Thomas Land February 2016 VIP Day Out

On Saturday 27th February we embarked on the long drive to Thomas Land, Tamworth (Drayton Manor Dr, Fazeley, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 3TW), for a VIP Blogger Day Out (as pictured above on arrival). It's a journey we are familiar with as Aaron has been going to Thomas Land since he was 2 years old. This is our post about it which to date has had nearly 23,000 views: Thomas Land August 2012.

We found with our first visit to Thomas Land that it was tough doing the return journey with a day on your feet, so the next two times we went, we stayed in the Drayton Manor Hotel, which is lovely. I guess it didn't help that the first visit was in August, their busiest month of the year LOL. The Drayton Manor Hotel is quite corporate as it has a lot of business customers, but there are Thomas statues and wall features everywhere so you are in no doubt as to where you are. There are even Thomas themed rooms but we are yet to try one of those. Our hotel review: Drayton Manor Hotel. Make sure you bring a couple of Thomas carriages as there are several tracks near the dinner/breakfast tables. Aaron was so distraught not to have one (they were all at home) that they opened the hotel shop to let him have one - amazing service. Actually that Drayton Manor hotel review is from June 2013 (when we went for Aaron's birthday) and the wooden green Thomas train: Smudger that he is holding in the picture is one that we bought for him on our previous visit. The time when we didn't have one was October 2012 (yep we went twice in 2012, August and October half term) because every day Aaron asked when we would go again). It's so long ago I can't imagine him saying much at that age but equally I remember him talking about it to and from nursery and at nursery.

The rides that we go on each time we go, are totally different. 2012 he screamed on the Troublesome Trucks rollercoaster - this time he'd have been fine with it but we ran out of time. 2012 he loved Harold the Helicopter and thought Jeremy Jet's Flying Academy was too fast - whereas this time he ADORED the planes and was cooler on them than Mummy. Our video footage on the planes is hilarious. Part of my Vlog that I'll link to below. 2012 he was frightened by Bertie Bus whereas this time he couldn't get enough of Bertie Bus AND Toby's Tram Express (which he called flying Toby). Loved it so much he went on it twice.

I guess what I am trying to say, is, not only does Thomas Land cater for a large range of ages, meaning you can grow up wih it, which Aaron loving it at age two and at age 5 (6 in June) proves, but also it means you can take siblings  or cousins with a really wide range of ages. Drayton Manor was not open when we were there as it was February, but if you go from March onwards you even have the thrill rides in the theme park to entertain teens and tweens. The dates that Drayton Manor are open are here: Drayton Manor opening days. Limited opening dates from March and fully open from April. August 2012 we brought a young and an old cousin. The younger one did Thomas Land with Aaron and I and the tween did Drayton Manor with Daddy. We did spend the first half of the day all together though. It's exceptional value when you consider that the entrance covers you for both theme parks.

In 2014 I don't think we went at all and Aaron really missed it, so we ensured that July 2015 we made a return visit - our excited Vlog says it all really:

July 2015 was a particularly special experience as we got to see the fruits of the Thomas Land expansion that had happened in April. After having been a few times, it was so exciting to see our favourite place revamped

After undergoing a huge £2.5million expansion that will see the attraction be bigger and better than ever, Thomas & Friends™ enthusiasts will come face to face with new characters with the introduction of Flynn the Fire Engine, who is equipped with on-board hoses so riders can help to put any fires out, and Captain’s Sea Adventure, which introduces not one, but six rotating Captain lifeboat carriages, all complete with their own cannons to squirt water.
The exciting new Thomas Land will also see the arrival of the brand new two-storey Sodor Airport.

It actually felt as if Winston's Whistle Stop Tour was part of the expansion too as when we went July 2015 it was our first time experiencing it (pic of a carriage below). There's footage of a journey on there, on both vlogs. It's a wonderful ride as there is a voiceover all the way around explaining what you are passing and you are high above the theme park with a view of everything. Perfect for youngsters as even though you have an amazing view it's really not that high. Ah it opened July 2013 and before 2015 we hadn't been since June 2013 that explains it.
 
July 2015 visit was just Mummy, Daddy and Aaron, so he was thrilled with our current visit February 2016 as he went with his best friend and enjoyable things are always best shared! Yes! Aaron's best friend's Mum is my best friend so it couldn't have been more perfect. They travelled to see us Friday night. We all travelled there together and they were with us Sunday too.

 

The best way to get an insight into our day though is to watch our Vlog. Despite having really bad flu I spent all day yesterday editing it:

This post is our entry to be chosen as blogger ambassadors for Thomas Land. The full selection of Thomas Land rides can be discovered here: Thomas Land rides. 

As you can see there is something for every age and it's popular with girls and boys and even more so with the avid Thomas fan.

We even brought the new member of the family proving that Thomas Land caters for newborns too. There was 3 of us bloggers at the VIP event with newborns :-)