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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Lapland UK, anyone been.

18 replies

Kendodd · 10/09/2011 16:36

I have always dreamed of taking my children to Lapland one Christmas, you have such a short window to do it in, and for us it's either this year or next year at the latest. I never take them out of school for holidays but I would make an exception for this. Anyway, there is no way that we could afford to go, this year, or, unless we win the lottery, and as I never buy a ticket, next year either. Is Lapland UK ok as an alternative? We could just about stretch to that, and even that would be a struggle. Has anyone been?

OP posts:

bethelbeth · 12/09/2011 20:53

are you joking?

Apparently it was all a massive horrible con and the guys who did it got jailed or sued. One of the two.

It was a shithole. To put it politely.

Do you not watch the news?

mymumdom · 12/09/2011 20:57

No, Lapland UK is supposed to be lovely.
There was one in the New Forest a couple of years ago that was a con, I think...
We are probably going to do the 'real thing' this year but might go to Finland instead on Lapland.

LordOfTheFlies · 12/09/2011 21:03

Lapland UK in Bewel Water Kent looks lovely on the website. I haven't been . They had trouble 2 years ago when the snow forced them to close and customers were offered tickets for the following year.
Last year they dropped the price but cut out the meal.
And they are open just for December.

The massive horrible con and the guys got sued was Lapland New Forest. Completely DIFFERENT set-up

Lapland UK Kent put a disclaimer on their web-site to say they were not connected to New Forest. But mud sticks.

Kendodd I would take mine if they were younger (mine will be 12 and 9.6 at Christmas) but I think they might spoil it for younger children because they are cynical little toads who would exclaim it's all make believe

LordOfTheFlies · 12/09/2011 21:03

Cross post, great minds and all that..

bethelbeth · 13/09/2011 19:05

Lol... oops sorry!

Original poster

Kendodd · 17/09/2011 17:10

Anyone been though, who can report back?

OP posts:

lucjam · 17/09/2011 17:44

A friend went the first year it opened, they realy liked it, her son was about 6 I think.

The downsides were, the craft area was crowded, there are lots of father xmas's, and the door to some of them had been left open so when walking passed all the huts to the exit her son could have seen at least another 4 or so FC's, fortunatley he didn't notice (phew!)

she said that the "flight" to lapland is crap but apparenty they have now chnaged this and its much better

the gift from fc was really nice and she showed me the photos they bought and they were AMAZING. She said FC was wonderful, was well briefed and knew her sons name and about his hobbies and school etc.

Her son had a great time, parents could see the bits that were wrong/missing etc but I think all that went over his head really.

Quite expensive but a nice day out. There are other places to go like Hever castle that my other friend went to last year in the snow and said it was magical.

Hope that helps?

Original poster

Kendodd · 17/09/2011 20:40

It does look nice on its website, and your friend made it sound lovely. It is expensive though and I live in Devon. Anyone else around to persuade me it's worth it?

OP posts:

TwoNoisyBoys · 11/10/2011 20:23

Bump please , am considering booking this year, but would involve a two night hotel stay as we live in the north west..........any one know if its really worth it?

CaptainNancy · 12/10/2011 00:54

I don't understand why you'd substitute this for the real thing?
I'd love to take my children to see the Pyramids, but I wouldn't take them to see some fibreglass pyramids in (say) the welsh countryside and think it could be as good an experience

If the UK one is so expensive, I think you'd be better off using that money for some other experience you'd like to give your children instead (e.g. see Stonehenge or something)

HappyAsIAm · 12/10/2011 13:10

I am really tempted! DS is nearly 4, and I am pg so we will have a young baby by next Christmas. I think this year is the year to go! We live in Kent, so quite accessible for us. Its bloody expensive though so I will have to have a longer think about it. Anyyone else been (to try and tempt me further and help me sell it to DH)?!

HerdOfTinyElephants · 12/10/2011 13:24

There are threads about this from previous years. The general consensus seems to be that (a) it's quite nice, but (b) it is mindbuggeringly expensive for what you get. So if you have the spare cash and nothing better to do with it, go ahead, but don't scrimp and save and go without other things just to go to Lapland UK.

The Lapland UK threads do also tend to get colonised by company representatives (admitted or just suspiciously convenient) telling us how magical it all is. We had an elf on a couple of years ago, although she was fun and did say that unless you were going on a weekday in November it was probably for those with more money than sense.

CocktailQueen · 12/10/2011 23:37

We went 2 years ago! And it was lovely and magical and all that. It was expensive but not too bad considering theb REAL Lapland prices... the kids got to skate for free and the elves helped dd and she loved that... both kids loved helping FC and Mother C make gingerbread men ... and they loved seing the reindeer and stroking them...

The FC experience was fab too - v professionally done - you tell FC the names of your dc's best friends etc beforehand so it really feels as if FC knows your DC. - his house was very realistic and it was so well done, with elves leading each child to the house.

Food was good too, on trestle tables but a good choice, and good for kids; would really recommend the day tbh. :)

PS when we went - there was only one FC; the craft areas etc were fine, no over crowding, everything well 'policed' but not too obviously so - all well dne yet magical enough.

PassTheTwiglets · 13/10/2011 21:27

I went and loved it! I was pissed off with FC though. He shows the kid their name in his book but he completely ruined it. My DD's name can be difficult to pronounce so I let them know in advance how to pronounce it. Then when we got there I reminded them again, just before we went to see FC. The git still pronounced it wrong though!! And he faked that her name was in his book - he realised it wasn't there and he showed it to her really quickly, hoping that she wouldn't notice it wasn't there. When sh said "that's not my name!" he was really dismissive to her. I mean, how bloody difficult is it to scribble a name in a book?! Her name isn't even that unusual, you'd all know it, it's just that there are a few ways to pronounce it.

But that aside, it was all very sweet and I do plan to take DS next year. There are definite ways they could improve it but the kids will love it.

Blu · 13/10/2011 21:31

CaptainNancy - Is Father Christmas on Lapalnd the Real Thing then?

LordOfTheFlies · 13/10/2011 21:40

As far as cost is concerned-

I took my DCs to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland last year. Rides were £3 child £4 adults. So 2 DC and DH for one ride is £10.
They went on 4-5 rides (not all with DH0 and the prebooked Big Wheel.

Add on food and travel, I'd say the cost was the same, and our HPWW was much less than the 4-5 hours Lapland UK gives you.

Mine are too old for Lapland UK

HerdOfTinyElephants · 13/10/2011 22:23

Don't Lapland UK charge you some silly amount just to bring in a baby (who doesn't get a meal or get to do anything), though? ISTR that's why I didn't go when it first started.

CaptainNancy · 14/10/2011 12:58

blu! My children are still very small...

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