Today really wanted to write about trip planning and as I've always been more comfortable planning UK park trips and I've never seen someone do this before, I'm giving tips on UK parks. If you're a pretty travelled enthusiast and have done 2 or more of Europe, UK, Asia and America visiting parks, then you'll know how different their parks are. These tips all apply specifically to the UK but you can apply them to most places. So lets get into it!.
Arriving/Queueing
If you know UK parks, you know that they don't have the best opening hours, especially compared to European and some American parks. most parks operate from around 10-5 in summer, so really not that long. You want to make the most of these hours, so arrive at least half an hour before park opens. For example, if it takes you an hour and a half to get to a park and it opens at 10, leave before 8 so you have time to get in, faff with tickets and get in a queue early before they open. This is also the case with the end of the day. If you want to make the most of your time and don't mind leaving the park later, join a queue just before they shut, preferably a longer one to make the most of it. This is useful to do on Smiler, Wicker Man, Nemesis and Saw. This also means that if it's later in the year, you might get a semi-night ride on them, which are great on all these coasters. Or, come to a very quiet ride 45/60 mins before park shuts and lap it, getting as many rides as you can. This is good on Swarm, Stealth and Tomb blaster.
Food
If you're at a park when you are going to want to eat I'd recommend bringing your own food. UK parks do food, but queues to buy it can be stupid and it saves time if you just snack in queues it saves time. Or, eat lunch somewhere on park, then buy dinner somewhere on the way back home or to where you're staying. With the exception of course of donuts, I always buy donuts on park😂.
Information
Some UK parks have very weird rules on how to enter, height restrictions and how adults enter with children. For example, at all Gulliver's Parks, any adults entering have to come in with a child. Not the other way round. I know there are a few other parks with rules like this too, so just check in their FAQ's before you go. Also, if going with children, make sure you check height/age restrictions for rides as some bigger things have age restrictions too. If you're just visiting as a group of children, parks usually have an 'unaccompanied age restriction' so check before you go. In the case of some parks, it will be '16+ can enter without adults' and with other parks it might only be 12.
Tickets
Normally wouldn't mention something like this, but make sure if you're at a park without open-ended tickets, that you have tickets, fast-track and parking (if you want it) all booked and for the right days. When buying extras like this, buy them online as it's much cheaper than it will be on the day, and tickets have to be bought online now anyway (at the time of writing). Parking can be stupidly expensive (at merlin parks anyway). I'd never really noticed as between my family we usually buy a premium/gold pass to get free parking, but after visiting with friends we have quickly realised how expensive it is, so book it in advance.
I hope all these tips are helpful, If you ever need any advice I'm always here! See you all next time,
Cleo
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