Lawrence Roots, founder of the UK Theme Park Awards, has successfully completed a mammoth road trip aimed at rallying public support for the parks and setting a potential world record.
Having launched on 20th July at Crealy Theme Park & Resort in Devon, Roots crossed the finish line on 3rd August, visiting Camel Creek Family Adventure Park in Cornwall and then Woodlands Family Theme Park in Devon. The completed tour spanned 2,000 miles, 56 hours of driving, and visits to 37 nominated theme parks across England and Wales, in just 15 days.
Armed with a 'Vote Now' placard to drive engagement in this year's public vote, Roots met up with dozens of park directors, operational managers, staff members, and volunteers along the route, celebrating the ongoing dedication of teams across the UK attractions sector.
Highlights from the second half of the road trip include:
- Day 8 (North Yorkshire & Lancashire): Kicking off the second leg at Lightwater Valley with Annabelle St John, Gemma O'Boyle, and Paul Walker to view the exciting transformation work following the park's acquisition by Mellors Group, before visiting this year's awards host venue, Blackpool's Pleasure Beach Resort, with Lloyd Paterson and Andy Hygate, and joining Rio Cookson to experience Aviktas for his first time.
- Day 9 (Merseyside & Cheshire): Spending the morning at Adventure Coast Southport with George Hedges to check out the evolving seaside park and its new themed areas, followed by an afternoon at Gulliver's World with Craig Clews, Paul Dabbs, and Ross Partridge to tour the Land of Oz, including the Winged Monkeys ride, and the new themed hotels.
- Day 10 (Staffordshire & Derbyshire): A major three-park day starting at Alton Towers Resort with Olivia Rivers, Abby Coupe, Bailey Williams, and Jake Price to experience the new Minecraft Meet the Mobs activation and the Alton Towers Exhibition. Roots then climbed the hillside at Gulliver's Kingdom with Lamara Chappelle, before ending the day at Gulliver's Valley alongside Ashley Cook and Dylan Rosenbach to see the park's ongoing growth.
- Day 11 (Nottinghamshire & Leicestershire): Opening with a first-ever visit to Sundown Adventureland accompanied by Shaun Malvern, Debora Griffin, Johnny Lyle, and Ashleigh Osinski. Roots then took a tour of Wheelgate Park's family offerings and award-nominated water park with Kaden, before meeting Samuel Hinch at Twinlakes Park to hear about upcoming plans for Xtreme Scream Park.
- Day 12 (Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire & Staffordshire): Reaching the final stretch with a visit to last year's host venue, Wicksteed Park, meeting Theme Park Personality of the Year nominee Mia Haggar alongside staff and volunteers. Roots then explored Gulliver's Land with Lee Petchey and Liam Garcia, before concluding at original host venue Drayton Manor Resort with Ross Ballinger (another Theme Park Personality of the Year nominee), Morgan Mckenry, Abby Cronje, Ollie Carr, and Finlay Webb.
- Day 13 (Worcestershire & Pembrokeshire): A wild journey starting at West Midlands Safari Park with Rochelle Zare and David Powner, followed by a trip across Wales to Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo to meet Stuart Harries, Emma Beynon, Royston Badham, and the animals.
- Day 14 (North Devon): Returning to The Big Sheep with Tara Stapley and team to explore the park and feed the animals, before heading to The Milky Way to meet hosts Josh Curtis and Andy Glover, as well as founder Trevor Stanbury MBE.
- Day 15 (Cornwall & South Devon): Completing the 37-park tour at Camel Creek Family Adventure Park with Graham Hayes and Frances Verbeek to check out the new Bing-themed Pets & Play Trail and Safari Lodges, before taking a behind-the-scenes look at the interactive Christmas experience at Woodlands Family Theme Park with Spiros Spozitos-Tzerams and Louis Chadwick.
Reflecting on the completion of the tour, Lawrence Roots said:
"2,000 miles, 56 hours of driving, and 37 theme parks in 15 days, it has been an absolute marathon, but an incredibly rewarding experience. The warm welcome from every theme park team, the creativity on display, and the passion of the staff across the entire road trip has been phenomenal. Taking this tour nationwide has shown just how vibrant the UK theme park industry is, and I want to express my gratitude to everyone who welcomed me along the way."
Voting for the UK Theme Park Awards 2026 remains open to the public until Friday, 28th August 2026. Public votes count for 50% of the final outcome, combined with scores from a panel of 11 expert industry judges. To cast your vote, visit ukthemeparkawards.com.
