Winter Wonderland - Hyde Park London
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themealgang
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Fantastic photos. The line-up this year is the strongest it has ever been, even though I am still missing the Black Hole slightly! Great pics, and I hope Power Tower keeps on coming back. It has become a staple now for Winter Wonderland and everyone seems to know and love it!
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Sam198
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I spent a few hours on Saturday and the full day yesterday at WW, and I'm pleased to confirm that this year represents yet another huge leap forward in the presentation and sheer scale of the event. 
With regards to the new stuff, the Ice Mountain Coaster was largely disappointing. I was going to put this short review with a spoiler warning, but there really is nothing to spoil! Admittedly, the outside of the tent from two sides looks outstanding (minus the waterfall - which was turned off on both visits), but once you're inside, it is just a bog-standard mouse inside a massive opaque bin-liner with some vaguely wintery/christmassy theming littered on the floor. Oh well, at least it's kinda warm in there...
Over The Top (Snowboard Ride) is looking nice and fresh following its total repaint over the summer. I still think it's a really underrated machine!
Buwalda's mouse? Yeah...
Manning's new coaster is a typical Pinfari. If you count creds, by all means, give it a go. If you don't, I suggest saving your £6 for something far, far better (and less painful).
Rock Rage was typically good fun and looking great with its Ski-Jump makeover, fitting right into its surroundings. It also provides some bizarre near-miss moments with a certain Mondial machine...
Gladiator. What can I say? It immediately jumped into my top three. The height and speed are immense (try going for the left-hand row looking onto the loading platform, that way you're rotating forwards for the majority of the ride), and it looks awesome. It's also running on a nice long, well-rounded cycle (which is what you'd expect at £8 a go!).
With regards to the new stuff, the Ice Mountain Coaster was largely disappointing. I was going to put this short review with a spoiler warning, but there really is nothing to spoil! Admittedly, the outside of the tent from two sides looks outstanding (minus the waterfall - which was turned off on both visits), but once you're inside, it is just a bog-standard mouse inside a massive opaque bin-liner with some vaguely wintery/christmassy theming littered on the floor. Oh well, at least it's kinda warm in there...
Over The Top (Snowboard Ride) is looking nice and fresh following its total repaint over the summer. I still think it's a really underrated machine!
Buwalda's mouse? Yeah...
Manning's new coaster is a typical Pinfari. If you count creds, by all means, give it a go. If you don't, I suggest saving your £6 for something far, far better (and less painful).
Rock Rage was typically good fun and looking great with its Ski-Jump makeover, fitting right into its surroundings. It also provides some bizarre near-miss moments with a certain Mondial machine...
Gladiator. What can I say? It immediately jumped into my top three. The height and speed are immense (try going for the left-hand row looking onto the loading platform, that way you're rotating forwards for the majority of the ride), and it looks awesome. It's also running on a nice long, well-rounded cycle (which is what you'd expect at £8 a go!).
Last edited by Sam198 on Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SwEDEN
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- Location: Somewhere over the rainbow!
Weird, I've heard numerous people stating it was run on a very short cycle, and that it was busy and pretty much running the whole time, with loading and offloading being quick!Sam198 wrote: I spent a few hours on Saturday and the full day yesterday at WW, and I'm pleased to confirm that this year represents yet another huge leap forward in the presentation and sheer scale of the event.
With regards to the new stuff, the Ice Mountain Coaster was largely disappointing. I was going to put this short review with a spoiler warning, but there really is nothing to spoil! Admittedly, the outside of the tent from two sides looks outstanding (minus the waterfall - which was turned off on both visits), but once you're inside, it is just a bog-standard mouse inside a massive opaque bin-liner with some vaguely wintery/christmassy theming littered on the floor. Oh well, at least it's kinda warm in there...
Over The Top (Snowboard Ride) is looking nice and fresh following its total repaint over the summer. I still think it's a really underrated machine!
Buwalda's mouse? Yeah...
Manning's new coaster is a typical Pinfari. If you count creds, by all means, give it a go. If you don't, I suggest saving your £6 for something far, far better (and less painful).
Rock Rage was typically good fun and looking great with its Ski-Jump makeover, fitting right into its surroundings. It also provides some bizarre near-miss moments with a certain Mondial machine...
Gladiator. What can I say? It immediately jumped into my top three. The height and speed are immense (try going for the left-hand row looking onto the loading platform, that way you're rotating forwards for the majority of the ride), and it looks awesome. It's also running on a nice long, well-rounded cycle (which is what you'd expect at £8 a go!).
Last edited by SwEDEN on Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sam198
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It was dead until 3pm, with all rides cycling empty seats. As can be expected, ride durations do become noticeably shorter as the evening wears on, so bear that in mind.
In a video my friend filmed at around midday on Sunday, Gladiator's cycle lasted approximately 6 minutes and 15 seconds (not including time spent waiting at the top for the other shuttle to load).
You're certainly right about quick loading though!
In a video my friend filmed at around midday on Sunday, Gladiator's cycle lasted approximately 6 minutes and 15 seconds (not including time spent waiting at the top for the other shuttle to load).
You're certainly right about quick loading though!
Both £5, if I remember correctly (I know RR certainly was).jamesc wrote: How much does Over the Top and Rock Rage cost to Ride?
Last edited by Sam198 on Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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themealgang
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- Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:24 pm
I have to voice my disgust. It is an absolute joke Power Tower is now £7. Disgraceful.
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rosco1982uk
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I was there on Tuesday evening - never been in London in my life - so figured I'd take it in.
Pros - looks amazing. Done on a large scale - not as good as Hamburg Dom, but not far off.
Cons- it's a RIP OFF.
£6 to ride their bling equivalent.
£7 to ride the power tower.
£8 to ride a typical bomber type ride.
£7 to ride the high swings.
There you go, £28 to ride 4 whole rides.
£5 max and I'd leave happy, instead I felt like I had been robbed.
I went to Hamburg Dom and the dearest ride was €5 (£4.50) with the majority being around the €3 mark.
Pros - looks amazing. Done on a large scale - not as good as Hamburg Dom, but not far off.
Cons- it's a RIP OFF.
£6 to ride their bling equivalent.
£7 to ride the power tower.
£8 to ride a typical bomber type ride.
£7 to ride the high swings.
There you go, £28 to ride 4 whole rides.
£5 max and I'd leave happy, instead I felt like I had been robbed.
I went to Hamburg Dom and the dearest ride was €5 (£4.50) with the majority being around the €3 mark.
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themealgang
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It was indeed and it has been that price since the ride debuted in London during the 2009 event. I get that the machines from Europe cost a lot to transport, but I bet the showmen probably don't see half of the money that Winter Wonderland is making from their ride. I went to Foire du Trone earlier this year and the 'elite' rides cost around £5 to ride max. But that was only for the Mondial Capriolo that ran for around 4 minutes and that was worth every penny. And that is also in a capital city. Most were around £3 to ride and I got a decent ride cycle for that too.SwEDEN wrote:Was it £6 last year?themealgang wrote: I have to voice my disgust. It is an absolute joke Power Tower is now £7. Disgraceful.
It cheeses me off that that have turned Winter Wonderland into a money making scam. The organisers are really pushing their luck here because this is the best travelling fair Britain has ever seen. A wristband system would be nice. Can't they see people are going to be making a day of it like a theme park? And they are only going to get bigger as the years go on.
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Eirdy
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- Location: A house, A street , A town.
Great... RIP OFF!
Not sure about other rides but AIR is usally £4 but here its £6!
Not sure about other rides but AIR is usally £4 but here its £6!
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Burniel
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- Location: Dragon's Fury's SRQ
Now, I went last night ...
It was my first time, but from what I can understand, I shouldn't have had a good time. But I assure you, I did. It was amazing for my first time to spend most of the night looking in amazement.
We arrived around 5:30, and queued 40 minutes JUST TO GET IN, but then could barely move, and the only thing we could get anywhere near to was the helter-skelter, but really, £3?
Once we got to the bigger rides, it thinned out. I got a hotdog (£4?!) and went on Wilde Maus XXL (absolutely incredible but set me back £6)
By now it was gone 8, and it was so packed, we left.
I shouldn't've enjoyed it but I did. It's such a great experience when it's unfamiliar
It was my first time, but from what I can understand, I shouldn't have had a good time. But I assure you, I did. It was amazing for my first time to spend most of the night looking in amazement.
We arrived around 5:30, and queued 40 minutes JUST TO GET IN, but then could barely move, and the only thing we could get anywhere near to was the helter-skelter, but really, £3?
Once we got to the bigger rides, it thinned out. I got a hotdog (£4?!) and went on Wilde Maus XXL (absolutely incredible but set me back £6)
By now it was gone 8, and it was so packed, we left.
I shouldn't've enjoyed it but I did. It's such a great experience when it's unfamiliar
It costs nothing to look around in amazementsmilealways wrote: Great... RIP OFF!
Burniel | Great at theme park knowledge, not so great at designing signatures.
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themealgang
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- Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:24 pm
I paid a visit to Winter Wonderland over the weekend and I was quite impressed.
The event this year is excellent. The ride selection is diverse and we have some quite unique machines with us this year. Gladiator is without doubt the star of the show and was pulling in quite a crowd despite the £8(!!)
ticket price. It's good to see a few British machines on show such as Rock Rage and Air which were proving to be very popular as the evening set in.
Crowd management this year has been improved. Despite the staged entry operating and Hyde Park Corner tube station ceasing operation all day, on park you could move around quite easily even at peak times. Last year I can remember the sheer volume of people made it almost impossible to navigate.
I have a serious issue with the pricing, however. Every year the ride have been a rip off, but this year they took the biscuit. Power Tower has seen a price hike from £6 to £7 and paying nearly £10 for Gladiator is an absolute disgrace. The new Pinfari coaster 'Thriller', which was incredibly rough, was also £6 to ride and Rock Rage, which cost just £3.50 to ride when it debuted at the Wirral Show in 2009, cost £5. I think this pretty much speaks for itself.
Sort the pricing out Winter Wonderland and then you will have a perfect event. But for a place that prides themselves on 'family entertainment', ripping people off like this is simply disgusting.
The event this year is excellent. The ride selection is diverse and we have some quite unique machines with us this year. Gladiator is without doubt the star of the show and was pulling in quite a crowd despite the £8(!!)
ticket price. It's good to see a few British machines on show such as Rock Rage and Air which were proving to be very popular as the evening set in.Crowd management this year has been improved. Despite the staged entry operating and Hyde Park Corner tube station ceasing operation all day, on park you could move around quite easily even at peak times. Last year I can remember the sheer volume of people made it almost impossible to navigate.
I have a serious issue with the pricing, however. Every year the ride have been a rip off, but this year they took the biscuit. Power Tower has seen a price hike from £6 to £7 and paying nearly £10 for Gladiator is an absolute disgrace. The new Pinfari coaster 'Thriller', which was incredibly rough, was also £6 to ride and Rock Rage, which cost just £3.50 to ride when it debuted at the Wirral Show in 2009, cost £5. I think this pretty much speaks for itself.
Sort the pricing out Winter Wonderland and then you will have a perfect event. But for a place that prides themselves on 'family entertainment', ripping people off like this is simply disgusting.
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newrider
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- Location: London... TOO FAR from the Towers!
Went there this evening and had a great time. I went on all 5 coasters for the grand total of £28 - well worth it I thought!
Only one thing to say: Pinfari's Thriller - OW.
Only one thing to say: Pinfari's Thriller - OW.
Last edited by newrider on Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
