Press Invite | On Sunday we visited Roarr Adventure which is situated in Norwich. We weren’t too sure what to expect but Ita really enjoys dinosaurs so we were happy to take the long drive to see what it was like. To be honest, I wish I had researched it more beforehand because the truth is there is SO much to do and planning would have been really beneficial to the day. I am going to share some tips to make sure you get the best from your visit.
Although Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure has bee around a while, it has undergone a lot of renovations over the years. We found out on the way there that the park is run by a 4th generation family of palaeontologists. The current owner is the great-great grandson of a Victorian explorer who claimed to have discovered a hidden valley, where dinosaurs still exist. I mean, that’s quite cool and even if it isn’t true, when we told Ita this she felt like it added to the excitement. We actually had to remind her that dinosaurs were indeed extinct!
We arrived at the gates at 11 and it was really quiet which meant no queues. The park opens at 10 so I imagine it may have been a bit more busy at that point. It was only when we were inside though that we realised you have to book your splash pad slot. There was still quite a big queue of people waiting to book their 20 minute slots so we decided to explore the park and see what times were available afterwards. Luckily we were able to grab a time slot. It really would be worth heading there immediately at 10am although since the slots are only 20 minutes long, I think there is enough time for everyone to get one! The splash zone is brilliant and frankly it made Ita’s day so don’t forget to bring a costume. It is spacious with lots of different fountains for children of all ages. You can also buy swimsuits and towels from the gift store for around £10 each if you do forget yours.
The Dinosaur Trail is by far the best we have ever (ever) encountered. It is quite long and set in woodlands and there are so many different dinosaurs. I have honestly never seen anywhere like it. If your child is into dinosaurs then this really will blow them away. The huge brachiosaurus really is something else. It is pushchair friendly too as the walk is down hill with a flat ground.
There are a few ‘rides’ such as Raptor Racers and Dippys Raceway. Some of these are only available during school holidays and on weekends so bare this in mind when you do visit. There were constantly queues for this and we decided to keep exploring with the intention of returning back but in the end there was too much to do and see.
There is of course a few ‘Meet and Greet’ opportunities with Dippy. We watched the dance along show and at the end the assistant to the mascot abruptly told the children to get back – this meant everyone huddled together, quite confused. She then proceeded to call children out, one by one with no reason or rhyme, for their photos to be taken. It was really confusing and calling children up one by one was frustrating and indicated that there was some sort of preference system. We watched one child with extra needs crying their eyes out because they were upset they were not called up. There definitely should have been a queuing system here for safety but also to indicate to children when it is their turn. There were a few other issues around this and I am addressing this directly with the company. This was the only negative to our day. My honest opinion here would be to miss the dancing stage show and meet Dippy after his theatre show where it is far better managed.
One of the highlights of the day was the Live show in Dippys Theatre and also the short movie too. (These are two separate shows in the same theatre). The recorded show is on at different times throughout the day whereas the Live Dippy Shows are at 2.30 and 4.30 although you can only meet Dippy at 3.30 I believe. It is definitely worth planning your day around these as the theatre is gorgeous – not what I expected at all. If it is particularly hot outside too then this is the perfect haven.
At Roarr! There is also an indoor soft play area. We were granted beautiful weather on the day we visited though so we did not venture inside. On a wetter day this would be s handy though. We also saw that there were Predator High Ropes (think go ape style) at the end of the dinosaur trail and this is included in your park ticket price. Ita is a bit too small for this though so we chose not to try it out, but it looked really fun (and maybe a bit scary too). They also have Jurassic Crazy Golf but we are doing a crazy golf later in the week and I wanted to make sure Ita was still going to look forward to it! This again, is included with your ticket.
There is also a Secret Animal Garden where you can pet small animals daily. (12pm is Guinea Pig Petting, 2pm is Tortoise Time and 3pm for Guinea Pig Petting). This can get really busy so if you do want to do this then arrive in that area about 10 minutes beforehand.
One of the best things that the park have included is Dippy and his friends. To children, these mascots are so fun but it encourages a clear theme so the park really stands out.
As mentioned previously, it really was a long drive. It took us just over 2 hours 40 minutes to get there (and then much the same getting home). It is actually really worth doing a staycation as there is so much to do locally. For example Great Yarmouth is only 45 minutes away. In fact, the website has a really helpful section of recommended accommodation close by.
https://www.roarrdinosauradventure.co.uk/where-to-stay/
You must book in advance via the website (link below). Adults and children over 90cms are £18.95 for the day. Children under 90cms are free.
Would we visit again? Absolutely, but only if we were planning a staycation. It is quite far for a day trip (totally my fault) but there are so many positives to Roarr! Dinosaur Park that it is definitely somewhere to add to your list of places to visit.
Garcia Family UK 