theme

This package offers a family of four the chance to experience on of Gulliver’s four theme parks and includes tickets to the park, entertainment, and an overnight stay for less than £25-a-head

Keeping the kids entertained can be a costly undertaking, but this deal offers families not only a fun day at a theme park, but also a memorable overnight stay, all for less than £100.

Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, who have four locations in Milton Keynes, Warrington, Matlock Bath, and Rotherham, are now offering a ‘1 Night Saver’ package on selected dates that comes in at £99 for a family of four. The package includes tickets to the park, so families get access to all the rides, attractions, and entertainment for the day.

The cost also includes an overnight stay in select themed family accommodation, with access to the resort’s facilities and activities for even more fun for all ages. Families can book these overnight packages on selected Friday dates throughout 2026, with park access on the Saturday after you check out.

The package can be booked at www.gulliversfun.co.uk, where families can also browse the fun accommodation options available to them. Depending on the park and availability, these can include family-sized double suites, western-themed dens, fairy hideouts, and dino dens, so no matter what the kids are into, there’s an accommodation option they’ll find thrilling.

If you’re looking for different dates, it’s also worth checking out Wowcher’s Gulliver’s deals, which include school holiday dates. Packages start from £159 for tickets and overnight accommodation, and options include stays in Jungle Cabins and dinosaur-themed Lost World dens.

Facilities and attractions also vary by resort, but as an example its Warrington park features rides such as a wooden rollercoaster, pirate ship, log flume, and lots of other fun themed attractions for all the family. Look out for themed events such as Princess and Pirates weekend where kids can meet characters that they love.

If you don’t have a Gulliver’s near you, many other theme parks across the UK also offer short break packages. Paultons Park, known for being the home of Peppa Pig world, is offering short breaks from £177 per family. This includes a second free day in the park for the family, free parking, and breakfast.

Alton Towers is also currently running a Spring Sale where those who stay overnight get a second day free. Alton Towers packages include free parking, 9-hole golf, and breakfast. Guests can also add a waterpark pass to their booking, allowing them to enjoy even more family fun during their stay. You can find out more on the Alton Towers short breaks website.

Other parks operated by Merlin are also offering a similar deal, including Chessington, Thorpe Park, and LEGOLAND. Many resorts also offer additional entertainment and perks to guests, making for the ultimate family sleepover.

Find out more about Gulliver’s deals, check availability and book short breaks at www.gulliversfun.co.uk.

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I KNEW Efteling theme park had a fairytale garden, but I didn’t realise a stay there would give me such a royal welcome, too.

The lobby of the newly opened Efteling Grand Hotel at this Netherlands attraction feels like its straight out of the classic storybooks my nan used to read me when I was a child.

A sweeping staircase circles an intricate, ­cascading chandelier made from tiny gold keys, candles flicker in the alcove and a 1920s bellhop — a mime-artist in full character — performs a slapstick routine pretending to dust off everyone’s suitcases.

It’s a welcome distraction for the kids, who were itching to bust through the back door and on to the rides. And even as a grown adult, I’m mesmerised.

Efteling first opened in 1952 and its mix of traditional fairground attractions, modern thrill rides and whimsical storytelling now attracts more than five million visitors every year.

Perched dominantly on the edge of the theme park, the Grand Hotel is a a castle-esque chateau that began welcoming guests last summer.

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It’s the first time in Efteling’s ­history that visitors have been able to stay the night within the park gates.

Unlike its other accommodation options — Efteling Wonder Hotel and the holiday villages Bosrijk and Loonsche Land — the Grand Hotel is slightly more premium for those who want some proper R&R — that’s rest and rollercoasters.

It doesn’t feel like a twee theme- park hotel, though.

The arty design was inspired by the park’s history and leans in to the visual style of film director Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel.

The 140 plush, modern, yet cosy rooms and suites look more like they belong in a stylish boutique hotel, although there are subtle nods to a princess theme.

Delicate vintage-style decor has been paired with ice-blue walls and brushed gold fittings. Elsewhere, there’s a great swimming pool, spa facilities and two fantastic restaurants.

Guests are also given unlimited, free access to the theme park throughout their stay, including on arrival and departure days and free private parking.

For those who don’t fancy driving, it’s incredibly easy to travel by train.
Eurostar operates direct services from London to Amsterdam, then it’s an easy change on to a local train that will have you at Efteling in less than an hour.

After a very early start, the fluffy linens in my room could have easily tempted me to have a duvet day, but the views of the park from my window were too much to resist.

Within minutes, I was out of the door and approaching my first ride of the day — the quirky and family- friendly Symbolica.

Revered as one of the best attractions at the park, it’s an absolute must-do.

The immersive experience sees visitors sit in floating cars on a modern, magnetic track, journeying through a Gothic palace that features some curious inhabitants.

It’s packed with optical illusions and special effects, perfectly pairing Efteling’s reputation for storytelling with enough excitement to appease the TikTok generation.

There’s plenty for adrenaline junkies too, and for children of all ages.

If you’re travelling with kids, keep your eyes peeled for Hooghmoed.

Set to open on May 1, it features three drop towers and is aimed at younger guests who don’t yet want to take on the white-knuckle rides.

And if you’re not a fan of rides full stop, there’s plenty more to enjoy at Efteling.

The theme park is set around stunning gardens and enchanting woodland, which is used to full effect to play out the fairytale theme.

Granted, parents don’t tend to leave a theme park feeling well rested, but somehow the Efteling Grand Hotel changes that.

The atmosphere feels serene, despite being literally next-door to six roaring rollercoasters and a donkey that poops gold coins (one of the park’s quirkier attractions).

At the end of each tiring day, I was made to feel like a sleeping beauty snuggled in that ridiculously comfy bed.

Although having endured upside-down loops, sudden drops and water rides, I’m not convinced I looked like one.

Chocolate lovers will soon be able to enjoy a brand new theme park based on an iconic Swiss brand, and at the heart of it all will be a real-life working chocolate factory to explore

If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, and spent your entire childhood reading and re-reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, then a new attraction could soon be top of your bucket list.

Switzerland is already a major destination for chocolate lovers and for many of them the highlight of the trip is visiting Maison Cailler in Broc, Gruyère. It’s where the iconic Cailler chocolate has been made since the late 19th-century, and is among the oldest chocolate factories in the world to still be in operation.

At the moment, chocolate lovers can visit the factory and take tours, and there’s already a museum on the history of Cailler. Guests can take a chocolate workshop to learn to make their own treats such as truffles, and of course, there are plenty of opportunities for tastings along the way.

Now, new plans could mean the chocolate factory will be just the start of the excitement for fans of the brand. While the current attraction is 2,000 m², there are plans for it to be expanded to nearly 30,000m², allowing for what its website bills as a “memorable sensory experience”. The plan is for a park that’ll take around four to six hours to explore, taking visitors on a “journey of discovery through cocoa”.

Around 400,000 visitors a year already visit the attraction, making it one of Switzerland’s most visited museums, and there are reports that the park could double this number in the first phase alone.

Plans also include a cable car to whisk visitors from the car park to the factory, and a ‘flying theatre’ that will allow for stunning views over the Swiss scenery. There will also be a huge cocoa greenhouse so visitors can see how chocolate is grown and harvested.

And if that’s not enough chocolate-themed fun, a new hotel will allow visitors to indulge their sweet tooth overnight. If the project goes forward, the first phase should be open by 2030.

Maison Cailler can be reached by train from Montreux, and even the journey itself has been designed for chocolate enthusiasts with a themed train that zips you across stunning Swiss landscapes. Most visitors from the UK fly to Geneva, just a 90 minute flight from the UK, with a number of services run by easyJet, TUI, and British Airways.

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Broc itself is worth spending some time in, whether it’s in the winter when the snowy Alps are at their most beautiful, or during the summer when the mountains are lush and green. Explore the fairytale-like Château de Gruyères whose stone walls are covered in ornate oil paintings and treasures.

Just down the road another of the area’s famous exports is made. At La Maison du Gruyère you can explore a working cheese factory and sample this distinctive local product. You can even take a tour and see the huge wheels of cheese being ripened to perfection.

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FOR those waterpark fans amongst you, there are some exciting plans in the works with five more potentially coming to the UK.

From massive indoor resorts with beaches, to surfing lagoons, here’s everything you need to know.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Chessington is known for its rides, zoo and aquarium, but is hoping to add waterpark fun to its offerings.

Back in 2024, the theme park submitted plans to build an African-themed waterpark with six water slides, two lazy rivers and rapids.

If given the go-ahead, it will have a kids wave pool, splash pad, spa pool, a safari beach, cafe and outdoor restaurants.

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The plans are for it to be built opposite the Safari Hotel.

First-look images reveal a huge indoor waterpark with outdoor waterfalls and greenery surrounding the pool areas.

Little else is known about it right now, with the last update back in 2024.

Therme Manchester

When Therme Manchester opens, it will be the “largest water-based wellbeing destination in Europe“.

It’s set to cost £500million, and could welcome three million people a year to its indoor resort.

It will be every waterpark’s fan dream with spa and wellness facilities that will be split into three distinct zones – Play, Relax and Restore.

The Play zone will focus on ‘next-generation’ water slides, along with a wave pool, warm water pool, steam rooms, saunas and lounging and family dining experiences.

This zone will have an outdoor beach too.

The Relax zone will be adults-only and there will be a “focus on premium wellbeing experiences”, as well as indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms, saunas and dining.

The last area is the Restore Zone and is also adults-only.

Here will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

Therme is due to open next to the Trafford Centre in late 2028.

Check out our favourite holidays to Greece – two have waterparks…

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Blue Bay Beach Resort, Rhodes

The four-star Blue Bay Beach Resort sits a stone’s throw away from this beach, and has its own pools, splash park and water slides. Here you’re only a 15-minute drive away from Rhodes Old Town, where UNESCO-listed medieval streets wind through castle-like architecture. Make sure to check out the Street of the Knights, one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe.

BOOK HERE

Gouves Bay Hotel, Crete

Gouves Bay Hotel keeps things simple on a sunny Greek island location right by the sea. This hotel has a relaxed, family-friendly feel with two pools, a kids’ club and easy all-inclusive dining. And if you fancy a change of atmosphere, Gouves’ bars and tavernas are just a short walk away for your choice of evening drinks with a view.

BOOK HERE

Aegean View Aqua Resort, Kos

The picturesque hotel is perched up high and surrounded by lush greenery in the historic harbour town of Kos. Here you’ll find a huge swimming pool and a waterpark, as well as activities like darts, tennis, football and more. There’s evening entertainment six days a week, and an on-site spa with a hot tub and sauna to unwind.

BOOK HERE

TUI Blue Lagoon Queen, Halkidiki

This mega resort with six pools and its own waterpark is rated five stars by TUI. In the main restaurant, you’ll see show cooking displays as you take your pick from an extensive international buffet. Plus, Kalives beach is on the doorstep of this hotel, with its strikingly blue water and soft golden sands.

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Great Wolf Lodge

Great Wolf Lodge might not mean much to Brits, but it has 23 resorts across North America and Canada, and wants to to open its very first UK site.

The company has submitted plans to built on the current site of Basingstoke Golf Centre on Worting Road in Hampshire.

The plans are for it to be transformed into a 50,000m² complex.

It will consist of three interconnected buildings – one will be a hotel, another an adventure park and the last, an indoor waterpark.

It will be lots of family-friendly pools, slides, rides and splash pads.

Planned activities inside the adventure park will be a children’s haven with a rope course, mini bowling, mini golf and a games arcade.

Seahive

While not a waterpark per se, Seahive is set to be a huge new water attraction near Deal in Kent.

If it gets the go-ahead, Seahive would be the world’s first surfing wellness resort with a dedicated surf lagoon for every skill level with waves ranging in size from 50cm to 2m.

The site will also have a relaxing wellness area, spa and gym.

There’s room for on-land activities too like a skate park for skateboards, bikes and scooters.

Also proposed for the site are 15 holiday lodges and a clubhouse with restaurants.

The Cove Resort

Similar to Seahive, in Southport there will soon be Cove Resort which is a £75million new attraction with incredible views across the Irish Sea.

Visitors will be able to experience leisure activities like an outdoor lagoon with opportunities for surfing.

Other proposed facilities include a thermal spa – the resort will focus primarily on health and wellbeing.

The plans include the building of large 4-star hotel on site too.

For more on waterparks, here are all the ones in the UK mapped – with lazy rivers and wave pools.

And here’s where you will find the waterpark capital of the UK.

THE highly anticipated World of PAW Patrol has announced when it will open – and you don’t have to wait long.

The pup-tastic themed-land will open at Chessington World of Adventures with four new rides and a new play attraction on May 3.

The new £15million attraction was first announced in April last year and will welcome guests over the early May bank holiday weekend.

It will be be the UK’s first and only PAW Patrol-themed land designed specifically for preschool-age children.

Inside will be new rides and meet and greets with the beloved pups Rubble, Skye, Rocky, Everest and Marshall.

Fans of the show will recognise the new land as it looks like the fictional Adventure Bay.

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It’s all centred around Lookout Tower which is also part of ‘Chase’s Mountain Mission’ ride – the attraction’s entry-level rollercoaster for littler kids.

Another of the new rides is Skye’s Helicopter Heroes where riders can climb aboard Skye’s helicopter and take to the skies.

Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure will be the UK’s first ‘Drifter’ ride – visitors can hop onto their own hovercraft.

Kids will feel like they’re skidding across the water from Adventure Bay to Seal Island.

There’s also Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue, guests can climb aboard a firetruck and ‘rock and roll’ through the streets of Adventure Bay.

There will be themed playscapes too including Rubble and Rocky’s Play Zone.

At Rubble and Rocky’s playzone, kids can get their hands dirty at the construction zone.

Then children can head to Rocky’s Recycle Yard to crawl and climb through a maze of repurposed parts.

Another will be The Flounder Boat Play where little explorers can help Captain Turbot on a high-seas adventure.

The themed-land will also have a cafe, a picnic space and a shop where visitors can pick up PAW Patrol merch.

Chessington World of Adventure’s Vice President, Nick Bevan said: “We can’t wait for families from across the world to experience the magic of PAW Patrol here at Chessington World of Adventures.”

Chessington already has hotel rooms based on the TV show – each room sleeps up to two adults and three children. 

PAW Patrol hotel stays start from £155 for a family of four, including bed and breakfast.

Hotel stays include early ride access into Chessington, a ‘Pup Pass’ Meet and Greet fast track pass, and a Reserve & Ride one-shot pass.

You can book a day ticket to Chessington from £34 – if booked in advance.

The seven great UK seaside towns with beachfront theme parks – and you can stay with Hols from £9.50.

And nine of the best theme parks with something new in 2026 from multi-million lands to epic thrill rides.

A thrill-seeking theme park with Europe’s longest dive coaster and highest free-fall ride has been named as the ‘best in the world’, and it’s just hours from the UK

The ‘world’s best theme park’, which has been open for more than 100 years, is just two hours from the UK.

There are hundreds of theme parks across the globe offering a fun-packed day out for the whole family, whether that’s from white-knuckle rides for adrenaline junkies or child-friendly attractions based on some of the most iconic TV characters. There’s always something for everyone, and it’s a sure way to keep the kids entertained.

Impressively, there are theme parks that have been in operation for a century, with multiple generations experiencing the immersive world of rides, coasters and themed adventures. While many might have their preferred amusement park, the Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, was named as the ‘world’s top theme park’ by Blooloop, a network for visitor attractions.

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The Swedish theme park first opened in May 1923 and has been in operation ever since, welcoming around three million visitors every year. Liseberg has 40 rides and attractions, ranging from roller coasters such as the wooden Balder, which speeds around at a max of 90km/h, to the boomerang ride Luna, which travels forward and backwards over a 225-metre-long track.

Yet, Valkyria is perhaps one of the park’s most thrilling roller coasters, with a heart-stopping vertical drop of 50 metres – making it Europe’s longest dive coaster. If that wasn’t enough, the ride plunges vertically into an underground tunnel at a speed of 105km/h, before a variety of loops, turns and twists.

Another standout ride at Liseberg is AtmosFear, Europe’s highest free-fall ride, reaching 146 metres and a speed of 110km/h. AtmosFear first opened in 2011 and has remained a favourite at the theme park for daredevils.

In celebration of the park’s 100th anniversary in 2023, they welcomed the Luna coaster and the Grand Curiosa Hotel. Last year, they also confirmed that a new family attraction, Stormvåg (Storm Wave), will open this summer.

Another incredible attraction at Liseberg, set to open this year or next, is the £95 million (€110) Oceana waterpark. It’s set to boast 19 water slides, a 244-metre river, water go-karts, 6,000 square metres of indoor pools, and 4,000 square metres of outdoor water features.

Liseberg is located on a hillside in the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden, and, given its striking location, escalators are dotted throughout the park to help visitors navigate the steep terrain. It’s Scandinavia’s largest amusement park, with admission from £7.60 (SEK 95) or admission and a ride pass from around £29 (SEK 365).

Flights from the UK to Gothenburg are just under two hours, and start from as little as £13 one-way. The theme park is conveniently located around 20 minutes from the Gothenburg airport, so you could be taking on the thrilling rides in just a few hours after departing from the UK.

What’s more, Liseberg has an on-site hotel called Grand Curiosa Hotel, or there’s alternative accommodation nearby, such as cabins or bed & breakfast rooms at Lisebergsbyn. The centre of Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city, is just 10 minutes from the park by public transport, making it an ideal getaway for those wanting to explore somewhere new and visit one of the world’s best theme parks.

For more information, you can visit the Liseberg theme park website.

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IF YOU ever think you can’t get a hotel room, then you might want to head to the First World Hotel.

This is because it is the largest hotel in the world with a staggering 7,351 rooms across 28 floors able to accommodate up to 14,000 people.

The First World Hotel in Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia opened back in 2001 and achieved the Guinness World Record title as the world’s largest hotel (by room number) back in 2015.

And to date, nothing has overtaken it.

The huge hotel often dubbed the ‘Las Vegas of Asia’, is spread across two towers but originally used to be one and contained 6,118 rooms before Tower 2 Annex opened in 2015.

The hotel boasts eight different room types from a standard room right up to a ‘World Club Room 2’ spanning across approximately 40-square-metres with a living area.

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Inside the World Club Room 2 you can expect a flat-screen TV, mini fridge, tea and coffee-making facilities.

In comparison, the smallest room measures 16.7square-metres but doesn’t have a TV or mini-fridge.

For all rooms, if you want Wi-Fi you will need to purchase it.

Guests can head to two main places to eat – The Junction and Lobby Cafe.

At The Junction guests can grab meals-to-go and bakery items and is open from 8am to 6pm each day.

At the Lobby Cafe, there is a “simple but substantial menu” ideal for quick sit down meals and it is open each day from 7am to 10pm.

A night at the hotel costs as little as £21.

The hotel sits at the heart of Resorts World Genting – a hill resort in the Titiwangsa Mountains that is a major entertainment hub with casinos, theme parks, shops, restaurants and other hotels.

Theme parks in Resorts World Genting include Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park and Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park.

At Skytropolis, visitors can jump on 20 rides including bumper cars, carousels and a Ferris wheel.

An unlimited ride pass costs £13.14 per person.

Alternatively, at SkyWorlds – a five to 10 minute walk from the hotel – there are several different lands, each inspired by a popular film.

Visitors can pay for individual rides or buy a day pass costing from £31.55 per adult and £12.20 per child.

In Central Park, for example, one of the largest lands, visitors can head on a ‘flying theatre‘ ride, where passengers join a space defense mission.

In the land Andromeda Base, which has a futuristic theme, visitors can head on a classic drop tower ride or a 360-degree ‘air race‘ ride.

Fans of the Ice Age films should head to the Ice Age land, where they can go on a family-friendly roller-coaster that ventures through a 30metre mountain.

There is also a trackless dark ride that follows Sid and the gang through an arctic cave.

On SkyAvenue – less than five minutes from the hotel – you’ll find the resort’s lifestyle hub.

Here you’ll find popular brands including Five Guys for a bite to eat and an hourly free show that features thousands of LED balls moving in sync with music.

The SkyAvenue also includes a select number of attractions including Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, a quirky museum, the Jurassic Research Centre with dinosaur exhibits and Zombie Outbreak, a haunted house experience.

For those wanting to see the surrounding landscape, head on the Awana SkyWay cable car, about a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel.

The journey lasts 10 minutes and you’ll get amazing views of the Ulu Kali 130-million-year-old rainforest.

Tickets also include a free stop at Chin Swee Caves Temple, which is often thought to be one of the most scenic temples in Malaysia with a nine-storey Pagoda.

Of course the resort is also home to an abundance of shops, including over 150 designer brands such as Coach and Nike.

At night, head to SkyCasino, which is the largest casino in the resort.

There is also the club Zouk Genting if you fancy dancing the night away.

Everything at Resorts World Genting is indoors, so you won’t need to step foot outside, making it the ideal hotel and destination for rainy weather.

In other hotel news, the new London hotel with discounted rooms that’s near three of the best free museums.

Plus, there’s a new Cotswolds hotel that’s like a private members club – but without the price tag.

A EUROPEAN theme park less than two hours from the UK has been named the best in the world.

Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden is home to Europe‘s longest dive coaster and highest free-fall ride – and will soon be getting a new waterpark.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration.

Named the top theme park by Blooloop, Liseberg has over 40 rides and attractions which include the new £87million Oceana waterpark.

Following a fire in 2024, plans for the waterpark were revised and now the attraction is expected to open either this year or next year.

The Oceana waterpark will feature 6,000-square-metre of indoor pools and 4,000-square-metres of outdoor water attractions.

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There will be 19 water slides, a 244-metre “dynamic river” and water go-karts.

There will also be an indoor and outdoor bathing area.

The new attraction will be able to host up to 1,750 guests at any one time, across both the indoor and outdoor areas.

A café, a shop and a restaurant will be on-site as well.

Last year, the theme park revealed a new family attraction called Stormvåg (Storm Wave) which will open this summer.

The new Stormvåg (Storm Wave) ride will be a family swing ride, with a boatyard theme.

Liseberg can be found on a forested hillside and has a number of different areas including Rabbit Land which is dedicated to the park’s green rabbit mascots and features gentle rides for little kids.

The park has a number of different areas including Luna Park which is a retro space themed area and another area is themed around Nordic mythology.

Thrill rides include a wooden rollercoaster called Balder and a launch rollercoaster called Helix.

Unlike other theme parks in Europe, visitors have to navigate around the theme park using escalators due to its hillside location.

Tickets to the park cost £29.30 per person, and that includes unlimited goes on the rides.

For those wanting to extend their time at the park, there is a hotel as well – The Grand Curiosa Hotel.

The hotel can be found at the park’s entrance and boasts 457 rooms.

Inside, there is an 18th century whimsical and ‘curiosity’ theme with a slide in the lobby and even a carousel in the restaurant.

Each floor has its own theme ranging from the ocean to mythical creatures and is meant to reflect the curiosity of explorers from the 18th century.

There is also a cinema room in the hotel, as well as playrooms.

Rooms at the hotel cost from £107.97 per night.

The easiest way to get to Liseberg is by flying to Gothenburg, which takes just under two hours and costs as little as £13 per way for a one-way flight in April from either London or Edinburgh.

Then from the airport it is about 20 minutes on public transport to the park, or if you are travelling to the park from central Gothenburg it takes only 10 minutes via public transport.

You can even stay at The Grand Curiosa Hotel without going to the theme park, so it makes the ideal base for exploring the city of Gothenburg as well.

In other attraction news, the UK’s best theme park’s £12million Viking-themed land to open next month.

Plus, a popular seaside amusement park that’s FREE to visit is getting new rides.

PAULTONS Park has revealed when their huge new Viking-themed land will be opening and you won’t have to wait long.

The theme park – named the best in the UK by Tripadvisor and eighth best in the world – has splashed out a huge £12million on the new themed area.

Called Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, it will have the theme park’s first inverting rollercoaster.

Drakon will not only be the most thrilling ride at Paultons Park, but will see riders climb a huge vertical hill before they twist and fly through the air upside down.

There will also be the swinging ride Vild Swing, going 12metres in the air, while the bobsled Cobra coaster is being reinvented as Raven.

The parks biggest investment to date, it will open to the public on May 16.

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Also in the park will be a themed Feasting Hall restaurant as well as Viking inspired playground.

Back in 2024 they even teased another ride could open in Valgard next year, which would be water-themed – although little else is known about it at the moment.

And last year, Paultons Park won 10 awards at the UK Theme Park Awards, including Theme Park of the year.

It is also known for being home to the famous Peppa Pig World, as well as the Ghostly Manor ride which opened last year.

The Sun’s Head of Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire recently raved about the park.

She said: “On the kids’ favourite rides, such as the Velociraptor and Cat-O-Pillar coasters, we were able to fit in about three rounds in 15 minutes.

“Ghostly Manor even won Best New Attraction at this year’s UK Theme Park awards, one of ten gongs Paultons bagged that I’ve have to agree with thanks to a number of key factors.

“These include the short queues, incredible customer service (employees all cheerful), the cleanliness (bathrooms spotless) and the attention to detail and the fact that they don’t charge for parking, unlike several other big theme parks.

“we spent the entire weekend outside, grinning from ear to ear. And we were blown away, in the good sense.”

The new Viking land isn’t the only exciting new opening in the UK.

Chessington is opening its new £15million PAW Patrol Land this spring.

And a £50million Minecraft land is also set to open at Chessington, and will be the first of its kind in the world.

Alton Towers has opened its new Bluey The Ride: Here Come The Grannies! at CBeebies Land already as well.

Here are some other openings to be excited about both in the UK and Europe this year.

Sorry, Orlando. Southern California is the theme park capital of the world. Yes, I believe that.

A brief history: Knott’s Berry Farm created a framework that allowed Disneyland to invent the theme park, which Universal Studios tweaked. SoCal innovations, all of them — and the industry remains centered here.

Theme parks are integral to SoCal life. They’re institutions, as familiar as Dodger Stadium, Griffith Park or the Getty. Many of us grew up going to the parks and have archives of fading photos to prove it.

That’s why The Times is launching its first-ever theme park newsletter, a weekly guide to what matters and how to best experience these themed wonderlands. Welcome to Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride, where I’ll take you on my adventures in make-believe, share news and tips, and go deep on the hidden artistry behind SoCal’s most beloved attractions. (Sign up, and we’ll be in your inbox soon.)

Why theme parks are magical

Maybe you haven’t been to a theme park in a while. And maybe that’s intentional. Yes, ticket prices increase every year, crowds frustrate and your ankle will probably be struck by a stroller. But theme parks are art. They’re meticulously designed, as real as our ability to pretend. Few spaces exist in which so many artistic endeavors collide: architecture, costuming, landscaping, animation, engineering, urban design and more. The delight is in the details.

Theme parks are more than an escape — they reflect and respond to culture. Maybe these are simply the ramblings of a Disney adult and fan of all theme parks, but I won’t apologize for seeking joy, wonder and play. It’s what’s needed right now.

I visit theme parks regularly — probably too often by some people’s standards — but I’m excited every time. The key is to stop viewing them as a checklist of activities. So as we enter the busy spring break and summer seasons, here are some ways to develop a deeper appreciation (and simply have more fun) at our most iconic parks.

Embrace the Disneyland classics

I received pushback when I declared It’s a Small World the best attraction at the Anaheim resort, but hear me out. The ride is designed in the look of animator turned theme park artist Mary Blair, reflective of her color clashes and childlike whimsy. It’s akin to a boat trip through an art gallery. No other attraction is so reflective of a singular art style. The facade, designed by renown Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump and inspired by Blair, mixes glistening white metals and fiberglass with gold leaf accents that nod to the Eiffel Tower, Tower of Pisa, a Dutch windmill and more. How many more landmarks can you spot amid the jagged edges and byzantine shapes?

Fun fact: Legend tells that Disneyland used the entire U.S. supply of gold leaf to make the facade. Germany, apparently, came to the rescue.

Don’t skip a ride on the greatest tram tour ever built

Visitors enter the set of Jupiter’s Claim from the movie “Nope” while taking the Universal Studios tram tour in May 2023.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Universal Studios’ World-Famous Tram Tour, as it is officially designated, is the most important modern theme park attraction in America. The slow-moving backlot trek existed long before Universal Studios had a theme park, but it changed the industry.

In 1976, one year after Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” opened, the studio put guests face-to-face with a 24-foot shark. Never before had a cultural phenomenon like “Jaws” been so quickly replicated in a theme park. “Ride the movies” is a phrase coined by Spielberg, and it’s an industrywide trend that hasn’t stopped.

Fun fact: Universal consulted submarine builders General Dynamics to construct a shark that could survive long term under water.

Spend an afternoon in America’s first theme park

Knott’s Berry Farm’s entrance as parkgoers ride the Silver Bullet roller coaster behind it in May 2021.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

There are times I go to Knott’s Berry Farm and never leave its Ghost Town area, which predates Disneyland and is filled with oddities. A toy shop, for instance, sells actual puppets, and a train ride still features a staged robbery. The park also just remodeled its 72-year-old Bird Cage Theatre, home to outrageous vaudeville-style shows, where a young Steve Martin once performed. It’s a rarity these days to have live theater at a theme park.

Fun fact: The theater’s facade is a replica of the original Bird Cage in Tombstone, Ariz., which has long had a bawdy reputation.

So I hope you’ll sign up for Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride, where we’ll geek out on the history, the artistry and the future of these spaces. Have a theme park question? Email me, and I hope to answer it in an upcoming edition of the newsletter. Life is tough. We can all use more fun.

Today’s top stories

Billionaire Tom Steyer speaks during Jewish California: Governor 2026 Candidate Forum at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 26.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Billionaire candidate for California governor faces criticism

• Tom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, faces mounting criticism over his former hedge fund’s prior investments in private prisons now housing undocumented immigrants.
• Steyer says he deeply regrets the investment and left his hedge fund 14 years ago and has since spent hundreds of millions on Democratic causes, particularly efforts to fight climate change.

Artemis II crew flies past the moon

• NASA’s Artemis II crew flew past the moon Monday, traveling farther from Earth than any humans in history and becoming the first to see some sections of the moon’s far side in the sunlight with the naked eye.
• The four astronauts described the far side in eloquent detail: Geometric patterns of browns, blues and greens amid the moon’s typical shades of gray.

L.A.-based relatives of a deceased Iranian leader were arrested

• The niece and grand-niece of an Iranian general have been arrested by immigration agents after the niece celebrated the Iranian leadership and denigrated the U.S.
• The general’s daughter has disputed the family connection, according to Iranian media, which has quoted a statement attributed to her saying that the two women bear no relation to the general.

What else is going on

Commentary and opinions

This morning’s must read

For your downtime

State Route 78.

(Josh Jackson)

Going out

Staying in

And finally … your photo of the day

The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne travels over the Coachella 2004 crowd in an inflated plastic bubble.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Robert Gauthier during 2004 Coachella. Here’s a look at The Times’ photos from every year of the festival, including its origins in 1999, legendary performances from Daft Punk, Prince and Beyoncé, and the iconic art installations the festival has hosted over the years.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

FANCY a day at the theme park over Easter? Well, how about two days out for the price of one?

Drayton Manor has launched a brand-new offer for the month of April where visitors can buy one ticket and return again at no extra cost.

Fans of the theme park in Tamworth won’t want to miss its newly launched free return deal.

If you buy a standard day ticket between now and April 19, 2026, you can return for no extra cost on or before April 30, 2026.

From just £29.50, guests can go on more than 50 rides and attractions at the park – and then do it all again before the end of April for free.

Drayton Manor has plenty of thrilling rollercoasters, as well as family-friendly rides, and a zoo with over 500 animals like red pandas, bears, reptiles and birds of prey.

SIGHT SEA

£9.50 holidaymakers’ favourite Skegness activities… away from the beach

GO SEA IT

£9.50 holiday spot with shipwrecks, seals offshore & horseshoe-shaped waterfalls

The theme park is the only one in Europe with a dedicated area for Thomas the Tank Engine.

Thomas Land has lots of attractions including a rollercoaster, water ride, drop tower and of course train rides with Thomas, Percy and Rosie.

Throughout the Easter holidays, until April 19, is a Care Bear takeover with character meet-and-greets.

At the end of the day, there’s even a Care Bears end-of-day show on the lake.

In 2024, Drayton Manor opened its Wild West themed world called Frontier Falls.

Inside is a new rollercoaster called Gold Rush where visitors are whisked away in a runaway mining cart.

It’s the first of its kind in the UK to have a backward launch into an outdoor gravity track.

The rollercoaster has a two-minute ride time, with Drayton Manor claiming it to be the longest track length for a family coaster in the country.

This Spanish hotel is right next to a huge theme park with over 40 attractions…

*If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue

Hotel Best Punta Dorada, Salou

The Spanish resort is a popular destination near PortAventura World, a theme park with over 40 attractions and huge rollercoasters. It’s also close to sandy beaches like Platja de Llevant, and the scenic Camí de Ronda coastal walk. The hotel itself has an outdoor swimming pool to enjoy, as well as two bars along with evening entertainment and shows.

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Last year, Drayton Manor was voted the ‘UK’s best value theme park‘ .

The awards were organised by ThemeParks-UK.com, and winners were announced after a series of votes made by 330,000 members of British public along with scores from expert judges.

Drayton Manor scooped up the award for Best Value Theme Park.

It also came in second place for Best (Large) Theme Park for Families, and for Best Theme Park for Toddlers.

Drayton Manor came in first place for Best New Accessibility Initiative, and third for Best Use of IP in an Attraction.

For more on theme parks, here are seven great UK seaside towns with beachfront theme parks – and you can stay with Hols from £9.50.

And here are the top six UK theme parks you can easily reach by train – and how to find the cheapest family fares.

Brocklands Adventure Park in Cornwall had attractions including a bowling alley, bumper boats, crazy golf and animals. But it closed in 2007 and has been left abandoned

A once-thriving and vibrant adventure park teeming with wildlife and laughing youngsters now stands eerily abandoned, left to decay.

Brocklands Adventure Park was a beloved attraction in Kilkhampton. The venue welcomed guests from 1977 until it shut down in 2007.

The park garnered multiple accolades after being established by Dennis and Sue Vanstone. During its heyday, it attracted 50,000 visitors each season, having evolved from a modest tea room and shop into a comprehensive leisure destination.

It grew into an expansive complex featuring playgrounds, attractions, animal enclosures and wildlife programmes.

In 1987 it rebranded as Pixieland Funpark. By 1990 the venue had added a 15-inch gauge miniature railway, pony rides, trampolines, and an all-weather playground.

In March 1997, further expansion saw the launch of Pip’s Place, a new restaurant accommodating 200 diners, reports Cornwall Live.

Subsequently there were additional features including a ten-pin bowling alley, archery centre, crazy golf, quad biking, bumper boats, and a mega tube slide.

Creatures from across the animal kingdom called it home. Visitors could encounter rabbits, ducks, iguanas, snakes, parrots, and a raccoon.

In 2000, the park was rechristened Brocklands Adventure Park, signalling its evolution into theme-park territory.

Despite its popularity, the park tragically shut its doors in 2007 when the owners retired. Today, vegetation and undergrowth have overrun the formerly bustling structures.

Wandering through the deserted park and stumbling upon an old archery range, the Youtube channel Street Zips said: “There are soap dispensers, we found a bow and arrow in here.

“There’re drawers here, we’ve got plugs and fuses – and smart plugs – one of the things that go on your wrist to stop you getting whacked by the bow.

“Listen-listen – can you hear it? Yeah like a rat is it – I heard a squeak. The rustiness of the drawers are really cool as well. You would pay a fortune for that for a movie set piece. “

They also discovered boxes for trapping rats, saying: “They’ve obviously got an infestation of something here. That’s a serious trap isn’t it. There’s some spring on that.”

The urban adventurers came across a kiwi tree still bearing fruit. Peering into what they believed was an old animal enclosure, they discovered posters of creatures to look out for in the taxidermy exhibition made “only of roadkill.”

They even spotted old pheasant feathers scattered across the floor.

Fast forward to 2021, a planning proposal was submitted to convert a key building into a two-bedroom home, and by 2023, planning permission was granted to construct five homes on the site.

The steel structure will be repurposed into a two-bedroom dwelling. The planning application reads: “The site comprises part of the former visitor attraction known as Brocklands Adventure Park, which closed in 2007 and contained a range of attractions split across two sites (separated by West Street).

“These attractions included 15in gauge railway, ponds, slides, pony ride track, trampolines, quad biking, bouncy castle, bumper boats, bowling alley, indoor multi-activity centre and refreshment facilities.

“The proposal involves converting the existing steel frame building to form a two-bedroom dwelling.”

The city has seen a huge influx of new restaurants open in the first few months of 2026. From street food to Michelin-starred dining, there’s something for every foodie

Some people travel for culture, some for sandy beaches and sunshine, and others for culinary experiences. If you’re passionate about discovering exceptional dining spots, there’s one overlooked destination that deserves a place on your bucket list.

In the first months of the year, this Swedish destination has welcomed 20 new eateries to complement its already celebrated Michelin-starred establishments. Beyond its thriving food scene, this city also boasts a theme park, a warm café culture and genuinely beautiful streets perfect for exploring.

This remarkable city is Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest urban centre. Frequently overshadowed by its better-known counterparts Stockholm or Malmö, it absolutely shouldn’t be.

The city boasts five restaurants with a single Michelin star and one holding two stars. These establishments serve everything from Japanese cuisine to spectacular seafood dishes.

If you’re prepared to splash out on a truly memorable dining experience, the two-starred establishment Signum must feature on your itinerary.

The menu concentrates on seafood and fish complemented with produce grown in the on-site gardens.

All the ingredients are from Scandinavia, and a meal here will comprise 18 exquisitely crafted courses, all featuring seasonal produce.

If you’re the type who prefers to meander through the city, sampling local delicacies along the way, then you should schedule your visit for May.

Gothenburg is set to transform its iconic 19th-century fish market into a brand new seafood festival. The entire building, including its floating outdoor terrace, will be converted into a seafood extravaganza, with top-notch vendors showcasing their offerings, reports the Express.

Also launching in May is Vassen Market, a sprawling 6,500 square metre waterfront haven featuring street food, cocktails, live music, art pop-ups and even skateboarding.

Constructed entirely from recycled containers and encircled by verdant pocket parks, it’s the ultimate spot for a leisurely weekend stroll.

Later in the year, the Slakthuset district will play host to a three-day neighbourhood festival brimming with music, food and local beverages. Scheduled for July, this event perfectly encapsulates the relaxed community spirit of the city.

For those who prefer thrill rides over wine tasting, Gothenburg’s Liseberg is a must-visit. Opened in 1923, this theme park is the largest in Scandinavia and draws visitors from far and wide.

Boasting 42 attractions, there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes, promising an exhilarating day out. Just remember to don your most comfortable walking shoes, as the park spans a whopping 42 acres.

BUCKETS and spades, ice creams on the promenade, whizzing around on the dodgems… family trips to the seaside are where the best memories are made.

And seaside staycations are made even better when there’s a thrilling theme park nearby.

With tens of thousands of new dates and breaks being added to Sun Hols from £9.50, you’ll have plenty of cool coastal spots to choose from.

Hols from £9.50 are set to be restocked this Tuesday, with thousands of new holidays AND new holiday parks – and you can get priority access with Sun Club.

If you fancy signing up to Sun Club to access the £9.50 Hols deals early, head to thesun.co.uk/club and join for £1.99 a month or £12 for a year.

Once you’re a member, go to the Sun Club Offers hub and find the Hols From £9.50 page.

Read more on £9.50 holidays

BEACHFRONT BLISS

Inside the most popular UK holiday park from £9.50 Hols

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40 of us take over a £9.50 Holiday park each year – it’s my kids favourite vacation

Follow the link from the offers page, and you can book your break from midnight on Tuesday, March 31.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, these are some of our top seaside towns across the UK with theme parks and fairgrounds… plus the nearby holiday parks you can book with Hols from £9.50.

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Great Yarmouth on Norfolk‘s east coast has been welcoming holidaymakers as a seaside resort since 1760.

The town boasts a soft sand beach known as ‘the golden mile’, with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants within a short walking distance.

Smack-bang on the beachfront is Joyland, a historic amusement park with plenty of classic rides that are sure to fill you with nostalgia.

This colourful family theme park is perfect for little ones, home to mini rollercoasters and the award-winning Super Snails. The attraction is free to enter, with ride tokens costing £3 each.

For the older kids, Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach is sure to go down a treat with an exciting mix of white-knuckle thrills, child friendly rides and even a 4D cinema.

Undoubtedly the star of the show is a traditional wooden roller coaster, which first opened in 1932 and one of only two still standing in the UK.

You can enter Pleasure Beach with either a wristband or fun card. Wristbands give you unlimited rides, starting at £20 for younger children and £27 for ages 7+.

Fun Cards can be purchased for just £5 per person and come pre-loaded with 5 credits that can be used on rides, food or drinks, and they even come with unlimited park entry for the 2026 season.

Keep the good times rolling with a stroll down Britannia Pier to take in the coastal views from the Victorian promenade, or try your luck in the arcades.

The mix of sun, fresh sea air and entertainment will be sure to leave you feeling delightfully exhausted!

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Cherry Tree, Breydon Water, California Cliffs or Vauxhall.

Skegness, Lincolnshire

The seaside resort of Skegness is a huge hit with families, with a seemingly-endless amount of exciting activities and things to do.

Find the fun of fairground rides and more at Pleasure Beach Skegness, with classic bumper cars all the way up to the swinging heights of Freakout.

Get competitive at the Pebble Beach 9-hole adventure golf course, or make a splash at the Wild River Log Flume.

The theme park is free-to-enter, with rides costing credits. You can purchase an all-day access wristband online (from £17.50) or make the most of the Token Savers scheme if you want to only visit particular rides.

There’s plenty of tickets to be won at the classic amusement arcades on Skegness Pier which can be exchanged for prizes, but the entertainment doesn’t stop there.

With ten pin bowling, Captain Kids Soft Play, escape rooms and Laser Quest, there really is something for everyone in the family. 

And after a busy day, there’s no better place to unwind than Playa at the Pier, a seaside bar that’s perfect for watching the sun go down.

You can even enjoy your drink in one of the bar’s stylish pool pods, perfect for cooling down after a day of sun.

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Southview, The Chase, Golden Anchor or Golden Palm Resort.

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

As the largest town on Essex‘s aptly-named Sunshine Coast, Clacton-on-Sea delivers on the classic British seaside holiday experience.

The main attraction at Clacton-on-Sea is Clacton Pier, Europe‘s biggest pleasure pier with its own fairground.

The pier is packed with activities like bowling, mini golf, arcades, a soft play, thrill rides and more – not to mention plenty of cafes and restaurants to retreat into for a sit down once you’ve burned off all of your energy.

When it comes to rides, there’s plenty of crowd-pleasing classics like a helter skelter, dodgems and loop-the-loop coasters.

However there’s plenty for the little ones too, like the gentle Wild Mouse Coaster and Dumbo ride.

Rides cost between 2-7 credits, which you can load onto a fun card from a ticket box or online. £1 = 1 credit.

Just next door you’ll find Clacton Pavillion and Fun Park where another 20 rides await, including a swinging pirate ship, high ropes course and even a waterpark.

An unlimited-ride wristband here costs £15 and includes a ticket to the soft play – not too shabby for a full day out!

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Highfield Grange, Valley Farm or St Osyth Beach.

Scarborough, North Yorkshire

With its sweeping golden beaches, spectacular castle ruins plus your pick of family attractions, Scarborough is a top seaside holiday destination.

The seafront is dotted with colourful beach huts, sweet shops selling rock and ice cream, and plenty of coastal walking paths.

There are two main bays, North and South, both of which have wide beaches with flat sands and calm waters that are perfect for paddling.

You could easily spend a day walking along the seafront, stopping to build sandcastles and dipping into the arcades, but there’s also amusement parks and rides for the thrill-seekers.

Luna Park is an amusement park with plenty for kids of all ages. There’s traditional activities like a carousel and hook-a-duck, plus more thrilling rides like the twisting Cyclone and jump ride King Frog.

Rides are paid for in credits, which are loaded onto fun cards with 1 credit costing £1. Fun cards are purchased on-site.

There’s also waterpark Alpamare Scarborough, with four adrenaline-fuelling waterslides and its own spa.

And if you don’t mind a 30-40 minute drive, Flamingo Land is renowned for its 33 rides and attractions.

There’s plenty for the whole family here, from a CBeebies Peter Rabbit experience to the terrifying cliff hanger ride Pterodactyl. Admission starts at £29 online, with under 3’s going free.

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Cayton Bay

Lowestoft, Suffolk

Lowestoft is a seaside town on the coast of East Suffolk, with its beaches such as South Beach winning awards for its cleanliness, safety and beauty.

South Beach is also an RNLI lifeguarded beach, and has its own Children’s Corner with activities such as crazy golf, making it the perfect pick for families.

The North Beach sits between Claremont and South Pier, with a bustling seafront with plenty of snack kiosks and souvenir shops.

Lowestoft’s family theme park, Pleasurewood Hills, is home to the biggest roller coaster in East Anglia: Wipeout.

Plus there’s plenty of other thrill rides, like the ultra-fast Cannonball Express and seaside-themed Jolly Roger.

There’s also a miniature train called the Pleasurewood Hills Express, and you may want to bring a change of clothes for water rides like the Wavebreaker.

Admission tickets to Pleasurewood Hills start from £18.75 online, which includes access to all of the rides.

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Broadland Sands.

Towyn, North Wales

Towyn in Conwy is a seaside resort with plenty of activities to keep families entertained, plus plenty of spectacular scenery for nature lovers.

The secluded shores of Towyn Beach are backed by sloping green cliffs, and you can even see the mountains of Snowdonia on the horizon.

Further along the seafront, Knightly’s Fun Park is a free-to-enter amusement park with day-to-night entertainment including kids discos, bingo and karaoke.

There’s also 20 rides and attractions at the funfair, including Waltzers, go karts and a fun house.

Rides cost credits, and if you stock up on ride credits online you can get up to 120 extra .

There’s plenty of jaw-dropping sights a short drive away, too. The Grade-II llisted Gwyrch Castle is a 12-minute drive away, and looks like something straight out of a fairytale.

History lovers will enjoy strolling through its Gothic ruins with sea views, which looks especially fantastic at sunset. Plus you can enter the castle for £11.50 per adult and £7 per child.

Eight minutes away in Rhyl you’ll find Britain’s oldest miniature railway line, which first opened in 1911. The railway fare is £4 per adult and £3 per child.

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Winkups.

Brean, Somerset

Home to a seven-mile stretch of sand, Brean in Somerset is an ideal seaside holiday spot for families.

When you’re not taking your bucket and spade down to the beach, there’s plenty of things to see and do.

Brean Down is a free-to-visit National Trust site described as a “natural pier”, with dramatic limestone cliffs jutting out over the sea.

Plus there’s Brean Golf Club, Brean Splash Waterpark and even a traditional cider farm that are each worth a day’s visit.

If the weather turns, head to Brean Play, an indoor soft play and climbing centre with activities for kids up to age 11.

As for rides and amusements, Brean Theme Park is the largest free-admission theme park in the UK.

Here you’ll find rides that range from bumper boats and fun houses up to adrenaline-fuelling coasters.

Take younger kids onto the spinning teacups and trampolines whilst teens and thrill-seekers brave the Bulldog Coaster and Sky Diver.

You can schedule your visit online ahead of time, and fun cards can be purchased online or in person, with 1 credit costing £1.

Stay with Hols from £9.50 at Unity Beach.

A GERMAN theme park is being completely transformed by a famous French theme park.

Parc Astérix in northern France, which is inspired by the iconic comic series of the same name, is taking over a destination in Germany.

Currently known as Belantis Park, located near major cities including Dresden and Berlin, the theme park will be completely rebranded by 2031.

And work has already begun with the first new land opening at the theme park this spring.

The new land called Idefix’ Adventure Land will be for families with children and is themed around Idefix the dog from the Astérix universe.

There will be four new attractions and while they are yet to be announced, renders of the land show a small flume-style ride, a drop tower, a wagon ride and a spinning chair ride.

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And there are some reports that they will include the ‘Aerobix Flying Machine’, ‘Driving school Frischling’, ‘Idefix’s River Journey’ and ‘Soapbox derby’.

Renders also reveal a large adventure playground with climbing frames and slides.

There will also be a new restaurant, souvenir shop and character meet and greets.

The new land is the first part of the theme park’s transition into the Astérix and Obélix universe, with the park being completely rebranded Astérix Park Germany by 2031.

The next part of the transition – an expansion phase – is set for 2027, which includes a new family rollercoaster that will begin to be built this year.

Once fully complete, the theme park hopes to attract up to 900,000 visitors each year.

In the meantime, the park officially reopens for this year on March 28, however, the new land will not open then.

For those visiting the theme park before the new land opens, they can get a discount on another ticket if they want to return to see the new land.

Filip De Witte, Managing Director of Belantis, said: “At Belantis, we aim to create experiences where the whole family can enjoy thrilling adventures together.

“This year, we’ve lowered our admission prices to make it even easier for families to visit.

“At the same time, we’re expanding our offerings – from a new season pass and the Belantis app to a brand-new themed area opening later in the season.”

The park also has a new show called ‘Why do spiders spin webs?’ which is both educational and entertaining.

There’s also ‘Pirates on the Loose!’, which has been refreshed to include more music, show-fighting moments and interactions that mean audience members can train as a pirate or even discover a hidden treasure chest.

Existing rides include looping rollercoaster, a bobsled coaster and Fluch des Pharao which is a water ride inside a pyramid.

One recent visitor even noted: “There was hardly any queues when we got there, we went on a Sunday, the only time there was queues was in the evening from about 3-5pm.”

Tickets to the park cost €29 (£25.13) per person.

In other theme park news, here are nine of the best theme parks with something new in 2026 from multi-million lands to epic thrill rides.

Plus, a new £50million Minecraft theme park land is set to open in the UK and it will be the first in the world.

GET ready to rock ’n’ roll – there are more thrills and spills at our favourite theme parks.

The new season has launched and families are guaranteed exhilarating new rides, amazing attractions and sensational shows.

Disneyland Paris’s World Of Frozen is making headlines but other favourite kids’ TV characters are being celebrated with coasters, heart-stopping swing rides and even a new historical theme park.

Trisha Harbord picks top parks with something new for 2026, at home and abroad.

CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES

PAW Patrol is on a roll, with a new £15million PAW Patrol Land opening at Chessington this spring.

The immersive experience, based on the children’s TV series, will be the first to open in the UK.

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A replica of the show’s Lookout Tower will form part of Chase’s Mountain Mission coaster.

And families can join a rescue mission while flying high on Skye’s Helicopter Heroes.

Other rides include Zuma’s hovercraft, which will slide, drift and skid, and Marshall’s rolling and rocking fire truck.

There will be pup meet-and-greets and themed play areas, along with PAW Patrol rooms at the park’s hotel.

GO: New season started on Friday. Tickets from £37. B&B for a family of four from £155. See chessington.com.

PAULTONS PARK

A THRILLING rollercoaster and swing ride are the highlights of Paultons Park’s new £12million themed world.

Valgard: Realm Of The Vikings features Drakon, the park’s first inverted coaster, which has a vertical lift hill and two twists taking riders upside down.

It will intertwine with the coaster known as Cobra, reborn as Raven, which is an exciting bobsled adventure.

Nearby stands the massive Vild Swing — the first wild swing of its kind in the UK — which will swirl riders 40ft in the air.

Valgard, opening at the Hampshire park on May 16, will also have a Feasting Hall restaurant and Viking-inspired playground.

There will now be more than 80 rides and attractions in six themed worlds, including Peppa Pig World.

GO: New season starts Wednesday. Tickets from £46.75. Those under one metre go free. See paultonspark.co.uk.

ALTON TOWERS

IN another first, the UK’s most popular theme park launches Bluey The Ride: Here Come The Grannies! on Saturday.

Bluey and her sister Bingo, dressed as mischievous grannies Janet and Rita, take families on an adventure through the TV characters’ back yard.

Fans can also meet the lovable pup at showtime and the CBeebies Land Hotel has Bluey-themed rooms — as well as Hey Duggee themed ones, which are new for 2026.

The Staffordshire park celebrated Bluey’s arrival by creating a giant portrait on the lawn.

It’s made from 11,000 cans of beans because they feature in the TV Grannies episode.

Alton Towers Resort has more than 40 rides and attractions, including thrilling roller coasters and a waterpark.

GO: Now open, with After Dark extended openings today and on March 27 and 28. Tickets from £32. See altontowers.com.

FUTUROSCOPE

A MAJOR new immersive experience that this park based on the marvels of science and nature will allow visitors to walk among the flora and fauna of the world.

After investing nearly 300million euros in new attractions, Futuroscope has again used amazing technology to create The Greenhouse Of Worlds, a colourful visual experience.

You wander through a massive dome to discover a professor’s collection of plants from all around the globe, which you can touch and smell as they are projected around you.

Also new at the French park, just north of Poitiers, is T.Rex — where a laser projection of images takes you back 67million years to get close to the legendary monster.

The park has also partnered with EDF to open an energy theatre with workshops and activities next month.

GO: Tickets from around £40. B&B and two-day tickets for a family of four from £250. See futuroscope.com.

KYNREN

AWARD-WINNING live-action night experience Kynren is becoming the UK’s first historic show park.

There will be no roller coasters at Kynren — The Storied Lands.

Instead, it will offer immersive live performances and large-scale shows depicting historical periods and legends.

Set within County Durham’s Kynren Park, it combines storytelling with cinematic music and breathtaking stunts.

The first phase, opening on July 18, features five attractions, including The Lost Feather, with 250 birds filling the sky above you.

Medieval knights charge into combat on horseback, a vast lake is turned into a stage, Vikings clash while fires rage, and a maze is full of surprise characters.

The night show Kynren — An Epic Tale of England continues on Saturday nights from July 18 to September 12.

GO: Tickets on sale next month. Night show tickets are £30 for adults and £20 for children. See kynren.com.

WALT DISNEY WORLD

FROZEN characters Anna and Elsa aren’t just in Disneyland Paris ­— they have sailed back to sunny Orlando in Florida.

The Frozen Ever After boat ride, closed for super technology changes, has reopened at Epcot — with the famous sisters looking even more life-like as they appear to the soundtrack of the hit movie song, Let It Go.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has had a makeover and opens at Magic Kingdom this spring, along with Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

In the summer, Hollywood Studios launches two new live shows, where you will be able to dance along with Mickey and Minnie, while Animal Kingdom welcomes two new creatures to play with — Bluey and Bingo.

GO: Seven nights’ room-only at the Disney All-Star Movies Resort, including seven-day park tickets and flights from Heathrow to Tampa on September 2, costs from £1,250 per person. Check out virginatlantic.com.

BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH

THE buzzing resort has a giant new ride costing nearly £9million.

Aviktas, a 138ft gyro swing — the UK’s tallest — opens at the town’s Pleasure Beach this summer as the attraction celebrates its 130th birthday.

The ride can seat 40 people at a time on a spinning circle at the end of a pendulum, which then swings to arc 120 degrees over Blackpool’s seafront.

It’s not for the faint-hearted, but there should be some great views from up there.

Aviktas joins other thrill rides including ten roller coasters, such as the Big One, which drops 235ft, and ICON, where you can feel the G-force of an F1 driver.

There’s also Nickelodeon rides for younger children, featuring favourite characters, plus water rides and shows.

GO: The Pleasure Beach is now open, tickets from £30. See blackpoolpleasurebeach.com.

LEGOLAND FLORIDA

NEW space adventure Lego Galaxy has blasted off, featuring the indoor Galacticoaster, with speeds of up to 40mph, and spectacular lighting and sound effects.

Rookie cadets are briefed by a moving, talking Lego engineer before designing their own digital spacecrafts, linked to the ride-by wristbands.

With up to 625 ride combinations, the coaster navigates twists, turns and dynamic launches.

Throughout Lego Galaxy — also open in Legoland California — there’s brick-building opportunities and galactic-themed food.

The park in Winter Haven has more than 60 rides, shows and attractions.

GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the Legoland Florida Hotel, including flights from Gatwick and two-day park tickets, is from £1,065 per person. See travelplanners.co.uk.

LIGHTWATER VALLEY

YOU’LL get an idea about this new ride from its name, Spinning Racer.

The roller coaster opens at the park, near Ripon in North Yorkshire, for the start of the new season on March 28.

Climb aboard and speed up to 45mph on the colourful track as the carriages whirl, twist and turn.

Lightwater, in 175 acres of countryside, prides itself on being a family-friendly park and has more than 35 rides and attractions including a swinging pirate ship, beautifully decorated chair swings, waterslides and an express train.

Easter events, including meet-and-greets with Ebor the resident dragon, are also planned, from the opening day.

GO: Tickets from £22, children under 90cm free. Special offer for opening weekend from £17. See lightwatervalley.co.uk.

THORPE PARK

THE legendary home of big-thrill rides, Thorpe Park is unveiling its very first recharge zone, The Launch Pad.

The dedicated space, in the heart of the Surrey theme park, is designed for guests to relax, refuel and rest before their next adrenalin hit.

Set on the site’s former Amity Beach, the new zone will be a vibrant space where you can take a breath before diving back into the action.

And there’s plenty of that, with the Big Six coasters to experience — led by Hyperia, the UK’s tallest, fastest, most weightless coaster.

Standing 236ft tall, it can reach up to 81mph.

Add to that Stealth, The Swarm, SAW — The Ride, Nemesis Inferno and Colossus, and you’ve got a thrilling half dozen.

GO: The season starts on March 27. Tickets from £32pp, see thorpepark.com.

THE world’s first ever immersive theme park land dedicated to Minecraft is set to open in the UK.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort confirmed that the new attraction will be the biggest themed land at the park.

The £50million land will have the first ever Minecraft coaster.

It will also have “interactive adventures [and] epic block built playscapes” along with themed food and drink stores and a gift shop.

The park is working with video game developer Mojang Studios as well as Minecraft creators to bring the experience to life.

Angela Jobson, SVP of Global Brand, Merlin Entertainments said: “We are meticulously creating an authentic world that the global community of Minecraft fans will want to immerse themselves in and experience the game in a whole new way.”

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This was backed by Torfi Frans Ólafsson, Senior Creative Director of Entertainment at Minecraft, who said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Merlin Entertainments to realise a place where you can literally be in the Minecraft Overworld and have an adventure of your own with your family and friends.”

It is set to open in 2027, although little else is known about the new land at this point.

The idea of a Minecraft ride at the Merlin parks in the UK was first announced back in 2024.

It simply said at the time the land would have “digitally enabled real-life experiences and the creation of touchpoints that will allow guests to unlock exclusive in-game content to continue their gaming journey.”

Minecraft was first released in 2011 and now has over 141 million users.

And the popularity of the world-building game has since resulted in other live-action attractions.

Last year, Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue experience opened in London as an immersive attraction.

If you can’t wait until 2027, Chessington has another exciting new themed opening this year.

The UK’s first dedicated Paw Patrol-themed land, costing £15million, will have four new rides when it opens.

Characters from the kids TV show including Rubble, Skye, Rocky, Everest and Marshall will be around for meet and greets as well.

And back in 2023 Chessington revealed plans to open its first ever waterpark, although nothing has been announced since.

SUN-seeking holidaymakers can save up to 30 per cent on packages for one of Florida’s top attractions.

The limited-time deal is the perfect chance to lock in a tropical escape to Orlando’s most exclusive park: Discovery Cove.

Discovery Cove Orlando packages: save up to 30%

If there’s any such thing as a classic bucket-list item, it’s swimming with dolphins – and that’s something you can do without breaking the bank this summer.

Discovery Cove in Orlando has just slashed prices for 2026, and we’ve got the inside track on how to stack your savings.

Right now, you can get up to 15 per cent off 2026 Discovery Cove packages.

But the real win for savvy readers is using the code SUNNY at checkout to snag an extra 15 per cent off – that’s a potential overall saving of 30 per cent.

For families watching the pennies, the Ultimate Package is the undisputed star of the show.

Not only do you get a full day of luxury at Discovery Cove, but it also includes 14 days of unlimited access to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Aquatica.

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It’s the best way to beat the 2026 rush and guarantee two weeks of world-class thrills for one upfront price.

The best part? Once you step inside this hidden island oasis, you can put your wallet away.

Discovery Cove is all-inclusive, meaning your breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks are all covered.

You’ll spend the day getting up close and personal with some of the friendliest, most playful animals in Florida.

Head to the Dolphin Lagoon to step into the calm waters and see a dream come to life as you’re greeted by a bottlenose dolphin.

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If you want to explore further, you can snorkel through the Grand Reef, a vast underwater world where thousands of tropical fish and graceful rays drift over colourful coral.

For a change of pace, visit the Freshwater Oasis to see the fun-loving otters.

You can also stroll through the lush landscapes of Flamingo Point to observe the beauty of Caribbean Flamingos.

They even provide all the essentials, including snorkel gear, wetsuits, animal-safe suncream, towels and lockers.

With a strict limit of just 1,300 guests per day, you can dodge every theme park visitor’s nightmare: endless lines of slow-moving queues in the Florida heat.

Because capacity is capped, the park stays peaceful, allowing you to move at your own pace without the usual crowds.

Instead of waiting in line, you’ll be swimming through serene lagoons or hand-feeding tropical birds in the aviary.

You can book with confidence via AttractionTickets.com, a package provider with a stellar 4.8 Trustpilot rating.

This flash sale ends on March 31, so you’ll need to move fast if you have the Orange State in your sights this summer.

Another once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience is taking to the sea – and Norwegian Cruises Lines offers an incredible range of packages.

European travellers shouldn’t miss a theme park near Paris where kids can go free all summer.

Planning a hol closer to home? There’s a new £450 million Center Parks in Scotland underway with its own ‘subtropical swimming paradise’.

IF you want a cheaper alternative theme park in Europe, then there’s one letting kids go free until summer.

Parc Astérix is a theme park in Plailly, France, based on the famous comic book series.

The theme park has over 50 attractions across six themed worlds like the Roman Empire, Greece and the Vikings.

And until May 7, the park is offering free admission to children under 12 years old.

The offer is valid from Monday to Friday for online bookings and must be booked with a dated adult ticket.

Tickets for children usually cost €53 (£45.81) each, so for a family of four it would be a saving of €106 (£91.62).

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Adult tickets cost €56 (£48.40) each, when booked seven days in advance.

The park is open from 10am to 7pm each day, so it includes nine hours of fun.

But save your visit until next month if you want to see the new reinvented Egypt zone, which opens on April 4.

The zone is themed around Cleopatra and the Egyptian gods, with visitors able to immerse themselves in an Egyptian world.

The former Oxygénarium water raft ride has become The Descent of the Nile, with new theming to seem like you are cruising down the River Nile.

The Flying Chairs ride has now become The Flight of Ibis, where visitors swoop over the water garden, 10metres above the ground.

The ride also features water jets, greenery and themed decor.

The Egyptian zone is also home to the new dining experience, Les Fastes du Nil, which is a fast-food restaurant.

A new buffet restaurant called Épidemaïs’ Counter, with a range of Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, which will also open in June.

And launching this spring, there will be a new show called Cleopatra’s Gift – where she and her courtesans bring the OzIris esplanade to life with dance, music and guests interactions.

The refreshed zone is just part of Parc Astérix’ £218million makeover, due to be completed by 2030.

In 2028, the park will open a new British-themed land called Londinium.

In the land there will be an immersive roller coaster, an interactive family dark ride, a vertical playground, a pub and shops.

The park will open its fourth hotel as well, called The Odyssée Hotel which will feature 300 rooms and open in 2027.

There are currently three hotels at the park including Les Quais de Lutèce with 150 rooms in Gaul-inspired buildings.

There’s then La Cité Suspendue, which is Celtic-themed and made up of three ‘hamlets’ – potters, artists and druids.

And finally, the Les Trois Hiboux hotel is located in the forest.

Guests staying in the hotels get exclusive access to the attractions 30 minutes before they open to the public.

Also in 2027, the park will open a renovated Greek zone with two new family attractions, a playground and a restaurant.

The theme park is just 21 miles from Paris and whilst it is smaller than Disneyland Paris, it is cheaper to visit with Disneyland Paris tickets for this month costing from £80 per person.

Previous guests have raved about it too, with one writing: “I say it from the start: better than Disneyland!”

Another said: “We were counting and we did 35 rides each every day. If you are a theme park junkie then I would recommend it wholeheartedly.”

A third commented: “This park was a real discovery for me and my grown-up children who have been used to Disneyland for years.

“A warm atmosphere, sets worthy of movie studios, varied shows of high quality and attentive staff.”

In other theme park news, there’s a futuristic theme park just two hours from the UK that has been named one of the best in Europe – with an ‘Avatar-like’ waterpark.

Plus, an English seaside theme park has scrapped its entry fees and is opening a huge new ‘showstopper ride’.

As the U.S. wades even deeper into the conflict with Iran, some Democratic and progressive political figures are trying to figure out how to connect the public’s wariness about war with concerns about affordability and the widespread reaction against President Trump’s xenophobic immigration policies.

If you’re looking for a template to do it well, one can be found in the words and actions of a political figure who recently passed away: the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

For while attention after his death has rightfully focused on Jackson’s long involvement with the civil rights movement, the more telling lesson for this moment is how his presidential campaigns connected a concern for addressing domestic disenfranchisement with a resolute stance against U.S. military adventures — a message that built on and echoed the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s landmark 1967 speech against the Vietnam War, economic exploitation and racial injustice.

Jackson’s candidacies in 1984 and 1988 emerged at a moment when the social compacts forged by the labor, civil rights and women’s movements of the 20th century were being systematically undone. Deindustrialization was hollowing out working-class communities. Reaganism was consolidating power around tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation and attacks on unions. A new corporate consensus was hardening — one that increasingly shaped both major parties — prioritizing financial elites while disciplining labor and shrinking the public sphere.

Sound familiar?

Jackson refused to accept that such a right-wing and corporate realignment was inevitable. His Rainbow Coalition was far more ambitious than a candidate-centered campaign. It was an attempt to build an organized, multiracial, cross-class political front capable of contesting the direction of the country itself.

The Rainbow brought together constituencies that conventional political wisdom said could not unite — Black voters in the South, industrial workers in the Midwest, family farmers in crisis, Latino and Native organizers, Arab American activists, peace advocates, labor insurgents and progressive whites.

Jackson’s platform did not treat these groups as symbolic additions to a coalition; it linked their material interests. Farmers facing foreclosure were not an afterthought — the farm crisis was up front. Deindustrialized workers were not rhetorical props — trade, jobs and industrial policy were central. Civil rights were braided together with economic justice.

And crucially, Jackson insisted, as King had, that economic populism could not be separated from anti-militarism.

At the height of the Cold War, amid Reagan’s military buildup and interventionist doctrine, Jackson argued that bloated Pentagon budgets were not abstract line items. They were resources diverted from schools, healthcare, housing and jobs. He connected the violence of abandonment at home to the violence of intervention abroad — and his campaign called for redirecting military spending toward human needs and for diplomacy over escalation.

When Jackson thundered that we should “choose the human race over the nuclear race,” this was not a simple turn of phrase. It was integral to the Rainbow’s moral and economic logic. A government that prioritizes war over welfare, weapons over workers, cannot sustain democratic life.

That clarity feels especially salient today, as the United States continues to pursue military interventions and proxy conflicts whose legality and human cost are deeply contested. Once again, defense budgets swell while public goods strain. Once again, dissent against war is treated as disloyalty. Jackson rejected that false choice decades ago. He understood that militarism abroad reinforces inequality and immorality at home.

Jackson’s 1988 campaign captured millions of votes, won primaries and caucuses across the country and forced issues into the Democratic Party that party elites preferred to sideline. He demonstrated that a progressive program grounded in the lived experiences of ordinary people — rural collapse, urban disinvestment, plant closures, racial injustice and war — could assemble a national constituency.

Unfortunately, after Jackson’s last campaign, the Rainbow’s experiment in independent organizational life was folded too tightly into the mainstream Democratic Party. While that seemed a strategy to achieve a broader front, it meant that the progressive anchor was unmoored — and the effort dissolved before it could truly mature.

But the lessons of that era may be more relevant than ever.

Today, we again confront an ever-ascendant rightward turn buttressed by concentrated corporate power and normalized militarism. As in Jackson’s day, some leaders seek to deflect our attention, blaming economic challenges on the proximate “other” — in his era, Black women taking welfare, in our era, immigrants taking jobs — rather than those with power.

Jackson understood that defeating reactionary politics required isolating it — not only morally, but structurally — by assembling a coalition larger than the right’s base and rooted in shared material demands. He understood that hope had to be organized and that peace had to be part of prosperity. His campaigns showed that racial justice, labor rights, rural survival, gender equality and anti-war politics were not competing claims but interlocking ones.

Protest has surged in the United States, particularly after the excesses in Minnesota. But protest alone does not prevent consolidation. Nor do narrow electoral bargains that leave the underlying corporate and military consensus intact.

At a time when both parties remain deeply entangled with corporate and defense interests, remembering the promise of the Rainbow is not nostalgia. It is instruction.

Rishi Awatramani is a postdoctoral scholar in sociology at USC, where Manuel Pastor is a professor of sociology and the director of the Equity Research Institute.

2026 is shaping up to be an amazing year for theme park fans with a huge number of new rides and attractions set to launch in the coming months, from thrill rides to family-friendly lands

There is plenty for UK theme park fans to look forward to in the year ahead.

Many are preparing to reopen their doors for the spring season in the next couple of weeks, while some are launching new rides and even entirely new lands. From thrill rides to attractions based on kids’ shows, there are plenty of upcoming openings to get in the calendar.

Here’s a roundup of some of the UK’s biggest and most popular theme parks and what new attractions visitors can expect in 2026.

Paultons Park

Paultons Park is adding an entirely new themed land to its map. Valgard: Realm of the Vikings opens May 16, just in time for half term. It will include three Viking-themed rides: Drakon, the park’s first inverting rollercoaster with a dramatic vertical lift, Vild Swing, which will swing riders 39ft into the air, and Raven, a bobsled ride previously known as the Cobra coaster, which has been redesigned to match the theme.

The new land will also feature a Viking-themed playground and dining hall for a truly immersive experience. Theme park fans can book Paultons Park tickets online for the opening day.

Paultons Park is perhaps best known as home to Peppa Pig World, and its new land is aimed more at older kids and adults, adding new thrill rides to the park. However, if you are bringing little ones, be sure to stop by Peppa Pig World to meet the family’s newest member, Evie.

Chessington

Chessington’s new World of PAW Patrol will be here on the double, although no official opening date has been set. So far, the park has confirmed it’ll open in spring 2026 and will feature four rides. Chase’s Mountain Mission, a rollercoaster suitable for young kids, Skye’s Helicopter Heroes, which will take kids on a high-flying mission, and Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue, where kids can take a ride on a shiny red truck.

Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure will be a ‘drifter’ ride, which promises to be the first of its kind in the UK. There will also be Rubble and Rocky’s Playzone, where kids can “climb, slide and explore”. Meet and greets will be available with the pups, and fans can even book a sleepover in one of the PAW Patrol-themed rooms at Chessington’s Azteca hotel. These colourful rooms sleep up to five and include themed bunk beds for the kids.

Alton Towers

Bluey the Ride: Here Come The Grannies! opens to Alton Towers’ guests on March 28, just in time for Easter. It’s the world’s first Bluey roller coaster and will be suitable for little fans of the show. Teaser images for the ride show Bluey and Bingo dressed as the iconic grannies Janet and Rita, and the ride is set in the Heelers’ back garden. More Bluey rooms are also being added to the CBeebies Land hotel and you can book online for spring dates and beyond.

Thrill ride fans can also enjoy the Toxicator, which opened last March. This neon-green coaster throws riders in the air and spins them around at high speed, creating an adrenaline-pumping experience.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

In spring 2026, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be opening a new £8.72 million gyro swing ride named Aviktas. At 138ft, it will be the tallest of its kind in the UK. While the exact opening date has not yet been confirmed, theme park enthusiasts can buy VIP tickets for the launch event, ensuring they are among the first to try the new ride.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach also celebrates its 130-year anniversary in 2026. In March, visitors can get half-price tickets if they book online in advance, with eTickets costing £30. Or if you’re going as a family, you can get four tickets for £100, giving you access to all the park’s rides for the day.

Crealy

Crealy will offer two new rides in 2026, and one might be familiar to theme park enthusiasts. Spring will see the arrival of Pirates’ Plummet, an 80ft tall drop tower which will be the South West’s tallest ride. It used to be situated in Paultons Park, where it was called Magma, and is now being rebuilt at the Devon theme park.

In the summer, Rotor, an inverting air race ride, will be open. The ride will spin punters around and upside-down for a thrilling experience. No date is confirmed for either ride’s opening yet, but you can book short breaks or tickets on the Crealy website.

Pleasurewood Hills

Pleasurewood Hills was sold to new owners last year, and there are plans for four new rides to revamp the family-friendly Suffolk park. According to BBC reports, the new rides would include Star Flyer (a 30-metre-tall thrill ride), Spinning Coaster, Apple Coaster, and the Big Wheel. Planning approval for the new rides is expected in April, with no date announced as to when they’d open if approved.

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A FUTURISTIC theme park has just been named one of the best in Europe and you can fly there for just £13.

Futuroscope in France is a theme park dedicated to “multimedia, cinematography and emerging technologies”.

Named 15th on Blooloop’s best theme parks in Europe list, the theme park appeals to both adults and children.

The attraction originally opened back in 1987 and can be found just outside the city of Poitiers.

Speaking to Blooloop in 2024, Rodolphe Bouin, Futuroscope’s CEO, said: “Futuroscope is unique because it aims to develop visitors’ curiosity, not just entertain them.”

The park has even been dubbed as the “equivalent to Universal Studios in Europe”, by theme park content creator That’s So Mid on TikTok.

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The park features several attractions including an astronaut training programme-themed rollercoaster and the Mission Bermudes boat ride.

For adrenaline junkies, there’s Tornado Chasers, where you get to ride into a tornado on a rotating platform, with the world’s largest indoor LED screen.

Toddlers haven’t been forgotten either, with little electric cars, a small floating log ride and Waterworks play area.

There’s also a number of playgrounds including an airport theme one with a plane climbing frame.

In fact there are over 40 attractions at the park and three shows.

New for this year is the Greenhouse of Worlds, which is an immersive greenhouse that comes to life as you walk through it.

Another new attraction for this year is T.Rex – a 6K laser projection show that follows the true story of three children who discover a Tyrannosaurus fossil with a team of palaeontologists.

Opening on April 4, there will be Pulse! The Electric Odyssey as well.

The new attraction explores all the forces of nature, with interactive activities for children of all ages.

Parents can enjoy the experience too by heading to Bar Lab to try futuristic cocktails.

And more recently, in 2024, the theme park opened its second park called Aquascope – an immersive indoor waterpark.

Inside visitors can expect eight “XXL size” slides and four themed universes.

The indoor water park is also home to Les Abysses de lumière, which is Europe’s first aquatic cinema.

One interactive part of the aquatic cinema is The Eauculus, where visitors can dive under the water and discover a seabed of strange creatures.

There’s a lazy river as well that takes you on a journey through Aquascope.

Smaller children can make a splash in the Aquatic Maze or head to the Musical Cave to come up with a melody.

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

“Between the digital projections on the walls and the 29°C water, you no longer know if you’re there to swim or to attend a contemporary art performance.

“The ‘Luminous Abyss’ zone is the highlight of the show – swimming amidst interactive projections that react to your movements is the ultimate experience for anyone who has ever wanted to live in Avatar.”

Another person said: “The scenery is magnificent; it’s like being in Avatar!”

On sunny days, there is an outdoor pool and terrace too, with The Aquadynamic – a river course with effects throughout.

When it comes to having a bite to eat, head to the Space Loop restaurant – the only rollercoaster restaurant in France.

Inside, guests will be served their food via a small rollercoaster where dishes spiral down to where you are sat.

As this is an experience as well as a restaurant you do have to book and it does cost an extra €27.50 (£23.76) for adults and €16 (£13.82) for children.

Food then includes burgers, risotto and pork tenderloin costing around €16 (£13.82) each.

If you want to extend your stay, you can do at the Hotel Station Cosmos which is themed to be a space station, with themed rooms.

The hotel costs from €196 (£169.35) per night and includes a show, breakfast and access to Futuroscope park.

Other hotel options at the theme park include Hôtel Ecolodgee Futuroscope which features nature-themed lodges from €166.50 (£143.86) per night or the Hôtel du Futuroscope, with basic family rooms from €126 (£108.89) per night.

A day ticket to Futuroscope and Aquascope costs from €68.80 (£59.49) per adult or child aged over 13-years-old and from €56.80 (£49.11) per child between five and 12-years-old.

Children between zero and four-years-old go free.

The closest airport to the park is Poitiers Airport, which is about 17 minutes away by driving or just under an hour on public transport.

Flights from London Stansted cost as little as £13 one-way in April and the flight only takes an hour and a half.

In other theme park news, an English seaside theme park has scrapped its entry fees and will soon have a huge new ‘showstopper ride’.

Plus, the European theme park you won’t have heard that’s revealed a huge £78million expansion plan and you can fly there for £14.