Drayton Manor G-Force 2 ride

Drayton Manor is located a few minutes from the M42 and M6 Toll motorways close to Tamworth in Staffordshire. Like Chessington World of Adventures the park offers a variety of rides and attractions together with several animal exhibits. Whilst there are plenty of attractions on offer and certainly enough to fill a day there are few really memorable things for adults and the park is not particularly attractive.

The Rides

Shockwave is a stand-up coaster which promises much but in reality delivers a very uncomfortable ride with plenty of jolts and clunky twists and turns. The ride is very short and beyond the novelty of standing up has little to recommend it. G Force is a small coaster with many sharp turns and inversions. The ride is fine apart from the restraints which appear to become tighter and tighter throughout the cycle to the point that you feel like you have been attacked by a a vice by the time you return to the station. More fun is to be had at Apocalyspe which is a 54 m drop tower with a novel twist. Riders can choose to stand, sit or hang whilst they are dropped, an interesting innovation.

Stormforce 10 is a pretty decent water ride with the added novelty of a reverse drop which can catch some riders by surprise. If you sit in the back of the boat you will get wet! For young thrill seekers Ben 10 is a really good junior coaster which in many ways is the best ride in the park. It is fast and entertaining enough to please adults and one of the best rides you will find that will accommodate small children. These headliner rides are complimented by a variety of flat rides and a pirate themed dark ride which are perfectly OK but there is nothing very original.

Thomas Land

This area is where the park really excels. It is a very good development themed on Thomas the Tank Engine with several rides and attractions for small children and it really hits the spot for the target market. The kids can happily spend a few hours here whilst older family members enjoy the thrill rides in the park and the train rides on offer are a pleasing way to relax for tired adults.

The Zoo

If you grow tired of the rides the Zoo is a very pleasant place to spend some time. There are 15 nicely landscaped acres of exhibits including big cats, primates, penguins, reptiles and meerkats to enjoy. This section of the park is presented rather well and is certainly more attractive than the ride areas which are a bit frayed at the edges.

Conclusions

Overall Drayton Manor affords a decent day out for adults but is a park more suited to young visitors on the whole. The coasters are a little underwhelming but Thomas Land is a very good development and the Zoo is pretty classy. Entrance fees are very reasonable considering the number of attractions and so it is well worth a visit, particularly for families.

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Article by Sally Stacey