SINCE opening its doors in Rotherham five years ago, Gulliver’s Valley has welcomed visitor numbers reaching into the millions, including thousands of families, schools and uniformed groups each year for overnight stays and residential trips.
So it seems fitting that when Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts managing director Julie Dalton is asked why she chose Rotherham as the site for national chain’s fourth UK site she answers “Because of the people.”
Gulliver’s Valley opened its doors in July 2020 and spans 250 acres across the valley as the newest of four Gulliver’s theme park resorts in the UK.
The resort, aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old, has more than 50 rides, attractions, shows and activities – from the Apache Falls ride to the Ghostly Galleon pirate ship, a mini-farm and a Lost Jurassic World area with animatronic dinosaurs.
And it was the people power of Rotherham which won out over Sheffield, Doncaster or Barnsley.
“That was from the people I met in the petrol station or shops right through to the council in 2018-19,” said Julie, who runs the other three sites (Gulliver’s Kingdom in Matlock Bath, Gulliver’s World in Warrington, and Gulliver’s Land in Milton Keynes) as a family business along with her brother Nick Phillips, who is also a director.
“Everybody was keen to move Rotherham forwards and there was an attitude of ‘what can we do to make a difference’ which was really refreshing.
Over the last five years the park has expanded to add a number of new rides and areas, including Gulliver’s Gears which opened in 2021 with the Grand Prix Racer rollercoaster and a range of classic cars on display, plus two new rides for 2025 – the Turbo Tower and Crazy Planes.
“Our ethos has always been to work with the local communities in which we operate and to develop partnerships with other local businesses,” said Julie.
In addition, Gulliver’s Valley offers a wide range of accommodation options which have expanded since opening and today include Unicorn and Princess Suites, Pirate Lodges, Captain’s Dens, Mermaid Dens, Lost World Lodges and the Megalodon Lodge.
The education and training environment, developed with partners including The Work-wise Foundation, features a wide range of sector-themed zones in collaboration with leading organisations, including energy with E.ON, health and social work with the NHS and Rotherham Council, construction with Esh Group, and advanced manufacturing with Gripple.
Among the highlights is the FlyMe@Skills Street aviation experience, while visitors can also explore historic Rolls-Royce and Vulcan aircraft engines and learn about careers in aviation, engineering, travel, and tourism.
