Bedgebury is holding a Christmas 'Lapland UK' Experience

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

... covering a part of the forest with fake snow, Christmas village, Raymond Briggs 'The Snowman' ride, Father Christmas visit, mulled wine to fortify parents, reindeer, husky dogs, trumpeters and all sorts. I'm soooo excited. Er, for my children, obviously...

It's quite expensive though (I just paid £167 for a family of 5). Here is the link. And here is the itinery.

And it's selling out quite quickly.

yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I found your site when searching for info on lapland uk, as I had heard 'rumours'. I am really glad i found you and very pleased all is going ahead. great site, well done and I will be back, thanks!!

And me too!

9th Nov - bomper & yorkiegirl
30th Nov - piximon
1st Dec - victorvictoria
4th Dec - Foxythesnowman
8th Dec - DuchessofNorksB
9th Dec - Lilyloo
15th Dec - JodieG1, WaynettaSlob, bumblelion, marina, chocolateteapot
16th Dec - ShinyHappy
17th Dec - cazzybabs
21st Dec - mymama, squiffy, ChippyMinton, skankywitch
27th Dec - EL

Good news!
21st Dec ladies - what time are you going? Our flight is around lunchtime

Can we ask those who are going early on to pop back and tell us of any reccomendations to get thte best out of the trip, TIA
Am guessing those on the 9th Nov are a typing error

Thank goodness for that! I hope there isn't a protest now that stops us getting in on time.

I have friends going on Sunday so I'll see what they have to say.

Until this week, I hadn't considered what it would be like if it poured with rain for the WHOLE day.

Hmm hadn't thought of the weather suppose most of it is indoors but would spoil the effect of the snow i imagine

Ph, excellent news... now I just have to decide whether to be honest with the school about why ds won't be in school that day, or tell a little white lie

Ah, Snaf, we won't have many chances to make memories like these whilst they are little.

Besides, the children will blab!

Chippy - my flight on 21st is at noon too - will perhaps see you there. I'll be the haggered-looking one with three four year old boys, a DD in a buggy and assorted relatives (I won't be wearing a carnation). There are I think only 20 families each hour, so you will probably be able to spot me (and you will certainly hear me - there will be a strident voice ringing out the words "Fergus! Stop that!" at regular intervals)!

Message withdrawn

I shall certainly report back - our party consists of 2 harrassed mothers (one ie me 32 weeks pregnant) and 4 children under 5. Oh Joy..........

Would appreciate any tips of getting round whilst waddling Victor i will be 36 weeks when we go am just considering the implications now esp the journey down there!

we got our invite yesterday !
Ds was really pleased think he was speechless for a minute brought a tear to my eye!
DD said she doesn't want to go to a forest, has never got over the 'going on a bear hunt' story. Have had to talk her round. Watched the snowman today with them so they will recognise that when we get on the transporter!

LOL @ lilyloos DD and bear hunt story! I'm sure this will help her get over it!

Our invitation arrived this morning. I'm going to leave it somewhere for them to find on Sunday morning - DD1 has swimming at 10am tomorrow and she finds it hard enough to concentrate at the best of times!

I felt I had to post some comments about Lapland UK which my family visited today - the first day of opening. First I must say the chidren (6,4,& 2) did have a nice day out but it should have been a great day out!

First a warning about the "multi sensory flight of fantasy to Lapland". This was a real letdown and was a disappointing start to the day. The "flight" was an inflatable tent with a projection of the Snowman film to watch - and that was it! You were then lead through a tented tunnel and you were in Lapland. I don't know what was multi-sensory about this. I was kind of expecting some kind of simulator with lights flashing by the windows, and some movement to make you feel like you were moving.

Second gripe: The snow. It was fake and the kids noticed and commented on it immediatly. There was a feeble snow machine which cast a few flakes but there was no illusion of it really snowing.

The toy factory was a shambolic waste of time, and we had a 30 minute wait in the cold to ice some gingerbread biscuits. The story teller had not rehearsed and the stories were read from a computer printout and were not Nordic in nature (e.g. Billy Goats Gruff).

The saving grace was Father Christmas at the end which was brilliant.

The more I read the "Your Day" page on the website, the more cross I feel as it is completely misleading, and you hype it up to your chidren to something it is not.

Oh, and Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer is a man in a silly costume

There was a report in the local paper this week about this. Apparently the owner of the site should have applied for planning permission but failed to do so until recently. Planning permission would have been refused for a number of reasons but the event was given temporary permission only because the 28 day notice for appeals would have run out after the event was due to finish anyway. So this is the only year this will happen as the local authority made it clear that permission would not be granted for any other year.

really Freckle ? Seems like a lot of effort if it is to be a one off . Does anyone know how the extra bookings can be made, apparently they have a reserve of tickets for December dates ?

LIZS - best way to check for tickets is probably to phone - 0871 221 9627.

muzzy - that does sound like a let down. I had already read that the Snowman was a room with film/lights, whereas initially I had assumed some sort of funfair ride.

What were the real reindeer/husky dogs like?

Was the food overpriced?

The newspaper report also stated that all 35,000 tickets had been sold. No mention of any extra tickets, although I wouldn't put it past the organiser to produce some now if this is the only time he'll be able to do it.

It was in a Sunday paper today about extras.

Oh God Muzzy, really? DH the kids and I have been looking forward to this for months, as a high point to look forward to in apretty crap year. It is a present from a friend as well. I am not going to mention this to any of them, so they haven't any negative preconceptions.

Feel so disappointed by your description (not your fault) and it costs a bloody bomb as well..! The woman on the phone really bigged up the "magical flight"..and it is a tent!?!

Duchess - There were two real reindeer but they were in a pen so you could not go near them, say for a photo. I suppose they would get freaked out by loads of people petting them for hours. There were 2 lovely husky dogs you could pet and you could take a photo of these. The food was overpriced as you would expect. Coffee and mulled wine was £2.50 (don't forget to claim your free mulled wine!), tea was £1.70, fruit shoots £1.10 (sneak your own in!). We had lunch at the Oasis tea rooms in Cranbrook before we arrived as our flight was at 2.30. Cranbrook is a very pretty village.

Yes, the flight was really a tent with the hum of the generators in the background!

I can't believe they will try to sell any more tickets as it was so busy yesterday, they just couldn't cope!

Your kids WILL have a nice time, just don't hype up the flight or that there will be snow or that it is the real Lapland as unless they are 3 or under they will not be fooled!

Oh I'm really ! I'm so glad to have read your post Muzzy, now I know to play it down a bit. The whole thing will cost us in excess of £200 all in all. A tent with generators? I'm tempted to ask for a refund TBH.