As the UK half term comes to an end, uninspired families can be grateful for another day out: the Paddington Bear Experience opens its doors in London on Friday, promising a “unique and fun-filled interactive experience”. ” It has more than 2,400 square meters (26,000 sq ft) of space and features themed rooms, character interactions and marmalade sandwiches.
But the experience comes at a price: with weekend ticket prices at £49 for adults and £39 for children, a family of four can expect to pay £176 for the 70-minute event; and if they want to study you can pay much more. Books, games and toys that can later be purchased at Mr. Gruber’s antique shop.
The Paddington Bear Experience comes to County Hall on the Southbank at a time when there is a clear trend towards large-scale immersive “experiences” during traditional family outings, adding to much higher expenses.
Shrek’s Adventure is also offered in the same venue! London is an immersive 70-minute tour and this weekend standard tickets start from £21 per child.
Elsewhere, on Tottenham Court Road in central London, families can book to play a life-size version of Monopoly, with prices starting from almost £50 per player.
But this phenomenon is not limited to London; Like Wake the Tiger Amazement Park in Bristol, it offers “a self-guided, multi-sensory art experience for all ages.”
And in February this year, Glasgow’s now-infamous Willy’s Chocolate Experience charged up to £35 per ticket for immersive entertainment but ultimately delivered little more than a few jelly beans, quarter glasses of lemonade and a few plastic items.
Last week families compared the Brick Fest Live event at the NEC in Birmingham, billed as “the UK’s biggest Lego festival”, to the Willy Wonka event, which they found “basically empty” after arriving in Glasgow.
Juliana Delaney, managing director of Continuum Attractions, whose portfolio includes Edinburgh’s Real Mary King’s Close and Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower, said the growth of large-scale immersive events was being driven by “demand for captivating, story-driven experiences”.
“These large-scale immersive interactions distract guests from their daily lives and transport them to an alternative space where they can forget about daily hassles for a while.”
These attractions come with increased operating costs, he said, but strategies such as tiered pricing, VIP packages and “early bird” discounts can still ensure accessibility. “Many are willing to spend money on the right experiences that they feel offer them quality, value and lasting memories.”
But as the cost of living crisis continues and child poverty rises, some believe rising attraction prices risk depriving many families across the country of recreational opportunities. A 2023 survey of more than 1,000 parents and carers by the charity Family Action found that 76% of families are worried about the cost of days out due to the cost of living crisis, and more than a quarter plan to give them up altogether during the summer holidays. .
Ellen Abbott, a single parent of two children aged six and 10 in Manchester, said she had cut back significantly this half term. “Taking them to new activities every day would cost more than my weekly wage and I’m already conscious of saving money for Christmas because they were desperate to go on the Polar Express train ride,” he said, adding that many people pointed out this. such activities now require pre-booking weeks or even months in advance.
“When you consider snacks, travel and gift shops, even ‘old-fashioned’ museums, galleries and bowling are very expensive—especially when, as a single parent, I don’t qualify for family discounts,” said Abbott.
Lynn Perry, managing director of Barnardo’s, said the cost of living crisis was “tightening household budgets and pushing more families into poverty”. “Many of the people we support are forced to make heartbreaking choices about what to cut from their budgets to make ends meet,” she said. “Living in poverty means children miss out on opportunities and activities that make childhood fun and support their development.”
Relating to: Bills for family days out ‘almost double’ at some UK attractions
Charities supporting the country’s most vulnerable children and families said they, too, were feeling the effects of rising entertainment costs. “For families caring for children with additional needs, a simple day out can often be an unaffordable extra cost,” said Ryan Sinclair, chief executive of Happy Days Children’s Charity, which provides trips and experiences for children with a range of needs. conditions, obstacles and challenges.
“The cost of the financial crisis has clearly increased the pressure on parents who are already struggling to cope, and we are working hard to help as many families as we can. But the rise in demands for support in recent years inevitably means our resources are increasingly stretched.”
Liat Hughes Joshi, author of parenting books, said families should try to resist the “enormous pressure to organize a calendar full of expensive days.” “There’s no reward for being a parent who takes their kids out most days during school holidays… so just ignore what everyone else is doing,” he said.
“It may sound cliché, but being the best parent you can be in your family’s circumstances isn’t about theme parks or the latest immersive experiences; it’s about time, love, and attention.”