Pleasure Island Review
Pleasure Island
Lincolnshire
Reviewed by Susan Ling
A group of us (4 adults and 3 children) decided to take a trip to our local theme park, Pleasure Island in Cleethorpes. We browsed the website before setting off and found it very informative and easy to use, and all the pictures whipped the children’s excitement levels through the roof! I would definitely recommend checking the opening times before setting off as they are different throughout the holiday season.
We found the park was very easy to find, being well signposted and there is ample parking, (although the car park is in need of an overhaul as it looks like a piece of wasteland!). There were only very short queues at the entrance, and the staff on reception and the entrance gates were friendly and welcoming.
All of the rides were colour coded by height which made it simple to see which children were allowed on which ride. My 3 year old was too small to goon many of the rides by herself, but there were a lot of rides which she could go on if accompanied by an adult.
We all had a turn on the Flying Chairs and then spent a while in the Tinkerboo Fun Factory, which is aimed at children under 8, and has soft play areas, a few roundaboutstyle rides and a cafe. We then went on the Tinkerboo boat ride, which the children loved, although the entrance could do with some extra lighting. The mini dodgems were also a big hit. All of these attractions are under cover, which would be great in wet weather.
Next we went to see the sea lion show, which takes place at regular intervals throughout the day. The show was very entertaining and educational my daughter can now tell me the difference between a sea lion and a seal! There was ample seating, which was tiered so everyone got a good view. I was pleased to note there were designated spaces for wheelchair users, and also a place to park pushchairs. There is also a parrot show running 4 times a day but we didn’t get to see this as we simply ran out of time.
There are plenty of picnic tables dotted all over the park if you are planning to bring a picnic; we did this and ate in the Kiddies Cove, a nice little play area for under 8’s. If you are intending to buy food in the park, there are quite a few cafes, snack bars and fast food restaurants to choose from, and the prices are reasonable.
We had a walk around the new farm area, which is mostly open air and winds its way around some of the rides. It is very well presented, looks clean and the animals look well cared for. The children enjoyed reading about the animals and seeing the baby goats, pigs and sheep. Whilst we were in the farm area, my husband and his friend braved the Boomerang, the Hydromax and the HyperBlaster white knuckle rides and enjoyed them all.
Next we tried the Astra Slide (several times!), a monorail train ride, the Carousel, the spinning Oyster Shells, the Frog Hopper and the Mini Mine Train. The ghost ride, Shrieksville, looked good but the children were all scared and refused to go on! We also had chance to take one of the pedal boats out onto the lake in the middle of the park for a while before closing time; we all had a quick look around the gift shop for souvenirs, which were surprisingly inexpensive.
The park itself appeared clean and the staff were invariably friendly. One attendant was especially helpful, offering to hold a bag for us whilst we took a turn on a ride. Most of the staff were young and seemed to lack the confidence to make small talk but they still smiled which was welcoming enough.
The only drawback of the park is that there are only two toilet blocks, at either end of the park and they are not that well sign posted. This is not great when you have young children! Also, there are not many rides for thrill seekers when compared to the bigger theme parks, but the entry price reflects this.
I was surprised at how much we all enjoyed the day. There is something to do for children (of all ages) and adults alike, which makes this an excellent family day out. A fantastic time was had by all we will definitely be returning!
Rating: 4.5/5
Tickets cost: £19.50 (over 1 metre tall). Book online for discounts.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.pleasure-island.co.uk.
Pleasure Island Theme Park, King’s Road, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, DN35 0PL
