Thorpe Park is an amusement park outside London. Without a car, the recommended route is the train from London Waterloo to Staines, then the 950 Express Bus to the resort, which only runs when the park is open. Oyster cards, contactless cards and Freedom Passes are not valid on the South Western Railway train to Staines, while the bus itself takes cash or contactless only. Driving, the car park is a paid facility, and prices are subject to change.
The trade-off for most families is timing: Tuesdays to Thursdays in school term time are typically the quietest days, while Saturdays, Sundays, school holidays and bank holidays are busier. On any day, the first hour after opening is often the quietest, and queues often shorten noticeably in the last 60 to 90 minutes as groups head home. Fastrack passes, sold as packages from a single ride up to unlimited access, skip the main queue on the biggest attractions.
Changing Places in The Dome has a hoist, an adult changing bed, a height-adjustable sink, a shower and space for two helpers; it opens with a RADAR key, which can be borrowed at Island Help & Information if you don’t have your own. A limited number of wheelchairs can be hired from Guest Services on a first come, first served basis. Guests who can’t queue for long because of a long-term health condition or disability can use the Ride Access Pass, a virtual queue that has to be pre-booked in the Merlin Ride Access Pass app before each visit and does not include park admission.
