10 theme park thrillers

4/05/2008

Hold on to your hats for a rollercoaster tour of the world’s wildest new theme park rides, with tips from Travel Editor Gill Williams on getting the best deals for your money this summer...

BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH
With more rollercoasters than any other amusement park and 125 rides, there’s more than enough at Blackpool to keep you dizzy for a week. The Pepsi Max Big One and Watery Infusion are still Britain’s wildest rides. However, this year’s big opening

at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is more Ryder Cup than rollercoaster – the 12-hole Adventure Golf Course.

Take tots on a journey through the looking glass into Alice’s Wonderland riding in a Cheshire Cat car. Bounce along on a log flume down Beaver Creek and go back to the Wild West on the Gold Mine Train.  After dark, see the new Blackpool show South Beach Musical with family favourite songs from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Grease.

CHEAPEST DEAL: A one-day wristband pass to the Pleasure Beach (covers the South Beach Musical and other shows as well as rides) with B&B at the three-star Carousel for two adults and two kids on a Friday night through May costs a total £218 through www.superbreak.com

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WESTERN PARK MAJORCA
This is a water park  and rides called Tornado and Hurricane are not going to be either slow or dry. There are shutes with names like The Big Hole and The Beast , and Wild West themed rides such as the Tijuana Twins and Lago La Mina. At Oliver’s Water Show, stunt-diving cowboys plunge 30 metres into a small pool.

CHEAPEST DEAL: Gate entry £15.70 adults, £10 kids, under- fours free. Save 10 per cent booking online at www.westernpark.com – a week self-catering at three-star Sol Cala D’or apartments from £188pp with flights from Gatwick in May through www.directholidays.co.uk

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LEGOLAND, WINDSOR
GO berserk on the Longboat Invader at the new Land of the Vikings. Or get seriously wet in the Vikings’ River Splash as you plunge through a Norse world built from thousands of Lego bricks.  Best for younger children rather than teens with about 50 rides and interactive games and shows.

CHEAPEST DEAL: Two-day family tickets to Legoland with B&B overnight at the three-star St Giles Hotel for two adults and two children under 15 costs a total £215. Valid for Saturday night stays through May. Call 0871 2223055.

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CAMELOT THEME PARK, LANCASHIRE
HOLD on to your chain mail and fly through the air on Knightmare – the latest rollercoaster at Camelot. Think jousting tournaments, sorcery, and jugglers.  For younger visitors try the Dragon Flyer, Junior Dragon Coaster and Cup and Sorcerer, a teacup ride through a magic glade.   

CHEAPEST DEAL: A night at the three-star Park Hall Hotel near Preston with a Camelot family pass costs £139, including breakfast for adults (kids pay extra). Available at weekends through May and June via www.superbreak.com

On a day trip, best value for a family of four is the £64 family ticket – see www.camelotthemepark.co.uk

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SIAM PARK, TENERIFE 
Learn to surf and ride waves up to three metres high in the Wave Palace (above) at Europe’s biggest water park. Feeling even braver? Then tackle the 28-metre Tower of Power, the daredevil Mekong Rapids or high-speed six-lane Naga Racer. Siam Park is close to Los Cristianos and Las Americas.

CHEAPEST DEAL: All-day tickets £18 adults, £12 kids. A week’s all-inclusive stay at Bahia Principe Costa Adeje in Costa Adeje in May starts from £499pp (based on two adults and two children sharing) with flights from Gatwick through www.directholidays.co.uk

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TERRA MITICA BENIDORM
LOOP the loop at 60mph on the terrifying Tizona or freefall 54metres in three seconds on Flight of the Phoenix. Travel from ancient Rome and Greece to Egypt and old Iberia  then cool off with a wild water ride on Triton’s Fury.

CHEAPEST DEAL: Two-day adult passes  at £34.30 are better value than day tickets at £24.30 and there’s plenty to fill your time. Kids and seniors’ tickets for two days cost £25 (£18.25 one day). under-fives are free – see www.terramitica park.com. Four nights’ half-board at the three-star Poseidon Playa in Benidorm with flights from Gatwick on May 6 cost £174pp booked through www.thomascook.com

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PAPHOS APHRODITE WATERPARK, CYPRUS
Brave the biggest rafting ride in Europe with reliable sunshine to dry off afterwards.The island’s biggest theme park  attracts more than 100,000 every year. Plunge down the Kamikazi body slide or enter the Black Hole, twisting and turning at warp speed. A family rafting trip enters the spin cycle...

CHEAPEST DEAL: Tickets £21 for 12 and older, £11 for younger kids, for a day of unlimited rides and tube hire – see www.aphroditewaterpark.com. A week at the Aqua Sol village in Paphos with flights from Gatwick on June 1 costs from £291pp based on four sharing through www.directholidays.co.uk

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CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES
The Surrey park now has its own Sea Life Centre with a chance to plumb the secret world of shrimps, stingrays and sharks.  If you’re looking for action, try The Vampire ride, the Bubbleworks flume ride and take a train ride through Mexicana.  Allow plenty of time at Chessington Zoo, where kids of seven and up can be a zookeeper for a day (costs £70pp). See www.chessington.co.uk

CHEAPEST DEAL: Saturday night room only at Travelodge Chessington for two adults and two kids up to 11 with two days’ park entry costs £205 in May at www.superbreak.com

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PORT AVENTURA SPAIN
Explore imperial China, see Wild West cowboys and Aztecs in Mexico. Thrill to the world’s fastest acceleration on the Furius Baco (right) and loop the loop eight times on the Dragon Khan. Not queasy yet? Then plummet 100metres on the Hurakan Condor, then slow down with a canoe ride through the rainforest.

CHEAPEST DEAL: A three-day pass is £48 adult, £38 child. Full week deal is £55 adult, £46 kids. Thomas Cook have seven nights’ self-catering at the three-star Cye Salou in Salou from £292pp (based on two adults, two children sharing) and flying from Manchester in May – go to www.thomascook.com or call 08450 77 22 88.