FORGOT Halloween is this week and the kids are nagging to do something?
Well, fortunately there are still tickets available to Halloween events at the UK’s biggest and best theme parks.
There are a number of UK theme parks with Halloween events still availableCredit: Free for editorial use
Whether you have little ones and want something more tame, or older kids desperate to head on thrill rides in the dark, there are plenty of Halloween events with availability still for this week.
Here’s a roundup of the best theme park Halloween events with tickets still available:
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Legoland
Legoland has a Brick or Treat event with Lego monstersCredit: Refer to source
Legoland Windsor Resort’s Brick or Treat event still has tickets available, where you will be able to see different Lego models as well as Lego Monsters.
There’s a huge party for visitors to enjoy as well as live entertainment and of course, visitors can head to the 55 rides and attractions across the park as well.
Returning this year is also the Lord Vampyre’s House Party show, where everyone can have a boogie.
Tickets cost from £37 per person.
Thorpe Park
At Thorpe Park you could head to an award-winning scare eventCredit: Merlin Entertainments
This year Thorpe Park is marking ’25 Years of Fear’ and is known for its award-winning theme park scare event with a new maze for this year called Tenement.
There will be a festival-style atmosphere with costumes, music and meet and greets.
And at both Gulliver’s Valley in Rotherham and Gulliver’s Land in Milton Keynes, visitors can step onto the ‘Ghouliver’s Travelator’ for an immersive journey across a Halloween landscape before arriving at the Midnight Manor Hotel (Gulliver’s Valley) or the Wicked Woods (Gulliver’s Land).
Tickets cost from just £19 per person.
Alton Towers
Alton Towers has its rides open in the dark until 9pmCredit: Merlin Entertainments
Alton Towers Scarefest still has tickets available, with scare mazes, family spook attractions and rides open in the dark until 9pm.
There are six scare mazes in total including Compound and Dark Hollow, which is new for 2026.
Little ones can enjoy Amigos in the Afterlife with Dia de los Muertos celebrations and Trick O’ Treat Town.
Tickets cost from £37 per person for daytime Halloween events and entry to the park, or £80 per person for a day ticket as well as evening thrills.
Paultons Park
Paultons Park is ideal for little kids with spooky characters and a number of family-friendly showsCredit: paultonspark.co.uk
For families with younger children, Paultons Park still has tickets available to its Halloween Spooktacular with spooky characters and late-night openings.
Visitors can enjoy the Little Monsters Ball as well as the Great Halloween Mystery/Spirit Squad Ghoul School shows.
There’s also the Ghostly Manor – an interactive dark ride.
Tickets cost from £46.75 per person.
Drayton Manor
And at Drayton Manor you can watch a show on a lakeCredit: draytonmanor.co.uk
Over at Drayton Manor, visitors can enjoy rides, two fireworks nights and a new Trick or Treat Trail ideal for little kids.
There’s loads of themed locations to snap a pic at too.
If you are feeling a little braver, you can head on the Revenge of the Haunted Express and catch a lake show at the end of the day.
Tickets cost from £39 per person, or £16 per child between the age of two and three-years-old. The Revenge of the Haunted Express is an additional £5 per person.
ONE UK theme park has announced it will close early today as Storm Austen hits the country with winds up to 80mph.
Paultons Park which has been hosting late-night Halloween evenings will close early tonight.
Paultons Park will close early today due to bad weatherCredit: AlamyStorm Austen has hit the UK with predicted 80mphCredit: Splash
On its website, it said: “Because of the forecast conditions from Storm Austen, we’ve cancelled tonight’s late night opening. The park will close at 4:30pm today.
“The safety of our guests and team always comes first, and we’re sorry for any disappointment.”
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For those visiting today, tickets will be revalidated so you can come back another day.
Anyone who is booking to attend today but wants to change the day can do so free of charge.
Anyone on a short break will receive a return ticket and those with an annual pass can attend until 4.30pm.
At the Halloween Spooktacular visitors can go on the rides after dark, head to The Little Monsters Ball and go to the Spirit Squad Ghoul School.
For those who still want to go, the late-night events will still run on October 24, 27, 28 and 29.
Camel Creek Family Adventure Park in Wadebridge which is popular with younger families has also announced its closure due to “forecast of strong winds and heavy rain.”
The park will be in touch with those who have already booked a visit.
It hasn’t guaranteed that it will reopen on Saturday so has advised families to watch for updates on its social media and website for updates.
Camel Creek Adventure Park has announced it has closed for the dayCredit: Google maps/Camel Creek Family Adventure Park
Meanwhile, Thorpe Park is open as is Alton Towers.
At Chessington World of Adventure, the Zufari appears closed on the app and there’s a temporary delay of the opening of Jungle Rangers.
A spokesperson for all three theme parks said that they are open and operating ‘in line with standard weather safety procedures’.
They added that ride availability can vary throughout the ‘day depending on operational and weather conditions, and any temporary closures are assessed by our expert technical teams on a case-by-case basis’.
Marwell Zoo has closed its doors for the day, it said: “The zoo will be closed due to strong winds and heavy rain forecast. We aim to reopen on Saturday 24th Oct as normal.”
Chester Zoo also announced its closure in order to keep “visitors, animals and staff as safe.” Dartmoor Zoo is also closed.
Storm Austen which has hit the UK today has resulted in schools closed and flights cancelled with the Met Officeissuing amber and yellow weather warnings.
Paultons Park is expected to reopen tomorrowCredit: Supplied by PR
A theme park with no rides has been named the best in EuropeCredit: AlamyPuy du Fou Espana is a historical theme park less than an hour from MadridCredit: Alamy
Named Europe’s leading theme park by the World Travel Awards, Puy du Fou España is a historical theme park on the outskirts of Toledo, Spain – less than an hour from Madrid.
Rather than rollercoasters, visitors can expect large-scale live action shows with falconry displays featuring more than 200 birds.
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The theme park is home to five historical villages – The Andalusian Askar, The Royal Town, Isidro’s Sale, The Suburb and Villaneuva del Corral.
The Andalusian Askar, for example, recreates the atmosphere of the 10th-century Córdoba.
And then in Villanueva del Corral, the theme is centred on a 16th-century Golden Age hamlet with traditional Spanish taverns.
During the day, visitors can watch a number of shows including the 25-minute immersive Beyond the Ocean Sea show which focuses on the Santa Maria ship trying to reach the East by sailing West.
At night, there’s the El Sueño de Toledo spectacular, which is a show about 1,500 years of Spanish history and includes water effects, lighting and hundreds of actors.
The park also has a number of outdoor play areas too and farm areas as well.
Scattered around the park visitors can also explore a number of shops for unique souvenirs.
Tickets cost from €37 (£31.07) per person.
And the good news for Brits is that a similar theme park is set to open in the UKCredit: Puy du Fou
And the even better news is that you won’t have to wait long until heading to similar theme park in the UK.
THE best hotels and resorts in Europe have been revealed and two in the UK have made the cut.
The annual World Travel Awards has named everything from beach resorts to city stays.
The Chancery Rosewood in London has been named Europe’s Leading New Hotel 2026Credit: Booking.comIt opened in September last year and has an underground swimming poolCredit: Booking.com
The good news for us Brits is that there are two in the UK – one in London and the second is a floating hotel in Edinburgh.
The Chancery Rosewood in London which opened its doors in September last year has been named Europe’s Leading New Hotel 2026.
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The Grade II listed building is on Grosvenor Square and is considered one of the most expensive hotels in the country.
It has 144 suites, some of which even have steam rooms and two-person bathtubs.
On the roof are the two penthouses named Elizabeth and Charles which are 350sqm in size, and even come with private butler.
Start saving – they can cost £20,000 a night.
Otherwise the hotel has a whopping eight restaurants and bars, 24-hour in-room dining and a spa with a 25metre long swimmingpool and fitness studio.
The other hotel mentioned on the list is Fingal Hotel in Scotland which was named Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel.
It’s unlike most others as the hotel is inside the Northern Lighthouse Board ship that is permanently docked in the Port of Leith.
It has 23 custom- designed cabins onboard with super-king beds, tartan textiles,and Art Deco styling with a sun terrace, restaurant and bar.
The Fingal Hotel in Scotland is onboard the Northern Lighthouse Board shipCredit: Booking.com
A one-night stay for two adults starts from £279.
When it comes to hotels abroad, Ikos Odisia in Greece is one to talk about – it’s won Europe’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort at the World Travel Awards for three years in a row.
The hotel in Corfu sits on the edge of Dasia Bay – it has Mediterranean-style rooms, 10 swimming pools and a private beach.
With its ‘All Inclusive Plus’ package, guests have unlimited access to all restaurants and bars, as well as beach and pool food and beverage service with drinks, cocktails and snacks.
There’s 24-hour complimentary room service, guests can also use the Local Discovery programme which includes the use of a Tesla for one full day during the stay.
It also includes free museum tickets (one museum ticket per person, per stay) and 30-minute complimentary beachside childcare for children four and up.
The Cullinan Belek in Turkey is the Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort this yearCredit: Booking.comIkos Osidia has a generous all-inclusive package including use of a TeslaCredit: Booking.com
Named as Europe’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort is Cullinan Belek in Turkey.
It’s been described as having true ‘glitz and glamour’ with 600 rooms in total some of which are private family villas or rooftop suites with Jacuzzis.
When one Sun Writer checked into the Cullinan Belek, she found her room came with its own pillow menu.
Her Superior Duplex room also had “top-of-the-range tech to control lights, curtains and air, plus divine Bvlgari toiletries in the two bathrooms.”
She added: “But the real treat is the swim-up infinity pool which lapped my second-floor terrace, overlooking the main resort.”
There’s a gym with a Pilates reformer stand, yoga room, Hyrox zone and the hotel has its own golf course.
Almar Lido Jesolo in Italy is right on the beach with incredible views from the roomsCredit: Booking.com Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas has won Europe’s Leading Beach ResortCredit: Unknown
Meanwhile, Almar Lido Jesolo in Italy has been named Europe’s Leading Beach Hotel.
Fifty minutes away from Venice, the hotel has 184 rooms as well as a 70metre pool heated to three different temperatures.
Even the gym overlooks the sea, otherwise head to the ocean as there is a path down to the private beach.
Another beach hotel that made it onto the award winners list is Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas which won Europe’s Leading Beach Resort.
It’s considered one of the most luxurious in Crete – the five-star resort has everything from five tenniscourts and a scuba diving centre, to a swimming pool and two private beaches.
There are lots of rooms to choose from but one of the most impressive is the Island Bungalow Waterfront which has direct access to the water.
When it comes to Europe’s Leading New Boutique Hotel, the Avali by Mar-Bella Collection in Corfu has been named the best.
The hotel is on the smaller side with 76 rooms and suites, some of which have private rooftop pools.
There’s an option to go all-inclusive (which comes with unlimited ice cream) as well as 30-minutes free use of a canoe and pedalo.
It’s not all about relaxing though, the awards even highlighted the best Theme Park Hotel in Europe which went to The Land Of Legends Kingdom Hotel in Turkey.
Avali by Mar-Bella Collection in Corfu is Europe’s Leading New Boutique HotelCredit: TUI Guests at the Kingdom Hotel get unlimited access to the Land of Legends theme parkCredit: Unknown
For any fan of the theme park its ideal as guests of the hotel get included and unlimited access to the attraction.
This includes its rollercoasters and Aqua Land waterpark, and a complimentary shuttle bus and access to the private beachfront.
Next door is the newly opened Nickelodeon Hotel which opened just last year – it has character meet-and-greets throughout the day with free gaming stations and a kids’ club.
Here are all the hotels and resorts in the Winners 2026 list…
Europe’s Leading Airport Hotel 2026 – NH Lyon Airport, France
Europe’s Leading All-Suite Hotel 2026 – THE VIEW Lugano, Switzerland
Europe’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2026 – Ikos Odisia, Greece
Europe’s Leading Beach Hotel 2026 – Almar Lido Jesolo, Italy
Europe’s Leading Beach Resort 2026 – Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas, Greece
Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2026 – Fingal Hotel, Scotland
Europe’s Leading Boutique Resort 2026 – Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection, Italy
Europe’s Leading Casino Resort 2026 – City of Dreams Mediterranean, Cyprus
Europe’s Leading City Hotel 2026 – Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus, Türkiye
Europe’s Leading Design Hotel 2026 – 1908 Lisboa Hotel, Portugal
Europe’s Leading Entertainment Hotel 2026 – Seven Visions Resort & Places, The Dvin, Armenia
Europe’s Leading Family Resort 2026 – Sani Resort, Greece
Europe’s Leading Heritage Hotel 2026 – Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest
Europe’s Leading Hotel 2026 – Estoril Vintage Hotel, Portugal
Europe’s Leading Hotel & Spa 2026 – Almar Timi Ama Villasimius, Italy
Europe’s Leading Island Resort 2026 – Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Ireland
Europe’s Leading Landmark Hotel 2026 – The Phoenicia Malta
Europe’s Leading Leisure Resort 2026 – Domes Zeen Chania, a Luxury Collection Resort, Greece
Europe’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel 2026 – Hyatt Regency Vilamoura Algarve, Portugal
AUTUMN is theme park season in my house, as the time between summer season and October half-term is quiet with no queues – and I know how to get great deals.
The key to keeping costs down is using a technique I call ‘hack stacking’, and it’s really easy for everyone to do.
My favourite travel to tip is ‘hack stacking’Credit: Catherine LofthouseIt means you can use multiple offers to go to attractions like Drayton ManorCredit: Catherine Lofthouse
The way it works it to combine different deals to get entry for the individuals in your party and maximise the benefits that come with each.
We’ve already enjoyed cheap trips to Warwick Castle and have already lined up visits to Drayton Manor, Alton Towers and Legoland Discovery Centre.
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One deal to take advantage of is with Merlin which is currently running an annual pass deal that includes the rest of this year if you pay for 2027.
A gold pass includes car parking, so the £239 cost of one pass could be well worth it just for that if you go once a month plus a couple of extra visits in the summer as lots of the theme parks charge £13 a day for parking.
The key to hack stacking is that not everyone uses the same deal to get in.
So someone else could use Tesco Clubcard vouchers or Nectar points to pay for individual entry and others could get parent and toddler tickets if you’ve got children the right age.
It’s also important to keep an eye out for deals over the course of the year and work out how they could be combined to get the most bang for your buck.
In the spring, Merlin ran a stay and play deal that included annual passes if you booked an overnight stay at one of its parks.
That’s an amazing base for building your hack stacking on. I took two of my sons to stay overnight at Legoland Windsor in June for £270 and now the three of us can get free entry into multiple Merlin attractions until next summer.
If I add on a gold pass for my husband under the current 15 months for the price of 12 deal, I only have to find a final hack to get my third son a ticket to whichever attraction we plan to visit.
Keep checking for new deals throughout the yearCredit: Catherine Lofthouse
So for £510, split over two payments made six months apart, not only have I got annual passes plus car parking for four people, I’ve also enjoyed an overnight theme park stay and even got a little bit of cashback through Quidco.
I did much the same at Drayton Manor, starting with the tickets I claimed through the Sun Club earlier in the year and then using a Blue Light Card discount to buy more.
I could prebook two free tickets through my Sun Club membership over the summer and then buy two more for £20 each.
My final ticket to cover my family of five was £26 using our Blue Light Card and what’s great about this offer is that you can even book it on the day, saving almost £20 on the gate price.
Normally, Drayton Manor pricing is dynamic so it goes up the closer you get to the day of your visit, even if you’re booking online, whereas the Blue Light price is a flat rate.
We paid £66 for the five of us to visit Drayton Manor on a September weekend instead of £200 if we’d turned up and paid on the day.
Some can get entry through and annual pass, others can use Tesco Clubcard or Nectar pointsCredit: Catherine LofthouseIt’s a good way to keep costs down especially for familiesCredit: Catherine Lofthouse
You can even shave a couple of quid off the parking by prebooking that online too.
And if you visit during September, you get a return visit until the end of October included.
Teachers can get in free on October 3-4, so that’s something to consider if you work in a school.
My hack-stacking trick works at most theme parks as long as you take a bit of time to look at who you’re buying entry for and then work out how to combine deals.
We visited Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft, which has just been named theme park of the year, in April and there’s some great deals to be had for tickets there.
You can get a Blue Light discount, but it actually makes better financial sense to use a family ticket for four people for £70 or to buy early bird tickets at £16 each a month in advance.
People with local postcodes could get a reduced price ticket at the start of the season, so it’s worth keeping an eye out to see if that pops up again.
My final tip if you fancy giving hack stacking a go is to keep an eye on discount sites like Planet Offers, Groupon or Wowcher as you can make some great savings, as long as you read the small print to make sure what you’re buying is valid on the date you want to visit.
A family ticket on the Flamingo Land website costs £168 for four people, whereas it’s £98 for the same ticket on one of the discount sites.
And make sure you check rival sites too as there can be a big difference in what they are offering.
THE spooks and the ghouls are gathering, and this half-term is gearing up to be spine-chillingly fang-tastic.
Superb Halloween events for all the family are being held across the UK, including in city centres, holiday parks, castles and lots of amazing attractions.
The spooks and the ghouls are gathering, and this half-term is gearing up to be spine-chillingly fang-tasticTeenage monsters will love screaming their way through horror mazes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Here, Trisha Harbord shares her selection of 13 of the most magical and monstrous activities taking place in the coming weeks.
MAZE MADNESS
DO you have teenage monsters? They’ll love screaming their way through horror mazes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
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The attraction’s Journey To Hell features three new mazes: Eternal Abyss, a network of tunnels; The Veil, a house steeped in grief; and Deadline, with its nightmarish corridors.
Other frightening encounters include riding ICON: Into The Void blindfolded, and a ghost train.
Screamfest at Staffordshire’s National Forest Adventure Farm is celebrating 15 years with its most terrifying attraction. Cortex 17 is a psychic trial set in a 1960s hospital, featuring 20 weird actors.
It’s among seven chilling experiences with thrill rides and roaming characters until October 31, from £34pp. See screamfest.co.uk.
HOLIDAY PARK HELL
HOLIDAY parks across the UK have cut-price half-term deals. Butlin’s Spooktober is landing at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness, with discounted three-night breaks from £66 per person.
Fairgrounds have become scaregrounds and there are special Halloween shows, eerie silent discos and crafts as well as Splash Waterworld, TV’s The Masked Singer and Maximum Pro Wrestling. See butlins.com.
If you’re in Scotland or the north of England, Verdant Parks has 11 sites in beautiful coastal and countryside locations where Halloween is being celebrated, with three-night family stays from £259.
You could choose Riverside, on the banks of Wooler Water in Northumberland, which has a pool, wellness area, soft play, arcade, entertainment, bar and restaurant.
Kids can get involved in pumpkin carving and zombie battles. See verdantparks.co.uk.
MONSTER MAYHEM
Manchester’s MCR Monsters are back for their tenth anniversaryCredit: Carl Sukonik
MANCHESTER’s MCR Monsters are back for their tenth anniversary. The giant, inflatable creatures will appear on famous buildings and landmarks such as The Royal Exchange and Corn Exchange from October 24 to 31.
On the first weekend, the free event features real-life characters roaming the streets, plus party games and DJs.
There’s also a new Paul Horror-wood Monster Bake-Off on New Cathedral Street, where you can win a “handshake” and pick up free party bags of sweets. Kids will love the spooky storytelling at the monsters’ library in the Arndale, too.
Dancing puppets, stilt walkers and a brass band will lead a procession to the city centre for a spectacular anniversary party.
All week, the Science And Industry Museum is holding interactive activities about Halloween aliens. See halloweenmcr.com.
GET your wellies on and hitch a ride on a tractor-trailer to pick your own pumpkin. This year, Stockeld Park near Wetherby, Yorkshire, has grown their own to add to their half-term activities from October 24 to November 1.
Enter Halloween fancy dress competitions, complete a forest trail with the help of woodland witches who will share their mischievous skills, explore the Mummy Maze, with a few surprises along the way, and battle it out in the Laser Zombie Experience.
Stockeld also has six playgrounds, a multi-storey playhouse and tree climbing. Tickets from £28pp. See stockeldpark.co.uk.
Still not had enough? There are pumpkins galore – hundreds of thousands to be precise – to be collected at Rougham Estate near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. You’ll also find food trucks, face painting, pedal tractors and ice cream, too! See roughamestate.com.
CHOCCIE HORROR SHOW
HALLOWEEN comes with a sweet twist at Cadbury World. The Birmingham attraction has a new gameshow-style challenge where visitors must guess the characters hiding behind a Trick Or Treat door.
And there’s Freddo’s Spooktacular, with games, songs, magic and chilling surprises, as well as chocolate pumpkins and afternoon tea. Explore 14 zones with activities and a 4D movie. Runs until November 1, tickets from £24. See cadburyworld.co.uk.
Until November 1 at Sea Life Birmingham, sea witch Serafina asks kids to become ocean defenders by following a spellbinding trail. They will tackle challenges, solve puzzles and complete Serafina’s missions to discover life under the sea.
Walk through the UK’s only 360-degree ocean tunnel to see turtles, sharks, rays and hundreds of tropical fish. From £19. See visitsealife.com.
HIGH-SPEED THRILLS
TEENS’ hearts will be racing when they get to ride their favourite rollercoasters after dark at Alton Towers.
And new scare maze Final Exhibit will have visitors running for their lives to avoid becoming part of a creepy display.
Younger thrill-seekers will prefer a visit to Trick O’ Treat Town and Amigos In The Afterlife, where they’ll meet friendlier characters.
Scarefest runs until November 1 on selected dates, and tickets cost from £37 for day entry or £80 including all four scare mazes. See altontowers.com.
If after-dark thrills are more your thing, Thorpe Park is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Fright Nights with more spine tingles than ever before. Its new scare maze Tenement will have adrenaline junkies looking for the exit in the pitch black. Entry from £39. See thorpepark.com.
SPOOKY WOOKEY
GET your best Halloween togs on and you could win a year of magical adventures.
The show caves at Wookey Hole, near Wells in Somerset, have been transformed into a spellbinding world of pumpkins, monsters, magic and family fun.
Every family in fancy dress who take a photo there will be entered into a draw to win a year’s membership to the attraction, including access to the new Winter Wonderland.
The Halloween event, which runs until November 1, includes a journey through the caves, where immersive projections bring the story of the Witch of Wookey Hall to life.
Vampires and monsters are taking over the circus, there’s a spooky 4D film, a pumpkin trail and surprises. Adult tickets cost from £24.64, child tickets from £19.54. See wookey.co.uk.
CASTLES IN THE SCARE
STAY in a castle and seek out characters from Horrible Histories. Performers will bring the gruesome stories from the kids’ books to life at Leeds Castle near Maidstone, Kent, until November 1.
Follow a ghost-getter’s trail, uncovering tales of royal spirits, witch trials and strange superstitions. Two nights’ B&B for a family of four in a castle bedroom costs £500, including tickets and free evening meals for kids. See leeds-castle.com.
Warwick Castle will also be full of family frights, including haunted hollows and lurking goblins from October 24 to November 1. But on selected nights, the scares are turned up a notch – with spine-tingling sleepovers including three terrifying ghostly experiences, circus acts and a silent disco. B&B and tickets cost from £85pp. See warwick-castle.com.
HOWLS AND OWLS
The Welsh School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry can be found at the British Bird Of Prey Centre, in CarmarthenshireCredit: Gareth Danks
WANNABE Harry Potters can learn spells and meet some owls at The Welsh School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.
It can be found at the British Bird Of Prey Centre, in Carmarthenshire, which has been transformed for a week of mischief from October 26.
Kids are encouraged to wear magical costumes for classes including wand-making, creating potions and spells. Then, they can try being a falconer and fly an owl or a red kite.
Tickets cost from £14 per adult and £8.50 per child. Flying sessions are from £10. See british birdofpreycentre.co.uk.
If you’re further south, a wizard school is also being held at Southampton’s Tudor House on October 26 and 27, costing £8. The house has a free Halloween open day on October 30, with crafts, facepainting, haunted tales and guided ghost tours. See visitsouthampton.co.uk.
THE HAUNTED WOODS
THINGS aren’t just going bump in the night down at BeWILDerwood outdoor family adventure parks in Norfolk, Cheshire and the Lake District.
There’s a whole host of spooky events in the daytime, too. The woodland attractions are asking young visitors to don their scariest outfits to enjoy the play trails and whoosh along zipwires.
There’s also a Twig Or Treat trail until November 1 – where youngsters will be tasked with uncovering characters and collecting letters to discover the scrambled word and claim their prize.
Then, stick around until nightfall to see the Glowing Light Trail twinkle. Tickets cost from £26.50 per adult and £24.50 per child over 92cm. Families can bag 12.5 per cent off when they book online in advance. See bewilderwood.co.uk.
CREEPY CAPITAL
Halloween characters, the stilt-wearing Peculiar Sisters, are trailing around spookily-decorated shops and houses on Kensington High Street from October 23 to 31Credit: Mark Weeks
LONDON is crawling with creepies this half-term. Halloween characters, including the stilt-wearing Peculiar Sisters, are trailing around spookily-decorated shops and houses on Kensington High Street from October 23 to 31.
And on the last day, Holland Park will be transformed into The Playful Park Of Peculiar with live entertainment. See highstreetkensington.co.uk.
London Dungeon has the three-part immersive show Curse Of The Mummy until November 1. From £29 per adult and £23.50 per child. See thedungeons.com.
The dungeon is included in National Rail’s discounted entries to attractions, saving a third off the price. Other offers include Ghosts And Legends at the Tower of London and the Haunted Halls Of Hampton Court Palace. See daysoutguide.co.uk.
BRICK OR TREAT
LEGOLAND Discovery Centres in Birmingham and Manchester have been overtaken by minifigure monsters this Halloween.
Until November 1, budding builders can join creative workshops, bringing their own creations to the Brick Or Treat mosaic boards and testing their skills with glow-in-the-dark Lego bricks.
There are also scavenger hunts, pumpkin carving and dance parties. Tickets cost £19pp or £51 per family of four. See legolanddiscoverycentre.com.
And at Legoland Windsor, half-term sees Lord Vampyre’s Creepy Crypt Trail promising treats across the park, as well as new a harbour show, Monster Rocker’s Pumpkin Trail and the Haunted House Halloween Monster Party. Tickets from £39pp at legoland.co.uk.
LORDS OF THE MANOR
Grab yourselves a bit of luxury at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, WalesCredit: Supplied
GRAB yourselves a bit of luxury. Kids under 13 can stay at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales, for free.
It costs from £123 per night for a family of four, Monday to Thursday, until October 31 – and that includes use of the health club and spa. There are free Halloween crafts and games, while other activities, such as pottery painting and cupcake decorating, can be booked.
If you’re not into spooks, kids are still entertained – there’s archery, laser combat, high ropes, adventure golf, axe-throwing and swimming. And there’s lots of space for biking or walking. The resort has 2,000 acres of grounds and woodland trails.
Larger families can book self-catering Hunter Lodges, with hot tubs and saunas, sleeping up to eight adults and two children. See celtic-manor.com.
IT might not be a traditional theme park, but Kynren – An Epic Tale of England still has plenty to shout about.
The UK’s first live action show park hosts immersive historical reenactments and its ‘The Storied Land’ has just been named a ‘European Top New Attraction’.
Kynren is a new theme park in County Durham and one of the best in EuropeCredit: SuppliedRather than rides, the attraction has historical shows and reenactmentsCredit: Alamy
The award is for theme parks that ‘have introduced the finest new attractions during the recently concluded season are selected’ – these include rollercoasters, dark rides, shows and special events.
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Parksmania complimented ‘The Storied Lands’ for its five productions that ‘transform history, myth and nature into a full-day experience’.
The five action shows are ‘Legend of the Wear’ which is a water show performed over a lake – it’s inspired by North East folklore.
The Lost Feather is a new show where more than 250 birds fly freely in front of the audience from pelicans, to scarlet ibis, African grey crowned cranes, and birds of prey.
Land of the Vikings takes the audience through a traditional Viking village where they’ll see blacksmiths, fires, fisherwomen – and a jousting tournament.
The Trusty Seed is an equestrian show where there are plenty of daring stunts all performed on horseback.
Victorian Imaginariums is a new show which will launch in July 2027.
Here, visitors will be immersed in Victorian Britain where they’ll discover ‘winding passageways, shadowy alleys and atmospheric cobbled streets’ and meet interesting characters along the way.
There are also night shows and the Pyromusical which is an upcoming 25-minute fireworks display which will return for October 31.
The Storied Lands attraction opened in July of this yearCredit: Alamy
If you’re keen to visit, Pyromusical is the only event until next year as the park is now closed for the season.
It will reopen on July 7 until September 11 – tickets are set to go on sale soon.
The theme park first opened in 2016, but its The Storied Lands first opened in July 2026.
One writer who visited Kynren earlier this year said: “If you love knights on horseback, Vikings fighting with flaming axes, exotic birds swooping overhead, clever aquatic acrobatics and a fireworks finale – this is the experience for you.”
She was particularly impressed by the Lost Feather and added: “This is certainly an ambitious undertaking – the sheer range of animals from ravens to cranes, from macaws to birds of prey, is unlike anything I’ve seen at other falconry shows.
“The stunning set and the theming are quite something to behold, but what I really love is how the whole park feels at one with its surroundings, drawing on the the fields, trees and the 11 arches of the nearby viaduct.”
Here are the list of awards from Parksmania Awards 2026…
EUROPEAN PARK OF THE YEAR Disney Adventure World – Disneyland Paris Resort
BEST EUROPEAN INITIATIVE Europa-Park Children’s House Little Heroes – Europa-Park
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION Astérix et la Potion d’étoiles – Parc Astérix
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION Cornwall Coaster – Hansa Park
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION The Storied Lands – Kynren
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION Fireline Redwood – Fraispertuis City
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION Konoha Land – Parc Spirou
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION
Valgard – Paultons Park
EUROPEAN TOP NEW ATTRACTION Dønnervind – Freizeitpark Plohn
Anna Warnecke, Chief Executive of Kynren, said: “To receive international recognition in our very first season is a wonderful moment for everyone who has helped bring The Storied Lands to life.
“We knew when we started that we were attempting something very different. There are extraordinary theme parks across Europe, but our attractions bring the thrills and excitement of live performances directly to audiences.
“To see that recognised alongside some of the best new attractions in Europe is enormously rewarding and a real vote of confidence in what we have created here in Bishop Auckland.”
Steve Tatham always wanted to work in theme parks. And growing up in Anaheim, some sort of career associated with Disneyland seemed readily attainable.
“Disneyland was the local business,” Tatham says. “It’s where everyone ended up when they were students and working part-time, and I was no exception.”
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While in college, he got a job as a Jungle Cruise skipper, and since then, he has never looked back. Over the course of his career, Tatham has spent nearly 30 years with the Walt Disney Co., many of them in theme park design with Imagineering. More recently, Tatham worked at Universal Creative for more than a decade and was the executive creative director of Epic Universe, the company’s impressive new Florida park.
Today, Tatham is turning his focus toward the next generation of theme park designers, having recently been tapped by USC to lead the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Themed Entertainment program, which is offered out of the cinema school. The four-year program is designed to prep students for a myriad of fields — modern theme park design firms work not only on new attractions but readily contribute to museums, zoos, immersive marketing events and more.
And yet theme park designer can feel like an elusive dream job, one based on connections, mentoring or even just luck. Part of that myth was shaped by the initial Disney Imagineers, many of whom were simply making up the job as they went along. As a longtime admirer of Tatham’s work, I recently chatted with the newly crowned academic leader on how one should prep for a career in the field, hoping to demystify it just a little bit.
Steve Tatham, photographed in Florida’s Epic Universe, is leading USC’s undergraduate program in theme park design.
(Steve Tatham)
You don’t need to major in themed entertainment to work in theme parks
There aren’t too many universities that offer a theme park design degree. (Along with USC, Purdue offers a themed entertainment design major and the Savannah College of Art and Design has one of the best-known and longest-running programs in the country.)
But Tatham notes that when he began his career in the industry, it generally wasn’t a field accounted for by universities. And many theme park designers I meet as a reporter, whether relatively new to the industry or veterans, created their own paths into the biz.
Tatham’s own background still provides a solid template for those students looking to enter themed entertainment design, as not everyone will have the means or the ability to attend a program such as USC’s. “I wrote my own major,” he says of his time as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, where he targeted theme parks as his career goal. He majored in film design but took courses that combined theater, architecture, environmental psychology and film studies. After graduating, Tatham went to UCLA for a masters in architecture.
Architecture was a career path pushed to Tatham by longtime scenic designer Henry May, who was his advisor at Berkeley. It was an early recognition that theme park design is an offshoot of urban design, requiring principles necessary in both stagecraft and real-world planning.
Think beyond theme parks
People are hungry for themed experiences. Global theme park attendance topped 246 million in 2024, a 2.5% increase, according to the Themed Entertainment Assn., which also charted a nearly 15% growth in attendance at the world’s top 20 museums, which are often a fertile industry for theme park designers. And that says nothing of the domestic trend of smaller, more locally-focused entertainment centers (think Netflix House or Meow Wolf).
It’s why Tatham tells his USC students to think beyond a Disney or Universal creation.
“If you look in the world out there, there’s marketing firms doing pop-up retail and pop-up dining, and they are doing immersive design in museum spaces,” Tatham says. “In addition to theme parks, there are opportunities within marketing and within architecture. Students who get this interdisciplinary training, which involves coding, architecture, design, exhibition work, landscape architecture and lighting, it’s a growing field.”
Steve Tatham once served as a tour guide on Universal Studios Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes tram tour.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The best lessons come from observing guests
Long before Tatham was designing Epic Universe, he was working as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood. As a film buff, he enjoyed the early-career job, but says one lesson from those days continues to stick with him.
“I would go on and on, because I love movie history, and I would be like, ‘Right here is where Jimmy Stewart worked, and Edith Head designed costumes,’” Tatham says. “They would politely listen, but then when ducks walked across, they would get excited and take pictures. People love things that are alive and immediate and happening now. People respond to what is immediate.”
The best theme park design is in conversation with guests. I think of Epic’s “How to Train Your Dragon”-inspired land and the bounty of movement found in the space via animatronic dragons (if you promise dragons, guests better see dragons!), or Disneyland’s New Orleans Square, where the curved, winding paths encourage constant discovery.
AI won’t replace great original ideas
Tatham is careful when speaking on the subject of artificial intelligence. He doesn’t want to dismiss its potential to be used as a development tool. And yet Tatham is direct when it comes to AI and creativity.
“I think there are a lot of challenges with AI. I think there are a lot of things that are scary,” he says. “But I think, ultimately, if it’s used as a tool, it can be useful to artists.”
But there are limits.
“AI is never going to come up with a great idea,” he says. “It’s just going to recombine and reconfigure and spit back to you ideas that others have had. So I think this is an opportunity for original thought to stand out even more than it has in the past.”
Jennifer Bascom of Disneyland, gives a telegram to Disneyland guest Keith Kocienski of Fullerton while playing a live-action role-playing game in Frontierland called Legends of Frontierland back in 2014.
(Christina House / For The Times)
But the integration of smartphones remains a challenge
While Disney recently shuttered its Play Disney Parks mobile app, the park is experimenting with connectivity between the video game “Fortnite” and its attraction Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Tatham cautions that any time a theme park invites someone to use a smartphone during their day at the park, designers are then pulling them away from the curated experience.
“The problem is when you’re in Universal or Disneyland, you’re now competing with all the opportunities that people have to explore their own entertainment,” Tatham says. “Are they going to be on Instagram or playing Solitaire online? So now you’re competing with that.”
And yet Tatham thinks there are lessons to be learned from the interactive world, as long as designers focus on real-world play. Tatham, after all, worked on what was once of my favorite Disneyland projects, the great but short-lived Legends of Frontierland. Some of those who contributed to it brought it to Knott’s Berry Farm, where it has been fine-tuned into the terrific Ghost Town Alive! The latter is a rarity in the theme park space.
Yes, it’s possible to make a decent salary
So how much can one expect to make? This isn’t an easy question to answer, as there’s only so many slots at Walt Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative, and the theme park design industry encompasses so much more.
There are independent themed entertainment firms to marketing outposts to studios to museums to architecture companies to theaters and more. And salaries can vary greatly between the public or private sector, as well as entry level versus senior positions. Even recruiting sites have a broad range, from around $50,000 to above $200,000.
The good news, says Tatham, is there is a high ceiling. Additionally, that there is a breadth of industries to work in should help any potential graduates. “There are many different job descriptions with different salaries in the themed entertainment field,” Tatham says.
And yet he knows it’s a concern of parents.
“I want students and parents to know that it is possible to make a solid steady income in the arts and that they shouldn’t focus on a backup plan but rather on putting together a killer portfolio because there is work for those who have honed their skills,” he says. “I would tell them that they should be prepared to live in Orlando, Fla., or Glendale, Calif., and be open to international assignments. Top directors can make in excess of $250,000 a year, but they should be prepared for starting salaries similar to architecture, graphic design or similar creative fields.”
A Disneyland cast member playing the role of Alice in Wonderland interacts with guests.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Remember why theme parks still matter
Anytime I have an opportunity to chat with someone with Tatham’s experience I want to hear their take on one question in particular, and that’s why they love theme parks and why they believe the spaces resonate with so many people. As someone charged with creating passion among the next generation of theme park designers, I was especially interested in Tatham’s response.
“If you go to a theme park, there is something for every demographic,” he says. “There are things for kids. There are things for grandparents. There are things for everyone in between. People can enjoy those times together, which was the original intent of Walt Disney. He was looking for a place while in Griffith Park where he could go do things with his daughters. He created it because it did not exist.”
For Tatham, it’s about the memories.
“If you ask people about their experience in theme parks, they will remember in great detail which parks they went to and who they were with,” he continues. “Ask them about going to the movies, they might say, ‘Sure, I went with my family, but can’t tell you what movies and who I was with.’ But they will remember those moments with theme parks. It’s a great bonding experience. That’s the reason they exist and the reason I love to create them.”
This week in SoCal theme parks
Plans are underway to refurbish the Griffith Park merry-go-round.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The Griffith Park carousel will spin again. Assessments are underway to see what it will cost to once again get the Griffith Park merry-go-round spinning. Theme park fans best know it as the site that is said to have inspired Walt Disney to dream up what would become the Disneyland Resort, and it has been shuttered since 2022. Curiously, there’s also a Disney connection with the carousel today, as some of those who work at Walt Disney Imagineering are volunteering their time and efforts to restore this treasure in Griffith Park. Read my story here.
Six Flags Magic Mountain shuts down second coaster. Six Flags is closing several rides across the U.S. and Canada — including the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia — after a man fell to his death from a roller coaster at one of its parks in Georgia. Park officials said Tuesday that the closures were out of an abundance of caution and were temporary. Times writers Hailey Branson-Potts and Fedor Zarkhin have more on this story.
Merry Minions. Universal Studios Hollywood has unveiled its slate of holiday of programming, and returning this year are its popular “Grinchmas” offerings, including the 65-foot winding, drooping, Dr. Seuss-inspired Christmas tree. There will be meet-and-greets, including a reading of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” as well as holiday carolers and ornament decorating. New this year will be holiday festivities in the park’s kid-focused Minion Land, complete with Minions in holiday attire. Super Nintendo World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other areas will also be dressed for the season, beginning Nov. 21 and lasting through Jan. 3.
A heads-up for ‘Cars’ fans. It’s the 20th anniversary of the “Cars” franchise, and those with a special affinity for the series will want to find their way to Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel and park themselves on the hotel’s second floor art gallery. That’s where the hotel is hosting an exhibit honoring the film with drawings, paintings, sculptures and behind-the-scenes footage that document how Radiator Springs Racers was brought to life. And before you go, read my story on how Route 66 inspired the film and Cars Land.
Step into the world of ‘Dune.’ Tickets are now on sale for an immersive “Dune” exhibition in downtown L.A. that promises spectacle, as well as a bit of mystery. Step around, and potentially inside, awe-inspiring vehicles from the film, or come face-to-face with the Bene Gesserit, a group of priestesses who possess, among other things, the ability to bend the will of others. “Dune: The Experience” opens Nov. 20 and and is currently set to run through Dec. 20, although an extension is likely. Standard tickets start at $42 but there are various ticket packages available.
Ride Report
The dinosaurs on the Disneyland Railroad.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
It’s always a good idea to hop on a Disneyland attraction that has been recently refurbished. It’s generally a chance to see the ride in tip-top shape. And so I was eager to get on the Disneyland Railroad on a recent trip to the park, as the dinos in the Primeval World world section of the attraction had recently been hidden behind illustrated tarps. Good news, as the dinosaurs are looking as sharp as they ever have. No real changes were made to the figures, but they’re all moving as they should, be it munching on grass, rattling out of an egg or getting ready for battle.
The theatrical lighting overall feels a little brighter, and the few digital effects — a volcano erupting in the background, for instance — are all in working order and bring an added sense of dimension to the diorama scenes. Be sure to add it to your day. The Disneyland Railroad is also a fine reminder to slow down during your Disneyland visit.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
What is “Eggs in Space”?
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
A cinematic mystery is brewing, one that seemingly has connections to the local immersive entertainment community. What, for instance, is “Eggs in Space”? A recent sci-fi event at indie nonprofit movie theater and store Vidiots ended with the beginnings of a puzzle.
The screening appeared to be interrupted by a film that was taking control of the projectors. The film? “Eggs in Space.” As an abstract image of an egg appeared on screen, performers began walking toward the front of the theater in a transfixed, cult-like fashion.
There is, of course, no record of a film titled “Eggs in Space,” although there is a website dedicated to its disappearance. So dig in. A new alternate reality game just dropped. I have a hunch you’ll want to know where it leads.
—
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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.
Parc Asterix has unveiled a new hotel it is opening next yearCredit: PARC ASTERIX
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.
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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.
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.
The hotel will have four themed areasCredit: PARC ASTERIX
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.
It comes as the park is also set to open a Greek land next year and a London-themed area in 2028Credit: PARC ASTERIXIt will be the fourth hotel at the park and the largestCredit: Parc Asterix
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.”
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.
Next year, the theme park is adding a new water coaster as wellCredit: Paultons Park
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.
Futurscope is one of Europe’s top rated theme parksCredit: AlamyA huge new 240-room hotel based on science fiction is the biggest of the new plansCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
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.
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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 sciencefictiontheme throughout.
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.
The hotel is set to open next year although room prices are yet to be announcedCredit: FuturoscopeA new light parade show will launch this winterCredit: FuturoscopeUntil then, the park has 40 rides and attractions to explore including the indoor waterpark AquascopeCredit: Futuroscope
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 aJames Cameronfilm.“
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.
There are some bonkers waterparks out there which are the perfect holiday spotsCredit: On the Beach
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 features a massive on-site waterpark packed with free-fall tower slidesCredit: On the Beach
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.
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
Theme park tickets are included with your stay when you stay at PortAventura Hotel El PasoCredit: On the Beach
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
Guests staying at HL Paradise Island get free entry to Dino AquaparkCredit: On the Beach
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.
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
Lago Oasis Waterpark is a massive saltwater park packed with kamikaze chutes, racing slides and a giant pirate-ship splash fortressCredit: On the Beach
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.
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 has multiple swimming pools, water slides, splash parks, playgrounds and sports courts, forming part of the wider Melia Dunas mega-complexCredit: On the Beach
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.
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 Park City complex in Sharm El Sheikh, is a themed resort boasts high-speed racing chutes, wave pools, raft rides and towers of twisting tubesCredit: On the Beach
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.
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
Neverland has 81 slides and VR gaming arenasCredit: On the Beach
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.
