The London Eye!!!!!

[momrek06]

HIYA, UK:

I need your help. I will be in London Dec 24-30, 2006 and there will be 5 of us. We want to buy tickets now for the London Eye. What day would you suggest going on the EYE as it is XMAS week? AND what time?

Will there be any visibility issues (weather-wise) do you think? And I have motion issues, does this move quickly or slowly? Do you think I need Bonine?

Question #2, we would like to see either "PHANTOM" or "LES MIZ"...are the shows "dark" during Xmas? I am having trouble locating tickets for Les Miz during that week.

Anything else you think I need to know sightseeing wise, I would love all your replies!!!

If you think I should consider other advanced ticket purchases for sights I would love your input as well.

 

[cstokell]

When it comes to the London Eye I would recommend trying to visit before 10:30am. We visited one Saturday in June for the 10:30 flight and got on with only a short wait. When we got off just after 11.00am there was about a half hour queue even for those that had pre-booked tickets. When we passed later in the day the queues were even longer.

I do not suffer from motion sickness but I can say that the capsule moves very slowly. You can't really tell its moving. I think that only people with height issues would have problems.

With regards to visibilty problems its hard to say, it may be a clear bright day or it could be a dull overcast day. The only way to overcome this problem would be to go if its a clear day and hope that you can get a ticket.

 

[Ware Bears]

Here is the website for the London Eye. I would recommend that you book Discovery Flights where you are taken up in a capsule in a small group (there were only 9+guide in our capsule) with a guide who will point out all the famous landmarks to you. You have to book in advance for this, if you book online you save 10% which then works out the same as a standard walk-up fare. The best bit is that as you are on a hosted flight you won't have to queue!

Edited to add it was pouring with rain when we went but we still had good visibility and had fantastic views.

 

[AndRu]

Visit The Tower Of London and take a trip around one of the most fascinating buildings in the world. After this, take a look around the Tower Brigde Exhibition and, if you're up to it, walk over the elevated gantries that span the Thames.

From there, take a stroll along the south bank to see two great ships. Firstly, and you won't miss her, HMS Belfast a WWII Battle Cruiser that is now a museum, a good one at that. Further along the south bank is Sir Francis Drakes ship, The Golden Hind, obviously far smaller than The Belfast but it's still an interesting visit. As you're interested in the theatre, why not have a look at the rebuilt Shakespears Globe Theatre which is (literally) a stones thrown from the Golden Hind. After this, walk over The Millennium Bridge towards the beautiful dome of St Pauls Cathederal.

You wouldn't be able to fit everything into one day but might give you some ideas of things to look at other than Buckingham Palace (yawn), Picadilly Circus (beware the pick-pockets) and Trafalgar Square (watch out for dive bombing pigeons). Everyone that visits London goes to these places because they see them on TV & movies but there is nothing really to see. Also, if you have time, consider some of the musems in London like The Natural History or The Science Museum as on rainy days these are great places to visit.

Enjoy your visit

 

[momrek06]

Wow, your replies are all so awesome!!!

Thank you, Thank you, ALL so much!!!

I have my Tour Book right here on my desk and am putting stickers on all those pages of the sights you all are mentioning.

 

[SammieG]

I dont know why tickets for Les Mis are not showing up through Ticketmaster.

Try Seetickets.com
http://www.seetickets.com/see/event...2006&lastdate=15/12/2007&prev=yes&filler1=see

They have them available for that time.

I suspect you will get half price tickets for les mis without any problem (for most days, perhaps not saturdays)>. let me know if you need any help. I can do some digging around for you.

Of course, you could always try the tkts booth on the day.. but its pot luck as to where you will get seats.

 

[momrek06]

I would just like to take this opportunity to THANK Sammie G...for the website info on LES MIZ....I bought 5 tickets for Tuesday Dec 26th!!!

ROW J YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

AND Many THANKS as well to WARE BEARS, because I bought tickets for the London Eye Discovery Flight!!!!

 

[SophiesDad]

Hi
There was 5 of us, We went to london in September, We were in the que for about 15 Minutes We went in at about 11:30 and it took about 30 Minutes to go all the way round, And we came out just gone 12pm.
It doesnt go very quick at all, But if it gets very busy then it tends to go a little Bit quicker,
It also stops now and again to help people get on and off.

Sorry can't really help with the show's

Hope this will help you.

 

[aaronandterri]

hi
check and see if there are any specials going on as its xmas, we took the kids the other year and there was a small peter pan show then we got to ride with peter pan and wendy on the eye afyerwards with just the group we watched with in the capsule .and a photo gift as well .
i dont know if there doing anything like this this year, check the website

 

[kkymmy]

it's a bit of a walk but if it's a clear day try going to camden and walking towards london zoo.....behind london zoo is primrose hill, if you can handle the climb it's well worth the view

 

[tigercat]

My dh & I are going to England in Jan. I am really excited. We were looking at buying a train pass as well as a day pass for zone's 1-6. I was looking at getting it before I left. We are arriving in Manchester and taking the train to Stafford. We will then leave Stafford and go to London. We may go somewhere else on the train while we are in Stafford or use the pass for the Heathrow express and the Gatwick express. We were also thinking of a 3 day zone 1 pass. We want to see The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Winston Churchhills war rooms. We will be in London on the Mon. after and will have friends arriving on Wed. afternoon. After that they want to go on a bus tour so we have to get our things in before they come.
tigercat

 

[momrek06]

My dh & I are going to England in Jan. I am really excited. We were looking at buying a train pass as well as a day pass for zone's 1-6. I was looking at getting it before I left. We are arriving in Manchester and taking the train to Stafford. We will then leave Stafford and go to London. We may go somewhere else on the train while we are in Stafford or use the pass for the Heathrow express and the Gatwick express. We were also thinking of a 3 day zone 1 pass. We want to see The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Winston Churchhills war rooms. We will be in London on the Mon. after and will have friends arriving on Wed. afternoon. After that they want to go on a bus tour so we have to get our things in before they come.
tigercat

I am getting pretty excited. Just last night I finalized the hotel we wanted for Paris. Anyway, I am taking my vitamins and getting plenty of rest...I always worry about getting sick before I travel.

I am looking to buy a winter raincoat from www.travelsmith.com that site has allot of nice items for the traveler.

I will post a trippie when I get back, I hope you will as well.

 

[MazdaUK]

Cabinet Office War Rooms is an excellent choice - thoroughly reccommend it!

Don't forget all the free stuff - museums and art galleries - or London can get a bit expensive And a 15 bus can take you from the Strand (near Westminster) to the City, and you can see sights on the way. Somerset House will probably have its ice rink running then.

We took our two boys to Tate Modern last week to try out the slides. They are free, but you have to queue for tickets (which let you have one long slide each), but there are slides on the 2nd floor which you don't need a ticket for. Our favourite installation is "Double No" on the 4th floor - i won't spoil it by telling you what its like! Try "The Real Greek" restaurant for lunch - yummy - then walk across the MIllenium Bridge and walk it off climbing the steps in St Pauls Cathedral (or the Monument - cheaper!)

 

[momrek06]

OKAY...I just sent away for FREE tickets to the CEREMONY OF THE KEYS!!!

It is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London CROWN JEWELS!!!

 

[Ware Bears]

OKAY...I just sent away for FREE tickets to the CEREMONY OF THE KEYS!!!

It is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London CROWN JEWELS!!!

We have done this ~ it is awesome!

 

[momrek06]

We have done this ~ it is awesome!

We do not go to London until Xmas so I am hoping we get tickets. That will be so wicked cool to go over to the Tower of London and see the "ceremony".

WARE BEARS..you have given me good info as I plan this trip...I need the name of a hotel near Heathrow. We will be returning from Paris via Eurostar the day before we fly home to Boston. I wanted to stay near Heathrow that night before and our flight is at 10:30am...any ides would be greatly appreciated!

 

[momrek06]

Bumping this up for the UK crowd on hotels at or around Heathrow!!!

I like Hilton's...but Metrople and Paddington are booked for my ONE night of January 2, 2007....