Cannot work out for the life of me why Winter Wonderland is so popular

[Ineedtocleanmywoodenblinds]

I’ve never been before and my DS and his friends asked me to to take them this weekend, didn’t really know what to expect but I didn’t expect it just to be a huge version of a funfair you’d get in any local town anywhere and that’s it really.

We went on a couple of rides, queued for ages, bought some overpriced food, queued again for ages and DS wanted to win a teddy, tried but obvs didn’t (although at least no queue so there’s that).

I mean more fool me for paying for any of this crap but it was so overcrowded and didn’t even look that Christmassy. Maybe I’m missing something or maybe it’s just a huge pile overpriced, overhyped shite and I’ll go to crappy funfair up the road from me next time . 😉

Felt the same. Very expensive. Run down, grimy, vile. Horrible big funfair, but not a nice one.

Agreed. Nothing magical or pretty about it, just a load of overpriced crap. Even DS and his mates were pretty underwhelmed by it.

And also I’m really not adverse to a bit of Christmas tackiness but it wasn’t even that just really shit.

We went once a few years ago . Were very underwhelmed and never went back . Wouldn't recommend it .

Def won’t be returning. Maybe people go once and never go again.

Haven’t been but suspected it would be like that. I don’t know why we just cannot do that sort of event. Maybe it’s the weather and miserable people? We’re in Copenhagen at the mo and all the Xmas markets and tivoli gardens (big fun fair theme park thing with Xmas stalls) has been joyous -
super festive, loads of people but haven’t had to queue more than 5 mins for a single thing, such a nice atmosphere and therefore happy chilled people. No rubbish/overflowing bins, no dirt or grime, clean toilets. It just works and if you transplanted the exact thing into England, it would not work. So weird!

case in point!

I went last weekend. Cost £46 for 2 adults and a child to ice stake for about 20 mins and then the rides for £4/£5 each per person. This was in the freezing rain. Would not do it again. There was nothing unique about the experience.

Skate even!

I went for first time a few weeks ago. Free to get in as chose daytime tickets and wasn't crowded. Was also on a nice sunny day. But still probably wouldn't rush back, was a nice day but everything was very expensive. I wouldn't have enjoyed it in crowded or bad weather

We went a couple of years ago for the ice skating and quite enjoyed it. Partly as my expectations were so low. Ice rink was nice, no queues for anything (it was in the morning) and the bits we did weren't especially expensive.

I preferred Somerset House for ice skating but, in fairness, WW isn't comparable.

I agree we could do much better on Christmas markets. The South Bank stalls are ok but not on the level of the markets In Europe.

YANBU, it’s tacky and overpriced. We go every year though as DD7 loves it. I was delighted to be able to get out of it this year due to illness and leave DH to take her!

Copenhagen sounds lovely and sounds polar opposite of WW. We also went skating at Somerset House which is gorgeous. TBH I wasn’t expecting Disneyland but I wasn’t expecting Dismaland either 😉.

When I told my older teen about it she was straight on phone to her friends to tell them how brilliant it sounded 😂

I thought you were talking about the song when I saw this thread title! Which Winter Wonderland is it, tried to Google and there seems to be loads?

Most likely to be the one in Hyde Park, London.

It costs that much to go ice skating at any of the Xmas ice rinks in London. We paid exactly that for Battersea Glide.

I completely disagree that it’s like any other local funfair. It has full size rollercoasters and a heap of other huge rides that you would never get at your average fun fair. It also has the Bavarian beer halls.

I think it’s a great few hours of (very expensive) entertainment but you really have to chose your timings. We go straight from school before it gets busy. We would never go at the weekend unless we were getting there first thing in the morning. We leave when it starts to feel too busy.

Kids and teens do love a bit of overpriced tat!

Agree OP. And if you go after dark you get a threatening atmosphere and large gangs of teens ramming into you as an added extra.

Can't be worse than the so called Birmingham Christmas market,dear God, that was awful.

Our town does not have a huge funfair in December that I could go to. So it's a nice few hours in London in the winter. It might not be for everyone but I'm not sure what else you would expect from it.

Same with the Southampton Christmas Market, pretending to be a German Christmas Market.

It's nothing like a German Christmas Market and is a smelly, overcrowded place full of tat.

Hideous, ditto most UK Christmas markets, grim, grey, damp, gloomy, expensive and depressing. Our local one is saved, a bit, by being in the grounds of the cathedral but when I see how many people have obviously made a hopeful special trip of it, I feel sorry for them. Disappointment hovers over all of them.

I'd have liked some tat, instead it was streets of beer and food which is fine but call it a food market so you know what you're getting!

Yes London WW, I didn’t realise there was more than one. Hopefully not done hellish Christmas franchise 😂