It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Well this is certainly true for the transformed space at Event City in Trafford Park. Winter Wonderland is back for its fifth year and with live theatre, a circus big top, fairground stalls, arcade attractions, gifts stalls, more fun family fair rides (70) than I have ever seen in an indoor venue before, and of course Father Christmas and his helpers there is literally something for everyone.
For the grown-ups, there is also a well-stocked bar, which has a great range of reasonably priced wines, spirits and beers to enjoy whilst soaking up the Christmas atmosphere. This is the third year I have visited Winter Wonderland with my family and this year Kingpin Events have excelled themselves as it seemed even bigger and better than previous years with plenty of new attractions added.
From the moment, we entered the holding space at Event City we were greeted with a stunning Christmas themed area, brimming with families ready to enjoy the festive fair. Whilst waiting for tonight’s opening of the event, we were entertained by some very talented local performers. The Sky High Dance troupe wowed us with their slick routines then Warrington’s 17 year old Chloe Rose sang sounding even more spectacular than she did last year.
Once the Head Elf to Santa gave the crowd the details of what to expect at the Event the grand red velvet curtains opened to reveal an amazing array of colours, Christmas smells, balloons, and music, and as we walked through a shower of snow it was truly breath-taking to see how many rides and attractions this venue held.
There was a Christmas Circus that showcased jugglers, aerial brilliance, balancing acts and of course the cheeky clown that cheers every circus performance. Ice Princesses live on stage, Rainbow’s characters Zippy and George, Jedi Training and Maisie and Ollie’s Christmas panto, so there was no shortage of live performances to keep the little ones (and some big ones) occupied.
The scale of this event is absolutely huge, Winter Wonderland is billed as the UK’s largest indoor Christmas theme park, and quite rightly so. Although despite the scale of this event I have to say that we never had to queue for a ride or an attraction and it didn’t in the least feel cramped or over attended despite the fact that there were some 2500 guests attending this evening. There are literally too many stalls, rides, arcade attractions to count let alone list but I have to say it’s well worth going seeing them for yourself.
Notably, the majority of the rides appear to be aimed at the younger visitors with height limits strictly enforced on attractions such as inflatables. But that is not to say there aren’t any adult rides, as there are plenty and if you are feeling brave enough to ride some of the fast paced adrenaline rides that are guaranteed to terrify and thrill.
There is also an abundance of stalls selling some fantastic foods and sweet treats to satisfy most palates. Again this year Winter Wonderland has included a mini make over section that was very popular with the little princesses (and some princes’) that were there tonight. My favourite additions to this year’s event was the Lego section and circus skills class as well as the familiar ‘Beach’ section and ‘baby chill-out zone’ for the tiny ones, as not all visitors like the rides and this is a perfect alternative for those children (including mine) that like to sit and play quietly for a while.
Winter Wonderland wouldn’t be complete without Father Christmas, his helpers and some real reindeers. Therefore children young and old can visit his and Mrs Claus’s home and get a picture with the big man himself until the 24th December but after that then he will be gone as I believe he has a rather important job to do delivering presents to all the good children.
Tonight’s session lasted 3 hours and the time flew by and with all rides included (4 hour standard session) in the admission fee this is amazing value for money and a perfect day out for the family to bask in the Christmas spirit, as there is something to capture the interest of all ages. Winter Wonderland guarantees a festive family fun day out and is how every child would imagine a Christmas themed land to be, and much more!
Winter Wonderland is open at Event City next to the Trafford Centre daily (except Christmas Day) with various sessions times each day until the 1st January 2018. Full details including session times and booking information can be found at www.winterwonderlandmanchester.com
I can’t recommend this event enough as it was undeniably spectacular tonight, I have three daughters (aged 24yrs, 17yrs and 5yrs) and it’s not always easy to please them all at the same time, but Winter Wonderland holds such a variety of entertainment, tonight that mission was easily accomplished as all three had an absolute ball.
Keep up to date with all the latest developments go to: www.facebook.com/WinterWonderlandManchester
Reviewer: Victoria Wilmot
Reviewed: 11th December 2017
North West End Rating: 🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅
