Can You Visit, London Eye (+Cruise), Sealife, Dungeons & Madame Tussauds In A Day?

mew

I'm just wondering if it would be practical to try and visit all the Merlin Attractions in London in one day (Saturday) and if possible cram in a River Cruise?

When I went in the Easter Holidays, we did the London Eye about 10am, followed by the Sealife (fast pass) and then after a couple of hours of 'Sight Seeing' and lunch, we waited 90 minutes in the fast pass queue(!) for the Dungeons.

This time I would like to try and do the London Eye, Sealife and/or River Cruise, The Dungeons & Madame Tussauds but is this possible and what would be the best route, starting at a Tube/train station around Wembley?

(We have Merlin passes, so aprat from the Cruise, we wouldn't need to queue for tickets and have so called Fast Pass entry to the Dungeons & Madame Tussauds)

spendingmad

I have come online to ask exactly the same question!! I want to take family for DS1 birthday and go for the weekend to also do hamleys and natural history museum. Have not got the merlin pass yet - but was going to include as his birthday present (v expensive birthday!)

Is fast pass entry included as standard with merlin passes?

kai666

mew wrote: »

I'm just wondering if it would be practical to try and visit all the Merlin Attractions in London in one day (Saturday) and if possible cram in a River Cruise?

When I went in the Easter Holidays, we did the London Eye about 10am, followed by the Sealife (fast pass) and then after a couple of hours of 'Sight Seeing' and lunch, we waited 90 minutes in the fast pass queue(!) for the Dungeons.

This time I would like to try and do the London Eye, Sealife and/or River Cruise, The Dungeons & Madame Tussauds but is this possible and what would be the best route, starting at a Tube/train station around Wembley?

(We have Merlin passes, so aprat from the Cruise, we wouldn't need to queue for tickets and have so called Fast Pass entry to the Dungeons & Madame Tussauds)

it would certainly be a challenge! you would be pushing it with the river cruise, as the start or finish point is greenwhich, which is a long way from central london. Though everything can be accessed from the jubilee line which makes it easier, and the line you could start on from wembley

you'll need Baker street for madam tussauds, westminster for the london eye/aquarium/river crise and london bridge for the london dungeon.

if you go on a river crise from the london eye, you'll either have to do a return trip on the boat (1 hour each way) or catch the DLR from Greenwich and change at canary wharf back onto the jubilee line

Bongedone

You will be exhausted!

than4

I guess the one advantage is the the London Eye is open till quite late, if you wanted to do that in the evening and see London by dusk/twilight rather than during the day.

Madame Tussards say on their website that afternoons are quieter, but not sure if this is true. We were in there for about 2 hours.

Haven't done the other two on your list.

I'm sure it could be done, but might require military precision planning and reduce your enjoyment of the attraction if for example you know you only have 2 hours in Madame Tussards and not one minute more!

Also don't forget to check for engineering works on the tube when planning your day.

kai666

mew wrote: »

I'm just wondering if it would be practical to try and visit all the Merlin Attractions in London in one day (Saturday)

Just noticed you want to do it on a saturday. The problem you will have is the Jubilee line is closed every weekend (either fully or partially) until christmas for engineering work. It will seriously impede your ability to complete everything if it is, as even getting in from wembley could be a problem

susancs

From Wembley Park to Baker Street on the Jubillee, short walk to Madam Tussauds it would take about 25 minutes-opens at 9.30am off peak, If you rush around you could do it in say 90 mins. so if a good day and 15 minutes in queue -it would be 11.15am.

From there about 10 min tube journey to Westminster and 15 walk to Waterloo for London eye. 30 min flight time. Eat lunch whilst on the move. Sealife beside the eye, so could be done in 90 mins if your rush around it. About 2.30pm if hardly any queue for eye or Sealife.

From Waterloo to London Dungeons on Jubillee line 10 minute Journey or you could get the boat from there to the London/ Tower bridge pier about 20-30 min journey time. Couple mins walk to the Dungeons. 3pm, if good day 30 mins in queue 3.30pm couple of hours there 5.30pm. Tower pier to Westminster on boat 30 mins (6.40pm last boat) and then get Jubillee back to Wembley park.
http://www.citycruises.com/rrrinfo.php

mew

Thanks for the replies.So it does seem possible to do. I have a very impatient daughter, so rushing around and being exhausted isn't a problem (The plan for the weekend is Thorpe Park Friday, London Attractions Saturday, Chessington Sunday and Legoland Monday).

A Couple of questions would be though, Do you really need at least 90 Minutes in Madame Tussauds (I haven't been since I was a child)?
Also are there any shorter River Cruises/trips around, I didn't realize the London eye Cruise is a 2 hour round trip (It needs to be a round trip as I won't personally be going on it).

spendingmad wrote: »

I have come online to ask exactly the same question!! I want to take family for DS1 birthday and go for the weekend to also do hamleys and natural history museum. Have not got the merlin pass yet - but was going to include as his birthday present (v expensive birthday!)

Is fast pass entry included as standard with merlin passes?

Fast Pass entry is included (with the Merlin Pass) for the Dungeons and Madame Tussauds (Although at Easter the fast pass queue was still 90 minutes for the Dungeons). In April, we managed to avoid the queues at the Sealife with having a Merlin Pass but I don't know if that is still the case. With the London Eye, you don't get fast access but you avoid the ticket queues.

kai666

kai666 wrote: »

Just noticed you want to do it on a saturday. The problem you will have is the Jubilee line is closed every weekend (either fully or partially) until christmas for engineering work. It will seriously impede your ability to complete everything if it is, as even getting in from wembley could be a problem

look here to see if you will have any problems...it's all the line closures for the next 6 months

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/track-closures.pdf

spendingmad

Mew - if you need hotel accomodation check out premierinn i've just found 2 nights in a family room at earls court for £49 per night (bargin) no bar or restaurant due to refurb at the time we are going so may be the reason for the price reduction?

sooz

mew wrote: »

The plan for the weekend is Thorpe Park Friday, London Attractions Saturday, Chessington Sunday and Legoland Monday).

And from Tuesday to Friday you plan to sleep