A visit to Winter Wonderland requires three things:
1) Stamina,
2) The willpower to resist Earth, Wind & Fire’s Boogie Wonderland repeatedly entering your head; and
3) A ticket.
As with last year, they’ve ditched the ol’ free-for-all policy in a bid to control crowd numbers, which is good news because it also (at least hypothetically) means you’ll have fewer queues to endure before strolling through an enchanting ice kingdom; sipping mulled wine at the Christmas market; and indulging your love of European rollercoasters.
You’ll find Winter Wonderland, as always, set up in Hyde Park, taking up a colossal amount of space and packing into it:
ENTERTAINMENT
In the form of traditional family favourite Zippo’s Circus (now featuring furry inflatable polar bears) and the less traditional Cirque Beserk, who have acrobats prepared to swing by their hair for your amusement.
WINTER ACTIVITIES
We’re talking ice skating on the largest outdoor rink in the country, festooned with fairy-lights and accompanied by occasional live music from the Victorian bandstand; a walk-through ice kingdom featuring more than 250 frozen statues inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; DIY ice-carving workshops; a real ice slide (which you can descend on a rubber ring); and a fairground filled with rollercoasters, ferris wheels and a drop tower which, at 85m high, offers one of the best viewpoints in London… for the few seconds before you’re released at 90km/h.
FOOD & DRINK
Winter Wonderland also boasts a street food village – so you can browse the Christmas market’s 100 miniature chalets with something toasty to keep you going – as well as a Bavarian beer hall with live music & singalongs; an Alpine lodge with roaring fires; and a subzero cocktail bar crafted entirely from ice.
It’s where all the cool people hang out.
NOTE: Winter Wonderland is open daily between 21st November – 5th January 2025 (except Christmas Day). Entry is free off-peak, then £5-7.50 at other times. You can find out more, and book, on the Winter Wonderland website.
Winter Wonderland | Hyde Park, London W2
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