Biggest indoor Christmas experience in the UK has new Santa Spaceship, enchanted forest and free toys for kids
THE BIGGEST indoor Christmas experience has returned for another year – with a brand-new attraction, theatre shows and free toys for kids.
Now in its 12th year, the Magical Christmas Adventure in Headly reopened to the public last month.
The Christmas extravaganza is a 2.5-hour immersive experience for both adults and kids
A description on its website reads: “Your journey starts with a ride to the North Pole where you will meet some of the quirkiest characters this winter wonderland has to offer.
“Take in the scenery as you and your family get a sneak peek behind the scenes as the elves go about their daily lives in preparation for Christmas.”
Inside, visitors can explore Santa’s cabin where kids will get the chance to meet the big man himself.
Each child will be given a key by Father Christmas, which they can use to claim a free toy.
There’s also the Sparkle Copse village, which has snowy trees, sleighs, and animated reindeer and polar bears.
Along with the experience, kids can decorate cookies in the elf workshop, as well as make their own teddy bears.
Kids can also make reindeer food to feed Rudolph and the rest of the animals.
Another feature is Memory Lane where guests meet the friendly elves who live on the street.
Visitors will be able to watch performances at the Glacial Theatre and even have the opportunity to join in on the show.
There’s also Bartholomew Bear – Santa’s very own teddy bear who will talk to visitors inside his cave.
Guests will also be able to stretch their legs in the Enchanted Forest.
Other attractions include the Ice Caves and the Ice Palace where a team of cheeky elves might start a snowball fight.
Meanwhile, Santa’s Spaceship is a brand-new attraction for 2024.
One the spaceship, visitors will be transported to the North Pole where they’ll see “interdimensional wormholes, vast oceans and fantastical worlds”.
The Christmas spirit was very much alive
And the end of the experience, guests will board a “supersonic train” to return from the North Pole to the UK.
The Magical Christmas Adventure opened to the public on November 23 and will run until Christmas Eve.
Tickets start from £30 for full-paying adults and £40 for kids – although tickets are already limited, especially on weekends.
The attraction has been praised by visitors online.
One guest wrote: “A great way of escaping from our busy lives and spending time together as a family.
“There was music, family interaction and the staff were amazing.
“The Christmas spirit was very much alive.”
Here's what it's like to visit Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland
LAST month, travel writer Hope Brotherton visited Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. Here’s what she thought…
ocated in Hyde Park in Central London, Winter Wonderland is a sprawling maze of wooden chalet stalls, huge funfair rides, wacky bars and food vendors.
Of the big attractions, the Magical Ice Kingdom is one of the most impressive, with its brand-new theme of Alice in Wonderland.
The Magical Ice Kingdom claims to be one of the largest ice exhibitions in Europe, with some carved sculptures taller than five metres.
Visitors enter the temperature-controlled environment through the Queen of Hearts’ castle, before seeing some of Lewis Carroll’s iconic scenes brought to life as huge ice sculptures.
I loved the use of colour in this year’s Magical Ice Kingdom with playing cards frozen into huge ice walls and lanterns hanging above the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
In addition to posing for selfies with the ice sculptures, there’s also an ice slide hidden away towards the end of the icy exhibition.
While it’s only a few metres in length, I felt like a kid again as I whooshed down, but it’s tucked in the corner of the exhibit, so could be easily missed if you’re not on the look out.
Before heading inside, wrap up warm because temperatures in the building sit at -10C to maintain the sculptures, and some kids can struggle.
Another attraction worthy of the price tag is the Real Ice Slide – a 35m slope made from ice, where visitors climb to the top before heading down the slide on a rubber ring.
Donning a rather fetching helmet, I was helped into the rubber ring before being given a huge push down the slope, and while it was over in seconds, it was a true rush of fun.
For the more sedate thrills, I’d also recommend the Giant Ferris Wheel, which at 70m high is only half the size of the London Eye, but offers a lovely view of the technicolor Christmas land below and the iconic London tourist spots near Hyde Park.
Rides last for around 10 minutes and my friend and I were lucky enough to nab a pod to ourselves – although this isn’t always guaranteed unless you’ve booked a private one for £42.
If you’ve only got cash to spare for one fairground ride after that, I’d recommend Munich Looping as it’s the largest transportable rollercoaster in the world.
Here are the 23 Christmas attractions Brits can still book.
A city in Germany has been dubbed “Christmas city” because it has one of the world’s oldest and most famous Christmas markets.