Drayton Manor Park

It seems, for me anyway, that Drayton Manor has always been in direct competition with Alton Towers, as to who will succeed and welcome me as a visitor in the summer.
For my friends and I, It has always been a ‘thing’ of ours, to head over to a theme park in the summer months, and with these two the closest/​biggest nearby we’ve always had to make this tough decision.
The past few years saw us choose Alton Towers, but this summer we broke from tradition and headed to Tamworth, to Drayton Manor.
Paying just over £20 each, this group of ¹⁹⁄₂₀ year old men had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, especially favouring the more thrilling rides such as Apocalypse, Maelstrom and Storm-​Force 10.
Overall, the day was a success, the weather was on our side and we made the great decision of bringing our own food, avoiding the extortionate prices on offer (may this be a warning to you…)

Drayton Manor Park in Tamworth has changed somewhat since my last visit, I think it has changed for the better. My outlook has changed as I have grew older.
This theme park has a zoo section, a small cinema section and a variety of adrenaline pumping rides, family rides and children’s rides.
My girlfriend’s two year old nephew made the day worth visiting, the only two words I’ve heard him say for the last day is Thomas Land. There are plenty of rides for everyone, it struggles to compete with Alton Towers and Thorpe Park but Drayton Manor manages to produce adrenaline with little queueing involved.
My favourite ride is Apocalypse Now, as you dangle helplessly from 54 metres high riding the vertical drop. I also enjoy the Storm-​force 10, a water roller coaster– (one to ride in the sun with time to dry off). It has three drops, two forwards, one being dramatic and one going backwards.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day, you need the whole day to make the most of it. I could be highly critical of the food, I paid £13.50 for two basic chicken burger meals with a small flat drink. Apart from that it’s a brilliant day — look out for the numerous money saving deals online.

Drayton Manor Park is a fun amusement park with some terrific rides and a zoo. I usually make it a double fun weekend by combining a visit here with a ski at the nearby Tamworth Snowdome.
It’s nice that Drayton Manor Park has remained independent, out of the clutches of the corporate giants like Merlin. Some parts of the park could do with a facelift but it’s still got some of the best thrill rides in the UK.
My favourite is Apocalyse, which is in my top 3 rides in the UK. It’s a 54 meter vertical drop tower but there are 3 ways of riding it. The first is sitting, which gives a great drop sensation and is similar to most of the other drop towers. The second is to ride it standing up but as you rise up the tower, you’re tipped outwards so that at the top, you’re leaning outwards before you fall — the daredevils let go of the shoulder restraints and smile at the camera at the top. Then, there is the ‘5^th dimension’, where you’re standing and there’s no footrest to stand on! A true adrenaline rush.
The other unique ride is Shockwave, the only standup roller coaster in Europe. It can bash your head around a bit, so press your head sideways into the restraint to stop your ears getting a good boxing!
The newest ride is G-​Force, which has a novel restraint system and spins you through multiple rolls, curves and camelbacks.
There are also water rides and more family friendly rides. The zoo isn’t huge but worth a wander round to get the breath and balance back between rides. I’ve haven’t been up yet this year to experience the new 4D theatre experience.
For an adrenaline junkie like me, it’s worth going up to Drayton Manor just to ride Apocalyse.