Alton Towers
New: Submission.
Main attractions: Nemesis, Black Hole, Corkscrew, Ripsaw and Oblivion.
Specials: Team Extreme, July 23 - September 2. Peter Rabbit on Ice to September 2.
Food: usual franchises, plus family restaurants.
Height restrictions: lowest 0.9m, highest: 1.4m.
Opening hours: rides from 10am. Closing times vary from 5pm - 8pm.
Prices: (off peak/peak/ premium) adult one-day £17/£22/£23; child one-day £14/£18/£19; family (two adults and two kids) one-day £60/£68/£70.
How to get there: signposted from the M1 and M6. Parking for 6,000 cars.
Accommodation: Hotel with 175 rooms .
Address: Alton Towers, Alton, Staffordshire, ST10 4DB.
Link: www.altontowers.com
Tel: 08705 20 40 60.
Thorpe Park
New: Zodiac, Detonator, and Vortex, due to open at the end of the month.
Main attractions: Tidal Wave, Flying Fish, log flume and rapids.
Food: variety of themed restaurants, fast-food joints, snack kiosks and sweet shops.
Height restrictions: lowest 0.9m, highest 1.4m.
Opening hours: 10am weekdays, 9.30am weekends and school holidays. Closing varies from 5pm - 7.30pm.
Prices: (on day/in advance dated/in advance open) adult £19/£17/£18, child £15/£13/ £14, OAPs £14, disabled£12; family £59/£55/£57.
How to get there: on the A320 between Staines and Chertsey near junctions 11 and 13 of the M25. Parking for 8,000 cars. Nearest station, Staines.
Accommodation: no hotel on site but several in area.
Address: Thorpe Park, Staines Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8PN.
Link: www.thorpepark.com
Tel: 0870 444 44 66.
Disneyland Paris
Main attractions: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, and Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain.
Specials: Toon Circus, Tarzan Encounter; Winnie the Pooh and Friends; and the Electric Light Parade every night at 10.30pm followed by fireworks.
Food: dozens of restaurants with ethnic themes plus familiar favourites.
Height restrictions: lowest 1m, highest 1.4m.
Opening hours: 9am - 8pm until July 7 then 9am - 11pm until September 2.
Prices: (adult/child) one-day £23/£18; two-day £44/£34; three-day £61/£48.
How to get there: Eurostar (08705 186186) daily (until September 28) from Waterloo and Ashford. Also, shuttle bus from centre of Paris.
Accommodation: seven themed hotels.
Address: Disneyland Paris, Paris, France.
Link: www.disneylandparis.com
Tel: 08705 03 03 03.
Chessington World of Adventures
New: Toady's Crazy Cars, and Berry Bouncers.
Main attractions: Rameses Revenge, Samurai, Dragon Falls and Bubble Works.
Food: variety of stalls, restaurant and fast-food outlets.
Height restrictions: lowest 0.9m, highest 1.4m.
Opening hours: 10am until October 28. Closing times vary from 5pm - 7.30pm.
Prices: (on day/in advance dated/in advance open) family (4 persons) £63/£59/ £61; adult £19.95/£18/£19; child (4 - 12) £16/£14/£15; OAP £12, disabled £12, children under 4 free.
How to get there: on the A243 two miles from the A3 and the M25 junctions 9 and 10. Trains to Chessington plus buses.
Accommodation: no hotel on site but several in area.
Address: Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2NE.
Link: www.chessington.com
Tel: 0870 444 7777.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Main attractions: Valhalla, Avalanche bobsleigh,Irn Bru Revolution, the Pepsi Max Big One, wooden rollercoaster classics Big Dipper, Grand National and Wild Mouse .
Specials: Hot Ice skating spectacular, Mystique magic show, and Eclipse, which is a mix of circus and ballet. Plus Bradley Beaver for young children.
Food: over 45 restaurants, bars and cafés.
Height restrictions: lowest 1.01m, highest 1.32m.
Opening hours: times vary, call for details.
Prices: Unlimited ride wristband £25.
How to get there: Junction 32 off the M6 on to the M55. Over 1,000 parking spaces on site. Train to Blackpool North and Pleasure Beach station.
Accommodation: no hotels on site but huge variety in the town.
Address: Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool, England FY4 1EZ.
Link: www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.co.uk
Tel: 0870 444 5566.
Legoland
New: Lego Races, Creation Centre.
Main attractions: Dragon Coaster, Driving School, Wave Surfer, Pirate Falls.
Specials: Life on Mars, plus Football Week May 26 - June 3.
Food: Eight restaurants and 30 carts and stalls.
Height restrictions: lowest 0.9m, highest 1.3m.
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm or 6pm. School summer holidays 10am - 7pm.
Prices: adult £18.50, child (3 - 15 years) £15.50, under threes free, senior citizens £12.50. Two-day pass for any two days: adult £25, child £22, senior £19.
How to get there: two miles from Windsor on the B3022. Shuttle bus from Windsor station.
Accommodation: none on site but several in Windsor.
Address: Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 4AY.
Link: www.legoland.co.uk
Tel: 08705 040404.
