To think that the Wimbledon Winter 'Wonderland' was anything but...

[Willemdefoeismine]

Aside from the crowd control issues on the Piazza which particularly seemed to cause serious safety concerns when the 'Frozen' stage-set was on, it was just lacking something.

Although having it at the weekend makes it much more young family-friendly, it's lost something since it stopped being on a Thursday evening.

Way too busy in a part of the town centre which is a bottle-neck...

Think they may need to commandeer the NWT or Morrison's car parks for the stages in future years.

Are we just being 'bah humbug' about it or does anyone else agree?

Won't be going again as it was bordering on dangerous with very poor crowd control initially. Too many people in what is essentially a bottle-neck public thorough-fare, with extra added 'clutter' of a stage, an outdoor market and fraught passing shoppers - nightmare!

Possibly a real case of it being a victim of its own success?? It certainly didn't encourage us to hang around and spend money locally. We were in and out in about 30 minutes!

Ely's events were the only enjoyable part!

I agree. It was awful and I won't bother again. More Winter Woe than Wonderland.

It was pretty dismal. Even my kids, who love nothing more than rides and funfairs, begged to go home.

My dd was so disappointed that she couldn't see a thing on stage, she came dressed as Elsa and was expecting so much fun. Something needs to change, if not, no-one will come in future years.

Think that Love Wimbledon suggested that they might do a survey about Winter Wonderland - they need to!

Strange though that there was no mention of the dangerously packed Piazza area in any of the local newspaper reports of the event?

I just don't think Winter Wonderlands in the UK translate to daytime events, unless perchance it snows (in our dreams!). They need to be late afternoon/evening events to get the magic of the Christmas lights etc...

Sure the one in Wimbledon Village today will do it with so much more style and panache!

The Wimbledon Village one was dire. Nothing going on really apart from some fairground rides and a Santa's grotto. Many of the shops were shut, most weren't doing anything extra. I expected lots of stalls etc but nothing.

Oh that's equally disappointing... :-( Maybe our expectations are too high when these events are over-orchestrated and promoted...?

I agree CentreCourt - Wimbledon Village fair was awful. Didn't help that it was raining, but was just so badly organised. Despite a long queue, one of my kids really wanted to see Santa. We stood there for nearly half an hour - the queue didn't move an inch! Seemed to be full of parents drinking mulled wine. Rather random. We gave up in the end. The 'funfair' was one tiny train ride. £2.50 a go - classic village prices!! I overheard one typical exchange:
Mum: "He really wants to go on but he's very little. Can I go with him?"
Funfair ride person: "Of course. But if you go on you pay. That'll be a fiver."
Yay for the Spirit of Christmas!
As for Winter Wonderland, we went last year - not very good - but at least they had diverted the traffic.