Insider Tips for a Day at Thorpe Park

With the launch this year of the brand new Angry Birds Land, Thorpe Park is bigger and better than ever!

Having visited well over 15 times, I’ve seen the park become home to some of England’s best thrill rides – from Swarm, the UK’s first winged rollercoaster, to the world’s first horror movie themed ride Saw The Ride, plus with lots of water rides and kids’ rides there’s plenty for everyone to do.

Here are a few insider tips to save money and beat queues, from a Thorpe Park veteran!

1. Beat the queues

The early Angry Bird catches the worm, and this is definitely true at Thorpe Park! Aim to arrive 40 minutes before the park opens to give yourself time to find a parking space and join the entrance queue. The most popular rides are Swarm, Saw, Colossus, Nemesis and Stealth, so head to those as soon as the gates open to beat the first queues.

Check out the rides in advance to work out which ones you really want to go on, so you can prioritise those and make sure they don’t get missed! Keep an eye on the electronic boards throughout the park which show live queue times, and head to the rides with the shortest queues, rather than exploring the park in order.

2. Get ticket-savvy

You can book advance Thorpe Park tickets online for just £27 per adult, so not only can you save a fair bit of money but you’ll also skip the ticket-buying queue and get straight into the park!

Or, if you’re visiting as a large group, purchasing group tickets can mean a hefty saving, as long as you buy in advance online and don’t leave it until you’re actually there.

3. Plan your food!

Picnics are welcome at Thorpe Park, which can save you a bit of money – especially if you’re visiting as a family – but also lots of time, as the queues in the restaurants can get really long.

If you prefer to buy some tasty restaurant meals, avoid the fast-food places and head to one of the restaurants, which are usually quieter. Also, have a late morning snack and a later lunch, to avoid the lunchtime rush between 11:30 – 2:30.

4. Best times to visit Thorpe Park

Summer is obviously the busiest time to visit Thorpe Park, as well as around Halloween when the park runs its Fright Night events. I find the best time of year to visit is late spring, around April or May, when there is still a chance of good weather and the park is generally quieter.

If you can, avoid weekends and school holidays, as these are of course the busiest days. Obviously, families with children can’t avoid this, but if you’re a student or a working adult try to take a weekday off for a visit.

5. Bring some essentials

Whatever the season, take a rain jacket to avoid paying out for ponchos if the heavens open!

In hot weather, take swimwear for the water rides, and a towel to dry off at the end of the day, as well as sun protection to re-apply if you get wet.

Don’t worry about having lots of stuff to lug around. The park has plenty of lockers which you can use to store your bulky items. I also recommend leaving your valuables in the lockers too, so you don’t need to leave them unattended by the side of the rides.

Attractiontix

See Full Bio