Back to Thomas Land

Every year without fail we have made a trip to Drayton Manor with Leo, right from his very first year. Admittedly the first experience was more for the big kids than our pre toddler, but I am sure he enjoyed taking in the sights and sounds as we navigated his very first theme park on his very newly found feet. Little did we know, that trains and Thomas the Tank Engine in particular were going to become firm favourites over the next few years!

The second time we visited Leo was older, he was now 2 years old and it was here at Thomas Land that Leo took his very first roller coaster ride on the troublesome trucks.

That day still makes me smile as I think back on it, the laughter that flowed so naturally throughout our time there on that early date in September. I remember the weather being on our side and Leo decided he wanted to have a go on the Troublesome Trucks. I was over the moon, he was going to be a little adrenaline junkie just like his Mumma! So we hopped on and I admit I was expecting tears, I thought it was going to be a long couple of minutes around the track, but that boy of mine couldn't stop smiling, and his reactions just kept me chuckling as we continued to get on and off again.

You know those days that just happen so naturally, those days that are so un-planned that everything just unfolds exactly as it should? That day was perfect, I couldn't have planned for it, because if I had it would not have been as successful as it was. This moment right here sums up my entire day, that smile as I enjoy my little man growing up is something I still treasure today. It is one of my favourite photos of us naturally having a good time and enjoying new things for the very first time.

I shall tell you what else puts a massive smile on my face, and it's one of the most simple things in the world, but makes such a difference in my book....

The Fat Controller is ALWAYS played by the same actor. ALWAYS. Each and every time I have been, we are greeted by the same cheerful man who always makes such an effort. 

Over the past year, Leo and I have been able to visit Drayton Manor even more frequently than just annually. We live just over 50 minutes away from Tamworth and the commute is so easy, and back in 2015 we were invited to Thomas Land for the day with the potential opportunity to become ambassadors  for the year, and you guessed it... We rose to the occasion and were over the moon to be able to work with a brand that we truly hold close to our hearts. We have so many fantastic memories that we have created here over the past couple of years, and it has been a real honour to be able to create so many more.

At the end of the Summer holidays before Leo started his very first day of school, Leo and I took a trip over to spend a few hours and just let our hair down before things got more serious with his very first day of reception. Then in October I was really excited to see the very impressive War of the World Firework Spectacular situated over the lake, to celebrate Drayton Manor's 65th Birthday! Then at the beginning of December Leo and I were back again for the Magical Christmas!

If there is one thing Drayton Manor know how to do, it's put on an event and keep you wanting to come back for more! So when I told Leo that we were heading back on over this weekend for a fun filled day out, he was over the moon. So far over that he was late to bed last night, and up bright and early ready to get over to the park for 9:30am. The press in attendance were able to enjoy the park for an hour before it opened up to the public, and this went down beautifully. At 4 years old Leo is still no good at lining up. He doesn't understand the concept and if it's any longer than 5 minutes, then we usually have to say goodbye to the idea. 

It was a cold clear day but with no rain to contend with I knew we were on to a winner, we made our way around our favourites but Leo had already informed me upon arrival that today... Today we would not be following tradition and riding the Troublesome Trucks. Apparently we are going through a bit of a scaredy cat streak,,, I think it might have something to do with riding Ben 10 for the first time last year... The video below might shed some insight.

We didn't let that stop us though and happily rode Bertie Bus, Jeremy Jets Flying Academy, Harold's Helicopter Tours, Sodor Classic Cars and of course Leo's all time favourite... that he would quite honestly get on and off all day given half the chance... Thomas's Engine Tour.

We took a good friend of mine along on this occasion with her lovely little boy Jack. It was the first time that Leo and Jack had met, so we thought that this would be the absolute perfect opportunity to get them together, and of course so us Mummies could benefit from a gossip on the way around. 

Two boys ready to take on Thomas Land.

What I love about a visit to Thomas Land, is that I know we are guaranteed a great day out. For Leo and I this really is a day that we are quite happy to do as a twosome. I get to enjoy him all to myself, I get to watch him laugh and smile in an environment that he adores. It is even more special these days with school being thrown into the mix, and any opportunity that we have to just tune out from just how serious life can be at times is a welcome distraction.

We brought a picnic along with us and sat under the winter sun by the lake, there are plenty of benches and picnic benches around if you decide to bring your own food with you. I usually like to go and sit in the Grill Inn for more of a sit down meal, but today the adventure of a picnic won over, and I knew this would appeal more to Leo.

I am pleased to report that yet another fantastic day was enjoyed all around. Leo is already asking when he can return again, and I don't think that date will be to far around the corner. Now the weather is warming up again we will most definitely be looking to get outside and enjoying ourselves more (especially when we can leave the coats at home!). 

The day completely wiped Leo out, and as soon as the car was pulling away, I had one sleeping 4 year old dreaming in the back of the car. 

See you soon Drayton Manor! Thank you for another fantastic day full of new memories to add to our beautiful collection.

You can see some snippets from our fun day out below

Disclaimer: Leo and I were invited along to Drayton Manor and provided complimentary access in exchange for this post. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, we have been big fans of the park for many years, and getting to work with a brand that we are genuinely passionate about has been a fantastic experience. 

The Thomas Land Expansion is officially OPEN!

Last week we were invited along to a very special event, the grand opening of the brand new Thomas Land Expansion at Drayton Manor. Leo was thrilled when he discovered our plans to go along, we have visited Thomas Land quite a few times in recent years, and we have some fantastic memories of our time there. It was where Leo went on his first rides, his very first Roller Coaster at just turned 2 years old! That day was such great fun from start to finish, and my cheeks ached from simply laughing as much as I did.

With such fantastic memories of the old Thomas Land in my mind, I knew that we were going to have an amazing day and that this improvement was going to be superb. Drayton Manor’s Thomas Land is the only one in Europe, and after proving so popular with old and young alike (I actually love visiting!) the decision was made to extend Thomas Land by 40% and even introduce a selection of new rides. When Leo and I last visited in the Summer, we saw the plans for the extension and thought it was a great idea! I wasn't sure exactly what the extension entailed at this point, but the wait was almost over…

We arrived at Drayton Manor around 11am and rushed straight into Thomas Land, we were of course later than we had hoped and the Fat Controller was just about to commence the opening just as we arrived. We had made it, just in the nick of time! Catching my breath and taking in the new surroundings, we found ourselves in a sea of people looking up to the balcony of the new Sodor Airport. There on the balcony was the Fat Controller ready to get the opening into gear. You can see for yourselves how exciting this was, and even join in with the ‘PEEP PEEP’s!’.

Once all of the confetti had fallen from the sky and the new Thomas Land Expansion was officially open for business (Or should I say play!?), we were one of the first families to get to have a play in the park. Of course this was rather exciting for all of us, Leo was thrilled and quickly made his way over to Jeremy Jets Flying Academy. Jeremy Jets Flying Academy has been relocated from its original position in Thomas Land to right outside the new Sodor Airport.

The extension to Thomas Land is a really welcome addition, it provides more space for guests to spread out into, and it gives you even more to do and see on your trip to the park. As we walked around the newly improved Thomas Land, music began to play. Not just any music, but a brass band. As I scoped out where the music was coming from and we moved towards it, we came across the brand new band stand where on occasion there will be a brass band playing classic Thomas tunes. I loved this addition and it really gave off a lovely atmosphere. That’s exactly what I have found on each visit to the park, everyone is having a great time, and it’s hard not to enjoy yourself!

In total there are 3 brand new rides to experience, Captain’s Sea Adventure, this was a little bit too wet for me but you can see exactly what it is all about in the clip of our day! Flynn’s Fire and Rescue and finally Toby’s Tram Express.

Daddy and Leo had a great time on Flynn’s Fire and Rescue, which again was a little bit too wet for my liking, but the smiles on both of my boy’s faces from the ground was a rather special sight as they rotated around shooting the water to put out the fire.

Toby’s Tram Express was the ride that Leo was really excited to have a go on, unfortunately there were a few technical issues on the day but we look forward to going back and visiting again.

In addition to the new rides there are a number of other gems just waiting to be discovered. Sodor Airport is actually a Café and they serve a very tasty Caramel Cappuccino if you feel the need for a caffeine fix while visiting, and there was a lovely selection of snacks and cakes available. You can sit inside or outside, and for me this was a really welcome addition, and I made use of it when the boys were having their ride on Flynn’s Fire and Rescue.  Another welcome addition that I was really pleased to see is the new toilet block. Having Leo in tow I like to know where the nearest toilets are, and obviously with more choice it eliminates waiting time. The new toilet block is right inside the Thomas Land extension meaning that you don’t have to traipse from one part of the park to the other when your 3 year old suddenly announces ‘I need the toilet! And I need it NOW!’.

As soon as you walk into the Thomas Land Expansion Thomas fans will be amazed, the Fat Controller Statue is impressive all on its own, and there’s no way you’ll miss it as you make your way in. Of course you can’t forget all of the other amazing rides that are within Thomas Land, and Leo insisted on a ride on the Troublesome Trucks Roller coaster. This is by far his favourite ride in the entire of Drayton Manor, and he never tires of it. We discovered on this visit that the height restriction has now changed to 1.0m. Luckily my little man has just hit this grand old height and he got his ride on the roller coaster!

The grounds of Thomas Land are now 3,200 square metres bigger than before and you would be very surprised to know that rider capacity has now topped the charts by 23% and now accommodates 5,130 people an hour! The expansion has cost 2.5 million, but due to its consistent popularity with guests from all over Europe, they made the decision to expand the attraction in order to accommodate the increasing visitor numbers.

Thomas Land is one of mine and Leo’s favourite places to visit, and we were so lucky with the dry sunny weather, that we got to enjoy such a full, action packed day. When we last visited, Leo was still under the 1.0m height restriction meaning that he couldn’t go on the Ben 10 Roller coaster, on this occasion we were really excited to be able to take him on board. I did show him what it was like beforehand and he was convinced that he wanted to ride. As you will see from the video… This one wasn’t one of his favourite rides of the day!

Another ride that Leo just HAD to go on was the Haunted House, I did clarify with him beforehand but after watching Casper the other weekend, he wanted to go in a ‘Scary house’. So with Leo adamant and completely decided, we made our way inside. He handled the experience so well, and he was so brave. When a couple of older children got scared and began to scream and cry, he just stayed quiet and snuggled into me. Not once did he cry or scream, but boy did he talk about it after. He talked about it the entire hour ride home ‘Mummy, I went in the scary house! I saw a ghost!’. Then when he got home he told Granny all about it, and for the days following it was all he would talk about. He seemed so pleased with himself, even though he doesn't want to go back in next time!

It was another amazing day, with so many new memories to remember. It’s a great place to visit for us as we live a stone’s throw away, and we find it the perfect size for our family’s needs. We look forward to visiting again over the Summer, and I know that Leo will be just as excited when we do announce our next visit! 

You can enjoy a snippet of our day below! Leo's face on the Ben 10 Roller coaster was rather special!

Disclaimer: We were invited along to the Thomas Land Expansion Launch. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.