If you are looking for things to do in Bournemouth with the kids check out Adventure Wonderland Adventure Wonderland is based only short drive from Bournemouth town centre.
Now brimming with over 30 rides and attractions, Adventure Wonderland continues to be Dorset’s number a one attraction.
Family favourites include things like the delightful Animal Cuddle Corner, The Ghostly Galleon, The Scary Polly Drop Tower, Curvy Caterpillar, Wild Bill’s Runaway Train, Turbo Teacups, Flying Elephants and much, substantially far more! It is also home for the South’s biggest natural maze based on the Alice in Wonderland story.
For information on opening times and prices visit Adventure Wonderland
And that is just outside. Inside the indoor Aztec adventure centre, Wild Factor, you’ll find bucket-loads of activities for mini trail blazers such as Python Drop and also the spectacular Montyzoomer’s Ball Firing Thunderdrome! Plus there’s the opportunity to meet a number of the parks several characters for instance Alice, The Mad Hatter, The White Rabbit or Cortez the Lion.
History of Adventure Wonderland
The park was originally farm land and was used for cattle and pick your own fruit fields. But with the onset of more legislative restrictions, further diversification was considered necessary.
Mr Lucas-Rowe the parks owner began to look at alternative ways of using some of the farmland for more profitable means. Mr Lucas-Rowe looked. Whatever was chosen it had to retain the ‘green’ environment and be sufficient appeal to please the paying visitors.
After discarding numerous ideas, Mr Lucas-Rowe’s thoughts turned to Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story which had continued to fascinate him beyond his childhood- and linked another of his long-held interests, the challenge of mazes.
The maze opened on the 9th of May 1992. The maze was designed by leading international maze designer Adrian Fisher. The maze was planted in 1990. The maze consists of 5200 beech bushes and has one and a quarter miles of winding path the maze is one of the largest in the country.
In the first season the park attracted 54,000 people. The second season saw the introduction of swingboats and a second marquee for refreshments and retailing and attracted 65,000 people. In that season the park one the Dorset Tourism/Evening Echo ‘Top attraction’ trophy.
In 2001 many attractions to the park were introduced to the park. During the first few seasons the company introduced such attractions including the Flying Jumbos ride, curvy caterpillar ride, giant astroslide, space orbiter, battery motorbikes, aquablaster, radio controlled cars and smart cars.In 2002 Giant Yo Yo ride was introduced. In 2003 Wild Bills Runaway Train ride was introduced. This ride was manufactured by Danielle Pinfari rides in Italy
In 2004 the park saw vast changes. The Ghostly Galleon was introduced; this ride was manufactured by Metalbau Emmeln in Germany. After a few years delay a new indoor play barn was constructed this was called “Wildthing”.
The former indoor play area called Captain Kids was demolished.
The park was renamed from “The Alice in Wonderland Family Park” to “Adventure Wonderland”
In February 2005 the Giant Astroslide was also removed from the park. This was due to the new building having slides inside it, and this attraction has often closed due to wet weather and high winds. The Giant Astroslide was situated where the trampolines and bouncy castle are now situated.
In 2006 the small tea cup ride was remove and the larger capacity Turbo Tea Cups was introduced.
In 2006 the old theatre was demolished and the new Happydrome Theatre was constructed, this was completed in the summer, just in time for the school holidays.
Over the coming years many other attractions were added to the park including the Chatanooga Choo Choo train, Snappy Dragon, Polly Drop and many others.
MERRITOWN HOUSE
When visiting Adventure Wonderland you will notice a house next to the grounds which looks like a huge dolls house.
The house itself dates back to the early 1700s but a dwelling has existed on the site since compilation of the 1086 Domesday Book. Originally known as the Manor House of Fonketon, in 1308 it was held by Elias De Godele for half a Knight’s fee.
For the next 200 years, it descent was the same as Sandhill Manor at Fordingbridge. In 1507, it passed to the Molines family who kept the manor until 1627. Then Sir Barentine Molines sold the estate to Mark Biddlecombe who, after the tragic death of Martin Biddlecombe the Younger, sold the land to wealthy merchant John Gore. He is credited with building the present manor house, although it had an additional wing on each side of the central block. Curiously, the house was built facing north. This was often to minimise the effect of the sun fading carpets and bleaching period furniture.
In 1800, the whole manor was the centre of a bizarre swapping deal between the Aldridge family and the Earl of Malmesbury. The Earl who had a large estate at Hurn, including Hurn Court, exchanged a farm he owned in Droxford, Hampshire plus an additional £5600 for the manor of Fonketon (at this point mentiond for the first time as Merritown). It was the 2nd Earl of Malmesbury who discovered behind the panelling of what was the main drawing room, a 17th century portrait of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, by Micheal Wright. The wings were pulled down after a fire in 1812 and the ice house was filled in towards the 1800s, leaving the curious doll’s house building we see today.
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