Top Tips for Drayton Manor
Good to Know
Save yourself some money by booking your tickets online in advance, as well as being cheaper you will save time by not having to queue at the park entrance - Drayton Manor Tickets 
There are a limited number of Wheelchairs and Pushchairs available for hire, these are available on a first come first served basis and a charge applies, speak to a member of staff when you enter the park.
The weather can be an important factor, try to dress accordingly to avoid getting too hot, too cold or too wet! It can also be pretty unpredictable, if it ends up being a wet day there are ponchos available to help you stay dry.
Wear sensible footwear to avoid feeling uncomfortable after a long day, it's also important to make sure shoes are fastened securely when going on some of the more intense rides to make sure that they don't fall off!
Guest Services can be found in Fisherman's Wharf, they can help with lots of things including lost property and issuing wristbands, the Medical Centre is in Central Plaza.
Try to beat the queues, generally it's best to do the biggest rides in the first hour that the park is open, at lunchtime, or in the last hour that the park is open, as the queues tend to be the shortest at these times.
If you're visiting with a group of friends it's a good idea to agree on a place to meet up just in case you get separated and have trouble finding each other.
There's plenty of great gifts available from shops all over the park, the largest selections can be found in the shops located in Central Plaza, there's also an excellent Thomas Land merchandise store.
It's best to avoid doing the wettest rides at the end of the day otherwise you might not be able to dry out before the journey home.
Ride photos are nice souvenir of your day so look out for the cameras and don't forget to smile, available on Shockwave, Stormforce 10, Accelerator, Jormungandr, Sleipnir, Troublesome Trucks & Sodor Classic Cars.
It might be a good idea to make use of the lockers in the park to avoid carrying too many things, these can be found in the Toy Shop and a small charge applies.
Drayton Manor accepts all major credit/debit cards, there are also ATMs located around the park, although some of these do apply a charge to each transaction.
You can join a ride's queue right up until it's closing time, it is the queue that closes then and not the ride.
Beat the Queues
- Timing - Generally it's best to do the biggest rides in the first hour that the park is open, at lunchtime, or in the last hour that the park is open, as the queues tend to be the shortest at these times. Plus, you can often beat the crowds by starting at the back of the park and working your way towards the front.
- Fast Pass - These provide reduced waiting times for an extra charge:
- Silver £30 (one fast pass on 5 rides)
- Gold £50 (one fast pass on 10 rides)
- Platinum £100 (unlimited fast pass access for all available rides)
Important Restrictions
Height and other restrictions apply to each attraction, full details of these can be found at the entry point of the attractions, here's a summary of some key categories:
- Minimum Height 1.4m - Shockwave
- Minimum Height 1.3m - Maelstrom
- Minimum Height 1.2m - Stormforce 10, The Bounty, Air Race, Thor, River Rapids, Dodgems Ahoy
- Minimum Height 1.1m - Drunken Barrels
- Minimum Height 1.0m - Accelerator, Wave Swinger, Loki, Jormungandr, Troublesome Trucks, Terence's Driving School
Where to Eat
- Have a think about when you're going to eat, trying big thrill rides immediately after lunch may not be wise!
- Most of the outlets tend to get busy between 11am and 1pm, try to avoid these peak hours to avoid a wait.
- There's a wide range of outlets across the park, there are vegetarian and healthy options available at many of them.
- The largest outlets, with indoor and outdoor seating are The Burger Kitchen and Chicken Diner.
- Looking for a themed experience? Try Safari Pizza & Pasta, or Sodor Airport in Thomas Land.
