23). The awards, which focus on parks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, included categories from the Best Roller Coaster to the Best Water Park, and competition was stiff, with nominations for huge theme parks including PortAventura, Futuroscope, and Land of Legends.

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool took the top prize, which was described as being awarded to “theme parks, rides, or tourist attractions recognised for excelling as the best of all time within its respected industry.” The Best of the Best award is given to parks that offer “the absolute pinnacle, reflecting everything that is great about our industry”.

Formerly known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the iconic theme park has been celebrating its 130-year anniversary in 2026, making it one of Europe’s oldest, and it is fourth-generation family-owned. It’s the first UK theme park to win the award, with former recipients including Germany’s Europa Park and Siam Park in Tenerife.

The theme park also scooped Best Ride of the Year for Aviktas, the largest ride of its kind in the UK, which swings passengers 138ft in the air on a rotating pendulum. Aviktas opened in May 2026 and was an £8.27 million addition to the park. Meanwhile, Valhalla, a Viking-themed attraction, was the runner-up in the Best Water Ride category. It’s the fifth time the water-based ride has been nominated in this category.

The Pleasure Beach Resort is also home to the UK’s only Nickelodeon Land, which includes SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol-themed rides for all the family.

It’s Halloween event, Journey to Hell, is set to open on October 17, just in time for half term. Described as an “immersive scare experience”, it’ll include three new scare mazes and a selection of rides that stay open until 9pm.

Amanda Thompson, managing director of the Pleasure Beach Resort, said in a statement: “To be named Best of the Best is a massive achievement for our park. Our industry is full of so much talent, so to be recognised among the best speaks volumes on the dedication and hard work that has kept us moving forward for 130 years.

“Avitkas has been a hugely valuable addition to the park and I’ve been delighted by its reception so far. If they haven’t already I’d absolutely encourage people to visit Pleasure Beach and give our ride, now recognised as one of the world’s best a go!”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

YOU don’t have to go far to find one of the world’s best theme parks.

Pleasure Beach in Blackpool has just been crowned the ‘Best of the Best’ in the Park World Excellence Awards.

The ‘Best of the Best’ award is given to theme parks, rides, or tourist attractions that are the ‘best of all time’ within its part of the industry.

And this is the first time a UK theme park has won the award, with previous winners including Europa Park, Siam Park and Liseberg.

The park has around 30 attractions including huge rollercoasters and water rides.

And one of the rides is Aviktas, which opened in May 2026 and has also been named the ‘Best Ride of the Year’ at the awards.

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The £8.7million ride is the largest ride of its kind in the UK, swinging riders 42 metres into the air on a rotating pendulum.

Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort said: “To be named Best of the Best is a massive achievement for our park.

“Our industry is full of so much talent, so to be recognised among the best speaks volumes on the dedication and hard work that has kept us moving forward for 130 years.

“Aviktas has been a hugely valuable addition to the park and I’ve been delighted by its reception so far.

“If they haven’t already I’d absolutely encourage people to visit Pleasure Beach and give our ride, now recognised as one of the world’s best a go!”

If you fancy heading to the theme park this autumn, Pleasure Beach Resort will remain open for most of September and October.

In October, you could also head to the theme park’s Halloween event – Journey to Hell – where you head through an immersive scare experience with three new scare mazes.

A HUGE new land is opening at a European theme park you may have never heard of.

Efteling in the Netherlands is one of the oldest theme parks in the world, and often compared to Disneyland for its fairytale themes.

And now has revealed that it will reopen its Raveleijn land on December 1 after a €20million (£17.2million) upgrade.

The star of the show will be the new €5million (£4.3million) Ravenring attraction.

The new ride features 18 winged vehicles seating up to 36 people, inspired by the Raveleijn ravens and takes them on a flight-like ride.

The new city at the park will also have a new show launching at the same time called Battle for the City.

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The €10million (£8.6million) show will be packed with stunts and follows a dark force awakening on two characters’ wedding day where a battle then breaks out.

A total of €5million (£4.3million) has also been spent on upgrading the surrounding area including the De Verslaeghen Draek Inn which has a menu inspired by recipes travellers have collected from around the world.

There’s a new souvenir shop too – In den Ravenkorf – where visitors can pick up costumes, toys and other Raveleijn products.

Raveleijn originally opened back in 2011 and has been closed for nearly a year for upgrades to take place.

The area is themed around the story of five children who pass through a secret gate and transform into “brave riders”, according to the park.

They must then defend the city against evil.

Director of Product, Marketing & Image Koen Sanders: “The sets have been extensively revamped and Raveleijn is getting a brand-new show packed with spectacular stunts, created in collaboration with the French theme park Puy du Fou.

“At the heart of the story: when evil arises, the heroes of Raveleijn join forces.”

WHEN the unpredictable British weather strikes, a tropical indoor waterpark is the ideal escape for families.

We’ve hunted down the UK’s absolute best indoor waterparks, packed with terrifying near-vertical drops for adrenaline junkies and giant interactive pirate ships to entertain the little ones.

Parents haven’t been forgotten either, as plenty of these indoor resorts have luxurious adults-only spas, bubbling spa pools, and peaceful lazy rivers to help you escape the chaos.

Best of all, these waterparks won’t break the bank, with tickets from £5.31 for adults and £2.50 for kids.

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

As the UK’s largest waterpark, it’s safe to say there’s absolutely loads of indoor fun to be had at Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool.

The attraction boasts 18 slides, ranging from the toddler-friendly treetops water chutes to a climbing frame where a giant coconut dumps 600 gallons of water onto unsuspecting swimmers.

Older thrill-seekers can tackle five record-breaking white-knuckle rides, including the Sidewinder, the world-first indoor half-pipe, and the Masterblaster, the UK’s longest indoor water rollercoaster.

While the kids run wild, adults can escape to the Sea Breeze Spa for an extra £7 to unwind in the sauna, steam room, and aromatherapy lounge.

For the ultimate VIP day out, the £60 Tiki Cabana package gets you park entry, lunch and unlimited drinks, spa access, and a private retreat complete with a TV and hot tub.

Standard tickets start at £24.95 for those aged 12 and over, £15.95 for kids aged three to seven, and under-threes get to splash around for free.

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

This waterpark with tropical temperatures packs in over 30 different rides and attractions under one roof.

Test your nerves on the lightning-themed Hurricane ride that descends at 17mph, or brave the Thunderbolt – the UK’s first trap-door flume that plummets you downwards at a terrifying 25mph.

If you want something a bit gentler, toddlers will love the gentle twists of the newly refurbished Python slide, while the whole family can enjoy the swirling rapids and wave pool.

When you need a breather, you can chill in the calming bubble pools and fuel up on pizza, bubble waffles, and milkshakes at the on-site restaurant.

Outside of the waterpark, the wider leisure resort contains the M Club Spa and fitness centre as well as a tiki-themed adventure mini-golf course.

General admission tickets start at £24pp.

Blue Lagoon Water Park, Wales

Beneath its giant, curved glass dome, the Blue Lagoon Water Park hides a massive wave pool, four high-speed flumes, a lazy river, bubbling spa pools and more.

Here the kids can make a splash on mini slides and water cannons at Nippers Cove, or even join in on magical mermaid schools and pirate-themed events.

While the pool complex is normally reserved for holiday park guests, you can still visit without booking an overnight stay by grabbing tickets to a public open day.

The next public open day takes place on October 28 between 6.30pm and 9pm, with entry costing a budget-friendly £11.55 per person.

The complex is completely free however for guests staying on-site at Bluestone National Park Resort, making it the perfect excuse to book in a staycation.

You can bag a three-night break in a stylish wooden lodge sleeping four from £420, working out to £35pp per night.

Alton Towers Waterpark, Staffordshire

You don’t need to brave the theme park’s giant rollercoasters for an action-packed day out at Alton Towers.

The attraction boasts its own massive tropical waterpark with toasty temperatures right in the Staffordshire countryside.

Adrenaline junkies can tackle the epic Master Blaster water rollercoaster, twist down the indoor Rush ‘N’ Rampage slides, or brave the outdoor Flash Floods flume before splashing into the giant pool.

Meanwhile, little ones can run wild in the Wacky Waterworks Treehouse, a sprawling play zone packed with over 70 interactive features including water cannons and tipping buckets.

If you prefer a more relaxing pace, you can drift peacefully along the lazy river or simply kick back on a lounger with a drink while the kids wear themselves out.

When hunger strikes, you can grab burgers and chicken strips at the Calypso Cave, or treat the family to ice cream sundaes and floats from the Ice Cream Shack.

Standard tickets start at £18 when booked online, with kids under 90cm going completely free.

There are also parent-and-toddler passes available from £23.

Coral Reef Waterworld, Bracknell

Bracknell’s Coral Reef Waterworld is one of England’s largest indoor water parks. With 30C temperatures and a giant pirate ship to play in, it makes for the ideal rainy-day family escape.

Little ones can run wild in the pirate ship and battle against each other with water cannons, or even dodge the ‘eruptions’ of the giant water volcano.

Older kids can tackle five high-tech waterslides, including the 67-metre high-speed Cannon chute and Poseidon’s Peril, a neon-lit, colour-changing raft ride built for two.

If you need to catch your breath, the main swimming pool has plenty of calmer spots to float around, featuring a swirling rapid river and relaxing bubble pools.

There’s even an adults-only Coral Spa where you can completely unwind on heated sun loungers, chill in a Japanese steam room, or sweat it out across three saunas.

Tickets from £18.60 for adults and £13.20 for kids.

Alpamare, Scarborough

Scarborough‘s Alpamare is a totally unique waterpark that truly lives up to its claim of being “unlike any waterpark you’ve seen before”.

Here you’ll find four massive, ski-themed waterslides: the Cresta Run, Olympic Run, Black Run, and Snowstorm.

Each will send you flying through high-speed twists, turns, and giant spinning funnel bowls.

There’s also a huge main indoor pool, which ripples with waves every 30 minutes. You can also brave the outdoor chill and take a dip in a heated outdoor infinity pool.

Alpamare also has its own spa, which might just be the most unique of the bunch.

The spa offers a hammam, LED ice showers, foot baths and even a Sauna World complex with plenty of room for sitting down and heating up.

Plus there’s a totally bizarre Hay Bath aromatherapy experience, where you relax on a lounger surrounded by fresh local Yorkshire hay – where the natural scent is designed to soothe the senses.

Tickets start at £10 for adults, £7.50 for kids, and £2.50 for toddlers when you book ahead online.

The Wave, Coventry

The Wave is a giant indoor waterworld containing the UK’s largest wave pool, which churns over 20 million litres of water every single day.

Zip down your choice of six high-octane flumes, including the stomach-churning Riptide – a massive half-pipe slide that blasts rubber ring riders down a terrifying near-90-degree drop.

You can also take on the dizzying Cyclone ride that spins swimmers around a giant open bowl, while younger children can safely splash away from the big drops in The Reef, a vibrant play area packed with mini slides and fountains.

If the parents need some well-deserved peace and quiet, they can escape the chaos and head over to the luxurious on-site Mana Spa.

Here you can swim gentle lengths in a quieter pool, sweat it out in the sauna and steam room, or switch off in the soothing aromatherapy suite.

Adult tickets cost £15, kids aged 11 and under £13, and babies under one go for free.

Time Capsule Water Park, Scotland

Time Capsule Water Park in Coatbridge, Scotland is a brilliant budget-friendly option that even comes attached to an indoor ice rink for the ultimate action-packed day out.

Inside the massive water complex, you’ll find a lazy river, twisting waterslides, and kids splash zones lined with water cannons.

Thrill-seekers will want to make a beeline for Tornado Tantrum, a tall flume packed with twisting drops alongside dramatic thunder and lightning effects.

Younger kids can safely splash around the toddler-friendly Cove Island, or dry off and run wild in the Tiny Tots indoor soft play area.

When it’s time to refuel the family, grab a cold drink and a poolside burger at the on-site Tsunami Cafe.

This waterpark is one of the cheapest on our list, with adult tickets costing £6.50 and kids £4.50, plus the bonus of completely free parking.

LC Swansea Waterpark, Wales

Taking the crown as Wales‘ biggest waterpark, LC Swansea goes way beyond your standard indoor pool and slide.

Here you can learn to surf on the Boardrider simulator, or hop on a rubber ring ride that blasts you uphill before gravity sends you plummeting back into the pool.

The Volcano Bay zone is the perfect place for the kids to burn off energy with interactive fountains, toys and tipping buckets.

But you can always escape the madness by floating down the peaceful lazy river or sinking into the bubbling whirlpool.

The fun doesn’t stop once you dry off, thanks to a massive underwater-themed indoor play area spanning four storeys of obstacles just next door, as well as a 30ft climbing wall.

Plus there’s a Costa Coffee for well-deserved snacks and drinks and a handy shop for forgotten swim gear.

You won’t have to empty your wallet to enjoy it all either, with tickets starting at £5.31 for adults and older kids.

Toddler tickets (ages one to three) cost £2.97, and babies go free.

ONE of my fondest childhood holidays was going to Legoland Windsor, feeling like a real pirate as I sifted for gold while struggling to remember my left and rights in the driving school.

But as an adult, I recently visited the new Legoland theme park which has become the world’s biggest – and was blown away by the sheer scale of it.

Legoland Shanghai recently celebrated its first birthday, having opened just outside of the city in July 2025 and celebrating two million visitors already.

But how does it compare to Legoland Windsor?

It has 75 attractions, compared to the the UK’s 55.

Not only that, but it has already broken some world records outside of its size.

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It is home to the world’s largest Mini Figure, nicknamed Dada and measuring 85ft.

It also has the world’s only land dedicated to Monkie Kid, with rides including the park’s log flume.

And I was so surprised about how great it was for adults as well.

The Miniland is the central attraction and well-worth a visit, not just for Lego-enthusiasts.

It’s made up of an insane 20million bricks, with fantastic displays including the Shanghai skyline, Beijing and water villages Suzhou.

Kids will have fun though, where they can build their own cars to race or spaceships to shoot rockets.

But there are definitely enough rides to keep adults busy.

It has the Big Lego rollercoaster, the longest coaster at any Lego park at 1,379ft.

Created by Bolliger & Mabillard (behind Nemesis and Oblivion at Alton Tower), it was a thrilling ride that threw me around the tracks, having amazing views of the park until hitting speeds of 53mph.

It’s safe to say I went on this ride a few times…

Otherwise it also has the Dragon Coaster, which is bigger and faster than the UK version.

It even has a unique boat ride which goes through Chinese water villages, and is a welcome break from the heat.

Of course, kids will love the eight themed lands – there is the world-exclusive Lego Monkie Kid land, with the main water flume ride (don’t worry if you get wet – there is a full-sized dryer right next to it).

LEGO City is where they can get their driving license, as well as go on rides based on firefighters, pilots and police officers, and the NINJAGO land has fantastic live performances.

Come with an empty stomach – you can enjoy brick-shaped sandwiches, burgers and even ice cream.

Ticket prices are usually similar to Legoland Windsor, which is around £31.

However, tickets are currently 50 per cent off due to it being Shanghai Tourism Week, meaning £16 tickets until September 27.

Even if you aren’t planning a trip to Shanghai, you can visit Legoland if you are travelling through on a stopover.

The theme park is around one hour from Pudong International Airport, or 25 minutes from Hongqiao International Airport.

Or you can stay longer and stay at the on-site Legoland Hotel.

EUROCAMP has hundreds of resorts across Europe – but there is one that has been backed by mums as being the best.

Found in Holland, Duinrell has a lot to shout about including a theme park as well as a huge indoor and outdoor waterpark.

With all this, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the top-rated Eurocamp resorts for families – and it was voted as such on Mumsnet.

Its main draw is the enormous theme park which is completely free for guests with over 40 rides and attractions.

It has high thrill rollercoasters like The Falcon which is 72 feet tall with vertical drops, loop the loops and a top speed of 43mph.

There are other more family-friendly rides like log flumes, bumper cars, slides and climbing towers.

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Something else that makes it so popular is the enormous waterpark which has a total of 21 waterslides and huge swimming pools which are both indoor and outdoors.

The complex has a lazy river, a wave pool and an outdoor Tiki pool with tipping buckets and fountains which is open in the summer months.

Inside is where families will find the Playa waterpark which is especially designed for little kids up to 12 years old, with four waterslides for children.

Guests will need to pre-book time slots and pay up to €15 (£12.88) per person for the waterparks.

Activities don’t stop there either, as families can spend hours in its arcade which has over 80 games.

There’s mini golf, air hockey, classic arcade games, including eight immersive racing simulators.

In the comments, one previous visitor wrote: “We love Duinrell…I would do at least a week as loads to do.”

Another added: “This is an absolutely brilliant place!! Everything about it is spot on! Between the accommodation and the theme park, it’s all fantastic.”

A third said the waterpark was the “best we’ve been to!”

The park has eating options too from a creperie to an Italian restaurant and at the bars there’s entertainment like discos, karaoke and talent shows.

As for a place to stay the Eurocamp has a selection of ultimate holiday homes which can sleep up to eight across three bedrooms.

They have fully kitted out kitchens with open living areas and spacious bedrooms.

When the sun shines there’s an outdoor decking and a barbecue too.

For eight people to stay in an Ultimate 3-bedroom cabin next May for seven-night works out to £1,327.48 or £23.70pppn.

The Eurocamp is just outside The Hague, meaning that luckily for Brits it’s very easy to get to as it sits in between Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Flights to Rotterdam can be as quick as 50-minutes and heading to Amsterdam can take just one hour.

The cities can also be reached by the Eurostar in three hours and 15 minutes.

For more Eurocamp resorts, here are 10 with pools, waterparks and beaches.

And this Eurocamp in France has a huge kids club and laid back vibes.

IN LESS than five years the UK is set to get a new theme park that’s the only one of its kind in Europe.

Universal United Kingdom Resort, as it is officially known, will be located in Bedfordshire and is set to open in 2031.

Universal has always been at the forefront of new theme park upgrades, from letting guests use wands to cast spells in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to interactive dragon robots at How To Train Your Dragon – Isle Of Berk.

Now the company has applied for FOUR new patents, giving fans a sneak peek at what to expect at their theme parks in the future.

These include a hybrid ride vehicle that can transition between being suspended from a track – as if it is floating through the air – to floating on the water.

Images show that the boat-style car would connect to an overhead arm and then when it enters the water it would detach from the arm and float like a normal boat.

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Another patent reveals an AI guide – an audio tour that would be able to see your surroundings and then talk to you.

It isn’t clear yet what the AI guide would be used for by Universal, but it sounds like it could be along the lines of a Google Lens or Pokemon Go experience.

It is also unclear whether these patents are specifically for the UK park or all parks.

What we do know though, is that this week the Universal United Kingdom Resort announced the 23 contractors, engineers and architects that will be used for the project.

Contractors include the team behind the 2012 London Olympic Stadium as well as The Eden Project in Cornwall, the O2 Arena, a number of airport expansions and Battersea Power Station.

Previously announced details about the first Universal destination in Europe include that it will be located on a site in Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire – about 45 miles from London.

The park will spread across 476 acres and feature the theme park as well as hotels, restaurants, shops and even room for possible future expansion.

The theme park will be split into four “zones” – the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone and the East Gateway Zone.

Accommodation and business hotels will be in the Lake Zone, as well as an entertainment complex and a convention centre.

West Gateway Zone and the East Gateway Zone will be where guests arrive by train and car, with restaurants and hotels.

This is also likely to be where the Entry Plaza area will be, as well as parking and a 500-room hotel.

When it comes to what will actually be inside the theme park itself, there are plenty of rumours flying around.

What we do know is that there will be indoor and outdoor rides, as well as areas for shows and entertainment.

The plans state: “[Guests will] experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars.

“They’ll come face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains.

“They’ll discover great food, new laughs, new ways to play, and step into immersive worlds they’ve only ever dreamed of.”

There will also be a maximum height of anything in the theme park of 115metres – which if this were to be a rollercoaster, it would take over from Red Force at Ferrari Land (part of PortAventura World) in Salou, Spain, as the tallest in Europe.

Despite Universal not confirming the park map or rides that will feature, industry speculation expects the attraction to focus on its British roots with much-loved franchise Harry Potter featuring.

Other famous films set to play a part in the theme park include Paddington Bear and James Bond.

There are also rumours that Jurassic World, How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me/Minions and Shrek could also feature.

Rail lines near the theme park will also get upgraded with a new station on the East West Rail and Midland Main (Thameslink) Line.

It is expected to cost £5billion to bring to life.

WITH autumn here and the 2026 never-ending heatwave in the rearview mirror, it’s time to brush up on our knowledge of rainproof attractions.

So, there’s no better time to discover some fun indoor attractions to keep the family occupied as the weather turns – and we have quite a few to share.

Whether you prefer adrenaline-filled rides or obstacle filled challenges – there are loads of great indoor attractions across the UK.

From older kid favourites to the ideal toddler spots, here are the top indoor UK theme parks and attractions:

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Babylon Park, London

Found in Camden, London, Babylon Park is one of the only fully indoor theme parks in the UK.

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It even has an underground rollercoaster.

The entire attraction is outer space-themed and boasts different rides and attractions such as a rollercoaster, a drop tower, bumper cars and an arcade.

The park is free to visit but to go on the different rides and attractions you’ll need to buy Game Coins, Bonus Coins and Ride Coins.

Packages for these cost between £14 to £100.

The Playhive, North Yorkshire

Stockeld Park in North Yorkshire is home to The Playhive, which calls itself one of Europe‘s largest indoor playgrounds.

Inside, there are four themed worlds including space, air, jungle and sea.

The different areas feature giant slides, games, tunnels and climbing trails.

Tickets cost from £11 per person, which includes entry to the entire Stockeld Park attraction as well as The Playhive.

Woodlands, Devon

In Devon, Woodlands family theme park has loads of outdoor attractions to explore, but when the weather gets ba, d head inside and you will find what the park claims to be the biggest indoor soft play in the country.

There are multiple different areas for kids to explore across five floors, with net towers, drop slides and ball pits.

There are even specific areas for little ones too.

Big kids – or daredevils – have more thrilling attractions such as a 15.2-metre drop ride too.

And parents can feel at ease by keeping an eye on the kids from one of the many tables around the play area.

Tickets cost £16.50 for adults and kids over 92 cm, which includes access to the theme park and indoor adventure park.

Gravity Max, London

Older kids will love Gravity Max which has two venues – one in Wandsworth and the other in Westfield Stratford.

The attractions feature a huge e-karting track that looks like a real-life Mario Kart game.

There’s also immersive bowling, AR darts, and VR arenas.

Individual activities cost from £16 per person.

Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Parks, multiple locations

Who hasn’t wanted to try out the Ninja Warrior course? Well, you can in a number of places across the country.

With 15 venues across the UK including in Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Bristol and Leicester, the indoor Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park obstacle courses are the perfect way to have fun indoors.

The obstacle courses have balance beams, monkey bars and the famous TV show obstacle, The Warped Wall.

Tickets cost from £9.50 per person.

Zip World, Llechwedd

Head underground at Zip World Llechwedd in Wales, where there are caves and huge trampolines in a disused slate mine.

There are a number of different activities to choose from including Underground Golf with neon lights from £29 per person.

Or for the same price, there’s a cave tour.

For kids needing to let off steam, there are Bounce Below with a number of giant trampolines across six chambers.

Bounce Below sessions cost from £29 per person.

For the ultimate adventure, head to Caverns at the attraction, where you can zip line through the caves for £79 per person.

Play Factore, Manchester

Play Factore in Manchester claims to be the biggest indoor entertainment attraction in the UK.

Inside, there’s a giant play frame with spider nets, rollers and even the UK’s tallest indoor standing slide.

For younger guests, it has the biggest toddler area in the country too.

Tickets cost from £2.95 to £12.95 depending on the kids’ age, while adults pay £4.75.

Adventure Inside, Essex

Over in Essex, Adventure Inside has a six-storey soft play area with monkey bars and ball pits, ideal for young children.

There’s also a carousel, drop tower ride, swinging pirate ship and a racing spin ride.

An Adventure Island Day Band costs from £30 per person.

And currently, when you buy one you’ll get an annual pass as well for free.

Riverside Hub, Northampton

In Northampton, Riverside Hub is home to several different zones which include Role Play Villages where kids can explore an imaginary world with its own cafe, shop, witch’s house and tooth fairy dentist.

Older kids aren’t left out though as they can try out different climbing activities, including a 10-metre beanstalk.

There’s a giant play frame with slides, games and even a football pitch too.

Travel writer Catherine Lofthouse said: “There’s so much to do here that it’s a struggle to fit it into the two and a half hours that each session is allocated.

“We could have happily spent the whole day and still have gone back for more.

“With three boys aged between five and 12, it can sometimes be difficult to find somewhere that has enough to keep all ages happy as the older two are getting a bit big for soft play, but that certainly wasn’t a problem here.”

Tickets cost £8.50 per adult, £14.50 per child aged one to three-ears-od and £17.50 for kids between four and 17-yers-old.

Flip Out, various locations

Another great indoor attraction with venues across the UK including Bradford, Doncaster, Chichester and Coventry, is Flip Out.

Inside each venue there is a trampoline park with foam pits and stunt walls.

Some venues have additional attractions such as Flip Out Canary Wharf, where there is also laser quest and bumper cars.

Prices vary depending on destination and session length.

DARKER nights and chilly days are on the way, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to hibernate – there’s still plenty to do.

From Halloween events with family-friendly discos to terrifying scare mazes and tropical indoor waterparks – we’ve found some of the best days out this autumn that will entertain the whole family.

Alton Towers

Along with its high thrills rides, Alton Towers is getting a spooky makeover this autumn.

During the day, the park is still family-friendly just with a little spookiness thrown in during the lead-up to Halloween.

Trick O’Treat Town is open for business and at the CBeebies Land Monster Ball, kids can dance their socks off.

During Dia de los Muertos, the interactive day of the dead celebrations, kids can stroll through the colourful festival and meet some mysterious characters along the way.

For teens and adults looking for adrenaline-pumping thrills, then book Scarefest when the theme park will be open when the sun goes down.

Take on signature rides like The Smiler, Nemesis Reborn and Wicker Man under the cloak of darkness.

Visitors can also put their bravery to the test in the Edge of the Forest, a live action scare maze – then see if they can find a way out of Compound – a terrifying escape room.

Day tickets start from £37pp and Scarefest Halloween Breaks start from £100pp.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

With over 40 rides and attractions, a zoo and aquarium, Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a great choice for a family day out – and from October 3, it will have a Halloween twist too.

Returning for 2026 is the Stone Watchers: Vampire’s Lair – try to sneak through the maze without disturbing the terrifying gargoyles.

At the Enchanted Hollow: Trick or Treat, there will be underground burrows full of whimsical characters, with treasures and sweet treat surprises.

Other activities include dancing your heart out at Dr Frankenfun’s Haunted House Party and Barnyard Boogie.

The theme park stays open a little later on selected dates, so you can hop on its rides at dusk too for more thrills than usual.

Howl’o’ween Day Tickets start from £34 and short breaks from £74pp.

Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park are bringing back Fright Nights – or as they’ve named it for 2026, ’25 Years of Fear’.

For those who REALLY want to have their hearts racing, head to the all new Tenement – a fully immersive, pitch-black scare maze.

Set in an abandoned building where the power has failed and the tenants have vanished – anyone who enters will have to find their way out in the dark.

The other four existing scare mazes are all returning too; DeadBeat, Stitches, Survival Games and Trailers.

Other activities for 2026 include Creature Campus: Reunion Reckoning, a terrifying live scare show, and The Conjuring 4D Experience which brings the story to life at the Sunset Cinema.

Purgatory Town will be back with new characters and Rebel Ball has music, dance and fire performances.

Make sure to take on the rollercoasters in the dark, including Hyperia, which is the fastest rollercoaster in the UK, and SAW – The Ride that’s the world’s first horror movie–themed rollercoaster.

Day tickets including Fright Nights start from £39 and overnight stays start from £109pp.

Drayton Manor

Drayton Manor isn’t missing out when it comes to Halloween – on selected dates from October 10 to November 11 it is holding frightfully fun family events.

This year, the theme park is introducing its Blazing Halloween which include an all-new Trick or Treat Trail where little monsters can collect sweet treats and take selfies with mischievous Halloween characters along the way.

Hop onboard the Revenge of the Haunted Express on a ghostly journey through the darkest corners of the theme park (this experience costs an extra £5pp).

Make sure to stay until the evening for the End of the Day Lake Show with waterjets, bursts of fire and flashing lights.

It will all come to an end with two spectacular fireworks nights held on October 31 and November 1.

Day tickets start from £24.90pp (when booked in advanced), overnight stays vary in price depending on the time and day of booking.

Paultons Park

Families will have a great time at Paultons Park, which was crowned UK’s best theme park at last year’s UK Theme Park Awards, this spooky season.

Its Halloween Spooktacular will begin on October 9 and continue up until November 2.

Families can check out Ghostly Manor which is an interactive dark ride open throughout the event, and The Little Monsters Ball dance-party held on the main show stage.

Speaking of shows, there will be two this year; The Great Halloween Mystery and the Spirit Squad Ghoul School.

Even Peppa Pig World will be decorated for Halloween – make sure to meet Peppa and George in their pumpkin and witch costumes.

But if you want to forget the Halloween scaries, head to The Fairy Garden – the majestic secret garden will be decorated with webs and pumpkins.

On selected dates there will be late-night openings until 7.30pm.

Day tickets start from £46.75pp with short breaks in October from £269pp.

Legoland Windsor Resort

Legoland is starting its seasonal event, Brick or Treat, on October 10 – and they’ve teased that it will be the biggest party yet.

There are TWO house parties this year, first up, the Haunted House Monster Party, and the Lord Vampyre’s House Party will also return.

There’s also a Monster Jam show, character meet and greets and dressing up is also highly encouraged.

The dragon rollercoaster will get a disco makeover with sparkly lights.

Don’t miss all the other rides that remain open as usual, like Flight of the Sky Lion, LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure and Driving School.

Day tickets start from £37pp with short breaks including an overnight hotel stay and breakfast starting from £123.

Coral Reef Waterworld, Bracknell

When the weather turns and outdoor pools just aren’t a possibility anymore, it’s time to hit the indoor waterparks.

If you want to go big then head to Coral Reef Waterworld in Bracknell which is one biggest in England – lots of it is interactive too with flashing lights and sounds.

It’s tropical with temperatures of 30C and has an erupting water volcano, rapid river, bubble pool and children’s splash zone

The pirate-themed splash area is centered around a ship called The Coralina which comes with water cannons and interactive water features.

The biggest waterslide is The Cannon, which launches riders down a 67 metre-long chute like a cannonball.

Poseidon’s Peril is another popular ride – it’s for two people who are attached to an inflatable raft as it rotates and swirls through a tunnel with colour-changing lights.

If you’re after relaxation, then head to the Coral Spa which has heated loungers, three saunas, a cool pool and a Japanese steam room.

Adult tickets cost £20.55, children 5-16 cost £14.55 those aged children between 0-4 cost £1.95.

The Wave, Coventry

The Wave in Coventry is a not only an enormous indoor waterpark, but it has the largest wave pool in England too which churns out more than 20 million litres of water per day.

There are six waterslides including The Riptide which is a half-pipe slide that blasts riders in a rubber ring down a near-90-degree drop.

The Cyclone spins swimmers around a giant open bowl, and The Rapids, which is a ‘water-coaster’, hurl riders uphill before dropping them down through tight corners and tunnels.

The Reef is its splash pad which is suited for younger children with miniature slides, tipping buckets, jets and water fountains.

When you want to relax, bob along the lazy river then pop into the Mana Spa which has a spa pool, aromatherapy room, sauna and steam room.

Tickets cost £15 per adult, £13 for children 11 and under and under ones go free.

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

Waterworld has over 30 rides and attractions with wave pools and rapids.

It has the Thunderbolt ride, which is the UK’s first trap door drop waterslide and riders travel at 25mph.

Another speedy ride is Hurricane which descends at 17mph and has lightning effects inside the tunnels.

There are also dedicated water attractions for younger children like the interactive Jungle House and Toddler Boat slide.

Waterworld also has a mini adventure golf course as well as a restaurant and cafe serving up pizza, burgers, salads, drink and there’s a new dessert bar with 22 different flavours of ice cream.

Tickets for adults and children start from £17.70, children under three-years-old start from £6.10.

Blenheim Place, Oxfordshire

Of course, you can visit Blenheim Palace year-round but there are lots of events coming to it this autumn.

Halloween at Blenheim Palace runs from October 22 to November 1.

Kids will love its after-dark trail, light displays, immersive entertainment and spooky surprises – you might stumble upon the Spider’s lair or the Pirate’s Wreck.

Haunted half-term will return between October 24 and Sunday 1 to the Walled Garden – here there will be a circus workshop, witchy storytelling sessions and are even giant wizards will wander about.

There will be a chance to get up close and personal with animals like snakes, tarantulas, giant snails and frogs with ZooLab.

As for its other exhibitions, Dinosaurs Are Forever runs until November 1 – and it has five full-scale Megalosaurus sculptures.

Tickets for Halloween at Blenheim palace start from £23 for adults and £32 for children (between 3-16).

Tickets for Haunted Half-Term are included in general day tickets starting from £31 for adults and £15 for children.

Cumbria Dark Skies Festival

While most Brits won’t be looking forward to the darker evenings, but for stargazing, they’re perfect – where better to see them than at a dark sky festival?

From October 23 to November 20 the Cumbria Dark Skies Festival will be taking place across the county.

You can try out dark sky canoeing on Coniston Water or even try out a stargazing swim in Ullswater if you’re feeling brave enough.

There are also guided walks, and lantern-making at Nenthead Mines.

If you want to see more of the night skies, head to the new Grizedale Observatory and Planetarium which holds daily shows and stargazing events.

Make sure to check out the camping and glamping opportunities where you can see the night sky right from your bed – check out all the events and stays during the festival, here.

Tulleys Farm, West Sussex

Whether you’re after an autumnal day out pumpkin picking with the kids or want to be scared witless in a scare maze – Tulleys Farm has it all.

This year, the family-friendly Pumpkin Festival returns with Europe’s largest pumpkin patch (with 1.5million pumpkins), an observation wheel, live music, carousel, street food and marshmallow roasting.

A new land within it is The Pumpkin Valley which, as the name suggests, is filled with pumpkins scattered across winging paths and ponds.

If being scared is on your list then head to Shocktober Fest – Europe’s largest scream park.

It has scare mazes, escape rooms, even immersive zombie experiences as well as live music across three stages and rides too.

New for this year is an escape room called Relic which has a scare rating of eight out of 10.

Teams must enter to explore forgotten chambers, find clues and solve puzzles to escape the temple before the doors seal forever.

Tickets for the Pumpkin Festival start from £8.95pp, tickets to Shocktober Fest with an XScream pass start from £42.95.

The Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry

On the outskirts of the Scottish Highlands in Faskally Wood is The Enchanted Forest – a light and sound show – perfect for an autumnal evening.

This year, it celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new show  called ‘Stop The Clock: The 25th Hour. ‘

When the sun goes down, The Enchanted Forest transforms the natural woodland into a glowing wonderland with synchronized laser lights, projections to the backdrop of music.

The event will run from October 8 to November 8.

It’s worth noting that all visitors are transported to Faskally Wood by bus and there are accessible sessions too.

Adult tickets start from £28.50, child tickets start from £15.50 – and family tickets start from £78.50.

Autumn Fest, Morden Park

If you love everything autumn has from the cosy pumpkin picking with a hot chocolate in hand to spooky experiences – consider Autumn Fest in Morden Park.

It has an Enchanted Light Trail, a carnival, roaming entertainers, flash mob performances and plenty of places for seasonal photos.

The park will have a spooky makeover too with spiders suspended from the trees and haunted lake instillations.

With add-on tickets, you can see inside The Freak Show where there will be entertainment from sword swallowers, fire breathers, aerial performers and theatre.

Friday Fright Night is the outdoor Halloween cinema experience with themed movie screenings – with family and adult screenings throughout the day and night.

Autumn Fest runs between October 22 – October 31.

Tickets to the Light Trail start from £18 for adults, £12.50 for children.

Additional ticketed experiences, workshops and performances vary in price and must be purchased as an add-on.

Heritage Open Days, UK

Across 10 days Brits can enjoy thousands of free events thanks to Heritage Opens Days.

From the races at Silverstone to codebreaking trails at Bletchley Park, there’s something for everyone.

If strolling about a country home filled with autumn trees tickles your fancy, head to the likes of Lyme Park in Cheshire, Wightwick Manor and Lyveden.

For any transport enthusiasts then you can check out vintage vehicles from trams to trains at the likes of Aldridge Transport Museum, Dover Transport Museum, East Anglia Transport Museum and the Museum of Transport in Manchester.

To get into the Halloween spirit, check out the ghost walks – some of which will be held at Ripon Market Place in North Yorkshire, Knutsford, and Chester.

The event runs from 11-20 September – for a full list of the events check out the website (for some you may need to pre-book a slot online).

The Eden Project, Cornwall

Thanks to its two heated biomes – The Eden Project is a great place to visit throughout the year, and it’s a great place to warm up in the colder months.

Make sure to wear layers so you can be comfortable in the world’s largest indoor rainforest which can be as hot as 35C.

Inside are beautiful waterfalls, a canopy walkway, wobbly bridges, free-roaming partridges and over 1,000 varieties of plants.

The Mediterranean Biome is slightly cooler but can still get up to 25C with pretty flowers and plants from the Mediterranean, California and even Western Australia.

There is an upcoming Celebration of Stories Weekend coming up where children’s authors will read stories – there will also be workshops and family activities.

General admission tickets for adults start from £35.50 and children (between 5-15) start from £12.50.

If you’re planning a weekend in Windsor with a trip to Legoland included, this fancy hotel is a treat for the grown-ups but still has everything you need for the kids

“Oh no, this place looks fancy,” I told my partner as we drove up the winding path towards the De Vere Beaumont Estate in Windsor.

With its stately home feel and landscaped gardens, it had all of the makings of a lovely romantic getaway. Except we’d turned up with our two-year-old toddler, and now I worried that, despite promising to be a family-friendly hotel, this might be one of those properties where ‘family friendly’ means ‘as long as your kid sits quietly in the corner’. Thankfully, I was wrong.

De Vere Beaumont Estate is quietly family-friendly; at a first look it doesn’t feel like children are welcome, but once you actually settle in, it’s very accommodating.

The hotel may feel grandiose from the outside, but it’s not pretentious. It’s modern with quirky artwork, cosy armchairs, and a parlour bar serving an impressive array of drinks, with a large outdoor terrace.

My only quibble was the check-in process; there was a wedding onsite which caused a long queue at the reception. We actually gave up for a while and went to the bar for about an hour before returning, and even then we still had to wait 20 minutes.

Still, when we did get the keys to our room, it wasn’t disappointing. It was a decent size with a double bed, two armchairs and a table, a desk, and a large bathroom (shower only). If, like us, you’re travelling with a little one who still needs milk at night, be warned that rooms don’t have mini fridges – but we had prepared and packed an ice cooler.

The estate is very picturesque with large landscaped gardens, patches of woodlands, and a playground for older kids. It felt like we scratched the surface when we went for a wander, but there are some longer walks for those who aren’t tied to taking a pram along for the ride.

When it came to dinner, we decided to stick onsite at the hotel’s 1705 Restaurant & Bar. Again, at first glance I wasn’t sure if it would be stress-free with a toddler.

For a start, there wasn’t a children’s menu which had me instantly panicking about whether we’d need to convince our two-year-old that he did in fact want the likes of salad or soup for dinner, but thankfully the staff were incredibly accommodating when we asked if there was anyway we could get some sort of simple pasta dish, and they made us a special portion of mac and cheese.

The menu for grown-ups did tick all the boxes though. We went for the scallops and mozzarella salads as our starters, and steaks for the main. Prices range around £14-£35 per person so it’s not a particularly cheap meal, but the overall vibes, good food and friendly staff made it feel like a holiday treat.

With a toddler, it was time to head back to the room for an early night. However, after an hour of him resisting sleep, we admitted defeat, and headed back down to the terrace for a drink, taking the toddler in his pyjamas, in the pram. Nobody batted an eyelid, we easily found a table, and ended up enjoying some nice wine in the last of the sunshine.

The next morning, after making the most of the hotel’s extensive breakfast and dropping off our room key in a very quick check-out process, we made the most of the hotel’s location just a 15-minute drive from LEGOLAND Windsor.

Our toddler was under 90cm which meant he could enter for free, but also meant he was too short for a few of the bigger attractions. Still we managed to tick off more than I expected including a submarine ride, a train, and the iconic Fairy Tale Brook boat ride. There were also heaps of playgrounds throughout the theme park. As for queues, the longest we saw was 35 minutes for a NINJAGO ride, but generally we were impressed at how quickly everything moved – a very welcome feature when you’re waiting around with a toddler.

The theme park allows you to bring your own food and drink in the park which was very helpful for snacks (our little one, like most his age, is spectacularly picky about what he will eat), but I wish we’d packed more for ourselves too as when we did decide to just get some nuggets and chips for lunch, as well as some ice creams, it set us back about £30.

Overall, De Vere Beaumont Estate proved an ideal base; a lovely space for us grown-ups to enjoy, and a handy location to one of the UK’s biggest attractions. It’s definitely one we’ll be returning to!

• Rooms at the De Vere Beaumont Estate start from £129 a night based on two people sharing. Book at devere.co.uk.
• LEGOLAND Windsor day tickets start from £32pp when booked online in advance at legoland.co.uk.

BOOKING a weatherproof autumn break with luxurious lodges, woodland spas and tropical indoor waterparks doesn’t have to be expensive.

We’ve tracked down the UK’s ultimate budget-friendly staycations this autumn to save your rainy weekends – from less than £3pp per night.

From clever Center Parcs dupes in stunning forests, to mega family holiday parks with tropical pool complexes, these sites guarantee a great time even when the British weather turns grim.

Whether you want to float along a lazy river while rain taps against the window, or enjoy a drink in a private hot tub under the pine trees, we’ve found some unbeatable breaks for the cheapest rates this autumn.

Finlake Resort & Spa

Set across 130 acres of Devonshire woodland, Finlake gives you the premium forest village feel of Center Parcs – but for far less money.

Fill your days with an action-packed itinerary of axe-throwing, Segways, laser tag, den building, horse riding and more. Activities start from £7, and there are plenty of free options, too.

When rainy days hit, Finlake Falls is your best friend. This indoor waterpark boasts a spacious indoor pool heated to 30C with a ‘beach style’ entrance for little ones, where they can gently wade into shallow waters.

For older kids and young-at-heart adults, there’s high-speed waterslides and flumes – plus activities like Seascooters, where you can twist and glide through the water holding onto a propeller.

Similar to Center Parcs, there’s also a woodland spa here, the Sirona Spa, where you can enjoy a soothing massage or Elemis skincare treatments.

The holiday resort is only two miles from Dartmoor National Park, where you can spot wild ponies, and three miles from Canonteign Falls – a breathtaking waterfall with a friendly gift shop and cafe nearby.

Four people can spend a week in Scandinavian-style woodland cabin with a log burner from £265 this autumn, working out at £9.46pp per night. A luxury woodland lodge won’t cost you much more, with a week from £305.

In contrast, we found a seven-night October break at Center Parcs Longleat Forest in their cheapest accommodation for £1,458. That’s a saving of £1,193.

Bluestone National Park Resort, Wales

If you’re wanting a luxury woodland break this autumn that won’t break the bank, book in at Bluestone National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire.

The crown jewel of Bluestone is the Blue Lagoon Water Park, a massive, heated, subtropical indoor pool complex that is completely free for guests.

The subtropical waterpark has a huge wave machine, four twisting, high-speed flumes, a lazy river and even warm, bubbling spa pools to retreat to.

Little ones can make a splash in Nippers Cove, a shallow pool with its own mini waterslide, water cannons and indoor rockpools.

You might even find mermaids and pirates at the waterpark during themed events.

Outside of the pool, you can try an indoor zipline, take an electric bike tour through the woods, tackle a climbing wall or even have a go at bushcraft skills including fire lighting and outdoor cooking.

As for accommodation, you can stay in everything from a stylish apartment, to a cosy pastel-coloured cottage, to a mega six-bedroom wooden lodge.

We found a three-night break in a silver lodge sleeping four for £420, working out at £35pp per night.

Highfield Grange, Essex

This newly-upgraded Essex holiday park reopened in spring of this year, packed with £5million worth of shiny new activities.

Parkdean has pumped serious money into weather-proofing this park, with new Bear Grylls escape rooms, an expanded soft play area, and even an indoor Chocolate Factory where families can create their own concoctions.

Another new addition is the Hat Tricks Sports Bar, where you can spend rainy afternoons indoors playing shuffleboard, darts, pool and mini golf.

To cut costs, there’s also an all-inclusive food and drinks package, starting from £25 per day for adults and £10 per day for kids.

This includes three meals a day plus unlimited soft drinks and Costa Coffee, so you and the kids can cosy up with a hot chocolate whenever you please.

This park is only 10 minutes’ drive from Clacton-on-Sea, where you can stroll quiet beaches on dog walks or take a trip to the amusements without the frantic summer crowds.

We found a deal for a two-night break in a Bronze Caravan sleeping up to six for £99. That works out at £8.25pp per night.

Haven Hafan y Mor

Hafan y Mor is one of Haven’s biggest holiday parks, and is one of the top-rated, too, as a three-time winner of the AA 5-Platinum Star award.

On dry days, head to the Dragon Lakes Adventure Village for mini 4×4 off-roading, high ropes courses, and to battle it out at a NERF training camp.

Inside, Splashaway Bay is one of the biggest and best holiday park pool complexes in the UK, with a lazy river, giant tipping buckets and a four-lane waterslide.

For food and drink you can grab a bite from Chopstix, Slim Chickens, and family restaurant The Coast House Bar and Grill.

As for getting out and about, you can take a breezy beach walk just steps from the park or take a 10-minute drive to the pretty seaside town of Criccieth, where you can explore a historic 13th-century castle.

We found a deal for a four night stay in October for six people in a Bronze Caravan for £69 total, which works out at a tiny £2.88pp per night.

Vauxhall, Great Yarmouth

Vauxhall Holiday Park is another that has recently undergone a £5million mega-revamp, and it may just be one of the best UK parks when it comes to rainy day activities.

Kids can spend hours in the massive Tropical Waterworld, complete with slides and a splash zone, or burn off energy tackling the indoor soft play.

If you visit in October you’ll see the park go all-out for Halloween with spooky ghost walks, costume contests and creative craft workshops – plus the Parkdean chain-wide Monster Ball party.

The fairground indoor golf is a real highlight here, with a sparkly-new course decorated with swirls and pinstripes just as colourful as the sticks of rock and sweets sold on Great Yarmouth‘s Pier.

Twinning with Highfield Grange, this site also has a new Hat Tricks Sports Bar – but you can also hang out in the site’s other two entertainment venues, and take part in quizzes, bingo or rock and roll nights.

You can book a three night stay for four people in a Bronze Caravan this October for £135, which works out at £11.25pp per night.

Parkdean Resorts Warmwell

Parkdean’s Warmwell Resort in Dorset is a lodge-only park, meaning that you won’t find static caravans here – just cosy wooden lodges that are perfect for autumn.

Tucked away among the trees, these cabins offer instant access to the lake for swimming and fishing. And if you want to dial up the luxury, you can book a stay with a private hot tub.

You can even practice your skiing at this Dorset holiday park, with a 110-metre dry ski slope which you can tackle via skis, snowboard or sledge.

If the weather plays up, you can whizz around in the massive indoor roller rink, spend spare change in the amusements or warm up in the heated indoor pool – and yes it has a waterslide.

Autumn stays here are all about throwing on a coat, tearing through the woodland trails on biks, and returning to a cosy, heated lodge afterwards.

You can book a three-night stay in a superior lodge sleeping eight for £266 this October, working out at £11.08pp per night.

A family theme park near a seaside town with more than 30 attractions and tickets starting from £16, has been named the UK’s best for this year, but not everyone has heard of it

With the warm summer days a distant memory, thoughts are turning to how we can spend our time when the weather isn’t dependent. Theme parks are a great option, with any worries about the weather quickly vanishing as you whizz around an exhilarating ride or venture around the colourful site packed with attractions.

The UK is brimming with entertaining and family-friendly theme parks, whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or want a day out that’s suitable for all ages. While we’ve all heard of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland, they’ve been pipped to the post by a lesser-known attraction for the title of the UK’s best theme park.

Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft in Suffolk was crowned ‘Theme Park of the Year’ for under 1 million visitors, in this year’s UK Theme Park Awards, presented by AttractionTickets.com. Located near the Suffolk coast between Corton and Gunton, the biggest theme park in East Anglia has 30 fun-packed rides and attractions across its 59-acre site, from family favourites to thrill-seeking ventures.

Some highlights include the park’s wild mouse roller coaster, Marble Madness, the Jolly Roger, a stomach-churning drop tower, and the water flume ride, Water Fun Factory. But that’s just the start of their offerings, with plenty more rides that are suitable for all ages.

There’s Woody’s Wheel to savour the coastal vistas, the Flying Elephants, the pirate ship, Shiver me Timbers, the small coast, the Egg-Spress and Wavebreaker, and an exciting waterslide down a winding course. In addition, visitors can watch a sealion or colourful bird show, before visiting the indoor soft play area, Woody’s Cub House, take a drive in a safari car, and ride the carousel or Woodland Express.

Elsewhere, Pleasurewood Hills’ flagship roller coaster is the towering Wipeout, which stands more than 130ft high and whizzes guests around its twisting, turning, looping, and rolling track, before reversing on itself for the “ultimate backwards thrill”. However, it’s currently closed after it broke down over the summer, leaving riders stuck on board for up to three hours, with it expected to reopen by the end of October.

Following this, one of the theme park owners, Freddy Stokes, said their ‘Theme Park of the Year’ award had not been something “we were expecting to win”. The UK Theme Park Awards were based on public votes held prior to the issues with the Wipeout ride.

Pleasurewood Hills is open from 10am until 4pm on Saturday and Sunday during off-peak seasons, and additionally opens Monday to Friday during the October half-term, with opening times varying. However, you don’t have long to visit as the theme park will close for the season on Sunday, 1 November, with an opening date for 2027 yet to be confirmed.

Online tickets for the Suffolk theme park start from £16 per person, while they can also be purchased on the door from £29 per person. For more information, visit the Pleasurewood Hills website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

NHS worker Francesca Longhurst says the fine is worth it as they wouldn’t have been able to afford the holiday when schools break up

A couple who were fined £640 for taking their children out of class for a Disney World adventure say they have no regrets as the fee was still far cheaper than splashing out for a trip during the school holidays. NHS worker Francesca Longhurst, 32, and plasterer Liam Longhurst, 37, worked hard and saved for years to take their children Lily, 11, and George, six, on their dream vacation.

With steep pricing during school holidays, they say they had to pull the kids out during term time or not travel at all. Wanting to give their kids life-long memories, the hard-working pair decided on the former – and were subsequently punished. Francesca and Liam were handed fines of £160 per parent per child – leaving them with a total bill of £640 for a two-week absence.

But they say they would still do it all over again. The pair say going during term time likely saved them £9,000 minimum.

“It was a holiday we have dreamed of for years but never thought we’d be able to afford it as it’s so expensive,” said Francesca, from Sandwell, West Midlands. “We put every but of money we had spare into this trip and works extra hours and days to be able to afford it. To be able to take our kids on this once-in-a-lifetime trip was so magical.

“They thank us everyday for taking them and letting them experience it. We went in term time in June because the price is triple the cost to go during the holidays. I priced up for Easter holidays and the holiday was coming to £12,000 just for the flights and hotel – and that’s without park tickets on top.

“It’s the same for every holiday you look at even those in England at caravan parks and holiday camps.”

In the end, the family splashed out a total of £7,500, including £3,000 on flights and accommodation and £4,500 for theme park tickets.

They received their penalty notices on August – around two months after returning home. Although the couple were able to afford the £640 fine because they had budgeted for it, Francesca worries such “ridiculous” penalties could cause financial hardship for other families.

She said: “We knew we would have to pay this when we come back. The fines are ridiculous but what’s more atrocious is that if we did this again within a three-year-period we could be prosecuted and sent to prison for child neglect, when all we have done is taken our children on holiday.

“Every child deserves a holiday but not every parent can afford to go during school time. The amount is what it is – it’s a small price to pay compared to what we saved by going in the school holidays, but I’d love to know where the money goes to.

“You have real criminals out on the streets yet you are sending innocent families to prison for taking their kids out of school. The whole system is a joke.”

The parents deliberately waited until Lily had completed her SATs before travelling and believes neither child missed any essential learning. Francesca said: “While we was away, she missed out on two school trips, one to Alton Towers and the other to the Black Country museum, which we have been to many times.

“She also missed out on sports day. We were walking 20,000 plus steps a day. It was the holiday of a lifetime and we went to some of the best theme parks in the world but it was also very educational.

“We swam with dolphins, fed alligators, learned about wildlife and they tried different foods. What they learned in those two weeks I can guarantee was more than they learn in the last few weeks of the school year when everything starts to die down.

“The school was also closed or open partially due to the heatwave so we are being fined for our kids being off school when others were allowed because it was too hot. Both of my children are either excelling or exactly where they need to be in regards to education and have an excellent attendance other than when we go on holiday.”

While Francesca says she understands why attendance rules exist, she believes parents should be allowed a limited number of authorised holiday days each year. She added: “We unfortunately cannot take our children on holiday again during school time due to the risk of being prosecuted.

“I work for the NHS – this would mean me losing my job as you cannot have anything on your DBS. Myself and my husband have always worked and work hard and we don’t have fancy jobs.

“Any holidays we go on, we have to save hard for. It could really put families under financial strain. We live in a cost of living crisis, you can have a good week one week and a bad one the next.

“If you’re having a bad week or month when these fines come through with a date stating it must be paid by a certain date or you will be prosecuted, this could worry people, put them into debt and affect their mental health. I’m not saying I don’t agree with the fines completely, but I do think every child should be entitled to say 10 authorised days from school a year.

“After this then yes, send the fines out because education is important.”

A Sandwell Council spokesperson said: “We recognise that there is financial pressure on families and term-time holidays may be tempting. But attendance at school is vitally important for children to reach their potential, and to gain the skills and qualifications that will give them the best start in life and the best future.

“Like all councils across the country, we work with schools to implement Government policy on unauthorised absence.”

WHAT’S better than an annual trip to the theme park? Several trips, of course.

If your family is a big fan of rollercoasters, there are some brilliant value annual passes for parks across the UK that offer HUGE savings for repeat trips.

But which one should you go for? Instead of having to research them all yourself, we have gathered the annual pass prices for the most popular theme parks in the UK.

So here’s all the attraction passes you could get, and how many times you’d need to return to your favourite attractions to get your money’s worth.

Merlin Annual Pass

Starting off with probably the most famous annual pass in the UK, the Merlin Annual Pass gets you access to more than 20 attractions.

These include Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor, Cadbury World, Windsor Castle, Legoland Discovery Centres and much more.

An essential pass costs from £139 per year and allows members 339 days of access to Merlin’s top attractions.

For £239, you can get a Gold pass which also gets you free parking and 20 per cent off shopping and dining.

The Platinum Pass is then £299 per year, giving you all that plus four free bring a friend passes each year, one free fast track per visit and free Coke Freestyle cup & refills.

Tickets for Alton Towers alone start from £32 per person when booked in advance online, while Warwick Castle tickets cost from £25.38 online, so if you’re planning on doing several Merlin attractions each year there are big savings to be had.

To make the most of the £139 annual pass, you’d need to go to just four or five attractions across the entire year.

For example, if you booked Alton Towers (£32), Warwick Castle (£25.38), Thorpe Park (£32), Cadbury World (£18) and Legoland Windsor (£32) once each across the year, you’d make up the price of the pass.

Alton Towers

Alton Towers is the UK’s largest theme park with several thrill coasters.

There’s a CBeebies Land as well, ideal for younger children with themed rides and live shows.

The theme park also has its own waterpark with a tropical splash area.

You can stay onsite at the main Alton Towers Hotel, the CBeebies Land Hotel, Splash Landings Hotel, themed Woodland Lodges or at Stargazing Pods.

An annual pass costs £64, while day tickets start from £32 per person when booked in advance online,

You’d need to visit just twice across the year to get your money’s worth.

Thorpe Park

Surrey’s Thorpe Park is often considered the UK’s main thrill-seeker theme park.

The theme park itself sits on an island and has a number of record-breaking rides.

For example, you can head on Hyperia, which is the UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, and in the autumn, the theme park is well-known for its Fright Nights.

The Thorpe Park Annual Pass costs £64 per person and allows you access to the park across 189 days over 12 months, as well as access to the Fright Nights.

Thorpe Park one-day tickets start at £32 per person when booked in advance online

Passes are only required for guests over 1.2metres tall.

Again, you’d need to visit just twice across the year to make the pass worthwhile.

Legoland

Legoland Windsor is aimed at families with kids aged between two and 12 years old.

You’ll find miniature worlds made out of bricks and family-friendly coasters, plus plenty of Lego building opportunities.

The Legoland Annual Pass costs £64 per person and allows you access to the park across 236 days, over 12 months. Day tickets start from around £34 when booked online.

Passes are only required for guests 90cm and over, and after two visits you’d have made your money back.

Crealy

Crealy theme park in Devon has a number of different annual passes.

The theme park is the largest in Devon with more than 60 rides and attractions including rollercoasters.

The cheapest is £99 per person, per year – which you can pay in one go or you can pay a £30 deposit, then £6.90 a month on direct debit for an annual pass (costing £112.80 total).

This annual pass gets you unlimited entry to the theme park, a 10 per cent discount across food and drink as well as in the shops and exclusive viewings of Crealy events.

The next level up is the Gold Pass at £120, which gets the same perks but you will get 15 per cent off food and drink, 30 per cent of entry for family or friends and 20 per cent off glamping and camping breaks at the park.

Get a Platinum Pass for £170 and you’ll get 20 per cent off food and drink, 50 per cent off entry for family and friends, 50 per cent off glamping and camping stay and even a free two-night camping break.

One-day tickets for Crealy Theme Park & Resort cost around £24 per person when you book online.

You’d therefore need to visit five times at least across the year to make the pass worthwhile.

Woodlands

Woodlands Theme Park, also in Devon, is home to massive indoor play areas including soft play, water coasters and a toboggan run.

There’s also a number of barns with farm animals in.

The annual pass, costing £110 per person over 1.1 metres and £86 for those under that height, includes unlimited free access to Woodlands Family Theme Park with outdoor rides, indoor soft play, an eight-acre zoo farm, and falconry.

You’ll also get 15 per cent off at the gift shop, 10 per cent off food and drink and 20 per cent off camping stays.

One-day tickets cost £29.75 for adults and kids over 110cm, and £21.95 for kids.

As an adult, you’d need to visit four times across the year to make the pass worthwhile, and the same amount of visits to make the kids pass worthwhile.

Drayton Manor

Drayton Manor in Staffordshire is ideal for families with kids aged four to 12.

The rides are tamer, with a Thomas Land including Thomas the Tank Engine himself and a Viking-themed area with spinning and rocking rides like the Thor Zampa Disco.

Drayton Manor has three different passes.

The cheapest is the Silver Annual Pass, which costs £75 per person (£45 per child aged two to three-years old) or you can pay for annual pass monthly, costing £35 for the first month then £5 a month for 11 months (£90 total).

This pass gets you unlimited visits to the park, 10 per cent off food and drink as well as the shop, free mini golf, 10 per cent off hotel bed and breakfast, 20 tickets for £20 for family and friends and discounts on photos.

The £99 annual pass (£65 per child aged two to three-years old) gets you all of the above, but discounts are 20 per cent on food and drink and the shop.

And last but not least is the ultimate pass costing £249 per person over the age of three (under this age no pass is needed).

With this pass you get all of the above, but also unlimited visits to West Midlands Safari Park and Waterworld, as well as discounts at each of those attractions.

Drayton Manor one-day tickets start at £25.80 for visitors aged 12 and over, and £14 for children aged 2 to 12 when booked online.

You’d need to visit three times across the year to make the annual pass worthwhile (four times for under three-year-olds).

The Big Sheep

The Big Sheep in North Devon has farm experiences as well as rides and live shows.

Season tickets for The Big Sheep cost £50 per person.

You then pay £1 each time you visit if you book online, or £2 at the door.

The pass includes a member’s day where you can bring a guest for free, discounts on events, a 10 per cent discount on food and drink, as well as a 10 per cent discount in the shop.

One-day tickets for the Big Sheep in North Devon start from £14.95 for adults and children over three feet tall when booked online.

You’d need to visit at least four times to make the annual pass worth it.

Gulliver’s World

There are a number of Gulliver’s World theme parks across the UK including Warrington, Matlock Bath, Milton Keynes and near Sheffield.

Each park is slightly different, with themed zones and attractions aimed at kids under the age of 13.

The parks often host events too such as Fright Fiesta for Halloween and the winter Land of Lights lantern festival.

For £99, you can get a 12 month pass allowing unlimited entry to all Gulliver’s Theme Parks (Warrington, Matlock Bath, Milton Keynes & Rother Valley).

You’ll also get entry to Gulliver’s Dinosaur & Farm Park in Milton Keynes, plus discounts on short breaks.

One-day tickets for Gulliver’s World Theme Park Resort cost £28 when booked as an online advance ticket.

You’d need to visit four times across the year to make your money back on the pass.

Flamingo Land

Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire spans across 375 acres and features a zoo as well as rides.

For example, there’s Velocity, the UK’s first motorbike launch coaster.

You can also head to a Peter Rabbit Adventure area, ideal for younger kids.

An annual pass costs £199 to Flamingo Land and gets you unlimited access year round to the theme park and zoo.

Flamingo Land one-day tickets start from £46 per person when booked in advance.

You’d need to visit five times to make your money back on the annual pass.

Pleasure Beach Resort

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool sits right by the seafront and is more than 125 years old.

Inside the park, there are a range of attractions including thrill rollercoasters.

There’s also a Nickelodeon Land, which has themed rides including Wallace and Gromit Thrill-o-matic.

The Platinum Annual Pass at Blackpool Pleasure Beach costs £125 per person and gives you unlimited entry for a full year.

But what makes it even better is that, included in the price, you get free entry to seven theme parks across Europe, including Efteling, Europa Park, Liseberg, PortAventura World, Emerald Park, Tripsdrill and Isla Magica.

All you need to do is show the Pleasure Beach Resort Platinum Pass Card when you arrive.

You are allowed one free entry to each attraction per pass holder, per year.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach one-day tickets start from around £30 to £34 when booked in advance online.

You’d need to visit between four and five times to make your money back on the annual pass.

Paultons

Paultons Park in Hampshire is spread across 140 acres and is home to more than 70 rides and attractions, including the official home of Peppa Pig.

The theme park has a number of different annual passes, but the cheapest is the Essential Pass which costs £172.

With this pass you get unlimited off-peak visits over 12 months.

And at the end of the year, if you renew, it will set you back £153.

The Star Pass costs £225 and gets you unlimited off-peak visits including some weekends (renewal would cost £203.50).

The Premium Pass costs £290 and gets you unlimited access to the park at any time, as well as discounts on food and drink and in the shop (renewal would cost £262).

Paultons Park one-day tickets start from £46.75 per person when booked in advance, and kids under 1m are free, so paying visitors would need to go at least four times to make the annual pass worthwhile.

Pleasurewood Hills

Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, Suffolk, is home to more than 35 rides and attractions, as well as live shows.

The park’s main thrill ride is Wipeout, which boasts six inversions.

A Standard Season Pass for unlimited access all season, but with some blackout dates (dates where you cannot attend the park – usually during peak season) costs £79.

Alternatively, you can get a Premium Season Pass, which gets you unlimited visits all season as well as exclusive perks and discounts such as 50 per cent off entry for family and friends and free parking for £99.

One-day tickets for Pleasurewood Hills start from £16.41 per person when booked online.

You’d need to visit at least five times across the year to make the most of the £79 annual pass.

Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington World of Adventures, about 12 miles from central London, is home to more than 40 rides across a number of themed lands.

And next year, the park is set to open a new Minecraft World, which will be the world’s first Minecraft-themed land.

A Chessington Annual Pass allows visitors access to the park across 339 days, costing £64.

Passes are only needed for guests 90cm and over.

Chessington one-day tickets start from £32 online in advance.

Visit the park twice to make your money back on the annual pass.

Lightwater Valley

Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in North Yorkshire is ideal for families with younger children, with safari-styled areas, pirate-themed rides and classic fairground favourites.

A seasonal pass costs £89 and includes unlimited entry throughout the park’s open days, including special events and Bank Holidays.

One-day tickets for Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park cost between £22.00 and £27.00 when booked online.

You’d need to visit between four and five times across the year to make the pass worth it.

M&D’s

M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park is Scotland’s largest theme park and is in North Lanarkshire.

The park has more than 40 rides and attractions to explore, including rollercoasters and children’s adventures such as a sky trail and Scotland’s only indoor tropical rainforest.

A season pass to the theme park costs £75 and allows you unlimited access to the park when it is open.

You will also get other offers like discounts on food and drink and a day where you can bring a friend for free.

M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park offers free entry with ride all day wristbands costing from £20.13.

Visit four times across the year to be quids in.

THE UK’s best theme parks have been announced and coming out on top is a little-known seaside spot.

Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, Suffolk has been named the best theme park in the UK for under one million visitors by the UK Theme Park Awards 2026.

More than 260,000 members of the public voted on the awards that included 36 theme parks.

Pleasurewood Hills is a 59-acre coastal theme park that originally opened back in 1983 and today has more than 35 rides and attractions.

The biggest ride at the park is Wipeout, which stretches nearly 40 metres into the air and has six inversions.

There are also other rides such as Cannonball Express, Marble Madness wild mouse coaster and the Jolly Rodger drop tower.

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The park introduced some new rides for this year, which include a Big Wheel, Starflyer and a spinning coaster.

If you don’t mind getting a little wet, head on the Water Fun Factory log flume as well.

Little kids aren’t left out either as there is a double-decker carousel, miniature railway and a classic theatre.

Tickets cost from £16 per person when bought online in advance and kids under 90cm go free – though it is worth noting that the park closes at the end of October for the season.

One person who visited the park this week, said in a review: “Park has had a massive regeneration, new rides and a general tidy up.

“Place has improved loads and the staff were all super cheerful and polite.”

Another visitor simply said: “Great value for the money.”

Freddy Stokes, Director at Pleasurewood Hills, said: “To have all the hard work that’s gone into Pleasurewood Hills over such a short period of time recognised by people from across our own industry is a massive achievement for the park and the whole team.

“We’ve always believed in what Pleasurewood Hills can be, but to receive an award like this in our first season really shows what can be achieved and, more importantly, where we can take the park from here.”

Paultons Park was named the country’s best theme park for more than one million visitors, on the other hand.

It is the second year in a row the much-loved family theme park has won the award.

And it also scooped up awards for the best new attraction, best large theme park for families, best theme park for toddlers, best Christmas event and best customer service.

Lawrence Mancey, Marketing & Technology Director at Paultons Park and winner of Theme Park Personality of the Year said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded 11 awards at the UK Theme Park Awards, and honoured to have been crowned Theme Park of the Year once again.

“These trophies are a reflection of the hard work of the whole Paultons Park team.

“We couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved over the past year; from the teams who brought Drakon and Valgard to life, to everyone across the park who works so hard to give families and toddlers unforgettable days out in Peppa Pig World and across the park.”