ThemeParks-UK.com, an independent guide to UK theme parks, is pleased to announce the winners of the UK Theme Park Awards 2020. Votes in 20 categories, including Best Theme Park for Families, Best Value and Best Accessibility, have been counted and combined with scores from the expert judges to decide the best theme parks in the country.
See also: The top theme parks in the UK 2021
Alton Towers has been named as Theme Park of the Year, with Chessington World of Adventure being recognised as the Best Theme Park for Families and Thorpe Park winning Best Theme Park for Thrills.
First UK Theme Park Awards
The awards, launched by ThemeParks-UK.com, have allowed the British public to have their say on the country’s top theme parks for the first time, voting on the best rides, attractions, shows and events.
A total of 154,104 votes were received, which were then combined with scores from a panel of leading experts from the UK attractions industry: Paul Kelly, Chief Executive – British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions, Andy Hine MBE, Chairman – Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain, Paul Burton, Chairman – European Coaster Club, Charles Read, Managing Director – Blooloop and Lawrence Roots, Editor – ThemeParks-UK.com.
Some parks won big, with Alton Towers being recognised 14 times, Blackpool Pleasure Beach winning 11 awards and Thorpe Park bagging 10 awards.
Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey received five awards, LEGOLAND Windsor in Berkshire won four and Drayton Manor in Staffordshire won three. Paultons Park in Hampshire and Pleasurewood Hills were both named twice, while Fantasy Island in Lincolnshire and Twinlakes Park in Leicestershire won one award each.
UK Theme Park Awards winners 2020
The full list of winners is as follows:
Theme Park of the Year
- Gold: Alton Towers
- Silver: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Bronze: Thorpe Park
Best Theme Park for Families
- Gold: Chessington World of Adventures
- Silver: Paultons Park
- Bronze: LEGOLAND Windsor
Best Theme Park for Thrills
- Gold: Thorpe Park
- Silver: Alton Towers
- Bronze: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Best Roller Coaster
- Gold: Wicker Man (Alton Towers)
- Silver: Nemesis (Alton Towers)
- Bronze: ICON (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
Best Thrill Ride
- Gold: Apocalypse (Drayton Manor)
- Silver: Samurai (Thorpe Park)
- Bronze: Rush (Thorpe Park)
Best Water Ride
- Gold: Valhalla (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
- Silver: Tidal Wave (Thorpe Park)
- Bronze: The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure (Chessington World of Adventures)
Best Family Area
- Gold: Cbeebies Land (Alton Towers)
- Silver: Thomas Land (Drayton Manor)
- Bronze: Nickelodeon Land (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
Best Indoor Attraction
- Gold: Wallace & Gromit’s Thrill-O-Matic (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
- Silver: Hex (Alton Towers)
- Bronze: Derren Brown’s Ghost Train (Thorpe Park)
Best Show
- Gold: Alton Towers Fireworks (Alton Towers)
- Silver: Hot Ice (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
- Bronze: Pirates of Skeleton Bay (LEGOLAND Windsor)
Best Restaurant
- Gold: Rollercoaster Restaurant (Alton Towers)
- Silver: White Tower Restaurant (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
- Bronze: Zafari Bar & Grill (Chessington World of Adventures)
Best Accommodation
- Gold: Alton Towers
- Silver: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Bronze: LEGOLAND Windsor
Best Halloween Event
- Gold: Alton Towers Scarefest
- Silver: Thorpe Park Fright Nights
- Bronze: Xtreme Scream Park (Twinlakes Park)
Best Christmas Event
- Gold: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
- Silver: Drayton’s Magical Christmas (Drayton Manor)
- Bronze: LEGOLAND at Christmas (LEGOLAND Windsor)
Best Social Media Engagement
- Gold: Alton Towers
- Silver: Thorpe Park
- Bronze: Fantasy Island
Best Customer Service
- Gold: Alton Towers
- Silver: Thorpe Park
- Bronze: Chessington World of Adventures
Best Value
- Gold: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Silver: Paultons Park
- Bronze: Pleasurewood Hills
Best Accessibility
- Gold: Alton Towers
- Silver: Thorpe Park
- Bronze: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Best Lockdown Activity
- Gold: Alton Towers Together (Alton Towers)
- Silver: Chessington Broadcasting LIVE! (Chessington)
- Bronze: Woody & Friends Dance Party (Pleasurewood Hills)
Blogger of the Year
- Gold: Coaster Bot
- Silver: Cupcakes & Coasters
- Bronze: Theme Park Guide
Vlogger of the Year
- Gold: Theme Park Worldwide
- Silver: TheJackSilkstone
- Bronze: Pleasure Beach Experience
The category of Best Lockdown Activity was a recent addition, in recognition of the excellent work that UK theme parks have been doing to entertain the public while closed due to the pandemic.
