Введение
Тематический парк, зоопарк и курорт в Северном Йоркшире, Англия
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
'Flamingo Land' – это тематический парк, зоопарк и курорт, расположенный в Кирби-Миспертон, Северный Йоркшир, Англия. Открыт в 1959 году, с 2023 года принадлежит и управляется семьей Гибб. Владельцы
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Председатели
Срок пребывания в должностиПерсонал1978–1995Роберт Гибб1995–по настоящее времяГордон Гибб
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
История
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Курорт Flamingo Land был основан в 1959 году, когда предприниматель, владевший кинотеатрами, Эдвин Пендланд Хик продал свою сеть кинотеатров и использовал полученные средства для покупки обанкротившегося загородного клуба с целью использования земли для зоопарка. Участок площадью девять акров первоначально назывался Йоркширским зоологическим садом. Колония фламинго была среди первых животных, размещенных на территории. Sik – аттракцион Intamin второго поколения 'Multi Inversion Coaster', модель с 10 инверсиями, открытый в 2022 году с заявленной стоимостью 18 миллионов фунтов стерлингов. Аттракцион спонсируется местной компанией одежды SikSilk. Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster, новый аттракцион, появившийся в 2013 году в районе Метрополис парка. Аттракцион был закрыт 22 мая 2015 года, когда отсоединилась часть перил и задела посетителей, но вновь открылся после установки тонкой защитной сетки под трассой в месте ее пересечения с зоной ожидания. Pterodactyl – вертикальные качели Zamperla, установленные в 2012 году в новом Dino Stone Park для сезона 2013 года. Mumbo Jumbo – открытые летом 2009 года американские горки, которые в то время были признаны Книгой рекордов Гиннеса как имеющие самый крутой спуск. Flip Flop – подвешен над искусственным озером и имеет две большие дымовые трубы корабля по обе стороны станции. Kumali – установленные в 2006 году подвесные американские горки от Vekoma. Navigator – установленные в 2005 году, это были первые 'Mega' аттракционы типа "Disk 'O'". Velocity – построенные в 2005 году, заменившие аттракцион Thunder Mountain. Построены компанией Vekoma. Это были первые в Соединенном Королевстве аттракционы типа booster bike, и самые высокие и быстрые в своем роде в мире. По оценкам, они стоили около 7 миллионов фунтов стерлингов. Cliff Hanger – открытые в 2002 году, это первая и самая высокая комбо-башня S&S в Соединенном Королевстве. На территории также находятся тренажерный зал, центр досуга, спа-центр, поле для гольфа и большая коллекция деревянных домиков и статических караванов. Pleasure Island
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land также управлял парком-сестрой Pleasure Island Family Theme Park в Клитхорпсе с момента его открытия 23 мая 1993 года до апреля 2010 года, когда он стал независимым. На месте бывшего зоопарка Клитхорпса в 1990-х годах началось строительство парка развлечений, которым управляла компания RKF Entertainment. В это время RKF обанкротилась, и Роберт Гибб приобрел участок в качестве второго парка, дополняющего Flamingo Land. Когда его сын Гордон Гибб стал генеральным директором компании, его сестра Вики Гибб, а позже его другая сестра Мелани Вуд взяли на себя ответственность за парк в Клитхорпсе. В 2010 году Мелани Вуд достигла своей цели – она взяла на себя владение парком, отделив его от остальной части семейной компании. Затем Pleasure Island управлялся компанией Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, директором которой была Вуд. Это ознаменовало конец связи между Pleasure Island и Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island закрылся в конце сезона 2016 года. Животные
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Общий обзор
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
В Flamingo Land обитают экзотические животные, в том числе верблюды, бразильские тапиры, зебры, викуньи, бегемоты, жирафы, сурки, бабуины, шимпанзе, львы, носороги, тигры, морские львы, попугаи и павлины. Парк участвует в программах разведения. Проект разведения мангабеев был показан в серии 2006 года шоу ITV1 "Theme Park". В 2010 году Flamingo Land приступил к строительству вольера для пингвинов. Членство
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land является членом Британской и Ирландской ассоциации зоопарков и аквариумов (BIAZA) и Европейской ассоциации зоопарков и аквариумов (EAZA) и поддерживает связь с другими парками в стране:
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Один из старых слонов Flamingo Land, Джангли, впоследствии родил детенышей в зоопарке Честера. Львы (самец, львица и их детеныши) первоначально находились в Сафари-парке Лонглит, прежде чем переехать в Flamingo Land для создания нового прайда. Чессингтонский мир приключений также был домом для одного из морских львов парка, Клайва. В 2017 году Flamingo Land взял под опеку нового черного носорога в рамках европейского проекта по разведению, которого назвали 'Баринго'. В 2019 году гепарды прибыли в Flamingo Land для начала Европейской программы разведения. Африканские животные
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Основное внимание парка уделяется коллекции африканских животных, обитающих в Lost Kingdom и African Plains. Lost River Ride был разработан для создания впечатления сафари перед финальным спуском и проходит через саванноподобные луга с жирафами, страусами, зебрами, антилопами, бегемотами, носорогами, тиграми и львами. Lion Reserve в Forgotten City также расположен на территории аттракциона. Кемпинг
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
На территории парка есть большой кемпинг со стационарными караванами и деревянными домиками, центром досуга, бассейном и кафе. Здесь же находятся The Club и Zoo Bar – развлекательный центр, предназначенный исключительно для владельцев караванов и гостей, проживающих на территории. Он вмещает более 1000 человек и располагает большой сценой и постоянными шоу, а также легкими развлечениями в исполнении приглашенных артистов кабаре. Также есть небольшой супермаркет, где гости могут купить необходимые товары. Тематический парк
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
В прошлом Flamingo Land не имел тематических зон и был скорее парком развлечений. С начала 21 века парк разработал несколько тематических зон. River Side One
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Зона River Side One открылась в 2014 году. Эта часть курорта открыта для всех посетителей. Здесь находятся The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper, одиннадцать аттракционов и American Diner. Здесь же находится открытая концертная площадка, на которой ежемесячно летом проходят популярные мероприятия Party In The Park. Обычно на шоу выступает известный артист или группа. Когда концерты только начинались, их вели Райан Суэйн и Фрэнк Ламинго. Metropolis
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
В Metropolis есть точки питания, такие как Metropolis Bar and Grill, магазины подарков, банкоматы и игровые автоматы с платной игрой. В 2016 году шоу Mia and Mylo Show вместе с Farewell Show переехали из Riverside One на Plaza, а также появился новый аттракцион – Pirates of Zanzibar, интерактивное шоу, которое проходит в течение всего дня и оформлено в виде большого пиратского корабля. В этой зоне также находятся аттракционы Velocity и Navigator. Flamingo 1
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Эта зона оформлена в стиле гонок и автомобилей, что отражено в ее центральном аттракционе Flamingo 1 Cars – небольшой трассе для картинга. Здесь же находятся Cliff Hanger, самая высокая башня свободного падения, и единственная комбо-башня S&S в Великобритании. Также здесь расположен ресторан Upper Deck с рыбными блюдами и чипсами (в котором также находится детская игровая площадка HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (китайская закусочная), Cool Fuel, Fuel Stop Cafe и Top Gear, все из которых находятся в новом развлекательном комплексе 'Hub'. В этой зоне расположены американские горки Hero, ресторан Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria и аттракцион Vortex. Splosh!
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Эта зона была представлена летом 2007 года и включает в себя водную игровую площадку с брызгалками и пальмами, с которых капает вода. Flip Flop – это гирокачель над искусственным озером с водными эффектами. Splash Battle – это аттракцион в стиле подводной лодки, где вагоны и посты вокруг аттракциона оснащены водными пушками. Dino Stone Park
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Dino Stone Park – это земля с тематикой динозавров, в которой есть пять аттракционов, в том числе высоко расположенный аттракцион Pterodactyl и вращающиеся семейные американские горки Twistosaurus, открытые в 2013 году. Muddy Duck Farm
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Ранее известная как 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', эта зона предназначена в основном для детей и включает в себя аттракционы Little Monster's Wacky Races и Mischief Mansion. Эта часть парка постепенно выводится из эксплуатации, чтобы освободить место для зоны с тематикой домашних животных, такой как Tractor Ride, где дети 'водят' тракторы вокруг загонов с домашними животными, ...
Theme park, zoo, and resort in North Yorkshire, England
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Flamingo Land' is a theme park, zoo, and resort located in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, England. Opened in 1959, it has been owned and operated by The Gibb Family since 2023. Owners
Chairmans
TenureStaff1978–1995Robert Gibb1995–to presentGordon Gibb
Owners
History
Flamingo Land Resort was established in 1959 when a cinema entrepreneur, Edwin Pentland Hick, sold his cinema chain and used the funds to purchase a bankrupt country club to use the land for a zoo. The site, which occupied nine acres, was initially called The Yorkshire Zoological Gardens. A colony of flamingos were among the first animals to be housed on site. Sik – Intamin second generation 'Multi Inversion Coaster', 10 inversion model opening at a reported cost of £18 million for the 2022 season. The ride is sponsored by local clothing company SikSilk
Hero – Suspended Flying Coaster new for 2013 in Metropolis area of the park. The ride was closed on 22 May 2015 when a piece of foot rail came loose and struck riders, but re opened after a thin safety net was added under the track where it passes over the queue. Pterodactyl – A Zamperla Vertical Swing installed in 2012 in the new Dino Stone Park for the 2013 season. Mumbo Jumbo – Opened in Summer 2009, this roller coaster was recognised at the time by the Guinness World Records as having the steepest drop. Flip Flop – Suspended over an artificial lake and features two large ship funnels on either side of the station. Kumali – Installed 2006, this is a Suspended Looping Coaster made by Vekoma. Navigator – Installed 2005, it was the first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built. Velocity – Constructed in 2005, replacing the Thunder Mountain attraction. It was built by Vekoma. The ride was the first booster bike ride in the United Kingdom, and is the tallest and fastest of its type in the world. It is estimated to have cost around £7 million. Cliff Hanger – Opened in 2002, this is the first and tallest S&S Combo Tower in the United Kingdom. Also on the site is a gym, a leisure centre, a spa, a golf course and a large collection of log cabins and static caravans. Pleasure Island
Flamingo Land also operated sister park Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, from its opening on 23 May 1993 until April 2010, when it became independently operated. On the former site of Cleethorpes Zoo, construction for an amusement park began in the 1990s, managed by RKF Entertainment. During this time RKF went into administration and Robert Gibb purchased the site as a second park to complement Flamingo Land. When his son Gordon Gibb became chief executive of the company, his sister Vicky Gibb and later, his other sister Melanie Wood took responsibility for the Cleethorpes park. In 2010 Melanie Wood attained her goal of taking ownership of the park herself, separating it from the rest of the family company. Pleasure Island was then operated by Dewarsavile Enterprises Ltd, directed by Wood. This marked the end of the association between Pleasure Island and Flamingo Land. Pleasure Island closed down at the end of the 2016 season. Animals
General overview
Flamingo Land houses exotic animals, including camels, Brazilian tapirs, zebras, Vicuñas, hippopotamus, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, chimpanzees, lions, rhinoceros, tigers, sea lions, parrots, and peafowl. The park takes part in breeding programmes. A mangabey breeding project was featured in the 2006 series of ITV1 show Theme Park. In 2010 Flamingoland started work on a penguin enclosure. Affiliations
Flamingo Land is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and has connections to other parks in the country:
One of the older Flamingo Land elephants, Jangoli, went on to give birth to calves at Chester Zoo. The park's male lion, lioness and her cubs were originally located at Longleat Safari Park before moving to Flamingo Land to start a new pride. Chessington World of Adventures was also once the home of one of the park's sea lions, Clive. In 2017, Flamingo Land took custody of a new black rhino as part of a European breeding project, named 'Baringo'. In 2019 The Cheetahs are coming to Flamingo Land to start the European Breeding Programme. African Animals
The park's emphasis is on their collection of African animals, housed in the Lost Kingdom and African Plains. The Lost River Ride was designed to give a safari experience before its final drop, and meanders through Savannah style grasslands with giraffe, ostrich, zebra, antelope, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tiger and lion. The Forgotten City Lion Reserve is also located in the middle of the ride. Holiday village
The park has a large holiday village with static caravans and log cabins, a leisure centre, a swimming pool, and a café. There is also The Club and Zoo Bar, an entertainment venue which is exclusive for caravan owners and people staying on site overnight. It is a venue capable of holding over 1000 people and boasts a large stage and resident shows as well as light entertainment performed by visiting cabaret acts. There is also a small supermarket for guests to buy their own supplies. Theme park
In the past, Flamingo Land never contained any themed areas and was very much an amusement park. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the park has developed several themed areas. River Side One
An area known as River Side One opened in 2014. This part of the resort is open to all visitors. This area contains The Club, Pizza Pie Takeaway Shop, the Gourmet Grill, Frog Hopper and Eleven rides and the American Diner. It also is the name of the outside concert stage which is home to their popular Party In The Park events which happen once a month at the park during the summer period. It normally has a famous artist or band headlining the show. When the concerts started they were originally hosted by Ryan Swain and Frank Lamingo. Metropolis
Metropolis contains food outlets such as the Metropolis Bar and Grill, gift shops, cash machines, and pay to play game stalls. In 2016, the Mia and Mylo Show moved with the Farewell Show from the Riverside One to the Plaza, along with the new attraction – the Pirates of Zanzibar, an all day interactive live show stylized as a large pirate ship. This area also features the rides Velocity and Navigator. Flamingo 1
This area is themed on racing and cars, as shown by its centrepiece ride Flamingo 1 Cars, a small go karting track. It also contains Cliff Hanger, the highest drop tower and the only S&S Combo Tower in the UK. There is also the Upper Deck fish and chip restaurant (which also incorporates the children's play area HMS Bouncy), Jolly Sailor2Go, Fortune2Go (a Cantonese takeout hut), Cool Fuel, the Fuel Stop Cafe and Top Gear, all of which are contained in the brand new 'Hub' entertainment complex. This area is the location of the Hero rollercoaster, Fabrizio's Ristorante and Pizzeria and the Vortex ride. Splosh! This area was introduced for the summer of 2007 and features a water playground with squirting jets and water dropping palm trees. Flip Flop is a gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects. Splash Battle is a submarine themed ride where ride cars and off ride posts around the ride are equipped with water cannons. Dino Stone Park
Dino Stone Park is a prehistoric dinosaur themed land which features five rides including the high altitude star flyer ride Pterodactyl and spinning family coaster called Twistosaurus, which opened in 2013. Muddy Duck Farm
Formally known as the 'Little Monsters Den of Mischief', this area is mainly aimed at children, and includes the attractions Little Monster's Wacky Races and Mischief Mansion. This part of the park has been slowly phased out to make way for an area themed around farm animals, such as the Tractor Ride where children 'drive' the tractors around the farm animals' pens, incorporated into the small Children's Planet area. Lost Kingdom Reserve
This area contains such rides as Lost River Ride, Kumali, and Voodoo. When it was built in 2009, Mumbo Jumbo had the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the world, at 112 degrees. This area is circled by the Daktari Express, a double 00 gauge railway that transports visitors around the reserve stylized as an African express train. African Plains
This is an all animal area containing various animal paddocks and is located in a quiet, secluded area of the zoo. The monorail offers a bird's eye view of the animals, as does the elevated pathway that goes over a small lake to the Penguin Coast. Children's Planet
This children's area was opened in 2011 and combines both play areas and animal enclosures. Party In The Park
In 2014 a new area in the park called The Riverside One was built. The River Side One area consists of an undercover outdoor stage which has the capacity to hold over 2000 people and consists of an outside cocktail bar called the R Bar, a pizza shop, gourmet grill, American Diner and amusements. Flamingo Land Resort announced it was to host a brand new event called Party In The Park which was to take place monthly during the high season on the outdoor stage. The shows have become very popular over the recent years, with thousands of visitors and holiday guests enjoying a 3 hour live concert featuring live acts, bands, acrobats, dancers and celebrity guests on stage. Over the recent years it has seen the likes of Tinchy Stryder, Scouting for Girls, Heather Small, Union J, Venga Boys, Calum Scott, Sam Bailey, Peter Andre and many more headline the show. When the shows first started they were originally fronted and presented by local entertainer and presenter Ryan Swain and his puppet Frank Lamingo. Roller coasters
# Name Type Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 1VelocityMotorbike2 July 2005VekomaFlamingo 1A motorbike launched coaster that reaches a speed of 54 mph (87 km) on a 2109 ft long track (643 m) and a height of 57 ft (18 m); height limit 1.37 m. 2KumaliSLC/Inverted2006VekomaLost KingdomReaches a speed of 55 mph (88 km) on a 2203 ft long track (672 m) and a height of 118 ft (36 m) with 4 inversions (loop, cobra roll, zero g roll); height limit 1.37 m. Train 2x10, SLC shenlin model. 3Mumbo JumboEl Loco/ Sit Down4 July 2009S&S WorldwideLost KingdomThe steepest rollercoaster in the UK, reaches a speed of 41 mph (66 km) and a height of 98 ft (30 m); height limit 1.21 m. Train 2x6, El Loco model. 4 Hero Volare/Flying 16 July 2013 Zamperla Flamingo 1 Suspended above the busy streets of Metropolis, on the site of the old Wild Mouse. Identical layout to Soarin' Eagle at Luna Park in Coney Island. 5 Sik Sit Down 2 July 2022 Intamin Multi Inversion Coaster similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but features a steeper drop, trains with lapbars, thicker steel track and a cable lift hill. The ride has been named ‘Sik’ in honour of the local clothing brand ‘Sik Silk’. 6ZooomAir Force/ Suspended 2011ZamperlaSplosh!An aeroplane themed junior suspended coaster. Train 2x5, Air Force model. 7 TwistosaurusSpinning25 May 2013 ZamperlaDino Stone ParkTwisting around the old Jurassic jungle. Family spinning rollercoaster. 8Runaway Mine TrainFamily Gravity/ Sit Down2007ZamperlaSplosh!A junior mine style coaster for children; height limit 1m. Train 2x6, 80STD Gravity Coaster. Previously at American Adventure. 9Dino RollerFamily/ Sit Down1988Cavazza DiegoDino Stone ParkTrain 2x10, super Nessi junior coaster was originally named as Dragon Coaster has been rethemed in 2013 as Dino Roller as part of Dino Stone Park.10Go GatorMiner Mike/ Sit Down1982Wisdom RidesMuddy Ducky FarmA very small coaster intended for younger children. Train 2x7, go gator model. Thrill rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Additional Information 10Cliff Hanger2002S&S WorldwideFlamingo 1The UK's only S&S combo drop tower ride. The ride is themed like a lighthouse; height limit 1.3m. The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group. A year after it was installed, the park had to remove the red and white cladding due to complaints from neighbours. 11NavigatorApril 2005ZamperlaFlamingo 1The first 'Mega' "Disk 'O'" type of ride ever to be built; height limit 1.21 m. 12Flip Flop2007FabbriSplosh!A gyro swing over a man made lake with water effects; height limit 1.37 m. 13PterodactylJuly 2012ZamperlaDino Stone ParkA 151 ft (46m) tall vertical spinning swing tower; height limit 1.21 m
Water rides
# Name Opened Manufacturer Themed Land Description 14Splash Battle2007Preston & BarbieriSplosh!The first interactive water ride in the UK. Ride cars themed as submarines travel along a track where targets must be hit to prevent the riders from being soaked; height limit 90 cm. 15Lost River Ride2004BEAR GmbHLost KingdomA 335 m spillwater ride that gently meanders through animal enclosures such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes and lions before taking an 18 m high plunge into a pool of water; height limit none / 1.2 m without adult supervision. Other rides and attractions
# Name Opened Themed Land Description 16Voodoo2003Lost KingdomA VEKOMA swinging Pirate ship ride; height limit 1.07 m. 17 Mischief Mansion 2001Muddy Duck FarmA ghost train suitable for families, it features horror characters including Frankenstein's monster, ghost, yeti, Dracula, and mummy as kids. 19Balloon Race1987 Riverside one A balloon themed gondola. 20Rotataur1980's To 1998 & 2006 To Present DayDino Stone ParkA wheel themed Zamperla Ferris wheel, originally named Wagon Wheel. 21Tractor Ride2006Muddy Duck FarmA Metallbau Emmeln Tractor ride; height limit 1.07 m. 22Gallopers1984MetropolisA set of Savage gallopers, previously located at Butlin's, Filey. 23Vortex (formerly Rockin' Tug)2005Flamingo 1A Zamperla rockin' tug ride; height limit 90 cm. 24Frog Hopper1990's or 2010'sFlamingo 1Junior drop tower; height limit 90 cm. 25Helitoys2001Muddy Duck FarmHelicopter ride for kids; height limit 90 cm. 26Fun Slides1990'sMuddy Duck FarmSlides for kids. 27Swoosh Air1980'sSplosh!Airplanes; height limit 90 cm. 32Pedaloes1980's (SBNO as of early 2020)Lost KingdomPedal boats; height limit 1.21 m. 33Wacky Races1985Muddy Duck FarmOn track Ford T models, manufactured by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit 1.07 m. 34Jungle Carousel2007Muddy Duck FarmCarousel. 35Flying Clowns1980'sSplosh!Suspended roundabout. 36Crazy Combat laser battle2011Splosh!Laser battle pay to use 37Cable CarsLost KingdomTakes guests on a chair lift for an elevated view of the park each gondola is a different African animal ; height limit none / 1.4 m alone. 38People Mover1990Flamingo 1Travels from Seaside Adventure to Muddy Duck Farm. Built by Severn Lamb. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 39Daktari Express1970's or 1980'sLost KingdomTrain ride that takes visitors around the zoo; height limit none / 1.3 m alone. 40Zoo Monorail1984The ZooGives a bird's eye view of the animals. Built by Big Country Motioneering. Height limit none / 1.3 m alone 41HMS Bouncy2011Flamingo 1Indoor play area. 42Pink Elephants1980's or 1990'sFlamingo 1Roundabout. 43Playground2011Children's PlanetPlay area. 44Reptile Encounter2011Children's PlanetReptiles. 45Sand Play2011Children's PlanetSand play area. 46Splish Splosh2007Splosh!Water play area. 47Otter Water Play2011Children's PlanetWater play area. 48Cyclosaurus2013Dino Stone ParkSmall cycling roundabout
Zoo
There are more 120 different species of animals in the park, including hippos, camels, meerkats, reptiles, exotic birds, giraffes, lions, tigers, sea lions, baboons, zebras, rare fish, penguins, otters, and many others. ShowsBird Show – exotic birds at the Zoo. Sea Lion Show – sea lion show at the Zoo. Pirates of Zanzibar – live action pirate show in the Plaza, Show times 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 daily
Past rides and attractions
# Name Opened Closed Description 1 Magnum Force 2000 2005A Triple Loop Coaster built by Anton Schwarzkopf that originally toured German funfairs as Dreier Looping & Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Now located at Indiana Beach in the United States under the name All American Triple Loop. 2 The Bullet19912005A shuttle loop style coaster designed by Schwarzkopf. Originally known as Wiener Looping and previously operated in Austria, Florida, and on the German travelling funfair circuit before arriving at Flamingo Land. The ride was sold in 2012 to Selva Magica in Mexico, and opened in December 2013. 3Corkscrew19902011A Vekoma corkscrew roller coaster that was one of the first rides to arrive at Flamingo Land, originally from Spanish City, Whitley Bay (1983 to 1989). The ride was dismantled in January 2012 and was relocated to Luna Park Cap d'Agde in France. Replaced by SIK 4Thunder Mountain19912004Enclosed within a rock themed structure to create a dark roller coaster. The track system was a Pinfari Z40. 5Frank's Exploratorium20012017Magic House to explore; height limit none / 1.07 m alone. Replaced by peter rabbit show 6Sky Flyer19932015A Vekoma double inverted swinging ship style ride, formerly located in the Swoosh area. Relocated to Pleasure Island Theme Park. 7Flying Trapeze19982001One of the world's most relocated coasters. The Four Man Bob coaster was built by Zierer and previously operated in Movie Park Germany, Trentham Gardens, Alton Towers, and Pleasure Island before arriving in Flamingo Land. It was then moved to Grove Land then Loudoun Castle before coming to Family Park in France, where it has operated since 2020. 8Crazy Loop19861995A coaster was built by Pinfari was relocated to former sister park Pleasure Island. It has been operating as Shockwave and later Crazy Loop in Brean Leisure Park since 2003. 9Wild Mouse19972012A Maurer Söhne Wilde Maus Classic roller coaster. Removed in 2012 to make way for the new flying coaster, Hero, and now operates in Pleasurewood Hills under the name of Marble Madness. 10Top Gun19962004Unique attraction where riders sat inside two seater plane themed cars that spun around the centre tower while moving toward the top. The riders could choose to turn their cars up side down during the ride. It was built by Intamin and based on the film of the same name. Relocated from Kings Island, USA. 11Klondike Creek1980s2003Triple drop log flume with a mine theme, believed to have been extended with sections of the removed Log Flume from Drayton Manor. It met the same end as the Drayton Manor attraction because it was replaced by a Bear Rides Chute the Shoots (Lost River Ride). 12Waikiki Wave/Tidal Wave19932008Vekoma Waikiki Wave ride, removed to make way for Mumbo Jumbo. 13Terroriser/Circulator19952007A Fabbri Group evolution ride, moved to Pleasure Island in 2007. 14Enterprise19851994An Enterprise ride, built by HUSS Park Attractions. Previously operated at Blackpool Pleasure Beach from 1979. 15Junior Driving School19992012A ride in which kids could drive electric buses. 16Circus World19902000A circus show which featured acrobats and animals. 17Dolphin Show1980s 1990s2001A dolphin show. 18Log Flume1980s1998An original water ride. 19Dive Booster1980s or 1990s 2000s or 2010sA spinning thrill ride 20Waltzer19912006An A. R. M. waltzer ride. 21Zig Zag19942006A P. W. S. twist ride. 22Formula Car1990s 2000s or 2010sA go karts ride. 23Cine 1801980s1900s or 2000sA cinema. 24Flying Carpet19911992A Weber 1001 Nacht. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park from 1993 to 2001. 25Ferris wheel1970s or 1980s1990s or 2000sA Ferris wheel and is one of the parks first permanent rides. 26High Flying Jets19822003Lang Wheels manufactured 'vampire' jets. Previously located at Peter Pan's Playground, Brighton. 27Century 20001980s1995A Bakker Denies ramba zamba ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 28Razzle Dazzle19861993An A. R. M. satellite/trabant ride. Later operated at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park. 29Sherlock Showtime19962000A Sherlock themed show 30Clown Slide19902000sA Modern Products astroglide slide. 31Dead Man's Drop1980s2000A near vertical steep slide that was located in the current Exploratorium. 32The Rock A fire Explosion19901990sAnimatronic robot band entertainment show. 33Gravitron19941994An A. R. M. manufactured rotor ride. 34Flamingo Star19952004A HUSS Park Attractions Tri Star. Operated at Alton Towers from 1991 to 1992. Moved to Pleasure Island. 35Octopus19871994A Robles Bouso polyp ride. Previously operated at Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Moved to Pleasure Island in 1995. 36UFO19952004A HUSS Park Attractions UFO. Was sold to showman John Wesseldine. 37Rock Slide 2013An Ivan Bennett astroglide slide. Last located at Seaside Adventure beside the Cliff Hanger.38Professor Bubble's Seaside Adventure19902016Removed to make way for Daytona Bridge go karting track. It was a small Modern Products tracked ride.39Cycle Monorail1980s2018A monorail where it was manually operated by two people cycling around a course. It was located near Velocity. It was removed to make way for the construction of Flamingo Land's 10 Inversion rollercoaster.40The Swan1980sRoundabout.41Spotted Cow Ride1990sJunior carousel. In the mediaTheme Park on ITVTheme Park is an ITV docusoap shown in the Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Regions, following the behind the scenes activities of Flamingo Land. The first series was broadcast in 2001 and a prominent part of the show was the building of the new area The Little Monsters Den of Mischief. The series in 2004 followed the development of the new water ride, The Lost River, which replaced the previous log flume, Klondike Creek. 2006 saw the third series of the popular ITV1 show, and followed the construction of the park's new coaster, Kumali. Zoo Vet at LargeThe park's animal collection has also been a main feature of Zoo Vet at Large, which follows vet Matt Brash, both at his North Yorkshire surgeries and in his role as head vet at Flamingo Land. There have been multiple series which aired on ITV1 and are often repeated on the digital channel Sky Real Lives. ChuckleVisionIn an episode of ChuckleVision called "Romany Days", The Chuckle Brothers visit Flamingo Land in search of a pair of underpants which they believe to be of great value. The coaster they predominantly ride during the episode appears to be the Crazy Loop. ITV Weather sponsorship
Flamingo Land took up the sponsorship of ITV Yorkshire weather in June 2007 and ITV Tyne Tees weather in July 2007. The campaign ran until the end of the season. This sponsorship was renewed with both ITV regions in March 2008 at the start of the new season. Talk FlamingoTalk Flamingo'' was a long running, discussion based website about the park with news, construction, history, pictures, reviews and multimedia. The site closed at the end of the park's 2009 season. Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP)
Flamingo Land's wildlife management initiative operates in the villages closest to the Magombera forest with the aim to maintain tropical rainforest in Eastern Tanzania. The purpose of the project is to provide villagers with a long term fuel alternative through education and research, therefore reducing firewood collection within the forest, and thus the pressures placed upon the local environment. Football sponsorship
It was announced that Flamingo Land would be the new shirt sponsors of both Hull City A. F. C. and Middlesbrough F. C. during the 2015–16 Football League Championship season. Flamingopics
A flamingo land resort fansite running from 2012 – current. It features over 2500+ photos 50 videos and plenty of information.
Противоречия
В 2012 году владелец парка Гордон Гибб предстал перед судом по обвинению в нападении на кассира у входа в парк. 22 мая 2015 года девочка-подросток получила травму и была госпитализирована, когда ограждение упало с вагончика американских горок Hero и порезало ей голову. Еще одному человеку оказали помощь на месте. Управление по охране здоровья и безопасности (HSE) начало расследование инцидента. Американские горки "Hero" вновь открылись в начале июня.
In 2012, park owner Gordon Gibb appeared in court charged with the assault of a ticket seller outside the entrance of the park. On 22 May 2015, a teenage girl was injured and had to be taken to hospital when a footrail fell from a car of the Hero roller coaster and cut her head. Another person was treated at the scene. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation into the incident. Hero reopened in early June.
Политические пожертвования
Flamingo Land Limited пожертвовала 185 999 фунтов стерлингов Консервативной партии начиная с 2014 года.
Flamingo Land Limited have donated £185,999 to the Conservative Party since 2014.