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The everything you need to know about going to ABBA voyage thread

236 replies

Cod · 05/06/2022 08:44

Getting there
it is really well located for public transport.

Pudding Mill station is directly outside, but we walked from Stratford which is better connected for us from Waterloo.

It’s only a 20 minute walk along pathways links to the Olympic site I’ll be absolutely fine unless it’s pouring down with rain

Drinking and Eating before
if you want a proper meal pasta go to one of the mini chain restaurants at Westfield and then walk from there.

There is very little outside although there is some street food inside, but I didn’t see that.

Outside there is a pop-up box park type thing with called snoozebox which has got loads of atmosphere and some really tasty Indian street food. Drinks in there also a lot cheaper than inside the little mini foyer outside the Area where wine us £25 and beers £6. They will also give you tap water. The arena sells refillable Abba merch water bottles pictured.

the arena
outside in the foyer everybody is very up for it! You’ll be overcome by the joy of the whole experience. The arena is pop-up and the foyer shows, in the winter it might get quite windy but in the summer it was lovely. Hang around there to soak up the atmosphere. The staff are lovely and the cloakroom is free, but watch out for long queues afterwards to get that so take as little as you can. If you have got dancefloor seat you need to travel pretty light. Security is fast.

seating
unless you have an infirmity GET DANCEFLOOR TICKETS. There’s loads of room and great aircon. The chair people only stood up for the odd song. When we arrived in there about 20 minutes before the show lots of people are sitting on the floor in the dance floor seating finishing drinks and stuff but they soon got up as the vibe increased.

the show
They are rightly strict about phone use, and I saw very little of it. The show will freak you out because it’s so brilliant and even after which are not quite sure what you saw

It’s flawless technically and there is a live band . The lighting is alone is worth a ticket price.
it lasts 90 minutes. There are two sequences where is animations rather than abbatars and in theory you can get drinks then it will be hard to get back if you’re on the Dancefloor seating

afterwards
long queues for the Loos outside but go around the corner to the loos away from the cloakroom. Cloakroom queues were long but moved fast. Merch is ££ but available. then if you’re in a party mood you must go to the Snoozebox. This made our day. Really like being at the best wedding party ever. The staff there said it’s like it EVERY day. Dancing. Singing and laughs.

i think that’s it.

The everything you need to know about going to ABBA voyage thread
The everything you need to know about going to ABBA voyage thread
OP posts:
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AlphaAlpha · 05/06/2022 21:11

Thanks for this, I'm going late next month and I've just checked - I've got dance floor tickets!
I really want to go in some sort of fancy dress, just hope my husband does too.... 😬

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travailtotravel · 05/06/2022 21:13

Alright, that's it, I'm buying sparkly trainers ... dancefloor tix for August. Cheapest we found were Monday so am going after work!

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travailtotravel · 05/06/2022 21:13

Can we take water bottles in?

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AlphaAlpha · 05/06/2022 21:16

Oh and thanks for the snooze box mention, I looked it up just to have a nose and found you can stay there! Little rooms in the shipping containers and more than reasonable. Will save us schlepping the 2 hours home after!

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Twilightstarbright · 05/06/2022 21:23

Ohhh I really want to go now!

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ginislife · 05/06/2022 21:32

I looked at seated tickets for a Saturday night in October and they were £307 !!!!! For 90 minutes !!!! Feck that

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Rainbowshit · 05/06/2022 22:03

I thought snooze box was just shipping containers? They have a bar?!

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MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 05/06/2022 22:10

Offered free ticket from work but for opening day and couldn't go...gutted 😭

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Cod · 06/06/2022 01:33

Rainbowshit · 05/06/2022 22:03

I thought snooze box was just shipping containers? They have a bar?!

Yup. With a DJ

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Cod · 06/06/2022 01:34

travailtotravel · 05/06/2022 21:13

Can we take water bottles in?

Unsure. We couldn’t take a wine bottle in. But could take the plastic cups

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squeaver · 06/06/2022 10:55

Yes, we bought the branded bottles of water. But could then refill.

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CharlotteSt · 14/06/2022 08:50

Went last night. It's sensational and I snivelled all the way through Thank You for the Music 🙄

Snoozebox afterwards was brilliant and we partied until they kicked us out. Like the OP says, it's like the best wedding party ever and the DJ's take requests - the cheesier the better!

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Rainbowshit · 14/06/2022 11:34

I was there at the weekend. It was quite an astonishing experience. I also felt quite emotional.

The bar area within the venue is open until 1am which was very civilised. Was very good for people watching.

We had one there and then headed over to snoozebox which was an absolute hoot.

As recommended we got the train to Stratford and had food at cabana in the shopping centre. Bit of a long trek to the venue, make sure you have google maps as way wasn't all that clear in places.

We got a taxi back to Stratford, not sure I would want to walk it in the dark.

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Rainbowshit · 14/06/2022 11:37

And thank you all for the information, especially Cod for starting the thread it was very helpful.

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KarlWrenbury · 14/06/2022 12:07

No problem! Sorry to walk that was longer than I described. We did it in the afternoon and was chatting all the way

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Rainbowshit · 14/06/2022 12:26

KarlWrenbury · 14/06/2022 12:07

No problem! Sorry to walk that was longer than I described. We did it in the afternoon and was chatting all the way

Oh the walk was fine really. It was more that my friends choice of footwear didn't correspond to the advice I'd given. 😂

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Remainiac · 14/06/2022 12:34

Has anyone been in one of the dance pods? I think we would prefer that to the dance floor.

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thesugarbumfairy · 14/06/2022 12:41

We went the first Saturday it opened and it was fantastic. Was seated as I need a stick at the moment, but I fully intend to return when I have my new hip, and do the dancefloor this time.
On the up side - the staff noticed my stick and let us jump the queue which was pretty long when we got there. On the downside, I found it a bit of a trek because of my hip and was hoping to get a taxi outside afterwards but there's no taxi station. The queue for the shop was massive so we didn't even bother. And the bloke sitting next to me smelt strongly of shit. Which no-one needs.
The show was brilliant. The abbatars look real on stage. Not quite so much on the big screens - more like a very realistic video game type of thing - but it didn't really matter. The lighting is amazing. We dressed up but I would say 85% of people didn't that night. Which is a shame, but its not necessary. We got a bottle of prosecco from the bar (£40) and were allowed to take it to our seats. The show starts pretty much exactly on time, and most people dash to the loo when then the animation starts. I think it was 'Eagle'
Next time I think I will get a hotel and stay close by, and take the 12 year old, although he'll be 13 by then. Its totally suitable for kids, as long as they appreciate ABBA!

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KarlWrenbury · 14/06/2022 18:49

That’s interesting, no one rush to the loo on the Dancefloor.

The dance pads were really far back and I can’t really see the point of them.

The VIP bar was totally empty when I was there because it had a ridiculous price tag labelled to it presumably for corporate stuff.

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VanCleefArpels · 17/06/2022 23:46

Just back from the show! It’s amazing

practical issues:
We decided to walk from Stratford tube. It’s incredibly badly signposted and some paths in the Olympic Park are blocked by maintenance etc. wish we’d just hopped on the DLR instead

we were seated - the dance floor area was completely rammed like a mosh pit. On the hottest night of the year I imagine it would have been quite uncomfortable. The seats were comfortable with lots more leg room than you get in eg a west end theatre

at the end there wasn’t the queues to get on the DLR like you get at the O2 after an event. Lots of people stay at the Abba arena for more drinks etc. we were back at Waterloo by just past 10pm (DLR to Canary Wharf, walk across to the tube, jubilee line to Waterloo)

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ConstantlyCooking · 03/07/2022 20:53

We went yesterday- it was amazing! We had seats but everyone was up and dancing most of the time. We booked last year and the tickets were about £70- worth every penny (especially if you divide the price by the years I have been waiting for ABBA to tour again!)

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ifonly4 · 03/07/2022 21:11

Glad I found this thread, we're going in October. Transport info food to know. We're staying 2mins talk off the tube at the other end and had looked at options by the venue.

We'll be seated, and live in an area that's very conservative, but no way will DH put up with me staying seated, so he'll be dragging me to my feet!

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amber87 · 11/07/2022 12:33

Has anyone been in the Dance Booths? We are going soon and have booked seats in a Dance Booth, can't work out what they will be like!

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VanCleefArpels · 11/07/2022 18:29

They are at the back. Open area, looked like they got waiter service for drinks

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Jalisco · 11/07/2022 18:41

We booked last September, and booked to actually stay at the Snoozebox, so I think we've landed on our feet. The advice is great, we'll be there next week.

But can I PLEASE point out that people do not have "infirmities" unless you were born in the reign of Victoria. People with disabilities find it really rude and offensive.

And in that subject I want to add - ABBA are bloody amazing on disability! My front row tickets cost £30 with a free ticket for my carer. These decisions lie with the venue owners, and I can tell you now that few UK venues make it easy for people with disabilities to afford their shows. All credit to ABBA and the Scandinavian approach to disability.

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