Last Updated on March 19, 2024 by Suzy McCullough
If you’re visiting the West Midland Safari & Leisure Park, situated in Bewdley just outside of Kidderminster it’s a good idea to get there early. We arrived ten minutes after opening and already we were waiting in a queue of cars to go into the park!
Author: Helen Bolton
Disclaimer: Helen and her family received complimentary tickets in exchange for a review.
The park is divided into two sections – a Safari Drive through and a Walk Through Leisure Park. Ticket prices are cheaper and our tickets allowed us entry to the Safari Park and Leisure Park but the admission price didn’t allow us entry to any of the theme park rides. More information about this later. You now have to book a time slot for the safari drive through and you will not be permitted to enter again later on.
Review West Midland Safari Park
Safari Drive-through at West Midland Safari Park
After entering the park, we made a quick pit stop at the Changing Places toilets before we rejoined the road to the safari park entrance. You now have to book an allocated time to go through the safari.
My husband was a little wary at the start of the Safari that he may have to drive through a monkey enclosure, having escaped damage to his car the last time we visited a safari park. He was relieved to discover that there were no monkeys at the West Midland Safari Park, much to my son’s disappointment!
The safari is divided into three sections and the route winds in and out of these continent-themed areas, offering a real variety of animals to see on the tour. At the entrance, you can buy a box of animal feed to get a hands-on experience and feed the giraffes, deer, antelopes and cattle from your car window. Don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly at one of the park’s Wash Stations after your trip.
We were pleased to see the park was well maintained and all the animals looked in tip-top condition. Park rangers in 4×4 trucks were all around, keeping a close eye on things. Remember to allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for your safari trip as this can get very busy and cars move slowly through the route.
Discovery Trail
Animal adventures continue on foot in the Leisure Park around the Discovery Trail to see bats, creepy crawlies and fish, followed by a snake talk and a visit to the reptile house. Our next stop was the African Village to see the lemur talk in the Lemur Woods. The Leisure Park has a timetable of shows and animal encounters in designated show zones. We went to the Sea Lion Show and in the Animal Encounter Zone you can handle some small creatures which were giant African land snails but we didn’t fancy holding those!
Check the park map for the day’s timetable. If you fancy getting closer to the animals, VIP Experiences are available to purchase but some of these may not be suitable for younger children.
Adventure Theme Park
The Adventure Theme Park offers a good range of rides for all ages. You will need a prepaid unlimited wristband or individual ride tickets for the attractions. There’s a well-designed display where you can check your child’s height for ride suitability and buy the appropriate wristband.
The wristband costs £10 per person aged 3+ for the day.
If you have toddlers to entertain, they will love Boj Giggly Park which has different interactive play areas named after Boj and his friends, a refreshments van, a covered picnic area, toilets and a baby change room.
Food at West Midland Safari Park
Take-away food is readily available at the Lost City Food Court at the entrance to the Leisure Park or if you prefer a sit-down meal there is the Dino Diner or Burger Co. Ice-cream and drinks kiosks are situated around the theme park but my husband and I were disappointed to find there were no water fountains or reusable bottle refill points.
Land of the Living Dinosaurs & Ice Age
We wandered around the Land of the Living Dinosaurs and Ice Age to finish our visit. Step back in time and learn about the beginnings of life on Earth. Some dinosaurs even move and roar! The dinosaur garden is attractively planted with palms, ferns, grasses and other ornamental plants with a path winding through. All of the Leisure Park is easily accessible for wheelchairs, buggies and mobility scooters, without any steps, although some areas are on a bit of a slope.
Needless to say, after we had visited the animal areas and some of the shows, we had just enough time left for a few rides. There’s plenty to do and see here even if you didn’t want to spend any extra money on the rides.
All in all, we had a great day out. The park was very well-kept and tidy. The animals looked very healthy and theme park ride safety was taken seriously. A day spent here will be one of your most memorable days out of the year.
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