Anyone who thinks you have to go into space to experience zero gravity is wrong.

You don’t have to work for NASA, either. You can feel the sensation right here in Yorkshire.

This summer, visitors to Flamingo Land will be able to climb aboard Hero, a new ‘flying’ coaster, upon which riders will experience zero-gravity flight, including swooping turns, breathtaking drops and two heartline inversions – the ride is designed so that the centre of gravity corresponds to the position of the heart in the rider’s body.

Thrillseekers will board hang glider-style cars that swoop around an undulating circuit, with rolls giving the rider a zero G-force and a feeling of weightlessness.

So will I be subjecting myself to this? No way – but my teenagers can’t wait.

To get them in the mood, we recently visited the North Yorkshire attraction where they sampled Pterodactyl, an exhilarating ride which opened last summer. Standing at 46 metres tall, riders swing around in chairs, stretching 26 metres out into the sky.

To me it looked terrifying, but my daughters loved it. My adventurous sister also went up, hoping to grab some shots of the surrounding countryside with her camera.

But she didn’t reckon on the wind way above ground level. “It was so scary – I swung out so far, and twisted round,” she said, “There was no way I could have taken photographs.”

It was so windy, she lost her hat, which flew off and landed in a tree. Thankfully, nearby workmen had a pole handy and lifted it down.

Youngsters climbing off the ride had loved being blown about. “It was fantastic – this is my fifth time on it,” said one boy.

As if there isn’t enough at the theme park to bring screams of pleasure from visitors, three exciting new rides open this year, each offering a different experience to suit everyone, from time-served daredevils, to younger visitors who are not quite ready for zero gravity.

Already open, the new ‘magic bike’ aerial adventure Cyclosaurus is great fun, with its pedal-powered hang gliders, whose height can be controlled by its riders.

The ride already occupies a spot in Dino Stone Park, the attraction’s smart new area for families and younger visitors.

Also new this summer, Twistosaurus, a junior twister coaster, will give children who stare longingly at the speeding adult coasters, but are not yet old or tall enough, the chance to experience a ride reaching 17mph at heights of up to eight metres.

These new attractions add to the existing rides at the 375-acre park, including my daughters’ favourite, Velocity, a motorcycle rise that sets off at an eye-watering speed, reaching 60mph in three seconds. Braver riders raise their arms for the whole ride.

Roller coaster Kumali continues to pull in the crowds – in our experience queues are fairly fast moving, and signs inform people how long they have got to wait.

A stone’s throw away, with its vertical drop, Mumbo Jumbo is thrilling for all the family. My nephew Ned, aged eight, was allowed on this and was thrilled by his first coaster ride.

“Did you see me? It was great!” he said as he came off. Within ten minutes he was back on, having another go.

The park is split into nine different zones, with everything within easy strolling distance, but if you want to visit the zoo at one end of the site, there is a cable car to ferry you across.

This is fun, too – you get a great view of the rides, and many of the zoo animals. We swung across as the sea lions were being fed by their keeper in front of an attentive audience.

At the zoo we were amazed to see a group of people sitting in the lemur enclosure surrounded by the cute creatures who were climbing on to children's knees. They were taking part in a Meet The Animals encounter, which is available at extra cost, with lemurs, meerkats and penguins. It isn’t cheap, but it looked like a lot of fun.

We walked to one of the more recently-added zones, Children’s Planet, with its imaginatively-designed fort, which Ned loved. Dotted around are walled enclosures where characterful creatures such as the warty pig – a critically-endangered animal seriously threatened by deforestation – the red river hog and the porcupine.

Next door a walk-through reptile house is home to a huge Burmese python. They can live for up to 25 years and reach more than six metres in length, the information board told us. This one was so long, we initially thought it was two snakes.

Bordering Children’s Planet, more familiar animals including Shetland ponies, rabbits, chickens and turkeys, can be seen at Muddy Duck Farm.

A pleasant courtyard with numerous refreshment areas, offers chance to sit and relax with a cup of tea.

The park is clean and tidy and staff are very helpful. There are plenty of places to eat. We opted for take-away fish and chips, which we ate in the Seaside Adventure zone, under the towering Cliff Hanger ride, that shoots people up vertically, before plummeting again.

Some visitors opt to stay at the park, in its adjacent holiday resort, where caravans and cabins are available. A short break gives you plenty of time to see everything.

And, having experienced the rides, it would be a shame to miss the zoo, with its baboon families, giraffes, lions, tigers and hippos among the residents.

If you want to do it all in a day, go early. We did, and even managed to squeeze in a laser battle – for which there is a small charge – in a purpose-built stockade before we went home.

FACTFILE:

  • Flamingo Land is at Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire.
  • For more information and prices, ring 08719 118000 or visit flamingoland.co.uk