Anyone been to Lapland UK - the one in Kent?

[floraflora]

I read good reviews last year but DS was too young. Have just looked at their website which does make it look magical...
Anyone been? Is an imaginative 3.5 year old too young?
Thanks.

Bet this link doesnt work but if you go to you tube and put in Lapland UK 2008 Kent it should come up. Certainly didnt persuade me it was worth so much money, most of the children look a bit bored.

We are going to see Santa at Harrods in a couple of weeks, if its rubbish at least it was free!

((www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbpBGWnmdS8))

hamlette - how do we find out about the cheaper rehearsal days, and book them for next year?

Also, are the rehearsal days exactly the same as the normal £87 days, i.e. is all the snow, Santa, presents, food etc the same, or will it be half built?

we went the 2007 and got a 70% refund as it was soooooooooo bad. i wouldnt go. last yr and this we have booked to to go the one in blue water! far far cheaper and much better. dont waste your cash!

Heeeee, heee... after several years posting sporadically on mumsnet, I've actually started a thread that seems to have run and run!

Yes, the person who asked the original question was a genuine mum in a dilemma, which I have managed to solve myself, by looking on You Tube - as suggested also above. The videos from previous years aren't terribly persuasive. The kids do look bored, the 'set' not quite as convincing as the website suggests and it all looks a bit panto for my liking. Shame, as I think it's a great idea if it's executed in a really slick way - for which I'd willingly pay - but if it isn't I don't want to waste my money. We are going to see the Snowman at the Peacock Theatre anyway, that and a walk through an illuminated London will probably be just as magical, even if it does lack Father Christmas. Love the idea of getting a friend to phone DS and pretend though...

This site was also recommended on MN last year.

we went on sunday (special offer - half price tickets so £130 for 4 of us)with a 3.5 year old and a 5year old and I can honestly say it was fabulous.

And I don't work for them!

Every aspect was very well done - so many happy elves, so many Xmas trees, so much (fake) snow - my two were just skipping round with excitment.

I wouldn't pay the £87 per head they want in mid december, but to be honest I would consider going again next November even without the special offer - it really was fantastic and my two are totally convinced they went to lapland and saw the real Santa

The rehearsal days are just the same as the normal days. They are so that the elves can "find their feet" but first day nerves usually mean that everyone is trying extra hard!

If they are not on the website then email and ask about the "friends & family of lapland uk" days. This year the tickets were given away for free to families who were ripped off at Crapland last year, to charities with disadvantaged children, and the remainder sold off for around £30, but only by word of mouth, so you'd need to email or ring up and ask. Worth a try though!

I have three children aged 21,11 and 10 and took my 2 younger sons for the secomd time to Lapland Uk last week and we all had a fab time.
It is not a case of having 'more money than sense' but for me making the most of the children while they are young ( having a bit of fun , it obviously isn't really lapland or really father christmas) because before you know it they are teenagers who do not want to do anything or go anywhwere with you.
I was quite surprised by the bitchy comments after my last post. How having a nice family day out can provoke such a reaction is beyond me.

Prof Layton,
Have you been to the Snowman yet? We went on Saturday morning and my 3.5 YO was entranced, and the grown-ups all really enjoyed it too. Doesn't have the personal meeting with FC, but was magically Christmassy. I think I shall watch this space and see if Lapland UK improves again, as it seems to have done each year, and perhaps see if I can get some cheaper tickets next year.

Just remembered I said I would report back on Lapland UK.

My verdict was that the DCs enjoyed it very much, and it was very good BUT I think it was overpriced. We paid full price for Saturday tickets which assured we had lunch at a reasonable time. We had some money given to us which we had decided to use for the purpose, had we scrimped and saved to get the money to go I would have compared it very unfavourably with, say, Legoland.

Also, the adult and child tickets are the same price, which I think is a little unfair as there is not a lot for adults to do other than watch their DCs make biscuits, make a toy, see Father Christmas.

DD's face when Father Christmas mentioned her best friend's name was a picture though!

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry today when I looked at the website to check a detail and saw that it is closed today because of the real snow.