An iconic former theme park that closed its doors in 2023 has unveiled plans to reopen as an adventure park.
Adventure Wonderland, which first opened in 1992 near Bournemouth Airport, was forced to shut down its outdoor rides due to "rising costs".
The indoor attractions, including the soft play area, followed suit the next year.
At the time of closure, the park stated: "The current trading climate and steep increase in key costs across the board is not conducive to the existing theme park model."
Adventure Wonderland in Bournemouth
ADVENTURE WONDERLAND
However, they also hinted at "exciting plans" for a simpler attraction.
Those plans have now been submitted, revealing a transformation into a smaller adventure attraction.
The new outdoor space will feature play zones and splash parks, complemented by "sensory gardens" for visitors.
A maze, go-karting track and mini golf will be among the attractions on offer.
The site will also see the reopening of a café and shop, which form part of the education facility already on the premises.
Most of the closed buildings are being repurposed rather than rebuilt, suggesting a relatively quick restoration process.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
A image of the planning request made by Adventure Wonderland
PLANNING REQUEST
The adventure park hopes to welcome visitors later this year, though few additional details about the new attraction have been revealed.
The Alice in Wonderland theme was chosen because the main character was thought to have been inspired by a woman who lived nearby in Lyndhurst.
Before its closure, Adventure Wonderland began as a pick-your-own-fruit farm before developing into a full theme park in the 1990s.
In 2005, the park expanded with its first indoor area, a £1million indoor play attraction called Wild Thing.
At its peak, the park featured rides including a rollercoaster, tea cups and log flume.
Adventure Wonderland is located near Bournemouth Airport
GETTY
The popular attraction welcomed as many as 180,000 visitors annually before it was forced to close.
According to the planning application statement, the redevelopment aims "to create a site which is better adapted for use by the occupants of Merritown, Discovery Village and Diverse Abilities".
The statement continued: "All of these tenants want to create sustainable spaces which focus on creative outdoor spaces which are stimulating environments with outdoor play, sensory gardens, water play, and utilise the existing external spaces and buildings on site."
While the park originally hoped to open later in 2025, further details about specific opening dates have not yet been announced.
