Each year, Hyde Park gets transformed from pretty park to a dazzling, snow-covered, Alpine-themed, 350-acre festive funscape. One of the largest Christmas events in the UK, Winter Wonderland returns for its seventeenth year in 2024, and is expected to welcome around 2.5 million visitors over six magical weeks.
As you make your way around the space, you’ll find fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land (including a Santa’s Grotto, where presents lie in wait) and traditional Christmas markets where you’ll be able to buy gifts for all your loved ones.
Other highlights include circuse shows from Cirque Beserk, which take place three times each evening, and the biggest outdoor ice rink in the UK. Surrounding the park’s Victorian bandstand, the 1,795 square foot rink is sponsored by Mayfair’s new art museum Moco. Not only is it lit up by more than 100,000 lights, it’s also a rather cheerful shade of candyfloos pink in keeping with the museum’s logo. There’s also the Real Ice Slide and ice sculpting workshops, after which you can warm yourself up later with frothing steins and steaming cups of mulled wine at the German-style Bavarian Village.
The usual line-up of rollercoasters and fairground rides is sure to keep thrill-seekers happy. A good alternative for those who prefer to stay on solid ground is the selection of themed bars with real fires, except for the Bar Ice (for obvious structural reasons), where even the glasses you drink from are made of ice.
If you’re skating, be aware that while there’s no minimum age for skaters, under-12s must be accompanied by someone 16 or over and the smallest skates for hire are children's size 9 (adult skates go up to size 13). You can use your own skates as long as they’re not speed skates. Wheelchair users are welcome on the ice. There are also ice guides who can look after groups of up to 15 skaters at a time (for an additional charge).
Is Winter Wonderland free entry?
Entry during off-peak hours is free, while an adult ticket for Winter Wonderland will cost £5 during standard times and £7.50 during peak times.
Visitors should also be aware that many of the attractions inside also carry separate entry fees, which also vary depending on whether you’re visiting at peak or off-peak hours. Entrance to Bar Ice and Magical Ice Kingdom cost £17-18 and £9-13 respectively, tickets to Cirque Beserk’s show are £12.50-£18, and the ice rink costs £11.50-£17.
How to do Winter Wonderland on a budget
With free entry during off-peak times and cheaper tickets for many of the main attractions inside, the easiest way to save money on your trip to Winter Wonderland is by planning your visit during one of the off-peak times, either earlier in the day if you’re visiting in December, or by visiting in the New Year.
There are other ways of saving money as well. Visitors can save 20% on tickets to the Magical Ice Kingdom and ice skating rink if they book at the same time as reserving off-peak tickets, while entry is free when you pre-book £25-worth of attractions, rides, food or drinks.
A full guide to prices can be found on the Winter Wonderland website here.
What dates is Winter Wonderland in London?
Winter Wonderland opened for the season on Thursday November 21, and stays open until Sunday January 5, 2025.
How to get tickets for Winter Wonderland
Easy! If you’re looking to visit at a popular time (such as weekends, or once the school holidays start), then pre-book your tickets via Winter Wonderland's website to make sure you get in with no fuss. You'll be asked to select a two-hour timeslot to arrive within. There's also the option to snag a ticket on the door, although these spots are subject to availability and you may end up missing out if it's a busy time.
Tips for visiting Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
This winter spectacle is super popular every year, but there's a couple of things that are good to know before you go.
The queues can get pretty long, so we recommend booking your tickets in advance. Plus, there's so much to explore that you need to leave a fair bit of time; it tends to take about three hours to make it round the whole site. Make sure you wrap up warm, too!
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