The day after Boxing Day became our big theme park day. On 27th December, we headed down to Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, one of Queensland’s best-known family attractions. The giant globe at the entrance makes it feel like you’ve properly arrived before you’ve even scanned your ticket.
Dreamworld has the big thrill rides if you want them, but for us this was always going to be more of a family-paced day. The aim was simple: find the rides that worked for the girls, keep cool where we could and let everyone enjoy the park without trying to conquer the whole place.
We spent most of the day in the gentler areas, watching Kenny and Belinda on stage, wandering between rides and letting the girls choose what felt fun. The little plane ride was a huge hit, with us squeezed into a bright red and yellow aircraft that went round and round while everyone grinned like they were flying to the moon.
Dotty loved the slower rides too. She sat clutching Raggedy Ann on one of the small yellow rides, smiling out of the window while the park moved around her. These are the moments that make theme parks work for us: not trying to smash every headline attraction, but finding the pockets where both girls can enjoy themselves in their own way.
Georgia also got her carousel fix, choosing a white horse and looking very pleased with herself as it spun around. We did get on a few other rides ourselves, but the day was mainly for the kids, and that was exactly the right call.
Ali and Georgia did sneak in one bigger ride together: Tail Spin. From the ground it looks like a colourful plane ride with a bit of extra attitude. Once you’re up there, though, it becomes a proper spinning, tilting, “what have I agreed to?” sort of ride. Georgia looked thrilled, Ali looked brave, and I was very happy watching from a safer angle with Dotty.
After that, we slowed it right back down with more kids’ rides, wandering and shade breaks. Dreamworld is definitely the kind of place where pacing matters with children, especially in Queensland heat. A few rides, a drink, a sit down, then off again. Classic family theme park survival strategy.
On the way out, we made the inevitable stop at the LEGO store, which was basically a bright yellow danger zone after Christmas. Georgia found the giant LEGO watermelon character and popped her face through the middle, while Dotty inspected it from below like she was checking the engineering. The shop was full of “please can I have this?” energy, which is exactly what you want and absolutely do not want at the end of a theme park day.
By the time we finally left, we were hot, tired and very happy. It wasn’t a “do every ride in the park” kind of visit, but it was exactly right for us: gentle rides, koala mascots, a little bit of bravery from Ali and Georgia, and one last LEGO ambush before the exit.
Back in the UK, the 27th December can feel like that strange in-between day where everyone is still eating leftovers and wondering what day it is. In Queensland, apparently, it means Dreamworld, little planes, carousel horses, LEGO and children still running on Christmas energy.