We visited the annual Christmas Wonderland at Drayton Manor for a magical family day out
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and for parents of young children, the festive season usually means planning a day out or two with the family and a chance to see Santa before the big day.
I haven't been to Drayton Manor before so I was excited to be invited to try out their Christmas wonderland experience.
We wrapped up warm and headed to the park on a cold but sunny Sunday. Stepping through the gates it was clear staff have worked really hard to create the festive feeling. 'Snow' covered Christmas trees are dotted all around along with twinkling fairy lights and Christmas music playing throughout the park.
First stop was Thomas Land which my littlest girl had been looking forward to the most. Thomas himself looked the part, kitted out in Rudolph antlers and a red nose.
After expecting hordes of eager families I was surprised to find we didn't have to queue for anything and the park wasn't too busy. My girls loved the Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster and we managed to get straight back on the ride.
We also enjoyed the station balcony shows with Sir Topham Hatt and the sweepers Rusty and Dusty - full of dancing and singing. There was a special sprinkling of Christmas magic at the end with the fake snow shower, much to the delight of all the little ones!
Next we wandered around the zoo nestled in the heart of the resort. There's a good selection of animals to take in with the dwarf mongoose, our absolute favourites.
It was then our time to see Santa and we headed towards the queue for the grotto in the castle which was very well-managed and hardly any hanging around at all.
The 15-minute experience spans three rooms with different activities. First there was storytime and a sing-along with Mrs Claus, which I thought was probably the best of the three attractions, then it was on to make reindeer food with one of the elves and finally the chance to see the main man himself.
Santa had a good chat with my girls about what presents they were hoping for and we all posed for a family photo - this could then be purchased as we exited the grotto with prices starting at £20. The girls also picked a toy from a selection at a desk on the way out while adults got a token for a very welcome hot drink.
New for 2025 is a chance to explore Elftoria, filled with festive surprises. We crowded into a teepee for a show from the naughty elves and split into groups of children versus grown-ups to play pranks on each other. My children find any opportunity to be mischievous hilarious so this was a hit. We then trailed through the festive maze to the next teepee stop for gingerbread decorating.
Most of the rides were open for the Christmas experience and we tried out several including the Wave Swinger, the Carousel, The Bounty Pirate Ship, Air Race and the Sheriffs Showdown.
As we walked on most of them it felt like good value for money for the theme park element.
Full credit to the staff too who were really friendly and helpful, wishing us a Merry Christmas as we left the rides.
The final attraction of the day, and probably my favorite because I do love a train ride, was the Twinkle Express. We clambered aboard and put on headphones so we could enjoy the Christmas music while taking in the very pretty lights display and festive sights on the ride around the park.
As night fell over the Christmas wonderland, we gathered by the lakeside for Drayton Manor's spectacular end-of-day event - a water show which features choreographed jets, a large water screen, pyrotechnics, and animations on the park's lake.
Drayton's Christmas experience offers a variety of attractions from rides, themed entertainment and a magical Santa experience. There's definitely a festive atmosphere across the park and additionally, many of the park's regular features, like the zoo and Thomas Land, are still open and decorated for the season.
The Christmas Wonderland runs until December 31. Tickets start from £25 per person with upgrades available to enhance your visit.