‘We visited hidden gem theme park half the price of Alton Towers’

The summer holidays have arrived, and parents are scouring for ways to keep their children amused without draining their wallet.

Theme parks are a hit during the summer holidays, yet they can be quite costly and notoriously crowded, leading to more time queuing than enjoying the rides. Yorkshire Live’s Megan Shaw, who has visited Alton Towers and Drayton Manor, often found herself leaving with a sense of letdown.

“I’ve noticed that such places tend to trigger tantrums, at least with my two children,” she said. “They become overexcited, the parks are too busy, there’s too much going on, too many people around and I invariably leave thinking we would have had a more enjoyable day simply visiting the local park.”

With entry fees soaring over £100 for a family of four, not accounting for the extra costs of refreshments and souvenirs, these outings can quickly turn into an expensive undertaking.

However, Megan’s discovery of a hidden gem of a theme park near the Yorkshire border, cosily situated by the Peak District National Park and designed to avoid overcrowding, piqued her interest to try something different.

“My children are fans of amusement rides, but they detest waiting in line,” she penned. “Gulliver’s Kingdom in Matlock Bath has received high praise on Tripadvisor, with visitors noting the absence of large crowds allows for more frequent turns on the rides compared to larger, more popular parks.”

They decided to put Gulliver’s Kingdom to the test. After a car journey of roughly an hour and a half from Huddersfield, they found themselves in Matlock Bath.

“As we entered the park, we noticed that the parking lots were arranged on various levels along the steep incline. The parking areas were incredibly crowded, leading us to park at the very top lot. The number of cars initially made me doubt whether our day out would be relaxing. However, my concerns were alleviated when we reached the entrance and were able to walk straight in.”

Much to her children’s disappointment, the log flume, the ride they had been most excited about, was out of service, but they soon discovered there was plenty to keep them occupied.

“Gulliver’s Kingdom is clearly designed with younger children in mind. While there are no headline-grabbing rides, there is ample entertainment for the little ones.”

Even so, her oldest child, aged nine, thoroughly enjoyed himself. Their adventure began on the crazy barrels ride her children enjoyed a second round on thanks to the quiet atmosphere.

“We then moved on to the Drop Tower, which my eldest couldn’t get enough of – he went on it at least four times. This was a major plus point as usually, long queues at other parks make multiple rides impossible. Next, we all hopped onto the Chair Lift in Adventure Land. It was not only fun but also provided us with a panoramic view of the entire park, helping us decide our next stop.

“The Chair Lift proved to be an efficient way to navigate the hilly park, along with the travellator which was a hit with the kids. The steep walks between rides could be challenging for those pushing prams, but for us, it was a great way to clock in some steps. Despite the number of cars in the car park, we never had to queue for more than a couple of minutes – a blessing when you have an impatient three year old constantly asking ‘Is it my turn now?'”

Her partner and nine-year-old son were fans of the relatively new Riggers Revenge zip line course that races you along the edge of the hillside, offering both thrills and stunning views of the Derbyshire countryside. Megan pointed out that riders need to be 110cm tall to ride it, meaning her youngest wasn’t eligible.

“The log rollercoaster was a firm favourite with my youngest, who loved the twists, dips and turns. We all went on this together at least three times back to back. The pirate ship in Smuggler’s Wharf was a huge hit with everyone too. Both kids also loved the Crows Nest Quest area which featured high ropes and rock climbing for the older ones and a mini version for the smaller ones, which my three year old loved.

“As well as the rides there are parks and play areas dotted around as you walk from each attraction and ample places to stop for a bite to eat or a drink. The unique layout means you barely cross paths with other families and nothing is overly busy. We stopped off for a bite to eat grabbing a toastie, two hot dogs, four drinks and four ice creams and it came to around £25 – which we thought was fairly reasonable.”

Meghan said that for families hoping to visit, they can save money by bringing a picnic and being more organised as there are loads of places to set up camp. Her general thoughts were that the park was great value for money, given that the kids really enjoyed it and she didn’t have to bankrupt herself.

“It’s a little dated in areas and could certainly use a lick of paint, but there’s some great rides to appease younger children. Teenagers would probably be less impressed but there’s no denying it caters brilliantly to its target audience. No, it’s not Alton Towers, but nor is the price tag. The prices are really reasonable if booked online in advance”, she said.

The mother also recommends opting for an afternoon ticket which provides three hours of entertainment between 2pm and 5pm from just £14 per person – an excellent choice for those seeking a shorter visit, as three hours proves ample time to experience everything on offer, she notes.

On the gate ticket prices are just £27 for both adults and children, with kids under 90cm getting in free. This is much cheaper than parks such as Alton Towers, where on the gate prices can be as much as £68, although it’s worth noting that booking online in advance can save you a lot. Some off-peak days have tickets available for £29. 

“Overall, it was a really nice day out that was fun for the kids, stress-free for the adults and didn’t break the bank,” Megan concluded. So if you’re looking for a day out that ticks all the boxes this summer, I’d definitely recommend giving Gulliver’s Kingdom a try.”