Paultons Park has officially opened its highly anticipated new £12 million themed world, Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, welcoming the very first guests today, Saturday 16th May 2026.
The addition represents the largest investment in the Hampshire attraction to date. Designed specifically to broaden the park's appeal to families with older children and teenagers, Valgard seamlessly complements the existing line-up, which includes the popular Peppa Pig World.
The opening introduces a highly thrilling dimension to the park, positioning it perfectly for growing audiences.
Drakon Leads a Trio of New Attractions
Enthusiasts and families rushed to the new land this morning to experience the crowning jewel of the expansion: Drakon. As the first inverting rollercoaster at Paultons Park, Drakon features a dramatic vertical lift hill and two intense upside-down twists, instantly becoming the park's most thrilling coaster experience.
Jack and Jordan were among the first guests to ride the flagship coaster. Jack expressed his enthusiasm, calling it an absolute amazing and incredible ride that left him lost for words. Jordan highlighted the exceptional engineering of the coaster, noting how remarkably smooth it felt and declaring it one of the best rides in the country.
Alongside the coaster, Valgard introduces Vild Swing, a UK-first attraction that sends riders swirling 12 metres into the air, acting as an ideal introductory thrill experience. Completing the ride line-up is Raven, a fast-paced bobsled adventure that winds through the meticulously crafted landscape, adding depth to the mythical Viking experience. Little adventurers are also catered for with a brand-new custom play area embedded within the land.
Immersive Dining at the Feasting Hall
Beyond the mechanical thrills, the development brings a major culinary upgrade with the reveal of the Feasting Hall restaurant. The dining space features highly intricate, historically inspired elements, centering around a life-size Viking longship. Complete with tapestry, shields, and custom horn chandeliers, the restaurant offers a curated menu designed to let families regroup and refuel together.
Paultons fans Mia and Zoe shared their thoughts on the brand-new dining venue. Mia praised the immaculate attention to detail, specifically pointing out the horns on the chandeliers, the tapestry, and the shields, while adding that the food was incredible. As a history enthusiast, Mia also noted her satisfaction with the historical accuracy of the space. Zoe reflected on the immersive atmosphere, stating that visitors feel as though they have gone back in time to sit directly among the Vikings, with intricate details to discover everywhere you look.
A New Era for the UK's Top Theme Park
James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, expressed his immense pride during the launch:
"We are thrilled to have opened the gates to Valgard: Realm of the Vikings today. The launch of this attraction and reveal of our most thrilling rollercoaster to date marks the start of an exciting new era for Paultons Park. We are committed to continuing to offer a memorable experience for young guests, while also growing and becoming more adventurous alongside our fans.
"As with everything we do at Paultons Park, we have designed and delivered Valgard with the whole family in mind. While brave warriors race around on Drakon and Raven, little ones will love our new play area, and the Vild Swing is a great introductory ride too. Valgard’s Feasting Hall provides a fantastic space for families to regroup and refuel together, before exploring the rest of Paultons Park."
The expansion strengthens an already stellar portfolio, bringing Paultons Park to a total collection of over 80 rides and attractions across six distinct themed lands. Valgard joins the highly acclaimed Midwestern America world, Tornado Springs, and the popular dinosaur-themed Lost Kingdom, ensuring a comprehensive, full-day experience for visitors of all demographics.
The opening follows an exceptional performance at the 2025 UK Theme Park Awards, where the family-run park took home an astonishing 10 trophies, including the highest accolade of Theme Park of the Year, alongside Gold awards for Best Theme Park for Families, Best Customer Service, and Best New Attraction for its indoor dark ride, Ghostly Manor. Globally, the park holds a spot as the eighth best-rated amusement park in the world according to Tripadvisor, supported by more than 7,500 excellent customer reviews.
Plan Your Visit
Valgard: Realm of the Vikings is officially open to the public starting today. Visitors to the park can continue to benefit from signature perks, including completely free parking, free entry for children measuring under 1 metre in height, and some of the shortest average ride queue times anywhere in the UK.
