Christmas in London means many things: turkey sandwiches on the supermarket shelves, madness on Oxford Street, and Winter Wonderland popping up in Hyde Park. Love it or loathe it, Winter Wonderland is back for Christmas 2018 — here's what you need to know.
What is Winter Wonderland in London?
Winter Wonderland is a huge, free entry festival that takes place in London over Christmas every year. It runs from mid-November to early January, and takes place in Hyde Park in central London. Winter Wonderland consists of several sections including a funfair, Christmas market, food and drink stalls, ice skating rink, shows and kids' area.
Where is Winter Wonderland London 2018?
As always, Winter Wonderland will be pitching up in Hyde Park. It takes over a large part of the eastern end of the park.
When is Winter Wonderland open for Christmas 2018?
The 2018 dates for Winter Wonderland have been announced. It'll open on Thursday 22 November at 4pm, then it'll be open almost everyday 10am-10pm until 6 January 2019. The only day it won't be open is Christmas Day.
Is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland open on Christmas Day?
Nope, Winter Wonderland won't be open on Christmas Day. It closes at 10pm on Christmas Eve (in our experience, things do start shutting down earlier than this on Christmas Eve — understandable, as the staff have homes to go to) and reopens at 10am on Boxing Day.
Does Winter Wonderland open for New Year's Eve?
Winter Wonderland does open on New Year's Eve, but it's not open for the midnight celebrations. On 31 December, it's open 10am-10pm (again, things may start shutting down a bit earlier than 10pm on this day).
How much does Winter Wonderland cost?
It's completely free entry, and there's no need to book to visit Winter Wonderland. What you spend when you're in there is up to you: food stalls, funfair rides, a Christmas market, ice rink and other entertainment are all keen to take your money, and as you can imagine, none of them are cheap.
What's there to do at Winter Wonderland?
What isn't at Winter Wonderland? Attractions for 2018 include:
- An ice rink around the Hyde Park bandstand
- A traditional Christmas market
- Food and drink stalls, including a Bavarian beer tent
- Funfair rides
- Ice sculpting workshops and an ice kingdom
- Circus shows from Zippos and Cirque Berserk
- An ice bar
- Special anniversary screenings of The Snowman
- A Teletubbies show for kids
Do you need to book for Winter Wonderland?
General entry to Winter Wonderland is free, so there are no tickets and no need to book. You will, however, need to book for some of Winter Wonderland's paid attractions, including the ice rink, ice kingdom, shows, giant observation wheel, and bar ice. Find out more on the Winter Wonderland ticketing page.
Is Winter Wonderland family-friendly/good for kids?
Yes and no. There are plenty of family-friendly things to do and activities that kids will love at Winter Wonderland. Santa Land is a whole area dedicated to child-friendly funfair rides, Santa's Toy Factory fun house, and a chance to meet Santa in his grotto. It's the only London grotto (that we know of) where you can visit Santa and get a gift for free, but as there's no booking, the queues are often hours long.
That said, the whole place gets very busy, particularly closer to Christmas, and may be a bit too overwhelming for younger kids, or those who don't like crowds.
Another thing to bear in mind if you're taking kids to Winter Wonderland is that although entry is free, food, drink and ride tokens are quite pricey once you get inside, so it might be best to manage expectations about how many rides they'll be allowed before you visit.
How to get to Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland is located at the eastern end of Hyde Park. Nearest station are Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch, both of which get extremely busy so official advice is to use alternatives. Green Park, Knightsbridge and Bond Street are all within walking distance, and plenty of buses serve the area.
Once you're in the general vicinity, follow the signs, of look out for the giant wheel and other rollercoaster rides protruding into the sky.
Best time to visit Winter Wonderland
Things can get very busy at Winter Wonderland, so it's best avoiding peak times where you can. Go early in the season, or wait until after Christmas and catch it in its last week. Weekdays tend to be emptier than weekend (with the exception of Christmas week, when the school holidays kick in), and daytimes are usually emptier than evenings. Learn from our mistakes and never go on a Saturday night.
Find out more on the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland website. Get more Christmas inspiration from our guide to spending the festive season in London, including winter ice skating rinks, Christmas films, and things to do on New Year's Eve in London.
