Oakwood Theme Park

As we are always looking to offer different events to keep things fresh and exciting for everyone, it was finally time for us to arrange an event at Oakwood Theme Park. Our previous Oakwood event was during our early days in 2014 with a turnout below 40, this time we had 102 booked on. 

The huge motivating factors for organising this event were to support Oakwood Theme Park, and to give everyone a chance to experience repeat rides on the refurbished Megafobia. 

Early in the morning on a warm Saturday the group assembled in the car park by the new entrance for Oakwood, some tired faces after a long drive but also a few more local enthusiasts ready to show off their local park.

The planned Exclusive Ride Time was a generous 90 minute session time on Megafobia. The work done by the Gravity Group on the classic CCI wooden coaster was creating a lovely ride experience for everyone. Lots of airtime and a reasonably smooth ride meant plenty of running around for another go. The 90 minutes flew by and the enthusiasm for the “best woodie in the UK” was clear to see.

After the ERT had finished there was free time for everyone to experience the other rides that the park had to offer including several coasters (highlights being Speed: No Limits and Crocodile Coaster). Tink's Flying School was also a favourite with many of the attendees due to how quick and raucous the children’s ride can actually get.

It wouldn’t be a Your Experience Guide event without a water ride takeover or two, unfortunately for us Drenched was not open but the next hour to two hours proved we didn’t need it to get very wet. Starting off with the Skull Rock Log Flume, several boats went round but not many were getting a soaking, so to ensure a proper soaking the group moved round to the famous Waterfall, a toboggan water slide where two slides next to each other drop down a steep track before skating over the water troth at the bottom or depositing the rider into the water. The cheers as people hit the water could be heard across the park with people coming to see what was happening and even join in.

After a group photo the main part of the day was done and people spread out across the park. Some took the opportunity to continue with water rides with the slides, these were wetter than anyone could have guessed. Others went off to continue to lap Megafobia which was walk on and running very well after warming up through the day.

A great event which was well attended and supported a park that more people need to get over to experience.

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Trip report by Sam Billyard, photos taken by Tom Everitt and Mark Yates.