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Christmas

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Original poster

All Lapland New Forest posts here please!!!!!

46 replies

GreenEggsAndSpam · 30/11/2008 20:51

What is going on? Lots of people posting slagging it off - all new posters with no previous messages. Is there a smear campaign going on??
Can anyone who has a history on here and has been to Lapland New Forst post, and let us know their opinion?
It is looking very odd, and I am wondering about some kind of underhand activity by a rival to the New Forest site, trying to use the Net for nefarious ends...
Or am I just being oversuspicious?

OP posts:
Original poster
GreenEggsAndSpam · 30/11/2008 22:10

Right. OK. Just done a search for reviews on Lapland New Forest . OMG! I suggest you have a look if you are thinking of going (Facebook has a group for eg)
Photos have been posted and it looks abysmal. Whether or not someone was trying to smear it, it doesn't need a dirty tricks campaign - it looks absolutely dire!

OP posts:
Sidge · 30/11/2008 22:12

Oh bugger

We are booked to go, it's cost us £120.

SIL went today and texted me and said it was awful. I am so disappointed, I was really hoping it would be lovely for my girls.

wannaBe · 30/11/2008 22:14

oh, glad we weren't able to get tickets then.

quint · 30/11/2008 22:15

Go to the one in Kent - went yesterday and had a fab day

StudentMadwife · 30/11/2008 22:16

its like, £25 pp and the same price for kids, its outrageous, i thought about takings dc's, until i realised it was £25pp not £25 per family.
They should be ashamed, also makes you laugh when it says "free present" for every child, hmmm, not really free though, and for £100 for a family of four Id want dc's to receive something that cost AT LEAST £20 each.
disgraceful company and not suprised in the slightest to hear its sh*te

southeastastra · 30/11/2008 22:17

rofl at lapland in the new forest

southeastastra · 30/11/2008 22:17

its like having belgium in watford

wannaBe · 30/11/2008 22:19

the one in kent is about £75 per person though...

snorris · 30/11/2008 22:22

C & P from another forum I visit- can't do a direct link as you have to be an approved member to read posts on it. (Oh,I am definitely not a new poster here!!)

Lapland
November 27 2008 at 10:28 PM #
----------------

Waste of time basically. Half the things where not open when they should have been and not really worth the money..... £30.00 as well for about an hours entertainment

Re: Lapland November 28 2008, 9:37 AM

would a 5 yr old enjoy it? We're booked to go on the 17th December, do you think it'll be more operational by then? You did go on the opening day so as much as everything should have been open, most things/places do have teething issues.
You have me worried now!

Re: Lapland November 29 2008, 4:46 PM

Hello

I am sure your 5 year old son will enjoy it. It was the first day and the special needs children who i work with did not enjoy it.

The snow is pretty cool though and there is real live reindeer, wolves and donkeys

StudentMadwife · 30/11/2008 22:24

some more opinions from other forums....

We just got back from this scam! It was the BIGGEST waste of money I have ever had the misfortune of spending. There is not a great deal of snow and only the trees in the area are snow covered. The area itself is small about a football pitch. The tunnel of lights is just some xmas lights strung across the trees for about 50ft. There is little shelter if it rains. There are several burger / fast food stalls. The fun fair is outside of lapland and you get a hand stamp to come back in. The rides cost between £1.50 - £2.50.
The queues for santa were a joke with typical waits of about 2 hrs out in the cold and wet. You can't take photos yourself and they charge £10 for one of their photos. We had seen and done everything in about 40 mins and were totally unimpressed. The huskies are in a pen though there were one or two on leashes to stroke. Save your money, everyone we spoke to was disgusted and were complaining of being conned. Oh, and the ice rink was closed and we were told wouldn't be open until 9pm.

Don't go. It's a complete scam. We've just returned feeling utterly conned and dissappointed. Absolutely nothing like it purports to be. Turns out to be an extension of the fairground and run by the same. Took us 10 mintues to get round and the content was laughable - only we didn't laugh because it cost us £125 for 5 of us. The nativity scene was a painted board in the middle of a gravelled field propped up on some kind of scaffolding. The 'elves' were dressed in shabby costumes and didn't look like the sort who would endear themselves to children. In fact, they looked more like they hadn't showered for a week and would ask you to shout if you wanted to go faster (if you know what I'm saying!). There was a pen containing howling huskies, a couple of chained reindeer, and a couple of other animals. We didn't even hang around to see what 'tat' Father Xmas was handing out. We met several people in the car park who felt exactly the same and were completely disgusted. Don't waste your time or money.

quint · 30/11/2008 22:30

Yes the one in Kent is £75 but it was not a rip off - you could see where the money was spent. Food was hot a filing, gift was lovely toy husky dog, activities were all well planned and timed, was not over crowded, didn't have to wait ages to see santa and was with him for about 15 mins no the usual 2 mins in and out

All staff happy and helpful, we were there for about 5 hours - all in all a fab day out

Sidge · 30/11/2008 22:33

Right having read these reviews here I am going to phone my credit card company tomorrow and see if I can get a refund.

Such a shame.

wannaBe · 30/11/2008 22:35

I think for 75 quid I'd be expecting something more than just a toy dog.

£300 for a family day out is extortionate imo.

quint · 30/11/2008 22:39

Yes, as I said it is expensive, but if you can afford it it's a great day out. This other place sounds a rip off. I would rather pay more and get my money's worth rather than pay less and feel disappointed.

Original poster
GreenEggsAndSpam · 30/11/2008 22:44

Apparently, (if you believe what you read on the Net) Watchdog, BBC news, Trading Standards, and all the local press from Sussex to Somerset are investigating and runing the story tomorrow. Rumour also has it that it will be closed down very soon, in which case, getting your money back (if you paid via credit card) will be easier.
What a shame for the children though - there must have been hundreds of disappointed little ones there over the weekend...

OP posts:
chocolateteapot · 01/12/2008 00:00

Oh dear, I was hoping it was some kind of smear campaign but sounds as if not. I'm glad I waited for the reviews before getting tickets, sorry for anyone who has them and have my fingers crossed that you can get refunds.

I really miss the Father Christmas at Stapehill Abbey and had been hoping this would be a good alternative but sounds like it is back to the drawing board.

Flamesparrow · 01/12/2008 07:57

That is appalling

wannaBe · 01/12/2008 09:13

coverage in the bournemouth echo here

We held off buying tickets until the planning permission had been tranted, but by the time we looked all the tickets for the weekends had sold out. Sounds as if we had a lucky escape.

ExBat · 01/12/2008 09:16

We had all this last year with the Kent thing.

wannaBe · 01/12/2008 09:19

so basically they're all a rip off then.

Except kent have trippled their prices -

mumto2andnomore · 01/12/2008 09:19

we went to something similar ar the NEC years ago and were really disappointed, for the price it was rubbish. Since then we have avoided anything similar, it makes me so cross that people are still ripping families off in this way.

ExBat · 01/12/2008 09:20

Rofl at "its like having belgium in watford "

A fool and his money....

Why not go home and play with your kids instead?

MarmadukeScarlet · 01/12/2008 09:23

The reports on last years Lapland UK (Bedgebury) were, in the majority, dire. This year it is a Bewl Water, which is owned by a very savvy local businessman, I cannot think he would allow it to be so poor.

Quint, what did they do this year for the 'transport' many of the complaints last year were regarding how bad this was - tent like affair with a few benches and chairs and a few grainy shots of the Snowman film. Doors were not closed and even the youngest visitor could see that no 'travel' had taken place.

wannaBe · 01/12/2008 10:19

this site

also has pictures I think.

snorris · 01/12/2008 11:00

They were reporting on Wave 105 radio this morning that people who have been are not happy with it.

If you're local, the grotto at Plowmans Nursery is ok and it's all undercover. It's on the way to Hurn airport at the Parley end. You get a little train ride and the gifts were pretty decent. Certainly costs a lot less than Lapland and they use it to donate to a local charity too. My parents took all the grandchildren last year,ages ranging from 18 mths to 12 years and it was suitable for all.

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