As the official home of Sootyland, Crealy Theme Park & Resort near Exeter (Devon) really does pay its respects to the lovable yellow bear and his cheeky friends in a charming way! Think characterful attractions, a family entertainment show, meet and greets, merchandise and a wonderfully curated mini-museum.
When our 5-year-old son, Teddy, discovered the classic ’90s episodes of Sooty & Co. on YouTube, he instantly fell in love with Matthew Corbett and his family of furry friends. Without hesitation, we knew it was time, and with little more than an “izzy, whizzy, let’s get busy“, we were booking our first trip to Crealy!
Sooty’s Disco Dance Off Show
This is a must-do for those visiting with young kids. Whether the little ones are familiar with the characters or not, the energetic host strongly urges audience participation, encouraging the children (and grown-ups) to get involved with the action. Expect tricks, comedy and a whole lot of dancing! The most memorable moment from this iteration of the show featured everyone’s favourite squeaky dog performing a unique rendition of the hit song “APT”! There are lots of showtime treats available to purchase inside the big top tent, including popcorn, sweets, drinks and a variety of light-up toys. Be sure to come early to secure your spot!
Sooty & Sweep Meet & Greet
A real highlight of the day was the chance to meet our pals, Sooty and Sweep. The meet & greets are held in an adorable little theatre by the Sooty Hall Of Fame and Soo’s Cafe. Here, episodes of the more modern Sooty shows are playing to keep everyone amused until it is time. When the moment arrives, the curtains are drawn and visitors are invited to form an orderly queue, ready to take their own photos (and in Teddy’s case, give everyone a kiss) on stage. It is so well thought out – there is even a host on hand to encourage gentle yet playful interaction with each new friend. It is worth noting that there are a few small steps up on to the stage (as shown in the picture below).
Rides & Attractions
You can see a list of all of the attractions with accompanying height restrictions on the Crealy website, so I won’t go through them all, but there are some rides worth nothing.
“Maximus” is a small runaway train style rollercoaster – our 5-year-old son and his 4-year-old cousin loved this one. They also enjoyed putting their driving skills to the test in “Junior Driving School”. They have similar attractions at Paulton’s Park and Legoland Windsor, though this one had a much smaller queue! The rides in Sootyland were also understandably aimed at younger children, but they were all enjoyable and wonderfully themed.
Play Areas – There’s an abundance of them!
I can honestly not think of another theme park that has as many play areas as Crealy. Indoor and outdoor, large and small, there are places to let off steam everywhere! By the end of the day, the rides where something we did in between the soft plays! Some of the areas are suitable for older children who are both capable of the challenge and likely to check in regularly. The main indoor soft play area “The Adventure Zone” is 75,000 square feet of pure chaos. It’s loud, intense and quite frankly impossible to find your kids! If you have smaller children, or ones that haven’t quite learned the skill of ‘recall’, you might want to avoid this mega-soft-play! Instead, try the ones at Sootyland (next to Sooty’s Diner) or the Lost World of Atlantis.
Animals & Outdoor Spaces
The park is home to more characters than just Custard Cheeks and Sausage Brain – there are donkeys, sheep, meerkats, wallabies and lots more besides! There is also a lovely unspoilt area at the back of the park called The Crealy Wilderness (behind the Tidal Wave attraction and Sooty’s Big Top) which is a great place to take a walk or just have a welcome break from the chaos of the day and regroup. On a sunny day, this would be a lovely place for a picnic too.
Dining
OK, so it is mostly your typical theme park food, but the quality is decent. Sweep’s Hot Dogs were a steal at 2 for £11 (they are massive – plenty for 2 to share as a snack for sure), and we just love the free souvenir magic wand pencil that comes with every kids meal at Sooty’s Diner. There is also a food court next to the Adventure Zone soft play which serves pizzas, fish and chips etc., and another cafe called “Buddy’s Picnic Basket” which is more for sandwiches and soft drinks. We also enjoyed a fresh hot donut and Lotus Biscoff milkshake on the way out, just to give us a last sweet boost for the drive home, both of which were delicious! If you fancy bringing your own picnic, great! The car park is really close to the entrance and there are a ton of picnic benches around the park to enjoy, many of which have accompanying play areas too.
Shopping
One of the best things about Crealy is the amount of affordable merchandise for sale. With fridge magnets from as little as £1 (they are usually £5+ at tourist attractions these days) and cuddly toys from £5, your children actually stand a chance of getting something decent with their pocket money! There is the main Crealy Gift Shop near the park entrance/exit, plus the Sooty Shop and a sweet shop at the exit of the Maximus ride. Top Tip: if you see something you like, buy it early in the day and have it transported to the main gift shop by the exit to collect on the way out. The Sooty Shop unexpectedly closed early on our visit, and we were left wishing we had purchased a specific magnet and soft toy earlier in the day to avoid disappointment.
Where Is Crealy Theme Park & Resort?
Crealy is located near Exeter, just off of Junction 30 of the M5. The full address is:
Crealy Theme Park & Resort, Sidmouth Road,
Exeter, Devon, England,
EX5 1DR.
Book Tickets In Advance
For the best prices and availability, always book online in advance via the Crealy Theme Park & Resort website:
www.crealy.co.uk
In Summary
Crealy Theme Park & Resort is a truly awesome day out for families with younger children. We were there from park opening until park closing (10:00-17:00 when we visited) and did not stop all day. We did everything we wanted to and never waited longer than 5 minutes for anything. At under £25 per person (even on a Bank Holiday), it was one of the best value theme park days out we have ever had. With plenty of places to run around, have fun as a family and make precious memories, you couldn’t really ask for more from the friendly team at Crealy.
Teddy gave our day at Crealy a solid 10 out of 10! High praise indeed!
Gallery
Do your kids love the old classics just as much as the new ones? What other retro children’s shows do you love? Let’s get nostalgic in the comments!
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