Crealy Theme Park & Resort

Crealy Theme Park & Resort, formerly Crealy Adventure Park & Resort, is Southwest England's largest family theme park attraction with over 60 rides, attractions, live shows, animal attractions and Sooty Land. Just outside Exeter in over 100 acres of countryside, it also has a large lodge, campsites and variety of entertainment and sport facilities.

Crealy Theme Park & Resort
Previously known as Crealy the Great Farm Adventure (1989-1992)

Crealy Country

Crealy Adventure Park & Resort
LocationExeter, Devon, United Kingdom
Coordinates50.705669°N 3.416076°W / 50.705669; -3.416076
StatusOperating
Opened1989 (1989)
Operated byMaximum Fun Devon Limited
SloganThe biggest family Theme Park in Devon!
Operating seasonEvery day through summer season, reduced hours during winter.
AreaMore than 100 acres (40 ha)
Attractions
Total21
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The land for Crealy Theme Park & Resort was bought from King's College, Cambridge in 1982. Its first visitors arrived in 1988 when it was operating as a farm, coming to see the cows being milked using its state-of-the-art dairy unit. It officially opened in 1989 as a working farm, Crealy the Great Farm Adventure, the same year its restaurant and Treetops playground were opened.[1]

In 1992, the name of the park changed to Crealy Country and more attractions were introduced, including quad bikes and the bumper boat lake.[1]

In 1994, the cows were sold so that their barns could be used for undercover attractions. The next year, the Adventure Zone was opened.[1]

In 1997, the Magical Kingdom (formerly Buddy Bear's Kingdom and now The Pier) was opened.[1]

In 2000 the park's first rollercoaster was added – a Vekoma Junior Coaster called Maximus.[2] Further rollercoasters were added in 2014 and 2015.[3] Its 2015 addition, Twister Rollercoaster, a spinning wild mouse, is the largest ride in the park.[4][5]

In 2011, following some refurbishments, Devon County Council granted owners Maximum Fun a licence to keep various exotic animals and operate Crealy as a zoo. The first animals to be exhibited were Meerkats. [6]

In 2012, the park opened accommodation nearby at Crealy Meadows Caravan and Camping Park. Now known as Crealy Meadows, the site offers camping and caravan pitches, themed tents, and luxury lodges and glamping.[1]

In February 2019, Crealy abandoned zero-hour contracts for its staff in favour of permanent roles. The park speculated that it was one of the first theme parks in the country to do this.[7]

In February 2022, the park announced the opening of a Sooty-themed area for the May Half Term. It features four rides, a themed store, other themed attractions and a live show. It opened on May 28, 2022.[8]

Rides

Presently Crealy has over 60 rides, attractions and live shows. These include thrill rides, rollercoasters, water rides, and indoor and outdoor play areas. The Animal Barn houses zoo and farm animals.[1]

# Name Manufacturer Opened Description
1 Sooty's Magic Bus Zamperla 2022 Colourful bus with views across the land
2 Soo's Sweet Balloon Ride Zamperla 2022 Colourful balloons and views of Sooty Land
3 Sweeps' Flying Circus SBF/VISA 2022 Circus themed planes, peaceful flight, view below
4 Izzy Wizzy Let's Get Dizzy Moser's rides 2022 Colourful cars and famous spell, "Izzy Wizzy, Let's Get Dizzy!"
5 The Jolly Roger Zamperla 2017 Rocking and spinning pirate ship
6 The Junior Driving School World of Rides 2017 Tricky course for young guests, with twists and turns
7 Twister Rollercoaster SBF/VISA 2015 Twisting track, three hundred metres long, twelve metres high
8 Dino Jeeps Zamperla 2014 Family exploration area
9 Seacups SBF/VISA 2014 Aquatic ride hosted by King Neptune
10 Shark Bay Coaster SBF/VISA 2014 Junior indoor coaster, located in Lost World of Atlantis
11 Supersubs SBF/VISA 2014 Enjoyable underwater world
12 The Flying Machine Zamperla 2014 Family-friendly machine, goes high
13 Safari Express SBF/VISA 2013 Family ride, potentially visible animals
14 Crealy Grand Prix Formula K - Go Karts 2011 Four-wheeled multiplayer game
15 Vortex Water Coaster Van Egdom 2010 World's first triple tube water coaster
16 Dolphin Drop Zamperla 2008 Ride with dolphins and propulsion to ocean surface
17 Tidal Wave Log Flume L&T Systems 2008 Double drop high speed water slide into dark water
18 Victorian Carousel Walker 2003 Most beautiful ride, built around 1884, slow
19 Flying Dutchman Metalbau 2000 Swing, swoops low
20 Maximus Rollercoaster Vekoma 2000 Departs from "ancient Roman buildings"
21 Aqua Blasters JJ Amusements 1992 Bumper boat in lagoon with fast-pumping water cannon

Camel Creek Adventure Park

Terry Sandling bought Trelow Farm in Tredinnick and opened the property to the public in 1989 as The Shire Horse Centre. The property was then sold to Crealy Great Adventure Parks in 2004. Following an acquisition in 2015, John Broome CBE purchased Cornwall's Crealy and rebranded it as Camel Creek Adventure Park. The park attracts approximately 200,000 people a year.[9]

Major rides include the new 5D Simulator, Morgawr, The Beast, Raging River and Thunder Falls. Camel Creek targets younger children up to the age of six. Swampy and Dina are resident characters.

References

  1. "About Us". www.crealy.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  2. "Maximus - Crealy Adventure Park (Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  3. "Crealy Adventure Park (Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  4. "Twister Rollercoaster - Crealy Adventure Park (Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  5. Hoyles, Francesca (3 October 2017). "Crealy theme park, Devon: everything you need to know about visiting this summer". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  6. "Crealy adds animals". Park World Online. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  7. Wilkins, Daniel (8 February 2019). "Crealy abandons zero-hour contracts - 100 jobs being offered". Exmouth Journal. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  8. "Crealy Theme Park & Resort announces the opening of Sooty Land this May Half Term".
  9. "Alton Towers founder buys Cornwall Crealy theme park". BBC News. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.