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London family trip with merlin pass

blondie81_2
Posts: 204 Forumite
hi hoping to visit London for the first time with my husband and 2 kids aged 12 and 8, we have merlin passes and will be staying in woking for 5 nights from 13th april, planning on doing theme parks but what else and we do, or where can we eat, and whats the best way to get around, sorry for so many questions just need help getting started with the planning
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There are loads of threads on visiting London on this board - (I've just counted and at the moment eight of the first 27 threads on the board do!).
I suggest you have a look through the latest few pages of the board or do a search and if you then have any more specific questions that aren't answered then come back here to ask them.
For other posters - I've suggested on the Site Feedback board that we could have a 'visiting London' sticky on this board, so that we could do one long post on there with our hints, tips and recommendations and then simply point people to it.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64615033#Comment_64615033
Please add your support if you think this would be a good idea0 -
If you get the train from Woking to Waterloo. The London Eye, London Dungeons and London Aquarium are all beside each other a couple of minutes walk from the station and you can use the Merlin passes at these attractions. By the way don't miss the 4d show which is in the London Eye building. Opposite these attractions you have the Houses Of parliament, Big Ben and boats that go to the Tower Of London. Madam Tussauds (also Merlin attraction) is about 10-15 direct journey on the bakerloo tube train from Waterloo to Baker Street.
Warwick castle is about 50 minutes drive from Woking and also a great day out using Merlin passes. Take a packed lunch with you (get a meal deal from Tesco's or Sainsburys).
I doubt you will have much time to do much else as no doubt you plan a day at each of the three theme parks (legoland, Thorpe and Chessington) and then a day ot two doing the London attractions.
Your 8 year old will travel free on all London transport overground trains, tubes and buses and you could get a one day travelcard for your 12 year old and the two adults which will give unlimited travel during the day.
www.tfl.gov.uk
You could look at getting the Bespoke offers Starbuck £10 voucher for £5 (one per adult) as there is a Starbucks in Waterloo station. Opposite Waterloo station you have a Sainsburys express store where you can get a sandwich, drink and snack meal deal lunch.0 -
We have done this exact trip, staying in an innkeepers lodge. Couple of tips.
Buy snacks and drinks and take with you to theme park. We just stopped to get sausage rols/sandwiches each day.
Eat tea at mcdanalds or subway.
Do the three theme parks but get there super early and have a battle plan of what rides you want to hit, check age and height restrictions before you go.
You can train it to london, use your passes for Madame Tussades and the eye. If you have tesco vouchers then trade them for a restaurant in London or for an open top bus tour.
Have a great time... It's exhausting but brilliant!All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.0 -
Check out Merlin perks on their website,children ate free through perks last year at Hard Rock Cafe which I'm sure the kids would love! Just not sure if it's still valid without looking. You just show your Merlin pass.0
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Hi
We stayed at the Premier Inn at Greenwich at the October half term last year which we enjoyed. Close enough to do things easily in London but not as expensive as staying right in the centre.
We visited the Tower of London using tesco clubcard vouchers and we thoroughly enjoyed that.
Jen0 -
Thankyou all for your great information you are all making our trip seem very exciting, any additional info received with thanks0
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I think the London Dungeons may be a bit scarey for your 8 year old so maybe split into two groups and one go with the 12 year old (who will think it is very cool, no doubt) and maybe the other to the Aqarium (which is great) and meet up at the Aqarium. It is nice to eat lunch by the river. If you are doing Madam Tussauds I would go there first for opening time as the queues to get in and crowds inside, get very big and it is hard to get pictures beside the waxworks. It is also worth doing a daytime ride on the eye and one at twilight as they are different experiences. A clipper boat ride up the Thames is a fab way to see London (boats for from beside the Eye).
If you had more time I would sugguest going to the Natural History and Science Museums at South Kensington as they are fab and free entry, but doubt you will have time to fit that in this time. The tube goes direct from Westminster station (a few minutes walk from the Eye) and takes less than 10 minutes to South Kensington. A ride on the no 15 old fashioned red rover London bus from the Tower is great as it goes past a lot so landmarks and you can use a daily London travelcard on this route.
http://www.insightguides.com/destinations/europe/england/london/cultural-features/old-london-bus-tour-routemaster-bus-no150 -
With regards to the theme parks, Chessington and Thorpe Park really are two very different beasts.
Chessington is a lot more family friendly with plenty for young kids to do while Thorpe Park is more for your older thrill seekers looking for fast roller coasters or stomach churning rides.
One thing they do have in common though is that both are very expensive to eat in so a packed lunch is definitely the order of the day!0 -
thanks for all your replies can anyone help with places for us to eat in a evening so we won't be living on takeaways0
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There is a Beefeater in Woking and a Harvester about 3 miles from centre of Woking. Not been to either of these specific ones.
Enjoy your break:)0
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