We’ve done 2 visits to Thomas Land at Drayton Manor and both have been really great.

We’ve taken advantage of the parent-toddler tickets for £24, valid any weekday during term time, and it’s been very much worth the money.

Drayton Manor itself is huge, and also has a giant zoo, with over 100 animals – great to break up the day or to give the kids some time out from the rides.

We’ve arrived early on both occasions. Parking in the far car park gets you into the park right near the Thomasland entrance itself. The park opens at 10am but the rides themselves don’t open til 10.30.

It is quiet at that time and you can usually find the Fat Controller and other friends to greet you at the entrance, which is a nice way to start the day.

Thomas Land itself has it’s own little “village” with shops, cafes, and all the rides are contained in here too.

There’s a monorail right near the entrance to Thomas Land that is a good way to start the day, as you can see everything in the park, and it can get busier later in the day.

There are a couple of rides where you can spray water and get wet, some rides that go in the air, a driving school, and some rides for the smaller kids too – all themed with Thomas’ friends and really giving something fun for all ages.

Lily’s favourites are definitely Harold’s helicopters and Flynn’s fire engines, and there’s everything from a classic cars ride through to a rollercoaster!

Lily has also loved the carousel just outside the entrance, again something for all ages. We had little ones ranging from age 1 through to 4, and they all had rides to go on.

There’s also the chance to go on Thomas or Percy, on a little train ride through the zoo, and to a station next to a great play area, with picnic benches, cafe, and a Thomas exhibition with miniature railway.

The trains run both ways, so you can either hop on one back to the park or you can walk back through the zoo – but it’s a great place to have your packed lunches.

Right next to the play area, you can also find a dinosaur land to explore, and there’s also an indoor play area with ball pit for little ones – but we didn’t go indoors as it was such a lovely day both times!

We would really recommend Thomas Land to all families – and I know some people doubt about taking younger toddlers to theme parks, but there are so many rides and attractions for all ages, that it is worth the visit if you are heading with older kids too.

We also found on both visits that we rarely needed to queue for anything, and there are toilets in easily accessible locations, making it well-designed for families.

We highly recommend it and would definitely go back. What’s more the staff were so friendly, and with various shows throughout the day, it really made it a truly magical Thomas experience. Just prepare for the theme tune to be in your head for at least a week afterwards!!

For more information, visit the website here

Tips for visiting

• Rides open at 10.30am despite the park opening at 10am, so prepare for a little wait if you are an early bird
• The parent-toddler tickets are great value, but if you need to go with older kids in the holidays, then look out for offers on their social media as they often have half price tickets later in the week/holidays
• To save some money, take a packed lunch and a picnic blanket, and catch the train to Spencer’s outdoor adventure play area at lunchtime for a great place to have your lunch and a run around!