P342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2129:59 1/8 bz Jill Hartley VARJATJONS ON A THEME...1 LOVE it or hate it the much hyped transformation of a few French beetroot fields into EuroDisney means family themed fun is here to stay. When Di takes the children to Thorpe Park to try out out the white-knuckle rides every parent in Britain guiltily feels they should bj there too. This summer few families will bj able to escape the lure of the theme park. Wj look beyond the latest big attraction and discover what else Europe has to offer. mort > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 BOOK A FLIGHT WITH FLIGHTBOOKERS 374 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wed29 Apr ITV 2123:13 2/8 New feature every Sat VARIATIONS ON A THEME...2 TJNIES, who quite honestly can bj daunted by Disney, will thrill to Denmark's Ljgoland which attracts a million visitors a year - 50,000 from the UK. It took 33 million of the much-loved bricks to produce boggling copies of the Taj Mahal, White House, Statue of Liberty and other famous sights. You will also find plenty of fun rides Xnot made of Lego), antique dolls plus dolls' houses and pony rides. Plot your route using Big Chief Sitting Bull. He's 45ft tall and took 1.5m bricks. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2120:45 3/8 VARIATIONS ON A THEME...3 LEGOLAND is not for teenagers or adults hooked on rollercoaster rides, but there is plenty to attract active pre-teens. They can take the sky railway, pan for gold at Legoredo, take driving lessons in the traffic school or catch a boat ride through a series of tunnels. One advantage over Disney is that you don't have to queue for the rides and it's cheaper at £4.50 for adults, £2.25 for children. Scandinavian Seaways 0255 241234 has packages. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 AIRLINE TICKET NETWORK PAGE 375 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2120:02 4/8 VARIATIONS ON A THEME...4 HEADING for the northern French channel ports this summer but can't face the Disney crush? One alternative way to keep the children happy is a trip to Belgium's Meli Park. It's on the Belgian coast, near the French border, just eight miles from Dunkjrquj and 40 miles from Calais so you don't have to make a big detour. Meli has all the usual rides, including a giant swingboat, the Crazy Beetle rollercoaster and the highest watersplash in Europe. Phone the Belgian Tourist Office: 081-861 3300 for more details. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2121:21 5/8 VARJATJONS ON A THEME...5 YOU can mix the kitsch with the culture on a trip to Germany this summer if you take the family to Phantasialand, just a few minutes from the cathedral city of Cologne. It has all the usual rides plus Vegas style shows, a space centre, automated silver mine, bobsleighs, dinosaurs and a giant boating lake. You can hire bikes, ride the cable car or monorail. And when you get bored, there's always a trip down the Rhine. Scandinavian Seaways 0255 241234 has four-night packages for £143 for adults and £94 for children. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2121:50 6/8 VARIATIONS ON A THEME...6 EFTELING in Kaatsheuvjl, South West Holland, claims to be the oldest thjmj park in Europe and the inspiration for the original California Disney. Whjthjr you believe it or not it's got to bj quieter this summer than the new Gallic Disney. Just like its famous counterpart the park is made up of enchanted fantasy lands with rides. It has plenty of the white-knuckle type to keep adults and older children interested. This year is its 40th anniversary to bj celebrated with a new "mystery" ride on June 1. For details phone: 0242m260960. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2128:07 7/8 VARJATJONS ON A THEME...7 LISEBERG in Gothjnburg is easily Sweden's biggest tourist attraction with over two million visitors a year paying the entrance fee of around £4. You have to pay extra for some of the rides but it's still good value. You get the usual hairy stuff such as the Lisjbjrg loop, flume ride and a 50mph rollercoaster. Its latest attraction is the Spaceport with its 380ft tower and space-flight simulator. You can also paddle your own canoe, splash out in a bump-um boat or test the BMX track. Scandinavian Seaways and Cosmos do packages. more > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates AdvertsP342 ORACLE 342 Wjd29 Apr ITV 2122:27 8/8 VARIATIONS ON A THEME...8 FRANCE has its own Disney diversions struggling to compete. Parc Asterix, 38km north of Paris, is being offered as an extra bz some operators. It has over 100 different shows and themed adventures but the big draw is the largest dolphinarium in Europe. Tickets start at £10.50 for under 12s. For those who just can't wait Nausicaa, the sea-theme park on the Boulougne sea front makes a good stopover for bored travellers. This is much more than an aquarium with underwater caves and coral islands to explore with spine tingling sound effects. start > Holiday News 341 Holiday Ads 350 News Holidays Tourist Rates Adverts