To think the Eden Project is overhyped and overpriced?

[emkana]

£22 pounds per adult??? For what is in essence a large greenhouse?

me and mam went in september , none of the tourist bumf mentioned the cost , no way would we have gone knowing that, I thought it was just ok , definitely not worth the money at all then to be charged 15 pound for two cold slices of pizza i nearly chucked it back at them, prices werent on show either, sly gits

Yabu.

I have a membership of Kew Gardens and went to the Eden Project. We bought online on the day and it was £34 for 2 adults and a 2 year old for a whole year because we gift aided it. Much cheaper than Kew and things like the trailer bus thing are free (£4 per adult, £1/£2 for a toddler at Kew).

It is what it is and we liked it. It's a good place for a rainy day or a sunny one.

It's hyped and so overpriced. We went at Easter using clubcard vouchers. Dh and I just shook our heads at each other when we came out. The restaurant between the biomes had a flood the week before and the only available restaurant was the vegetarian one, which had no supplies at all for children. I appreciate they couldn't have anticipated the flood but is it difficult to make batches of cheese or ham sandwiches, during a specific school week when they already had a Shaun the Sheep event for kids going on? It was very very overcrowded too, you couldn't actually stop to look at anything. Hideous and would never ever go back.

It was the most disappointing attraction we have ever visited. One of the highlights was finding out where bananas came from. Do people not know this stuff? It wasn't even a full day out. We went round the whole thing twice (hoping we had missed something the first time) and it still didn't take up the afternoon.

We had the annual pass but we live too far away to use it. My mum is keen to go but as she is quite elderly she would either have to go on a coach trip or we could take her. DH says if we take her he will sit in the car to avoid going round it again. I might join him.

I live locally like mad4maincoons and jenfraggle and I get the locals for £5 ticket which gives you free entry for a year (as well as the more expensive non local?s ticket). Essentially its couple of large greenhouses and not all that interesting imo; however my kids love it and they have some good stuff on during the year - the dinosaur was excellent which make it worth the fiver and the occasional pricey ice-cream to me and as its so close its something to do on a rainy day.

We go several times a year and love it there. We get the annual pass, so that brings the cost of each visit right down.

I have to say though that I really don't like the revamped cafe where you get your food loaded onto a piece of wooden chopping board and then don't know how much it will cost (they seem to rely on your honesty in telling them what you've eaten, and we nearly walked out without paying last time when I thought DH had paid, and he thought I had :)).

'I like it there but nothing will ever replace Dobwalls'

I quite agree it was s sad day when that closed. Ds used to love riding on the trains, and I liked the slides and climbing frames. I hear there is now a high ropes thing at Gulworthy.

I love Eden, especially when it's cold and it's a great school trip to boot.

We loved the den-building too.

We went as a family and used club-card vouchers. We had a great day and were one of the last ones out.

But I can see it wouldn't suit everyone.

I love it, and don't think it's particularly overpriced. I've been several times and enjoyed each visit.

The education centre is pants though - we were expecting more of a research type place.

We live locally as well so only pay £5 for a year. DCs (1 and 3) love it and I enjoy the different stuff going on all year round. That said, I'm always a bit shocked at the full entry price and not convinced it's completely worth it.

I thought it was so disappointing - it was billed to us as one of the few things to do on a rainy day. It was pouring, we had to walk for ages with DD1 (2yo) and me pregnant (with SPD I might add), through the rain, just to get to the entry, where we paid a fortune to get in. It was packed- everyone else was advised it was good on a rainy day too - and again a long walk to get to the very crowded greenhouses. When we were there there, was absolutely NOTHING for small children, no water play, no dens, etc. At one point there was some kind of structure made of tires, with signs on it saying 'no climbing' and desperate children clambering all over it because they'd basically had to walk slowly along very crowded paths for ages looking at plants. For 5£, sure. For 17£+ per adult: terrible. I want that day, and my money, back! I'd advise people not to go unless you LOVE gardening and plants and want to see some of their particular displays. And do not take a 2yo.

I think if you could get in for a fiver for a year as a local and could take advantage of quiet days, then it would probably be ok. But the crowds and crowds that they let through makes it unbearable in the height of summer/easter holidays.

We've been loads of times as we've lived within an hours drive for the last 7 years (recently moved). However, this meant we got the local rate so was probably about £1.50 a visit. It's great when there are extra things on for kids, but IMO needs a massive outdoor wooden climbing frame. ARE YOU READING THIS EDEN?? Pasties & chips were fab, have these gone now?

FourArms - How come the local rate is £1.50p??

Overy hyped and over priced - the private garden on the way to St Austell near Tescos is much much nicer, much more fun and a better way to spend an afternoon. Eden isn't as much as a rip off though as the monkey sanctuary place not so far away from it which has the filthy cafe with the staff who have attitude. Evidently because it's run as a co-operative and they all share the jobs - not cleaning the cafe though - yuk. Feels a week in Fowey coming on.

Because you only pay £5 for a years admission, but we'd go lots of times, so works out say £1.25/visit if we went 4 times.

FourArms - pasties and chips have gone :( Our DCs love the bit behind the Core with the big log playhouse and the spiral garden. Never gets too crowded there either.

YANBU, totally agree. way overpriced, did it once, shan't bother again

Agree that's a lot for one visit! We live about an hour away and do find it useful to get the cheapest possible year's tickets for a year so we can take DS and friends along to from time to time.

Dobwalls closing was soooo sad, I remember DS crying when they showed all the trains being sold off on the local news.

TreeSurfers at Gunnislake is very good (although I am much too much of a wimp to go up myself) but it is quite pricey too.

DH and I went at half term (with two kids) a few weeks back, thought we'd have a coffee in the restaurant straight off, took us a good 10 mins to "get" it was an "honesty" style restaurant (v few signs), locate coffee station, realise planks are plates, find food, etc, etc. Lunchtime was horrendous as it was of course extremely crowded, fight it out for a seat at the communal-eatery style tables. (Been to IKEA on a bad day? I WISHED it was IKEA on a bad day.) Also the preparation "kitchen" is a double row of tables bang in the middle of it all, can't believe H&S regs allow it, great unwashed millling all around it, also you can hang over the balcony above and spit into pizza prep if you fancy...food also veggie and worthy and tbh whole experience makes me grind my teeth even now. As with TadlowDogIncident above, bootlegging SunnyD and Haribo for illicit sale to disillusioned punters increasingly appealing. PS We have visited before few years ago and well aware of eco message etc BUT REALLY...

MY husband and I live 180 miles from the Eden Project and your comments have put us off. The price at £22 is too high for just a walk round (plus petrol and possibly a B&B). Some of you have described the eating and drinking facilities negatively so are people not allowed to take their own picnics? All the comments so far have discouraged us from going to the Eden Project, I'm afraid.

We won a prize being a day at the Monkey World at Poole near Bournemouth and drove 75 miles for what turned out to be a half day of walking round. It was good to see other primates being looekd after but who would drive that far for half a day's viewing? Only a fool.

Legoland is expensive and I would never recommend it to anyone becuse of the cost. Yes, it's a good day out but the cost for a family is prohibitive. At least you can take your own pcnic though. Oh, but you now have to pay £2 for the car park and there is nowhere else to park. It's probably an encouragement to get you to go by coach (there is no bus or train) so increasing the cost.

YANBU - it's just dreadful!

we went to legoland my sil won tickets so got 5 in for free used a 2for1 and i got in free as im carer for my son but still cost £80 for 1 child & dh to get in,we had a great day altho rides arent very long and 1 ride was broken we stayed for the fireworks which were great but i wouldnt pay to go again,chessington or alton towers would be better for my kids.

I love Eden project as it brings tourists in. If you live in an area relying on tourism, each and every attraction there brings in people, slightly raising your chance of getting a job. And in an area with so few jobs places like this are needed.

I too got the £5 for the year locals thing, and we go iceskating there as there aren't many places in Cornwall. As to the food, last time I went the cafes were both flooded out and the slightly cooler dome had stalls with £4 cups of chilli and stew and stuff- really, really nice!

Yabu. We went last year and this year. Will go again next summer.

I rather liked it's preachy-ness . And my pre-schoolers enjoyed it, we found a fairy door in the woody part. The kids got to see tea / chocolate / rubber / banana plants etc.

Agree that the cafe is a PITA with the wooden plates, I'd have been stuffed if I hadn't gone with family as I wouldn't have been able to carry it all.