Wicksteed Park Review
Wicksteed Park
Northamptonshire
Reviewed by Michelle Llabani
It must have been at least 20 years since my last visit to Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire, so it was with a little curiosity that I took my family (husband and 2 boys aged 8 and 4) to visit on the last Friday of the Easter Holidays. For me, Wicksteed had always been about the play park, the first part of the park you get to on arrival. Twenty years ago it had swings and slides galore… And on Friday I wasn’t disappointed. Wicksteed Park now plays host to a huge playground, with up to date and fun park equipment for all ages, and all completely free! To be honest, my boys could have spent all day playing there, but as we were charged with reviewing the whole park we moved on.
Wicksteed has an interesting pricing structure, whereby you can choose to purchase a wristband for each member of the group (£15 Adults, £18 children over 90cm tall) or purchase tickets (ranging from £1.25 to 83p depending on the number bought). There are a large variety of rides, with each ride costing 1-4 tickets each. We were given wristbands, however, I can also definitely see the appeal of tickets, giving parents the opportunity to give their children a small treat, without spending too much. Tickets bought can also be redeemed at any point during the 2015 season, so if rain does stop play, you can always come back and enjoy the rides another day without incurring extra costs. An excellent idea.
The staff at Wicksteed should be commended for their politeness and helpfulness. Everyone we spoke to was courteous and friendly. Those working on the rides engaged well with guests, making the smallest to the biggest feel welcome. The information map given out when obtaining our wristbands was informative, showing height restrictions and the number of tickets needed for each ride, this proved very helpful whilst planning our day, as we know what rides our littlest wouldn’t be able to go on.
The rides themselves, although not quite having the white-knuckle thrill of places like Alton Towers or Thorpe Park were definitely enough to keep both my boys happy. The biggest hits were the Rocky River Falls and the rollercoaster. My eldest was also desperate to go on RUSH the Aerial zip wire ride, but unfortunately weighing in at 28.8kg he was 1.2 kg too light. Next time we’ll bring him some lead boots to wear!
We were very lucky to have excellent weather, however, the powers that be at Wicksteed have recently had the foresight to open WICKYS, their new soft play area, for those days where log flumes and crazy golf may be beyond the whims of the British weather. The Soft Play is either an extra £1 if you have purchased a wristband, or goes up to a maximum of £5.50 for a child over 4 in the school holidays, pricewise on a par with other soft play centres in the area .On visiting, Wickys had only been open for 3 days. The new car smell was still present. The soft play was well laid out, enabling parents access all the ways round. Seating areas were provided for parents, and at the front desk there was a small counter offering drinks and snacks. As well as front desk staff, there were 2 staff dedicated to the soft play area itself. They were interacting well with the children and parents, and immediately dealt with any problems or spillages. The level of service definitely went well beyond your average soft play area.
All in all we had a fantastically enjoyable day, arriving at 10.30am and leaving at 4pm. We managed to cover the majority of what the park had to offer, however will definitely be going back for more. I think the real beauty of Wicksteed is that it can suit any pocket. You could go and enjoy the play park, wander around the lake and play in the sandpit without parting with a single penny. You could buy 20 tickets and take the kids for a few ride and a boat trip; you can go all out and purchase a wristband and pay the extra to go on the thrilling RUSH or you could simply meet up with some friends on a wet day in November and enjoy a cuppa whilst your little ones play at Wickys.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets (wristbands): £15 Adult (£50 annual pass), £18 Children (£70 annual pass).
For more information or to book tickets visit www.wicksteedpark.org.
Wicksteed Park, Barton Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 6NJ
