Believe me, I don’t enjoy being the one having to break this to you, folks – but summer (or at least London’s rather feeble attempt at it) is on its way out. The temperature is dropping, the days are shortening, and the cosy-but-cold seasons are preparing to descend upon the capital city.
It’s not all bad news, though. With the chilliness, comes the cheer – and before we know it, London‘s halls will once again be decked with tinsel and twinkly lights, ready to welcome in the festive season. Hyde Park, for example, will be receiving its annual wintery glow up in just three months time – and here’s everything you need to know about it.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is one of London’s festive non-negotiables. Returning for its 17th year, it’s set to be bigger, better and brighter than ever. If you haven’t been before, first of all – where have you been hiding? But second of all – fear not, we’re here to give you the lowdown.
Providing the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas at every turn; Winter Wonderland is filled to the brim with Yuletide magic. From heart-racing rollercoasters and live entertainment to gift-filled market stalls and the UK’s largest open-air ice rink; Winter Wonderland has it all – and so much more.
The festive village is home to over 100 rides and attractions, and a whole host of delicious food and drink offerings. This year will see over 20 new traders making their Winter Wonderland debut as well as the return of the Wilde Maus XXL rollercoaster (a personal favourite of mine) and the arrival of a magical Alice in Wonderland themed ice kingdom. But more on that later.
Getting tickets for Winter Wonderland
Like with the last few years, timed entry tickets will be in use during the festival to help manage visitor numbers and give guests the best possible experience. Once you’re inside, you can stay as long as you like, but there’ll be set entry times throughout the day to aim for.
Ticket prices range from completely free (for off-peak tickets) to £7.50 for peak times (primarily weekend evenings). When you pre-book £25 worth of attractions, food, drinks, rides, or games; your entry ticket will be free, regardless of the time you are wanting to go. Tickets do tend to sell out (especially peak dates and times), so we’d highly recommend booking sooner rather than later if you have a specific date in mind.
Things to see and do at Winter Wonderland
As I’ve already mentioned (and you most likely already know), Winter Wonderland is packed full of festive fun. Adrenaline junkies can enjoy a huge variety of blood-pumping rides including the Wilde Maus XXL, Munich Looping (which includes a whopping five loops), the Hangover, and the Aeronaut Starflyer. If you fancy something slightly less heart-racing, may we suggest a trip on the wonderland’s 70-metre Giant Wheel, which serves up some pretty delicious views of the park (and the whole city).
The magical ice kingdom has unveiled this year’s theme (Alice in Wonderland), and will take visitors on a mesmerising journey through Alice’s imagination, featuring a rather impressive 500 tonnes of snow and ice. How brr-illiant?
Elsewhere in the park, visitors can enjoy the likes of ice sculpting workshops, family-friendly fun at Zippo’s Christmas Circus, a blooming huge open-air ice rink, a plethora of classic Christmas market stalls, and live music aplenty.
Returning for just six weeks of wonderful wintery goodness; grab your pals and your wooly hat, and have yourself a merry little trip to Winter Wonderland. Yes, I know that’s a ridiculous thing to say in August and I can only apologise.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland will run from November 21, 2024 to January 5, 2025, from 10am to 10pm each day (except Christmas Day). The nearest stations to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland are Green Park, Knightsbridge, Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner.
Find out more about what’s on and snap up your ticket here.