The exciting new-look Thomas Land captures all the adventures of Thomas & Friends and the magical island of Sodor, with a central feature of the stunning new two-storey Sodor Airport.
In a traditional terminal style it has a top level balcony for VIP ‘travellers’ with not-to-be-missed views of Thomas Land. The area has five themed rooms that will be available for private hire for events, parties or large family groups looking to make their day out extra special!
The ground level will feature a café for guests to relax and enjoy a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks before they depart for their Thomas Land adventure. Jeremy Jet’s Flying Academy will also be landing in its new location outsideSodor Airport, ready to take passengers on their flight over Sodor.
The first of the new Thomas & Friends character rides is the fast and fearless Flynn the Fire Engine who is equipped with on-board hoses so riders can help to put any fires out!
There is also Captain’s Sea Adventure that will feature six rotating Captain lifeboat carriages, all complete with their own cannons to squirt water. Toby the steam tram who wobbles, spins and turns also arrives with the Toby’s Tram Express!
Merrick the sleepy gantry crane will also be joining Blue Mountain Engines Sir Handle, Skarloey, Rheneas and Peter Sam all the way from Skarloey Railway where visitors simply climb aboard and enjoy the ride.
In addition to the new rides and café there will also be a fountain of the ever-popular Fat Controller and three Victorian fairground games plus a bandstand for live performances.
Colin Bryan, CEO of Drayton Manor, commented:
2015 marks the 65th anniversary of Drayton Manor and throughout our long history we’ve always prided ourselves on offering a fun day out for the whole family. That was the reasoning behind the launch of Thomas Land in 2008. Since then the area has gone from strength to strength and has provided an immersive experience for fans both young and old. We are delighted to be extending it this year with all these fantastic new rides and facilities for our visitors to enjoy.
Drayton Manor is also home to some of the biggest, wettest and scariest rides around including the 54-metre tower drop,Apocalypse, voted UK’s scariest ride by Channel 5’s The Gadget Show, and Europe’s only stand up coaster, Shockwave. It also boasts a stunning 4D Cinema hosting a brand new resident this coming season, as well as a fantastic 15-acre Zoo which is home to over 100 different animal species.
