From twists and loops to high-speed thrills, Britain’s theme parks are home to some impressive rides and attractions, and this year’s UK Theme Park Awards highlight some of the very best. Known for its famous Peppa Pig World, Hampshire-based Paultons Park takes home gold for Theme Park of the Year in the over one million visitors category. It shares the title with Pleasurewood Hills in Suffolk, which is East Anglia’s biggest theme park. Despite being dubbed one of the worst seaside towns in the country, and placing in the bottom five of resorts surveyed by Which? recently, Blackpool also performed well in the awards.Pleasure Beach Resort bagged eight titles, ranging from Best New Attraction to Best Seaside Resort. The amusement park made headlines earlier this week after Derek Cowan proposed to mum-of-two Nicolle Henderson on the Avalanche ride, the BBC reports. Meanwhile Sandcastle Waterpark, which is also located in Blackpool, took home a prize too. Read on to discover the award-winning theme parks across the UK.Theme Park of the Year Paultons Park was named the Theme Park of the Year in the over one million visitors category Pleasurewood Hills bagged gold for the under one million visitors categoryOver one million visitors: Paultons ParkThe award-winning attraction has earned the title two years in a row, and is known for its ‘Disney-like’ themes, details, and immersive experiences. Earlier this year, it opened its new Viking-themed world, which features Paultons Park’s first inverting rollercoaster and is the park’s largest investment to date at £12million.Under one million visitors: Pleasurewood Hills Pleasurewood Hills first opened in 1983 and is a family-friendly amusement park based in Suffolk.It boasts everything from thrill-seeker rides to children’s attractions and even hosts a range of live displays including ‘Birds of Paradise’ and ‘Sea Lion Splash’.Best New Attraction Drakon, at Paultons Park, was awarded best new attraction As was Spinning Racer at Lightwater Valley which launched earlier this yearDrakon at Paultons Park (Large Category)Drakon is Paultons Park’s first inverting roller coaster – and it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted.With a vertical lift hill and two twists, the thrilling ride takes passengers upside down.Aviktas, at Pleasure Beach Resort, secured silver while bronze was awarded to Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies! at Alton Towers Resort.Spinning Racer at Lightwater Valley (Small Category)Launched earlier this year, Spinning Racer promises ‘high-speed family fun’ and is packed with ‘playful bends and unexpected spins’.The colourful attraction is bright blue and yellow – perfect for visitors measuring 1.2m or taller. Rotor bagged silver for Crealy Theme Park & Resort while Fossil Falls took home bronze for ROARR!.Best Theme Park for Families Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts was named Best Theme Park for Families alongside Paultons ParkPaultons ParkKnown for its extensive family offerings, Paultons Park bagged gold in the large category.The amusement park offers free parking, free entry for children under one metre, and has some of the lowest ride queue times in the UK. It was followed by LEGOLAND Windsor Resort which took silver, and Chessington World of Adventures Resort claiming bronze. Gulliver’s Theme Park ResortsIn the small category, Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts was crowned the winner. The Milton Keynes-based attraction describes itself as a ‘perfect family destination designed for children aged two to 13’.Crealy Theme Park & Resort followed with silver and Adventure Island bagged bronze. Best Theme Park for Thrills Thorpe Park came out top for the Best Theme Park for Thrills categoryThorpe ParkThorpe Park proved to be the most thrilling theme park in the UK, earning gold with its impressive selection of record-breaking roller coasters. Hyperia is its newest ride, which opened in 2024 and is the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the country at 99.5m high and speeds of 80mph. Alton Towers Resort took home silver, while Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach Resort secured bronze.Best Seaside Park Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort bagged the title of Best Seaside Park Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea also took home the titlePleasure Beach ResortPleasure Beach Resort impressed in the North category for Best Seaside Park and was awarded gold.Fantasy Island, in Ingoldmells, bagged silver and was followed by Skegness Pleasure Beach. Adventure IslandIn the South category for Best Seaside Park, Southend-on-Sea’s Adventure Island took home gold. Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach secured silver and Blackgang Chine was awarded bronze. Waterpark of the Year Blackpool’s Sandcastle Waterpark was named Waterpark of the YearSandcastle Waterpark Located in Blackpool, Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark with over 18 attractions in a 29C tropical climate. It is home to the longest indoor rollercoaster water slide in the country – the Masterblaster – which measures 200m in length.The Sidewinder is another impressive feat as the world’s first indoor half-pipe water slide.Alton Towers Waterpark bagged silver and Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Center Parcs took home bronze. The UK Theme Park Awards 2026 winners Theme Park of the YearWINNER (over 1m visitors): Paultons ParkWINNER (under 1m visitors): Pleasurewood HillsBest New AttractionGOLD (Large): Drakon (Paultons Park)SILVER (Large): Aviktas (Pleasure Beach Resort)BRONZE (Large): Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies! (Alton Towers Resort)GOLD (Small): Spinning Racer (Lightwater Valley)SILVER (Small): Rotor (Crealy Theme Park & Resort)BRONZE (Small): Fossil Falls (ROARR!)Best Theme Park for Families GOLD (Large): Paultons ParkSILVER (Large): LEGOLAND Windsor ResortBRONZE (Large): Chessington World of Adventures ResortGOLD (Small): Gulliver’s Theme Park ResortsSILVER (Small): Crealy Theme Park & ResortBRONZE (Small): Adventure IslandBest Theme Park for ThrillsGOLD: Thorpe ParkSILVER: Alton Towers ResortBRONZE: Pleasure Beach ResortBest Theme Park for ToddlersGOLD (Large): Paultons Park (Peppa Pig World)SILVER (Large): LEGOLAND Windsor Resort (DUPLO Valley)BRONZE (Large): Drayton Manor Resort (Thomas Land)GOLD (Small): Crealy Theme Park & Resort (Sooty Land)SILVER (Small): Gulliver’s Theme Park ResortsBRONZE (Small): Sundown AdventurelandBest Seaside ParkGOLD (North): Pleasure Beach ResortSILVER (North): Fantasy IslandBRONZE (North): Skegness Pleasure BeachGOLD (South): Adventure IslandSILVER (South): Great Yarmouth Pleasure BeachBRONZE (South): Blackgang ChineWaterpark of the YearGOLD: Sandcastle WaterparkSILVER: Alton Towers WaterparkBRONZE: Subtropical Swimming Paradise (Center Parcs)Scream Park of the YearGOLD: Tulleys Shocktober FestSILVER: ScreamfestBRONZE: Xtreme Scream ParkBest Halloween EventGOLD (Large): Fright Nights (Thorpe Park)SILVER (Large): Scarefest (Alton Towers Resort)BRONZE (Large): Journey to Hell (Pleasure Beach Resort)GOLD (Small): Fear Island (Fantasy Island)SILVER (Small): Spookfest (Crealy Theme Park & Resort)BRONZE (Small): Fairground Frights (Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach)Best Christmas EventGOLD (Large): A Celebration of Christmas (Paultons Park)SILVER (Large): Christmas Wonderland (Drayton Manor Resort)BRONZE (Large): LEGOLAND at Christmas (LEGOLAND Windsor Resort)GOLD (Small): Christmas Spectacular (Sundown Adventureland)SILVER (Small): Santa Safari (West Midlands Safari Park)BRONZE (Small): Magical Christmas Nights (Woodlands)Best New EntertainmentGOLD: Alice Frozen in a Wonderland of Dreams (Pleasure Beach Resort)SILVER: A Celebration of Valgard (Paultons Park)BRONZE: Dark Hollow (Alton Towers Resort)Best Brand ActivationGOLD: Minecraft: Meet the Mobs (Alton Towers Resort)SILVER: LEGO NINJAGO Celebration (LEGOLAND Windsor Resort)BRONZE: PAW Patrol Autumn Adventure (Chessington World of Adventures Resort)Best Landscaped Theme ParkGOLD: Alton Towers ResortSILVER: Paultons ParkBRONZE: Blackgang ChineBest Theme Park Animal ExhibitGOLD: ZUFARI: Ride into Africa (Chessington World of Adventures Resort)SILVER: LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure (LEGOLAND Windsor Resort)BRONZE: Lion Coast (Flamingo Land Resort)Best Theme Park Holiday VillageGOLD: Safari Lodges (West Midlands Safari Park)SILVER: Alton Towers Enchanted VillageBRONZE: LEGOLAND Woodland VillageBest New Accessibility InitiativeGOLD: Wheelchair Adapted Ride Vehicles (Merlin Entertainments)SILVER: SEND Days (Crealy Theme Park & Resort)BRONZE: ASN Family Festival (M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park)Best Customer Service GOLD: Paultons ParkSILVER: Adventure IslandBRONZE: Pleasure Beach ResortBest Value Theme ParkGOLD: Adventure IslandSILVER: Pleasure Beach ResortBRONZE: Drayton Manor ResortBest Marketing CampaignGOLD: Valgard (Paultons Park)SILVER: Aviktas (Pleasure Beach Resort)BRONZE: Fright Nights (Thorpe Park)Best Social Media ContentGOLD (Large): Paultons ParkSILVER (Large): Alton Towers ResortBRONZE (Large): Thorpe ParkGOLD (Small): Adventure IslandSILVER (Small): Wicksteed ParkBRONZE (Small): Blackgang ChineTheme Park Personality of the YearWINNER: Lawrence Mancey (Paultons Park)Content Creator of the YearWINNER: CoastertogIndustry Excellence AwardsOutstanding Achievement: Josh Haywood (Crealy Theme Park & Resort)Rising Star: Sarah Smith (ROARR!)