Alton Towers
New: Air.
Main attractions: Nemesis, Black Hole, Oblivion.
Food: Branded family restaurants and fast-food, including Nemesis Nosh.
Opening hours: 9.30am till (varies) 5pm-7pm until Nov 3.
Prices: (off-peak/peak/premium) child £15.50/£19.50/ £20; adult £18.50/£23.50/£25; family £62/£70/£74.
How to get there: By car: Take junction 15/6 from the M6, or junction 23A/28 from the M1, and follow signs. By rail: to Stoke-on-Trent then bus shuttles. Package deals with Virgin Trains and Midland Main-Line.
Accommodation: Alton Towers Hotel: family rooms (off-peak/peak/premium) £115/£145/£160 B&B.
Address: Alton, Staffordshire, ST10 4DB.
Link: altontowers.com.
Tel: 08705 204060.
Thorpe Park
New: Colossus, Ribena Rumba Rapids.
Main attractions: Detonator, Vortex, Zodiac.
Food: Dropped Anchor Inn, The Hungry Pirate and Pot Bellies Restaurant.
Opening hours : 9am/10am-5pm/7.30pm, until November 3.
Prices: (off-peak/peak/premium) child £14.50/£17/£18; adult £17/£21/£23; family £52/£63/£65. Discount for advanced bookings.
How to get there: By road: on the A320, take junction 11 or 13 from the M25 and follow signs. Rail: to Staines then shuttle bus.
Accommodation: The Crown Hotel, 7 London Street, Chertsey, Surrey (01932 564657). Family rooms from £65 B&B (2 adults/2 children under 12).
Address: Staines Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8PN.
Link: thorpepark.com.
Tel: 0870 4444466.
Chessington World of Adventures
New: Vampire, Tomb Blaster and Dennis's Madhouse.
Main attractions: Rameses Revenge, Samurai, Dragon Falls.
Food: Sleepy Joe's Rib-Shack and Bush BBQ and Bar, plus fast-food outlets.
Opening hours: 10am-5pm/ 7.30pm, until November 3.
Prices: (off-peak/peak) child £14.50/£17; adult £17/£21; family £32/£63.
How to get there: By road:12 miles from London on the A243, 2 miles from the A3 and M25 (junction 9 or 10). By train: from Waterloo to Chessington.
Accommodation: Advanced booking and information line: 0870 4444466.
Address: Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 2NE.
Link: chessington.com.
Tel: 0870 4447777.
Legoland
New: Hall of Fame and Adventurers' Express.
Main attractions: Dragon Coaster, Wave surfer, Pirate Falls.
Food: Six main restaurants.
Opening hours: 10am-5pm/ 7pm until November 3.
Prices: (off-peak/peak) child £15.95/ £19.95; adult £18.95/ £22.95; senior citizens £12.95/ £16.95. £1 discount online.
How to get there: 2 miles outside Windsor on the B3022. Signposted from M3 (junction 3) and M4 (junction 6). Shuttle bus leaves town centre every 30 minutes 10am-6pm daily.
Accommodation: Accommodation booking hotline: 01753 743907, windsor.gov.uk.
Address: Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 4AY.
Link: legoland.co.uk.
Tel: 08705 040404.
Disneyland Resort Paris
Main attractions at Disneyland Paris: Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril.
Main attractions at Walt Disney Studios: See story above.
Food for both: Cafés, bars, and themed restaurants.
Opening hours for both: 9am-8pm until July 6 then 9am-11pm (Studios close at 9pm when guests can transfer over for free) until September 1.
Prices: 1-day adult entry into either park €36, children €29; 3-day adult entry into both €99, children €80.
How to get there: By car: take exit 14 from the A4 (Autoroute de l'Est) from Paris. Parking: €7/day. By rail: 35 min utes from Paris, RER line A to Marne la Vallée/Chessy station, 100m from the Park gates. By air: Reissy/Charles-de-Gaulle.
Accommodation: Seven themed hotels.
Address: Batiments Administratifs, Route Nationale 34, Chessy, 77144 Motevrain.
Link: disneylandparis.com.
Tel: 08705 030303.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
New: WK2 and Impossible.
Main attractions: Valhalla, Avalanche bobsleigh, Irn Bru Revolution, the Pepsi Max Big One, Big Dipper.
Specials: Hot Ice, Mystique, The Globe, Eclipse.
Food: Over 45 restaurants, bars and cafés.
Opening hours: Times vary.
Prices: Unlimited ride wristband £25.
How to get there: By car: follow signs from M6 (junction 32). By rail: change at Preston for Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Accommodation: hotline: 0870 4445567. Stay and ride packages from £20.
Address: Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool, FY4 1EZ.
Link: blackpoolpleasurebeach.co.uk.
Tel: 0870 4445566.
