Disastrous family seasonal attractions and the never to be forgotten Lapland New Forest Theme Park

[Orang Utan]

Sorry,,,

2,500 pies = £25,000 quid?

£10 for a pie?

Think they’re all homemade. Dunno how big they are, but seems reasonable if you don’t want lips and arseholes and you want a human to make the pastry

 

[TopCat]

Sorry,,,

2,500 pies = £25,000 quid?

£10 for a pie?

Wholesale cost too

 

[TopCat]

Think they’re all homemade. Dunno how big they are, but seems reasonable if you don’t want lips and arseholes and you want a human to make the pastry

They are made in a factory not someone’s kitchen.

 

[PR1Berske]

Sorry,,,

2,500 pies = £25,000 quid?

£10 for a pie?

That's cheap for Christmas Markets.

 

[weepiper]

Edinburgh Christmas visitors blast '£7.50 drink' and say 'we are herded like cattle'

Reviews for this year's Edinburgh Christmas Market have described the market as "the worst so far" with visitors complaining about extortionate prices and aggressive staff.

www.edinburghlive.co.uk

 

[skyscraper101]

Christmas markets are always a swizz has nobody learned anything?

 

[T & P]

They're coming thick and fast now

Christmas event in Bury St Edmunds like town's 'Wonka experience'

Organisers of the Christmas Spectacular Bury St Edmunds "sincerely apologise" after ticket holders complain.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[two sheds]

Christmas markets are always a swizz has nobody learned anything?

Are you questioning the Spirit of Christmas?

Wanting fair prices at Christmas is just woke

 

[Lord Camomile]

On reflection, there're hundreds of these events happening across the county every year, most must be fine, because we only ever heard of the few that are complete rip-offs.

So, I withdraw my comparison with those people moaning about Pontins, having read the reviews before booking.

Yeah, must be a bloody nightmare trying to work out whether something is legit or bullshit.

Outside of the fringe "there's no way they're going to deliver on those promises with that budget/venue", I imagine it could be hard to gauge whether something's going to be worth it or not.

Especially, as you say, if you've got the additional internal and external pressure of kids. Whether you want some nice family memories, or just to keep them off your back for a few hours, there's a lot to influence your judgement.

Which is just another knock-on impact of the charlatans. It's not just the lost cash/time of those who go to a shit one, it's the doubt and distrust it causes more broadly, making it much more difficult/stressful to just find a nice thing to do with the family.

 

[two sheds]

The most catastrophic do give the family something to talk about at Christmases, birthdays and other family gatherings though

 

[BoatieBird]

We're going here on Sunday with MIL

English Heritage

We're all EH members so it's not costing us anything, which is just as well considering the reviews

Wrest Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

www.tripadvisor.com

 

[UrbaneFox]

Narnia rubbish
Dec 2024 • Couples
Narnia was a dreadful display in a few rooms in the house. Best part was walking back outside. If I’d not been a member I would have been fuming paying to go to see it. The carpark was a muddy field with the exit up a farm track!


I was expecting an old wardrobe, and someone in a mangy lion costume. How cheated I would feel if it turned out to be a wonderful winterland.

 

[Orang Utan]

But it only works if you use your imagination!

 

[T & P]

Not the worst case we have seen in this thread by any means, and whereas admittedly the new Santa is not up to the standards of the old one, this almost reads as middle class parents overreacting a bit

Families set to report 'fake Santa' to Trading Standards over grotto changes

Organisers of a popular festive experience at The Great Hall in Winchester accused of ruining the magic after switching Father Christmas

www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk

Not very clear from the article but I gather that this is former Santa and the one below his replacement







Some brilliant quotes from shocked and appalled parents though

“We're absolutely gutted as it's been such a special tradition for us and so magical in previous years.

"We've been every year since our eldest was a baby and the Santa was great, so realistic, but the new one couldn't look more fake if he tried.

"Our six-year-old is so bright and not one of those kids you can fool, so we're panicking now."

 

[oryx]

Not the worst case we have seen in this thread by any means, and whereas admittedly the new Santa is not up to the standards of the old one, this almost reads as middle class parents overrating a bit

Families set to report 'fake Santa' to Trading Standards over grotto changes

Organisers of a popular festive experience at The Great Hall in Winchester accused of ruining the magic after switching Father Christmas

www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk

Not very clear from the article but I gather that this is former Santa and the one below his replacement

View attachment 453664

View attachment 453665



Some brilliant quotes from shocked and appalled parents though

Good job that disposable vapes are being phased out, otherwise in a few years time this lot would be complaining about them and booze being sold to underage kids - because Trading Standards are so busy investigating sub-par Santas that they have no time to investigate the real issues!

 

[Orang Utan]

These parents have been hoisted by their own petard. They spent the year filling their kids’ heads with blatant lies and now they’re complaining that the earthly avatar of Father Christmas, the embodiment of their tissue of lies, looks fake

 

[T & P]

This could have been a lovely story to get behind to if the parents’ protests had been about a much loved member of the community losing his long term gig to a cheap replacement due to cost cutting measures by the local council, but all they seem to care about is their on-so-bright little ones questioning the existence of Father Christmas due to their Sherlock-like powers of observation.

Fuck them At least other enraged parents in similar situations call their local paper rather than waste time of government watchdog agencies for the most trivial of reasons.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Wake up babe. New disaster just dropped.

The press has finally picked up on it.

Families blast ‘tragic’ Bluewater Elf on the Shelf experience which left child ‘in tears’

Frustrated families have blasted a subpar festive event at a shopping centre which has been branded “overpriced” and “underwhelming”.

www.kentonline.co.uk

Organisers have been at pains to point out it’s not – contrary to some reviews left – a traditional Christmas grotto, and they’ve had lots of people that enjoyed the “free play/roaming nature” of the event.

The new 25-minute experience, which kicked off on November 16 and runs until December 24, promises to help get Christmas off to a “flying start”, with an 11ft elf door and interactive activities the whole family can enjoy.

On the ticketing website, it says: “This never-seen-before interactive, theatrical experience will transport you to the North Pole on an immersive adventure where you'll help the Scout Elves spread Christmas cheer by completing a series of magical games and challenges, including making a wish at the wish-gatherer, Christmas tree decorating and snowball throwing!”

However, not all the customer feedback has matched the festive spirit the organisers are hoping to engender so far.

One person said: “The setup was poorly executed and lacked any sense of magic or atmosphere.

“There weren’t even any elves to be seen – my little boy was looking behind the curtain in the hope of finding an elf – which led to tears when we left!

“What’s even more frustrating is once inside, you’re hit with additional costs for extras like a photo with Father Christmas...which only adds to the feeling of being exploited.

They added: “I was disappointed when I walked through the door to find it was just a half-empty blue room with a few ‘activities’ in.

“Then when Santa walked into the room chatting away I was shocked that they hadn’t upheld the mystery and magic of meeting Santa properly, especially when he kept looking in the mirror to fix his beard and make-up.

“There was no time given to each family in private for the children to tell him what they’d like for Christmas.”

“Never have I experienced such an awful ‘grotto’,” the review went on to say.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Parents across the land could save themselves lots of money and grief by telling their children that santa isn't real at a very young age.

 

[skyscraper101]

“Then when Santa walked into the room chatting away I was shocked that they hadn’t upheld the mystery and magic of meeting Santa properly, especially when he kept looking in the mirror to fix his beard and make-up.

 

[Plumdaff]

These parents have been hoisted by their own petard. They spent the year filling their kids’ heads with blatant lies and now they’re complaining that the earthly avatar of Father Christmas, the embodiment of their tissue of lies, looks fake

I always told my daughter that real Santa was too busy at this time of year so had a load of volunteers to help (whose message was related directly back to HQ). That covered situations when it was obviously one of the male TAs in a dodgy beard at the school Xmas Fair etc.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Just remember, however shit your festive attraction is...

Spoiler: It could always be worse...

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

just a seasonal:

 

[BoatieBird]

We're going here on Sunday with MIL

English Heritage

We're all EH members so it's not costing us anything, which is just as well considering the reviews

Wrest Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

www.tripadvisor.com

Cancelled due to the weather

 

[hitmouse]

Not the worst case we have seen in this thread by any means, and whereas admittedly the new Santa is not up to the standards of the old one, this almost reads as middle class parents overreacting a bit

Families set to report 'fake Santa' to Trading Standards over grotto changes

Organisers of a popular festive experience at The Great Hall in Winchester accused of ruining the magic after switching Father Christmas

www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk

Not very clear from the article but I gather that this is former Santa and the one below his replacement

View attachment 453664

View attachment 453665



Some brilliant quotes from shocked and appalled parents though

 

[T & P]

‘Children left in tears’ in the headline, no less. Not sure how much the organisers are to blame here for such issues as lack of snow

Children in tears on Lapland trip where Santa admits: 'I don't even live here'

Some priceless quotes there

They also claim they were warned to stay away from an ‘angry reindeer’

 

[UrbaneFox]

‘Children left in tears’ in the headline, no less. Not sure how much the organisers are to blame here for such issues as lack of snow

Children in tears on Lapland trip where Santa admits: 'I don't even live here'

Some priceless quotes there

They won't let me see it unless I sign up for all sorts of crap, which is blocked anyway.

 

[two sheds]

so well in the spirit of things

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Short haul flight and then be disappointed at the higher than normal temperature?

Actions, meet consequence…

 

[cupid_stunt]

‘Children left in tears’ in the headline, no less. Not sure how much the organisers are to blame here for such issues as lack of snow

Children in tears on Lapland trip where Santa admits: 'I don't even live here'

Some priceless quotes there

Another family said they feared for their safety after taking a sleigh ride on a lake that was ‘melting’.

Natasha Walden, 36, said the sleigh had to stay right on the edge of the lake where the ice was thicker, and that she could see cracks everywhere.

Well, that's not good!