#NInja Review: Tayto Park, Ireland

Is Tayto Park the best family day out in Ireland? The Holiday NInja investigated ...

Tayto Park in Co Meath, Ireland is a perfect family day out for everyone from Norn Iron – read on for a #NInja guide ….

Getting There
Tayto Park is situated in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, near Fairyhouse racecourse.
Some may have initial concerns about the length of the drive but from Belfast it’s a clean 90 mins and it is motorway for the majority of the way, leaving you only the last 15km or so not on the motorway.
To break up the drive, why not stop for a breakfast at the Applegreen in Castlebellingham.
This #NInja would strongly recommend you to do so being 60 mins into the drive from Belfast, which means once refreshed you have only a 30 minute drive to go.
The park was open from 10am – 6pm … and this #NInja was there all day until closing!

Parking
Huge parking areas that are well managed and expertly run by numerous parking stewards. It is also FREE, hurrah!

Entrance
General admission to the park is Euro 15 for everyone over 3 (free for under 3s).
30 Euro for an unlimited ride wristband or pay as you go token system after the EURO 15 entry.

What you get for your money
For the basic entrance you get the children’s playparks, the animals (including the petting zone), face painting, Tayto Factory tour, Vortex Tunnels, Steam Train, Maze and spiral mould mound + a few others.
After that all the main attractions such as the rides including Cu Chulainn, Rotator, Sky Walk, Air Race and 5D cinema are pay as you go (3-5 tokens for each one, 1 token = 1 Euro) or you need the wristband for.
Sky Walk
Stars of the show
Cu Chulainn without a doubt! Brilliant fast wooden rollercoaster that you will do countless times!
The Rotator is one for the “white-knuckle” brigade – best not to do this straight after lunch!
And the SKY WALK was brilliant fun too – very high up!

Hidden Gems
The 5D cinema with its Jurassic World rollercoaster ride, I won’t give anything away but it was fantastic fun with loads of surprises!
The Vortex Tunnel – on the ‘free’ list, only takes 10 seconds to do … but one that you will do countless times!

Eating
There are a number of options from the Argentinian Grill, to the Pizza Place and The Outback Restaurant to name a few.
This #NInja opted for The Lodge and was not disappointed. The grown-ups having Roast of the Day and Lasagne which hit the spot, while the kids had Pizza and Sausages. Really good food in a lovely clean room.
It is also worth noting that there are plenty of areas for picnics and I did see a large number of well organised families sitting down to picnics across the park.
There are also a number of coffee and treat shops along the park for quick snack boosts and an AMAZING Ice Cream shop called Scoops and Sprinkles that will be perfect in the warmer months (i.e. the days that it’s not raining in Ireland?!)

Hints and tips
Simple / Basic enough tip – get there early! Park will be the most congested in the middle of the day so get there early if there is an attraction that you want to do without any real lines / queues.
Purchase tickets online and save time at the gate / entry as you don’t have to queue to get tickets!
As for all theme parks there are heights restrictions which are enforced, so it is worth checking them online before you go to have an idea what all your kids can do and then you can decide on what to pay on entrance.
#NInja Tip – for young kids (maybe under 5) I don’t think you would need to purchase the unlimited wrist band, but I would strongly recommend you do for older children / adults.
It might seem expensive but if you are there ALL DAY, for 6hrs+ , you will go on numerous rides numerous times, it definitely saves money.

Overall
Put simple, this has to be the best family attraction in Ireland with a great mix of entertainment for kids and adults of all ages – and only 90 mins away from Belfast.
I would not hesitate to recommend to all – this #NInja is already looking forward to getting back again!!

For more info, please CLICK HERE

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