Those busy little theme park bees have been working tirelessly over the wintry closed season to bring a little extra when they re-open their doors in 2012. So what does this year have in store?

Thorpe Park

Located on an island in the park’s main lake, their new ride for 2012 is The Swarm. It’s going to be the park’s second tallest ride and will have a post-apocalyptic theme – you will be the flying swarm zooming through a world of devastation. Twists, turns and upside down sections are all part of the plan, and there are even rumours that the seats will move as well!

Alton Towers

Amid much cloak-and-dagger speculation, we think we might just know what’s happening here. A new ride in the indoor area of the Forbidden Valley part of the park will have you meeting Nemesis underground, the alien who gave his name to the popular ride. A vertical drop, possibly with a catacomb theme are about all we can glean on this one! Elsewhere, Ice Age 4D Experience is sure to be a hit with the younger ones.

Image by rogerbarker2

Chessington World of Adventures

The new attraction at Chessington for 2012 is a slightly more sedate affair, with a Madagascar Live show, based on the characters from the Dreamworks films. See all your favourites with Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and more!

LEGOLAND

Making a new attraction at LEGOLAND sure is time consuming, with the new Star Wars Miniland needing 1.5 million LEGO bricks! The new exhibit will be divided into seven areas so you can see the story unfold in chronological order with over 2000 models!

Fancy turning your day trip into a mini break? Try our UK breaks page for inspiration!

Top Image by Ben Sutherland