Rated Days Out

09/09/2025

🔋 FREE EV CHARGING TODAY – WORLD EV DAY ⚡

If you're visiting a Merlin attraction today (Tuesday 9th September 2025) and driving an EV, good news: RAW Charging are offering FREE charging across loads of their locations — including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, LEGOLAND®, Chessington, Warwick Castle, and more!

✅ Important:
To get the free charge, you must use a contactless bank card or the ChargePoint app.
❌ Do NOT use an RFID card – that’ll trigger your usual tariff and you’ll be charged.

You might see a temporary £15 bank pre-auth, but this will clear automatically within a day or two.

📍 Full list of eligible sites:
https://rawcharging.com/world-ev-day

Nice little bonus if you're heading out — charge up while you're on the rides. 🔌🎢

Celebrate World EV Day with RAW Charging on 9th September 2025. Enjoy free EV charging at selected locations across the UK. Check back regularly as the list of participating sites continues to grow.

09/04/2025

You may have seen this in the news already, but the UK Government have given Universal UK the green light to open in 2031. This is excellent news for the theme park industry and theme park lovers.

It’s about time Merlin had some real competition.

Let us know your thoughts on this.

03/04/2025

Please join us in wishing one of our fantastic Admins Steve Graham a very happy birthday.

19/06/2024

It appears that Thorpe are having issues with Huperoa once again. 🤞🏻they can get her back up and running asap.

11/06/2024

A new Hyperia update from Thorpe Park. It’s time to face your fears!

22/04/2024

Exciting News for Eco-Friendly Travelers! 🌿🚗

Legoland Windsor has just unveiled the completion of 38 state-of-the-art EV Charging bays, courtesy of RAW Charging! This green initiative is paving the way for a more sustainable future, and we can expect similar installations at THORPE PARK, Chessington World of Adventures, and Alton Towers soon.

While this is a huge step forward, there’s a small hiccup: the overstay fees. Let’s be real – no one wants to interrupt their fun to move their car.

What are your thoughts on this? Should theme parks reconsider these fees to better accommodate the full-day adventure experience?

13/11/2023

There's a black Friday sale on for merlin annual pass.

https://me-annualpass.tickets.merlinannualpass.co.uk/packageList/navItem/Memberships?l=en-gb&fbclid=IwAR3gZz39wMRWV5B4NgRt6x__M-L0QvCAlxXJ1zlP3Ck-t50ScDkq8ZCFhLo_aem_ASlghLKbOUsf0mfUaVOhMgBcZdS_SwD146rovx7tGU1mpY6xw3KU_k2vo7zeOIym_Sg

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29/08/2023

Calling all Vikings! It is time to lay down your oars and say a fond farewell to Viking River Splash. Join the LEGO® Viking fleet one last time and make your last voyage before Monday 25th September, after which the ride becomes part of Viking history. 🌊

11/07/2023

Great news for EV Drivers!

RAW Charging have announced a partnership with Merlin Entertainments and will be installing reliable EV chargers at THORPE PARK Official, Warwick Castle, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Legoland Windsor and Alton Towers

Full article here - https://t.co/HbJltMDkV9

28/06/2023

How amazing is it that parks are now offering this as an alternative to guests who do not meet the ride requirements (like non ambulant guests or those with missing or prostetic limbs).

Great work PortAventura World, hopefully more parks follow suit.

18/06/2023

After a amazing night at Drayton Manor's hotel. Here's our full review.

Arrived at Drayton manor yesterday at 9.30. we parked in hotels car park. Headed in to the hotel to ask if we can use the hotel park entrance for today. They advised yes we can and gave us a wristband to enter the park early. We headed straight to the park. We had a great day once again in the park.

We had 2 early rides on the Thor Ride in Vikings area. This is where the hotel park entrance is.

We then headed to guest service to get the easy ride access wristband. Here's how the easy ride access works.

You go to guest service. Show the access card which has to have the queue symbol on. They give u a wristband and write on the band how many in your group ie +1 if there's only 2 +2 if 3 and so on up to maximum +3 which is disabled plus 3 others. You go on to exit of ride and queue there. They let u straight on theres no restrictions meaning u can go to next ride straight away. This is alot better compared to other theme parks ie merlin. The only restriction is you can't use it on the haunting.

Staff in the park is very friendly especially the guest service team. Sammy is one of them.

Once we completed the full day in the park we went to check in. Easy check in at reception and once again very friendly staff. They talked us through what the hotel has to offer and gave us our key card.

The room we stayed in was a standard family room. The room was very clean. No issues you also have a fridge in the room. The view we had was looking on to the bar garden with kids play area. It also have a air conditioning system which kept the room nice and cool.

We headed down to the bar area asked what food do they offer for the garden. It's only pizza. Which that's our only issue maybe extend the menu more for the garden area. However we ordered 2 pizzas cost around 13.00 each. With annual pass discount it costs us 20.00 in total. The pizza was delicious and worth the money. We stayed anf watched the kids entertainment in the garden which was dancing magic show and party games. That kept the kids entertained for 2 hours. We then headed to bed.

Breakfast was very tasty. It's a buffet style breakfast from cereals fruit and pastrys and hot food. I must say the juice was very tasty. You could tell it wasn't the cheap juice. Also there characters at breakfast which was sir topham hatt and dusty. The go to every table and talk to you and have photos with the kids.

After breakfast was Check out time and you can go in park for early access again.

Drayton Manor thank you for a great night's stay in you resort.

Out of 10 I will score the stay 9. The reason why not 10 is the lack of food availability for the garden area otherwise I would score 10 out of 10.

15/06/2023

Wow 87 rides in a day very impressive

Yesterday Thrill Riders, Tom Rides, Sam Costello and Digital Dan took on the challenge of riding Hero all day for charity! 🎢

They managed an impressive 87 rides of Hero and so far have raised over £3,000 for the charity Mind

We would like to congratulate you all on an amazing achievement and thank you for choosing Flamingo Land to complete your challenge!

If you would like to donate to this amazing cause you can donate to their just giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hero-all-day