Winter Wonderland

The winter wonderland from our childhood dreams exists. Hyde Park, located in the heart of London, opens Winter Wonderland annually about Christmas time. Last year, Winter Wonderland ran from Friday November 20th to Sunday January 3rd, 10am to 10pm most days. The wonderland features winter markets, festive fairground rides, ice skating and grottos, creating excitement for everyone. The entrance fee is free, but tickets for some features, including ice skating and the Giant Wheel, have to be booked and paid. Tokens for the rides can be bought in the token stalls located inside the Winter Wonderland.

The reason for the popularity is the Christmas spirit. Many families, couples and friends can be seen in the wonderland, enjoying the feelings of Christmas. Although the weather is cold, there is a presence of warmth and joy in the air. The excitement and joy is escalated as there are variety of attractions to keep you busy. If you are not interested in the rides, further in, there are chalet-style stalls selling gifts to keep your amazing memory of the wonderland. The outdoor ice rink is another option as it is UK’s largest outdoor ice rink, which offers a 1,600 square metres of frosty thrills. A 60m high giant observation wheel shows the bird’s eye view of London at winter; it is the most popular ride every year.

Through interviews, many shared their experiences at the Winter Wonderland as being special and memorable. Julie Cho, a student in Year 9, visited Winter Wonderland over the winter break and described her experience, “It was an amazing and enjoyable experience,” she said. “The Ice rink and the Christmas stalls were the best; the rides were thrilling and exciting as well. I had the best Christmas and one of the reasons for it was the Winter Wonderland.” Another visitor, Sally Hanger, who went with her children also showed her enthusiasm for the wonderland, “It was a very good experience, both for myself and my children. They seemed to love it.” However, there were some complaints about the pricing in the Winter Wonderland. James Parker complained that he had spent too much money in his visit. “The tokens for rides and foods were overpriced. It would have been a better experience if the prices were slightly lower. However, I still had a good time with my friends and this memory will not be forgotten.”

Winter Wonderland will open again this winter and many are already waiting for the opening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cho, JungWoo (Jenny)
Year 11 (Grade10)
Dulwich College Seoul

 

Copyright © The Herald Insight, All rights reseverd.