UK Thrillseeker Report: Best & Worst Theme Parks Revealed by Latest Deals

• Unexpected local theme parks rankings top country rankings
• Best and worst value for money theme parks revealed
• Hundreds of data points analysed by LatestDeals.co.uk
• Price, reviews, rides... all revealed in-depth study

Which theme parks are the best and worst?

Keen to dive into adrenaline-pumping theme parks but feeling overwhelmed by the choice and cost? The UK Thrillseeker Report from LatestDeals.co.uk takes you on a rollercoaster journey, through the highest and lowest rated attractions, plus the most budget-friendly options for thrill-seeking families.

With a seemingly endless list of UK destinations boasting impressive roller coasters, live shows, parades, and diverse food options, booking your next adventure can feel like a dizzying challenge. That's where our new UK Thrillseeker Report comes in. The personal finance experts at LatestDeals.co.uk have pinpointed the best and worst value theme parks.

What theme park factors were researched?

Taking a seed list of the most popular UK theme parks, our experts evaluated each attraction based on several key factors:

• Number of rides
• One adult-day ticket cost (online)
• One child-day ticket cost (online)
• Family of four price (online)
• Price per ride (adult)
• Price per ride (child)
• Price per ride (family of four)
• Total number of reviews
• Percentage of good reviews
• Percentage of negative reviews

Whether you’re looking to stretch your savings or find the perfect park for a family day-out, our report has you covered.

The Top 3 UK Theme Parks

1) Adventure Island in Southend on Sea, Essex, has emerged as the top theme park in the UK for families to visit this summer, earning an impressive total score of 79.30 out of 100. The park boasts approximately 38 rides and attractions, including the thrilling RAGE roller coaster. Unlike many theme parks, Adventure Island offers free entry, with all-day ride bands available for just £20 for both adults and children. It’s also a favourite among visitors, with 85.34% of its 4,455 reviews being positive.

2) The Milky Way Adventure Park in Bideford, North Devon, ranks as the second-best theme park in the UK for families this summer, with an impressive score of 74.80 out of 100. Offering extensive indoor fun and vast outdoor activities, The Milky Way Adventure Park provides a fun place for families to enjoy whatever the weather. Save Planet Earth on Ziggy's Blast Quest, an interactive ride beloved by all ages. Thrill-seekers can ride the Cosmic Typhoon roller coaster, zoom down the Gravity Rider doughnut slide, bump around on the Droid Destroyer dodgems, navigate the maze, and go wild in the Time Warp.

With both adult and children's tickets priced at £18.50 and around 23 rides and attractions, a family of four can enjoy the park for a cost of £3.22 per ride, with a family ticket costing £74.00. It's also a favourite among visitors, with 91.27% of its 2,933 reviews being positive.

3) Paultons Park, nestled in the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, with an impressive score of 63.10 out of 100. Known as the home of Peppa Pig World, Paultons Park is a family-friendly theme park boasting over 70 rides and attractions. Peppa Pig World alone features 9 exciting rides and attractions, including Peppa's Big Balloon Ride, George's Dinosaur Adventure, and an indoor soft play zone.

Beyond Peppa Pig World, Paultons Park offers a variety of attractions such as the dinosaur-themed Lost Kingdom, the Edge and Cobra roller coasters, the Water Kingdom splash park, adventure golf, a 4D cinema, The Raging River Ride, and numerous smaller rides perfect for young children. It’s a favourite among visitors, with 90.66% of its 10,682 TripAdvisor reviews being positive.

Other theme park rankings:

4) Alton Towers - 61.7/100

5) York Maze - 60.9/100

6) Gulliver’s Land - 58.3/100

7) Drayton Manor - 56.4/100

8) Brean Theme Park - 56.3/100

9) Fantasy Island - 55.2/100

10) Folly Farm - 54.9/100

11) Stockeld Park - 51.4/100

12) GreenWood - 47.0/100

13) Gulliver’s World - Warrington - 47.0/100

14) Legoland Windsor Resort - 45.9/100

15) Southport Pleasureland - 45.3/100

16) Blackpool Pleasure Beach - 44.7/100

17) Thorpe Park - 44.2/100

18) Sundown Adventureland - 42.0/100

19) Landmark Forest Adventure Park - 39.5/100

20) Diggerland Kent - 38.6/100

21) Chessington World of Adventures Resort - 37.3/100

22) Knockhatch Adventure Park - 31.2/100

23) Drusillas Park - 27.9/100

24) Flamingo Land - 24.8/100

Best Value for Money Theme Parks based on Number of Rides and Cost

Are you planning a theme park adventure but worried about the cost of each thrill? Taking the UK’s most popular theme parks, our bargain experts calculated which parks have the lowest cost per ride and offer the best value for money across adult, child, and family tickets.

1) Adventure Island tops the list as the most affordable theme park for adult, child, and family tickets based on the cost per ride. A day pass for two adults and two children at the seafront theme park costs £80, and with around 38 rides, including a Ferris Wheel with views across Southend-on-Sea's famous seafront, a visit to Adventure Island will set you back just £2.11 per ride for a family ticket.

2) Paultons Park, situated in the New Forest National Park, is the second most affordable theme park in the report. With over 70 rides and attractions to choose from, a family ticket costs just £174.00, which averages out at just £2.49 per ride.

3) Brean Theme Park in Burnham-on-Sea. Here, families enjoy exceptional value with a day pass for a family of four costing just £104.40, translating to only £2.61 per ride. For adults purchasing an online ticket at £28.80, the cost per ride drops to a mere £0.72. Meanwhile, a single online child ticket priced at £23.40 brings the cost per ride down to just £0.59.

And the most expensive per ride?

Despite its undeniable appeal and popularity, Drusillas Park in Sussex emerged as the most expensive theme park to visit based on the cost per ride calculations, with a day pass costing £120 for a family of four. Taking into account the 10 rides found within the park, this hefty sum works out at a staggering £12.00 per ride.

Theme Parks with Most Positive Reviews

Our report also delved into the review counts for each theme park, analysing the feedback to spotlight attractions with the highest percentage of positive reviews. This insight is designed to help families choose the top-rated destinations for an unforgettable summer adventure.

1) Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire. This top-rated destination offers a delightful mix of attractions, including a zoo, a farm, a fairground, and both indoor and outdoor adventure play areas. It’s no surprise that Folly Farm has been honoured twice as the 'Best Family Day Out in Pembrokeshire and Wales'.

With an impressive 95.26% of its 5,285 reviews on TripAdvisor being positive and only 4.76% featuring negative feedback, Folly Farm proudly claims the top spot as the best-rated UK theme park attraction.

2) York Maze, located in Elvington, York. Boasting an impressive 94.04% of its 3,119 TripAdvisor reviews as positive and only 6.03% as negative, York Maze promises an unforgettable day out. With over 20 rides, shows, and attractions—many of them under cover—this destination offers endless fun. The giant Maize Maze, the largest in Europe, features a new design to solve each year. Visitors can encounter giant dinosaurs in the Jurassic Maize, enjoy the antics on stage in the Crazy Maze show, zoom down the Corn Snake slides, and challenge their minds in the House of Cornfusion’s rooms and illusions.

3) Stockeld Park, located in Wetherby, Yorkshire. An impressive 92.22% of its 7,368 TripAdvisor reviews are positive, with only 6.03% being negative. Stockeld Park is a unique all-weather family attraction renowned for its Enchanted Forest, filled with magical, interactive fun and home to five fantastically themed adventures. playgrounds. Kids can zip down the wire in Spider’s Lair, slide down the Teapot Slide, or captain the pirate ship at Woodsands Cove.

Theme Parks with the Most Negative Reviews

Building on our analysis of top-rated theme parks based on TripAdvisor reviews, our report also highlights attractions with the highest number of negative reviews. This insight aims to guide families in choosing the best destinations for their summer adventures.

1) Legoland Windsor Resort in Windsor tops our report as the most complained about theme park. Of its 24,699 TripAdvisor reviews, 50.80% were negative, while 49.21% were positive. Common complaints included long queues, high ticket prices, and insufficient parking facilities. Legoland is also the third most expensive theme park in our study, with both adult and child day passes priced at £39.00 each. Consequently, a family of four can expect to pay £156.00 for a day ticket to the park.

2) Chessington World of Adventures Resort ranks second for the highest number of negative reviews among theme parks. Out of its 12,368 reviews on TripAdvisor, 50.29% were negative, though it still garnered 49.77% positive feedback. Common criticisms included expensive food, high ticket prices, and long queues, which were frequent points of contention among visitors.

The theme park ranked in seventh position for day pass costs, with both adult and child day passes priced at £37.00 each. Consequently, a family of four can expect to pay £148.00 for a day ticket to the park.

3) Flamingo Land, situated in Malton, North Yorkshire, ranks third for the most complained about theme park. Among its 2,645 reviews, 46.04% were negative. However, the park still received more positive feedback, with 53.96% of visitors expressing satisfaction. Common criticisms included expensive food, high ticket prices, and long queues, which were frequent points of frustration among visitors.

The theme park ranked as the most expensive theme park in our study, with both adult and child day passes priced at £44.50 each. Therefore, meaning a family ticket would set a family of four back £162.00.

Quotes from Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk

"I was amazed to find smaller, local theme parks repeatedly top our findings. To be best on price, best on reviews, best on rides... It shows sometimes that lesser-known brands try harder."

"Families should take note. If you want to avoid queues, not spend too much money, and have a good time, take a look at Adventure Island, Paulton's Park, and Breane."

"Reviews are important and not just the quantity of them, but the proportion that are positive versus negative. On the one hand, bigger theme parks with more visitors are going to get more reviews. On the other hand, smaller theme parks have to work harder to get a review. So a smaller theme park with fewer reviews but that are in the majority positive, I would personally add weight to."

"It's official - the top theme parks in the UK have been revealed in a systematic and unbiased study. Using data such as number of rides, ticket prices, and reviews, then normalising the scores we get a comprehensive view of the best and worst."

Methodology and Sources:

Taking a seed list of the most popular theme parks across the UK, the bargain experts at LatestDeals.co.uk, have discovered which theme parks are the best (& worst) to visit during the summer holidays and beyond, by scoring each attraction on the following factors:

• Number of rides
• One adult day ticket cost (online)
• One Child Day Ticket cost (online)
• Family of four price (online)
• Price per ride (adult)
• Price per ride (child)
• Price per ride (family)
• Total number of reviews
• Percentage of good reviews
• Percentage of negative reviews

To determine the scoring, the team used a normalising formula, which looks at an entire category of data (the theme parks) and scored the data relative to the highest and lowest numbers available. This gave each metric listed above a relative score out of 10 for a total score out of 100.

Theme Parks Included in Review:

• Adventure Island
• The Milky Way Adventure Park
• Paultons Park
• Alton Towers
• York Maze
• Gulliver's Land
• Drayton Manor
• Brean Theme Park
• Fantasy Island
• Folly Farm
• Stockeld Park
• GreenWood
• Gulliver's World - Warrington
• Legoland Windsor Resort
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Thorpe Park
• Sundown Adventureland
• Landmark Forest Adventure Park
• Diggerland Kent
• Chessington World of Adventures Resort
• Knockhatch Adventure Park
• Drusillas Park
• Flamingo Land