What are you doing this weekend? With the thermostat set to scorching, my thinking is that this will quite possibly be the only weekend of the year when I can tolerate the soggy bottom of a log flume, so I think we will go to Thorpe Park. Is it just me who has a love-hate relationship with the water rides at a theme park? Love, love, love the rush of shooting down into that pool of water, being sprayed by onlookers, and caught by waterfalls as we spin down rapid rivers. But absolutely hate with a seething kind of resentment that I have to spend the rest of the day shivering in wet jeans and squelchy trainers. So it can only be done on a hot day, as far as I’m concerned.
What’s awesome about Thorpe Park right now is that a) the weather is set to be fine all weekend; and b) if you book before midnight on 9 July, you can stay overnight in the Shark Hotel, onsite and get free entry for your child. You’ll also get free entry to the park on your second day, and unlimited Fast Track passes before 11am after your overnight stay. It’s kind of a no brainer – if you’re going, you might as well make the most of it and get soaked two days running, right? Somewhat more exciting than standing under the garden sprinkler all weekend… The Kids Go Free offer applies to any visit until the end of August. Have a look here for more information.
The Thorpe Shark Hotel is described as bite-sized, and you can see why. The tiny rooms have bunk beds cleverly arranged to fit a family of 4, complete with mood lighting and free wifi, as well as en-suite facilities. You really won’t need space though, because with kids eat free in the restaurants on the park in the early evening, you won’t be spending a lot of time there. It’s just a perfect bolthole until you can get back to making the most of the rides. You’ll also get free parking, and a hot buffet breakfast in the morning.
And if the water rides don’t cool you off enough, you can hang out on Amity Beach, which is fab for younger members of the family, as is Angry Birds Land with its bumper cars and 4D cinema experience. My youngest is very nearly 140cm tall so he is on pins to try the Swarm – you know, the one with plane crash scenes and fire? I’m not sure what it is about thrillseeker rides – I kind of remember being very keen on the stomach lurches as a teenager, but these days I’m just pleased to hold the bags while the kids scream their way through the day.
Luckily, there are lots of places I can sit with a beer coffee and wait for them to check in and reassure me that they’re still in one piece. I might even shout them one of those chocolate strawberry marshmallow kebab things they sell round the park.
*We are Thorpe Park Ambassadors this year, and will be bringing you all the latest news and offers, courtesy of our free passes.
Terms and Conditions
Terms and conditions apply. Kids Go FREE offer is valid on summer breaks between 3rd July — 31st August 2017 when booked before midnight 9th July 2017. Lead price of £49pp/£195 is based on a family of 4 staying at the THORPE SHARK Hotel on selected dates. Offsite lead price of £29pp is based on a family of 4 staying at the Travelodge Heathrow T5 Hotel on selected dates. Please note: breakfast is not included at this hotel. Excludes Ministry Of Sound event dates 22nd July and 19th August 2017. Breakfast is included with all packages unless stated otherwise at the time of booking. Kids Go FREE entitles one child (up to and including 12 years of age) free entry to THORPE PARK Resort when accompanied by a full paying adult. Only one free child entrance ticket per full paying adult. Maximum of two full paying adults per transaction. Children under the age of 3 go free into THORPE PARK Resort. Carer’s discounts goes not apply on Kids Go FREE dates. Offer valid when booked as part of a hotel and ticket package. 2nd Day FREE is a park entry day and is valid with all THORPE Breaks. 2nd Day FREE applies to the last day of your THORPE Break. 2nd Day FREE may not apply to themed weekends held at the THORPE PARK Resort. Offer is subject to change and availability.
We stayed at the Thorpe Park Shark Hotel last year, it’s so quirky the children loved it
This looks great! My kids would LOVE it x
i’ve never heard of the shark hotel before! I love finding out about new things from your blog. We visited Tower Bridge a couple of months back solely because I read about it here as i had no idea you could go up it before that and we had such a great time. x
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a really fun day out. I’ve not stayed at the Shark hotel yet but I will be doing so this summer, and I can’t wait!
That looks like a great way to spend a really hot day! I love the angry birds cars! My 10 year old would get a kick out of that:)
We’ve never been to Thorpe Park before and I’d not heard of the Shark Hotel. It looks great and the rooms sound really well designed.
That is a good deal. I like a good bite size hotel for a theme park too. I agree about wet rides on a hot day!
Great informative post with a bit of whit. I don’t have kids but will pass it on as sounds like a great deal!
The additional offers of free fast track and kids tickets make this so worth while. I haven’t been to Thorpe Park in ages x
Definitely. Makes it really worth staying the night.
I haven’t been to Thorpe park in YEARS! We’ve been to chessington lots recently but all the water rides were t working when we visited ☹️ I stayed at the Alton towers hotel when I was younger and i remember it being so much fun! So glad the weather is set to be a hot one this weekend.
It’s probably best for older kids and adults, but yes, as soon as the sun is shining, it’s a brilliant place for a weekend
It sounds amazing. Except the hotel rooms seems a bit claustrophobic! I’m not sure if I could stay there!!
This sounds fabulous!
I haven’t been to Thorpe Park in about 15 years!!!
x
The beach sounds great I hadn’t heard that Thorpe Park had that – also never heard of the Shark Hotel so great for people that need to travel x
This sounds fab! I think my two are too young for Thorpe park but I used to love going as a teenager I always had so much fun. xx
Oh you’ll love taking them when they’re old enough then!