Once you’ve worked out the best Drayton Manor Ticket Deals & Discounts then it’s time to turn your head to more practical matters to get the most from your day out.
1. Thomas Land; Tips & Tricks
i. Head Directly To Base; Thomas Land is a popular attraction for young families and so avid Thomas fans should head directly to this themed area as queues tend to build throughout the day.
ii. The Thomas, Rosie & Percy Engine Tours; did you know that the Thomas & friends train only provides a ONE WAY journey from Thomas Land over to the other side of the park? You’ll often find a much shorter queue in place if you buck the trend and take the train from Tidmouth Station back to Thomas Land!
iii. Lesser Known Thomas Attractions; look out for more Thomas Land attractions squirreled away at the back of the park that attract shorter queues. Find Terences’s Driving School & a fantastic miniature Thomas railway over by Tidmouth Hault station that many guests don’t even know exist!
Drayton Manor; Shockwave
3. Beat The Queues; Early Bird
Plan ahead & take advantage of the quietest time at the park which tends to be the first 60/90 minutes of the day. Good to know that the car park & ticket booths both open significantly earlier than the park so ensure you are parked up & ready to go the moment the gates are opened. As the park tends to open about 30 minutes before the rides, this gives you ample time to find your bearings, select your first ride & start queuing before it opens.
4. Thrill Ride; Queue Capacities
Worth noting that queue capacities for thrill rides vary quite considerable at Drayton Manor;
Maelstrom; whilst the queues may look longer for this ride, the queues move quickly as capacity is high.
Stormforce 10; both tend to get busier throughout the day with queues peaking at around 1-2pm.
Accelerator; remains a popular at the park although more of a family coaster than the high end thrill ride.
Looking for cheap tickets to Drayton Manor? Follow our Guide to Drayton Manor Deals for current promotions & offers!
Drayton Manor; Troublesome Trucks
5. Drayton Manor; Non Queue Attractions
As the queues begin to build at the park, look to intersperse rides with non-queue attractions to balance your day. For time away from the queues look out for attractions such as Spencer’s Outdoor Adventure Play, the Drayton Manor Zoo, Dino Trail or even the Discover Thomas Exhibition
6. Drayton Manor; Fast Pass
Drayton Manor have introduced Fast Pass tickets to reduce your wait time on popular rides & attractions at the park. Fast Passes are additional to your theme park entry where one pass is required per person. Fast Passes are only available on a first-come-first-served basis online and then collected from guest services on the day.
7. Drayton Manor; Picnics & Lockers
Picnics are welcome at Drayton Manor and offers an easy way to make some savings at the park. There are plenty of lockers available, (located behind the Carousel or at Emily’s play area), to store your belonging with a range of pricing options available. You also have the option of storing your cool box in the car; just remember to get a hand stamp when you exit as this will allow you to gain re-entry into the park.
8. Cheap Tickets to Drayton Manor
There are plenty of ways to reduce your entrance charges at Drayton Manor for those planning to shop around. Take advantage of cheap ticket promotions that can also include online discounts, adult and toddler tickets plus loyalty rewards.
More information available at Drayton Manor Tickets; Deals & Discounts.
Drayton Manor; James & the Red Balloon
9. Extra Attractions, (young families)
The great advantage with Drayton Manor is that there are plenty of other things for young families to see & do away from Thomas Land that offer you time away from the queues.
i. Spencer’s Outdoor Adventure Play; a fantastic adventure playground for children for young children, (8 years & under).
ii. Drayton Manor Zoo; wander around the zoo & keep an eye out for the feeding times.
iii. Dino Trail; go back in time and explore a world packed with friendly dinosaurs.
iv. Emily’s Adventure Play; this indoor play area runs timed sessions throughout the day, (worth booking a session on busy days).
v. Discover Thomas Exhibition; this miniature railway is great for little ones as they try to spot the Thomas & his friends as they speed by.
More Drayton Manor Information
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Can a friend drop off her daughter
in the main car park so we can arrange to meet there? Would she be charged for this? How would she get out through the barrier? Would she need some sort of ticket? Thank you
Hi Claire, I can see from Drayton Manor’s site it states that ‘the pick-up/drop off point is located next to Italiano restaurant, under the archway (Acorn pickup point).’ Drayton Manor allow 30 minute for dropping off/collection without incurring a charge, Liz
thinking of flying to birmingham airport and taking train to drayton manor , can you advise best deals on hotel and park entry for one adult and one 7 year old boy on 31 May 2024
. Thanks
Hi Patricia, if you are staying on-site at the Drayton Manor hotel you can opt for either a Bed & Breakfast package that allows you to source your theme park tickets separately or the Stay & Play package that includes theme park entry. Prices and packages vary so worth checking out what works for your family. We at Topdogdays and independent of all visitor attractions, we simply let you know where the cheap ticket promotions can be found, have a good trip, Liz
Are there single rider lines
Unfortunately there are no single rider lines at Drayton Manor:(
Just for info… DM say they DO offer fast track bands for special needs guests. You just need to ring and arrange one. X
Thanks Caroline for the Drayton Manor update, good to know:)
dont get this. no one needs this info.
Sorry to hear that this Drayton Manor information wasn’t for you – was there something in particular you were searching for?
We are going tomorrow to draton manor just wanted to know is it dog friendly as we just got a puppy and would love for her to come with us I need a reply Asap thank you
Hi Tracey, unfortunately only service/assistance dogs are allowed into Drayton Manor:(
I meant mum sorry
Hi you guys gave me a lot of information thank you but I need to ask I will be visiting drayton manor this summer but does my muni haft to pay for entrance even though she will not go on rides just to supervise my little brother in Thomas land it would be a great help if you would email me the answer thank you so much
Hi Amina, unfortunately as in line with most other theme parks, your Mum will need to purchase a ticket for Drayton Manor whether she intends to use the rides or not. If they intend to visit over the summer holidays, at least they can take advantage of discounted tickets for visits taken between 20 July & 1 September if they book online at Drayton Manor.