Land of the Vikings comes to Legoland Windsor this year, and features the park's biggest and wettest ride, Viking's River Splash, a wild voyage through a fantasy world of bricks. Join the rest of the Viking fleet on the Longboat Invader, which is like a traditional pirate ship ride but with a twisting motion as well as the conventional up and down movement. There's also a Nordic-themed hedge maze. Other new attractions include an 18-hole mini-golf course and shows, including Cinderella.

Opens today, 0871 2222001CH, www.legoland.co.uk; Children 3-15 £26, adults £34

Prefer pirates to Vikings? Then head to Alton Towers, where Mutiny Bay makes its debut. The main attraction is Battle Galleons, where swashbucklers take part in the waterfight of a lifetime with other ships and even spectators as they journey around a lake. There's also a pirate barrel ride - a version of the tea cup roundabout - and a rocking pirate ship. Continuing the pirate theme, the hotel Splash Landings has two pirate suites overlooking Mutiny Bay, done out like the deck of a boat, and holding a treasure chest.

Opens today, 0870 5204060, www.altontowers.com; Children 4-12 £17, adults £25

All aboard for Thomas Land

Jane Knight's video tour of Thomas the Tank Engine's theme park in Staffordshire

2007: what’s new at Britain's theme parks

The new attractions and latest news from nine parks around the country

BACKGROUND

• A bewildering theme park in Norfolk

• A four theme park weekend

• Kids are in heaven at Diggerland

• Sleep with the fishes

• Out of Africa in Wiltshire

Related Internet Links

• Research 40 articles about theme parks around the world

A pirate ship that swings its mateys 60ft in the air is also coming this season to M&D's Scotland's Family Theme Park in Strathclyde Country Park. Also new is the sing-a-long show from the US, Rocky Rooster and his singing chicks.

Open March 15-16, then from March 21, 0870 1123777, www.scotlandsthemepark.com; Entry free. Unlimited ride writsbands £10.95 for under 1.35m tall, £14.95 over 1.35m.

Toddlewood is coming to Norfolk theme park Bewilderwood. Children under five have their own entrance through the Twiggle Door, and can play in colourful treehouses, on the roly poly hill, swings and a climbing course. Bewilderwood is an imaginative, rural play area with crazy slides, jungle bridges and a number of characters lurking in the woods, including Mildred the Crocklebog. It is also launching the Completeley Wild Card, a season ticket valid for six people but excluding the peak summer period, for £150.

Opens March 17, 0870 0130705, www.bewilderwood.co.uk; Children 3-4 years £5, Over-fours (including adults) £10

Get nose to nose with creatures ranging from shrimps to sharks at the new Seal Life Centre at Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo in Surrey. A 250,000-litre aquarium with tunnel walk-through will create the illusion that it's the visitors rather than the sea life on display. Some 20 other tanks will house interestingly named fish, such as fox face and the goat fish, and touchpools will allow you to feel prickly sea urchins and coral.

Opens today, 0870 9990045, www.chessington.com; Children under one metre free, under-12s £16, adults £23

If cheetahs are more your thing, hotfoot it to Whipsnade Zoo, where you can view the fastest animals in the world with just floor-to-ceiling glass separating you. It's part of a campaign to bring down the bars, which saw sister park London Zoo launch Gorilla Kingdom last year. This year, London Zoo also has a walk-through tropical birds area with free-flying birdlife and the only humming birds in the UK on display.

Opens March 20 01582 872171 www.zsl.org; Children 3-15 £11.90, adults £15.40.

Close encounters with Lemurs is what it's all about at Drusillas Park in Sussex, where walk-through experience Lemurland opens at Easter. Drusillas, which has a zoo and an adventure play area, is also home to a Thomas the Tank Engine train ride, taking passengers past the Fat Controller and through the llama paddock. It also has a good indoor play area.

Park open year round but Lemurland opens from Easter at weekends and school holidays, 01323 874100, www.drusillas.co.uk; Children 2-12 £10.20-£12.45, adults £11.20-£13.45.

Wales gains a new water park this year, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Though it will be part of Bluestone, a similar concept to Center Parks that opens in June, the Blue Lagoon will also be open to the public. Heated to 85F , the tropical paradise will include rapid rides, a lazy river and hot tubs, a wave pool, and an interactive play area for children.

Opens May 24, 01834 862410, www.bluelagoonwales.com; £12.95 adults and children.

Note: the cheapest entry prices at all of these theme parks can be obtained by booking online.

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