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I visited UK's best family theme park - more fun than Alton Towers and Thorpe Park
Reach Daily Express | May 19, 2026 11:40 PM CST

It is a challenge for every parent with more than one child. How do you plan a day out that will appeal to each of your children?

There is a nine year age gap between my eldest and youngest, with my middle child sitting firmly in the middle, meaning none of them have the same interests. Each family day out is therefore usually one of compromise, an hour doing an activity for one before pivoting onto something else to appease another child. But for anybody facing a similar predicament, I might have just found the solution in the UK's best theme park.

I went to Paultons Park on Saturday as the UK theme park opened its latest attraction - Valgard, Realm of the Kings.

Having only visited once before, to take a toddler to Peppa Pig World, I had modest expectations about what the day would hold.

The new £12million area is aimed at families with older children and teenagers and and includes the park's first inverting rollercoaster, Drakon as well as Vild Swing, a UK-first ride that swirls riders 12 metres in the air, and Raven, a thrilling bobsled adventure that complements the Viking village experience.

We arrived early, not expecting a large crowd of rollercoaster enthusiasts. In all honesty, I didn't know that rollercoaster enthusiasts existed at all but the vast numbers of people armed with GoPros and expensive cameras told me otherwise and let me know that the opening was a big deal.

What I had failed to understand on my previous visit was the sheer size of the park meaning that it caters to children and adults of all ages.

Valgard had rides for me and two of my children, with my eldest declaring Drakon the best minute of his life.

While my middle child, 5, was too small for the centrepiece ride, he was able to to test himself on Raven whose sharp turns did just enough to make you fear for a split second that you might be flung over the side to your death.

Meanwhile, my youngest was able to take full advantage of the brand new Viking themed play play park meaning all three children and two adults were occupied and enjoying themselves simultaneously - a rare occurrence.

Elsewhere in the park, there were also rides for all ages. Peppa Pig world blew my youngest's mind while the Lost Kingdom and Tornado Springs had something for each of my eldest.

Having previously visited other theme parks in the UK that are great fun for thrill seekers but offer very little to younger visitors, Paultons Park exceeded all of our expectations, even if the sunshine was short lived.


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