Blog and Latest News - Mark's Parks - Theme Park News, Guides and Reviews

9th October 2025

Is Lightwater Valley up for sale or sold?

After spending the last few years turning Lightwater Valley into a shadow of its former self by removing anything remotely thrilling it appears The Brighton Pier Group might have sold or be trying to sell Lightwater Valley. Posts this morning suggested it had been up for sale with Newmark with a guide price of £3,000,000 […]

3rd October 2025

Pleasurewood Hills sold by The Looping Group

In my blog about the Cannonball Express a little while back I mentioned that I didn’t think Pleasurewood Hills had many years left before it closed but its fortune might have changed with today’s news. It has been announced that The Looping Group who have owned the park since 2011 have sold the park to […]

9th September 2025

Alton Towers confirms Bluey Roller Coaster

In what is the worst kept secret in theme park history, Alton Towers confirmed yesterday that the replacement for the Postman Pat ride in CBeebies land will be a Bluey-themed roller coaster. Alton Towers has been busy working on this ride over the last few months including shortening Get Set Go and removing Postman Pat […]

22nd August 2025

Will Thorpe Park be removing Rumba Rapids?

Rumba Rapids at Thorpe Park originally opened in 1987 as Thunder River and has been a staple at the park ever since, undergoing a rebrand to Ribera Rumba Rapids and eventually becoming known as Rumba Rapids as the sponsorship ended. However, over the last couple of years the ride has operated for less of the […]

13th August 2025

Dawn of Time Ride POV | Blackpool Tower’s Lost Dinosaur Attraction

Step back in time under Blackpool Tower! Here’s a rare POV of Dawn of Time — the prehistoric dark ride that took visitors through dinosaurs, cavemen, and a spooky underworld. This unique attraction is long gone, but if you remember riding it (or want to see what it was like), enjoy this ride-through! 🦖 Did […]

10th August 2025

Rare Alton Towers 1996 Footage | Retro UK Theme Parks

Take a trip back to Alton Towers in 1996! Here’s rare vintage footage showing the park as it looked in the middle of the 90s — old rides, classic branding, and the atmosphere theme park fans love. If you visited back then, what do you remember? Featuring footage of Old MacDonald’s Tractor Ride, Squirrel Nutty, […]

22nd July 2025

Merlin abandon fish in closed Bear Grill’s adventure

A video, originally posted in January and reposted on Sunday shows urban explorers exploring the Bear Grill’s Adventure in Birmingham which closed in October has shown dead fish and abandoned animals including sharks. You can watch the full video here. The video shows Tokyo Matilda and friends exploring the closed site in January where most […]

22nd July 2025

ASPRO turns down offer to save Oakwood Theme Park

We reported a few weeks ago that Revive.Wales had a plan to save Oakwood Theme Park after ASPRO announced it would not reopen for 2025 and made it’s future even more uncertain by removing a huge amount of rides from the park. Unfortunately, Revive.Wales have now provided an update by saying that ASPRO’s senior leadership […]

9th July 2025

Kölner Seilbahn Full Roundtrip POV – Cologne Cable Car Ride Over the Rhine! 🇩🇪

Take a full roundtrip ride on the Kölner Seilbahn – Cologne’s iconic cable car over the Rhine River! This uninterrupted POV lets you experience the entire journey from above, showcasing stunning views of Cologne, the river, and landmarks like the Cologne Zoo and Rheinpark. 📍 Location: Cologne, Germany 🎢 Type: Aerial Cable Car / Seilbahn […]

2nd July 2025

Alton Towers Toyland Tours (1996) | Rare POV On-Ride Video

Take a nostalgic journey back to Alton Towers in 1996 with this full POV of Toyland Tours, one of the park’s most beloved and whimsical dark rides. From bubbling bathtubs to cheeky characters and that unforgettable Cadbury scene, this retro classic was a staple of 90s theme park magic. Whether you rode it as a […]

30th June 2025

Merlin Reports HUGE £492m loss for 2024!

Following on from Merlin’s £214m loss in 2023 the company who operates lots of attractions across the UK (and the world) reported a £492m loss for 2024. As part of the report Motion JVco who are Merlin’s parent company said reducing costs was a key part of their future which follows big cuts across Merlin […]

14th June 2025

Could Oakwood Theme Park be saved? All we know about revive.wales

A few months ago Oakwood Theme Park’s owners announced it would not be opening for 2025 and with drone footage showing many rides being removed it looks like Aspro Parks actually have no intention of ever re-opening Oakwood. But, a couple of months ago revive.wales was launched with a group of unknown investors led by […]

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