Winter Wonderland is coming to Hyde Park! Find out what’s in store this year…
There is just one week to go before one of the highlights of the festive season arrives in London. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland open its doors for the Christmas period on Thursday 22nd of November. Many of the star attractions will be making a return this year and there will also be plenty of new offerings to keep everyone in the family entertained.
The Sloaney team will be reporting live from Winter Wonderland next weekend and bringing you the very best from this year’s attractions. In the meantime, here is a preview of what will be on offer this year as we countdown to the opening of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2018…
The Magical Ice Kingdom returns for 2018 with a brand new theme – ‘The Secret Forest.’ Discover a magical world complete with woodland animals and mythical creatures, created from more than 500 tonnes of ice and snow in -10C temperatures. 2018 also sees the introduction of exciting Ice Sculpting Workshops. Christmas crafters can learn tips from expert ice sculptors and create their very own masterpiece in a bespoke sculpting studio.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Raymond Briggs’ beloved picture book, The Snowman, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has teamed up with themed cinema experts, Backyard Cinema, and Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House) to bring a world exclusive, immersive adventure; Backyard Cinema Presents: The Snowman™ Experience to the capital. One of the UK’s best-loved family films will be brought to life as guests explore the multi-roomed, multi-sensory, cinematic adventure guaranteed to delight the entire family with Christmas cheer and childlike wonder.
Take a journey to Neverland with the exclusive new showing of Peter Pan On Ice as the childhood hero returns to his spiritual home at The Royal Parks. Performed by the internationally acclaimed Imperial Ice Stars, J M Barrie’s well-loved story takes to the ice with breath-taking skating, flying and special effects including state-of-the-art animated scenery, dazzling costumes, fire-on-ice and original music and songs.
Meanwhile, the popular Teletubbies Live Show will be heading to the MegaDome every morning at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland with a special Christmas adaption, meaning fun for even the tiniest tots as they join Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po on a magical journey through Tellytubbyland.
For those looking for laughs this festive season, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will be hosting a schedule of stand-up comedy acts, every night from 9pm. Held in the Circus MegaDome and specially curated by GetComedy, expect familiar faces from Live at the Apollo, Russell Howard’s Good News and Comedy Roadshow in what is guaranteed to be a sizzling set of seasonal shows. Guests can expect hilarious performances from Dane Baptiste, Paul Sinha, Mick Ferry, Luisa Omielan, Terry Alderton and Glenn Wool. There will be further comedy double act antics courtesy of the Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue, with some further special guests still to be announced. 16+.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will this year unveil a 45m long real Ice Slide, part of the brand-new and free to enter Santa Land 2018. Bringing a taste of alpine mountain fun to central London, thrill-seekers can grab an ‘ice tube’ and experience skimming down an ice covered ‘mountain side’. This unique winter experience is available to all ages, although younger visitors will have to be accompanied by an adult.
New this year, there’ll be a Parade of Light to wave goodbye to Santa as he leaves his grotto for the evening. Happening Mondays to Wednesdays only, see a spectacular parade of stiltwalkers, jugglers, drummers, an Ice King and Queen, and Santa himself with his helper elves.
Spread seasonal smiles this winter with the introduction of the Ice Trike Trail, suitable for kids over six. Scoot round the 85m ice track on an Ice Trike, under a canopy of twinkling fairy lights and Christmas trees. The Ice Trike Trail makes up part of the biggest free Santa Land Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has ever seen complete with a free Santa’s Grotto.
For one day only, Sunday 25 November will host an exclusive The Elf On The Shelf® Festive Event, suitable for the little ones of the family. The Elf on the Shelf® Special Event will include photo opportunities with the Scout Elf mascots, exclusive The Elf on the Shelf® goodies to take home and an exciting The Elf on the Shelf® Scavenger Hunt with trail map and lots of prizes to be won.
Polish up those skates as the UK’s largest outdoor Ice Rink with Sky Kids returns…but this year, it just got even bigger! Perfect for families, couples, friends or colleagues, test out skating skills on Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s most iconic attraction.
The adored festive daytime spectacular, Zippos Christmas Circus, will return to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland in the UK’s biggest circus tent, the MegaDome, with an all-new fun-packed circus show – ‘The Cracker.’ Complete with jaw-dropping acrobats, comedy clowns, feats of incredible strength and stunning illusion, the show also welcomes the family favourite, larger-than-life dancing Snow Bears.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will also be the home of fast-paced, jaw-dropping performances by Cirque Berserk, with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action and contemporary-cirque artistry from this astoundingly troupe of over thirty jugglers, acrobats, aerialists and daredevil stuntmen. This year’s all-new show ‘Inferno’ combines high-octane thrills with mind-boggling wizardry, as Cirque Berserk’s international troupe of daredevils and illusionists raise the stakes yet again. With more fire, more motorbikes and more magic than ever before, Cirque Berserk Inferno really is too hot to handle!
The perfect party destination, Bar Hütte will this year be offering Christmas Karaoke booths to kick-start the season with pop classics and festive favourites. Ideal for festive get-togethers, booths are available for groups of up to 20 to cosy up in a private alpine-style hütte with food and drinks served by a dedicated host.
For the most romantic wintery destination in London this year, head to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s adored Big Wheel, this year with a little magic from Google Assistant. Built over 60 metres high, see beyond Hyde Park’s tree tops to enjoy panoramic views of the capital.
For an even more streamlined visit to Winter Wonderland, Coaster Passes are now available to purchase, allowing tap ’n’ ride access onto all of the epic roller coasters. A minimum payment of £30 is required (with a £5 initial purchase bonus) and can be topped up from the box offices on site, or online. Coaster Passes can be used for the duration of the event and are ideal to give as gifts.
This year will mark the triumphant return of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s adrenaline fuelled roller coasters. With a selection of six adult rides and three child coasters to choose from, visitors can get pulses racing on the immense Munich Looping, the spectacular new VR ride, Dr Archibald, exclusive to Winter Wonderland, The Ice Mountain, Santa’s spinning Coaster, Euro Coaster, Wilde Maus XXL, , along with children’s attractions Santa’s Flying Sleigh, Racing Coaster and the Clown Coaster.
Tickets are available to purchase now from http://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com Opens: Thursday 22 November 4pm – 10pm. Then: 23 November 2018 – 6 January 2019 10am – 10pm every day. Closed on Christmas Day. Entry to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is FREE. For individual attraction ticket prices and information, please visit the official website here. Attraction tickets sell out, especially at weekends and evenings. Advance booking is strongly recommended. Individual attraction prices start from £7 adult / £5 Child / £20 Family / £6 Concession plus booking fee.
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