A much-loved family attraction close to Retford is reopening its doors on Saturday 14th February after its annual winter break and will unveil some restored and new aspects of the park in early spring.
Sundown Adventureland, the nostalgic and award-winning theme park for children up to 10 years old, closed on 24th December after its Christmas Spectacular to allow the team to carry out annual maintenance and deep clean all areas of the beloved theme park, ready to welcome families back for 2026.
A historic part of the park that’s over 30 years old has been restored to “Ship Shape” condition and will reopen in early spring after being closed for several years. The top decks of the Galleon, the gigantic boat centrepiece of the popular Smuggler’s Cove adventure play area, will welcome shipmates once more and lead to a three-metre plank and new slide, where sailors embrace the pirate life and slide straight into the ground-level play area.
Over £100,000 has been invested in restoring the upper decks on the 10-metre-tall ship. Restorations include replacing and treating aged wood throughout, reupholstering soft furnishings, replacing windows and when the weather is dryer, the team will meticulously repaint the exterior.
Shaun Malvern, director at Sundown Adventureland who oversees the maintenance of all attractions, said:
“The year is always jam-packed at Sundown and following the popularity of our Christmas Spectacular, we like to take six weeks to carry out long-term repairs across the park, do a thorough deep clean of our soft plays, jet wash high traffic areas and carry out essential paint touch ups to ensure the park is looking its best for the next season.
“It’s also an opportunity to innovate our events and what we can offer to visitors throughout the year, and we’re excited to unveil more over the coming months.
“The Galleon at Smuggler’s Cove is a much-loved part of the play area and has been an iconic feature at Sundown for over 30 years. It’s also been an important part of my own experience growing up at Sundown, which my grandparents opened 57 years ago. We hope visitors returning to Sundown or seeing it for the first time will appreciate its history and enjoy it fully once it’s reopened.”
Distributed at the Christmas Spectacular and designed to help banish the winter blues and save families some money, children with Golden Tickets are granted free access to Sundown, saving £24 per child, when visiting between 14th February and 27th March 2026.
The park’s team requires families to simply purchase the remaining tickets on the door when they visit, bringing the golden ticket with them on their chosen date.
As well as capturing the treasure at Smuggler’s Cove, explorers can travel through the mountains and outback on Rocky Mountain Railroad, show off their driving abilities and get their driving license in jungle-themed monster trucks at Monkey Mayhem Driving School, or be transported to the African Savannah on the exotic WILD Ostrich Safari Ride.
Outdoor play areas include Angry Birds Activity Park and Fort Apache, whilst indoor play areas Crash Landings and Rodeo Corral offer some shelter from any wintery showers and serve warm lunches, refreshments and sweet treats.
In addition to the park reopening, Sundown’s on-site overnight accommodation Wild Acre Village reopens, kicking off a busy week of stays for February half term.
Located next to the theme park, Wild Acre Village is designed with large and small families in mind, with single cabins that sleep up to five people – two adults in a king-sized room and three children in a triple bunk room – or double cabins that sleep up to 10 people and feature interconnecting doors for the best of both worlds in closeness and privacy.
The self-catering lodges have a compact and well-equipped kitchen, a family-sized bathroom, a living area and selected lodges have hot tubs to unwind in after a busy day exploring.
Debs Griffin, director at Sundown Adventureland, manages all the bookings at Wild Acre Village and said of its reopening:
“In 2025, our accommodation had one of its best years yet. It hosted thousands of families and provided them with cherished memories and won even more awards, including ‘Best in Britain – Holiday Park’ at the Hoseasons Diamond Awards 2025.
“We often hear how much families value the accommodation as they can revisit their favourite rides and play areas multiple times during their stay, or have a more relaxed experience and explore at a leisurely pace, knowing they have the option to attend the park again as Sundown tickets are included in the cost of a stay.”
Tickets to Sundown Adventureland start from £20 for adults and children over 90cm if purchased online, with children under 90cm entering for free.
The Golden Tickets are valid for free entry between 14th February and 27th March 2026.
To book tickets for the park or an overnight stay, view opening times and prices, please visit the website: www.sundownadventureland.co.uk.
Posted on 10 February 2026
