Drayton Manor Resort is a family theme park, zoo and accommodation in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor, in Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire, England, UK. It covers 180 acre, of which about 113 acre are in use, and hosts about 1.5 million people each year. It is the fourth-largest amusement park in the UK by land area at 280 acre. The park is also home to Thomas Land and Drayton Manor Zoo, home to over 100 animals, including red pandas, Eurasian lynx, and a variety of monkeys and gibbons.
On 3 August 2020, Drayton Manor Park was sold to Looping Group, who also owns West Midlands Safari Park.[1]
History
The land on which the theme park was built once belonged to the Peel family. Drayton Manor mansion, built for Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, in 1835, had been reduced to ruins by 1926, with only the clocktower surviving at the park entrance. The British Army requisitioned it as a training post during World War II. After the war, entrepreneurs George and Vera Bryan borrowed £6,000 and bought the land (and the 17 huts that the army had constructed during their stay). In 1950, they opened a small amusement park with just a handful of children's rides. In 1954, Mrs. Molly Badham, who later opened the nearby Twycross Zoo, partnered with the Bryans and opened a zoo to complement the amusement park. The amusement park grew slowly in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, but, in the late 1980s, the park began to install bigger and more thrilling rides to attract customers from all over the United Kingdom and to compete with rival theme parks. In 1992, Colin Bryan, George Bryan's son, became managing director of the park.
On 9 May 2017, an 11-year-old girl riding the Splash Canyon Rapids fell into the water. The girl was airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital, but was proclaimed dead from drowning. The park was temporarily closed after the incident, and the ride remained closed until summer 2021.[2]
In February 2020, the park suffered flood damage from Storm Dennis.[3] Following this, the park was required to remain shut until July 2020.
On 3 August 2020, the park entered administration and was bought by the Looping Group who own various parks, zoos and aquariums around Europe such as Pleasurewood Hills and West Midlands Safari Park.
In December 2020, the park suffered a fire[4] within the Thomas Land area of the park. The blaze started in a toilet block and was deemed accidental by investigators.[5]
At the end of 2021, the park announced that something big was coming with the teaser Invading 2022 in a Nordic Viking style, hinting at the fact there was to be a new area in 2022 called Vikings. After a soft opening on 17 May, the intricately themed area officially opened on 28 May, featuring three new rides and the rethemed Buffalo roller coaster.[6]
In 2022, the park renaming to 'Drayton Manor Resort' together with new branding.[7]
In July 2023, it was announced that the park would be opening an Intamin family thrill Lift and Launch Coaster called Gold Rush which opened on 26 July 2024.
Rides and attractions
Drayton Manor is split into various themed areas, consisting of rides and attractions.
Adventure Cove
Vikings
Frontier Falls
Main Park
Thomas Land
Area themed around Thomas & Friends.
Other attractions
Past rides and attractions
Zoo
Drayton Manor is also home to a 15 acre zoo. It contains over 100 animals from all over the world.
Events
Drayton Manor offer a range of family-friendly events throughout the season.[12]
Halloween at Drayton
Pumpkin Smash Bash
Open 10:30 am – 5 pm daily, this event is tailored towards the park's younger visitors. The signature attraction is 'The Castle of Spooks' which offers a 15-minute experience where guests get to meet Halloween characters and take part in spooky activities including scary stories, interactive games, and trick or treating. The park's signature area Thomas Land is dressed with creepy decorations, pumpkins and spooky entertainment.[13]
The Haunted Manor
Advertised as the 'Ultimate Halloween Event', this event runs on selected dates throughout October, from 5–9:00 pm. Aimed at the park's older visitors, on top of the scare attractions, guests get to experience night rides, live DJ, characters and fireworks.[14] The event was named 'Night at the Manor' in its first year.[15]
– Previous Haunted Manor attraction. – Current Haunted Manor attraction.
Pumpkin Smash Bash
Open 10:30 am – 5 pm daily, this event is tailored towards the park's younger visitors. The signature attraction is 'The Castle of Spooks' which offers a 15-minute experience where guests get to meet Halloween characters and take part in spooky activities including scary stories, interactive games, and trick or treating. The park's signature area Thomas Land is dressed with creepy decorations, pumpkins and spooky entertainment.[13]
The Haunted Manor
Advertised as the 'Ultimate Halloween Event', this event runs on selected dates throughout October, from 5–9:00 pm. Aimed at the park's older visitors, on top of the scare attractions, guests get to experience night rides, live DJ, characters and fireworks.[14] The event was named 'Night at the Manor' in its first year.[15]
– Previous Haunted Manor attraction. – Current Haunted Manor attraction.
Accommodation
Drayton Manor Hotel
In 2009, plans for a hotel at Drayton Manor were submitted to Lichfield District Council. Planning permission for the hotel was granted in 2007, though the applicants felt that the scheme could benefit from further improvements without increasing the site area required.
The 4-star hotel with 150 guest rooms including 15 Thomas & Friends themed bedrooms is designed to primarily meet the demand from park visitors as the park is attracting families from all over the UK, especially since the arrival of Thomas Land.
Camping and Caravanning Club
The Camping and Caravanning Club have a site at Drayton Manor. On the site there are 90 pitches, glamping tents (available through Ready Camp) and a children's playground.
External links
References
- Drayton Manor theme park sold after entering administration BBC News, 3 August 2020^
- 11-year-old girl dies after falling off Splash Canyon BBC, 2017-05-09, retrieved 2017-05-09^
- Drayton Manor closes due to flooding in the aftermath of Storm Dennis Tamworth Informed, 2020-02-17, retrieved 2024-04-12^
- Large fire breaks out at Drayton Manor Park Tamworth Informed, 2020-12-15, retrieved 2021-02-19^
- Drayton Manor blaze declared 'Accidental' by Fire Investigators Tamworth Informed, 2020-12-17, retrieved 2021-02-19^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Vikings Drayton Manor, retrieved 2022-05-21^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. News Detail Drayton Manor, retrieved 2022-05-21^
- Dayna Farrington. Drayton Manor's new Viking-themed land – opening date and how to get tickets Birmingham Live, 2022-05-19, retrieved 2024-04-23^
- unknown – Drayton Manor (Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom) rcdb.com, retrieved 2024-03-15^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Attraction Details Drayton Manor, retrieved 2024-03-15^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Attraction Details Drayton Manor, retrieved 2024-03-15^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Events Drayton Manor, retrieved 2022-10-01^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Halloween Drayton Manor, retrieved 2022-10-01^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Events Drayton Manor, retrieved 2023-09-06^
- WABSOLUTE GmbH. Halloween Drayton Manor, retrieved 2022-10-01^