LSE - Small Logo
LSE - Small Logo

Sartsatat Junda

December 6th, 2021

A Trip to Winter Wonderland: What to Expect in this Glamourous Event

1 comment | 18 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Sartsatat Junda

December 6th, 2021

A Trip to Winter Wonderland: What to Expect in this Glamourous Event

1 comment | 18 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

When the cold breeze of winter hit London, it is that time of the year. While London is usually mentioned as one of the best cities to spend Christmas as the whole city is decorated with majestic lighting and Christmas trees, the annual event at Hyde Park “Winter Wonderland,” takes the cake. With last year’s absence, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland made its return as the top destination for this festive season. This blog will take you to take a look at what this event has to offer.

Situated in the middle of Central London’s largest park, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is the fair that features many attractions, rides, food stalls, carnival games, and a Christmas market. As you step into the event ground, you will be greeted by the fabulous lighting arch decoration. After that, you can freely explore the area at your own pace. But my recommendation is to be there early, so that queue for the popular ride is not too long. It is worth mentioning that this year’s event is geared towards pre-booking, so it would be ideal if you pre-book your entry ticket and attractions beforehand.

Speaking of the attractions, one of my top recommendations is the Giant Wheel that is hard to miss. Towering at the centre of the Winter Wonderland, the Giant Wheel gives you an incredible view of the entire event ground, which is really vivid and colourful as it’s filled with exciting attractions. So you should probably take the ride up there and enjoy the view. The ride takes 10 minutes, with waiting varies depending on the time and day, which was 45 minutes in my case as I was there on the very first day.

The next recommended is the Real Ice Slide. You’ll be taken to your simple childhood excitement as you slide down the slope with your friends. This attraction is generous enough to let you take two rounds of the sliding. Really good for value, but importantly it was fun! If you are looking for something more relaxing, you should pre-book the ice skating rink ā€“ the largest outdoor ice rink in central London ā€“ and the bar ice, the bar that is literally made from ice and offer a cool cocktail. These two attractions filled up quickly.
 
As I’m a person that is highly sensitive to motion sickness, I didn’t get on the ‘thrill’ rides, which are aplenty at the Winter Wonderland. To list some, the Hangover, basically the drop tower, offers a great view with its 85 metres height. Everybody’s gotta love a rollercoaster, so take the ride at the Eurocoaster, which claimed to be the longest-standing ride of the Winter Wonderland. The last one that I didn’t get on but certainly captured my attention is the XXL, the circular, pendulum ride that swings you at the height of 47 metres as you take in the view below and feel the chilling breeze.
 


 
After you get exhausted with all the rides, take the time to stroll the Christmas market that sells cute collectables and souvenirs. Hungry? They’ve got you covered. Numerous food stalls serve all kinds of food, and there are also bar with refreshments. Other than that, just take your time and take a wonderful photo of the colourful neon light that contrasts perfectly with the darkness of the night.

If you are not here this year, worry not. This event is annually organized if there is no cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland runs from now until 3 January 2022. So be sure to check it out!

About the author

Sartsatat Junda

I'm an accountant-turned-IT postgraduate student from Thailand with a passion for exploring and immersing myself in the LSE and everything London has to offer. My interests and hobbies vary, with a focus on board games, gaming, and films!

Posted In: London life

1 Comments

Bad Behavior has blocked 2290 access attempts in the last 7 days.