The Paddington Bear Experience at County Hall, Southbank London Review

DISCLOSURE – THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.

Reviewed by Mel Randle

Yesterday we went for a trip to London to visit The Paddington Bear Experience at County Hall. It is right in the heart of London on the Southbank, easily accessible by all modes of transport – Waterloo Station, Westminster Underground, London buses to name a few. I have an electric vehicle so drove in and used a parking app to book parking close by. The whole experience took an hour, so if you are travelling far (for us 50 miles) I would highly recommend slotting it into a day where you already have things in London planned or use the opportunity to wander up and down the Thames or over to Westminster to take in the sights.

This immersive experience is led by actors as you are taken in groups on a journey from Paddington Station to 32 Windsor Gardens via the Peruvian jungle in order to help the Brown family get ready for The Marmalade Day Festival. Neither myself nor my daughter (9) have seen the Paddington films and I don’t think this is essential to enjoy this experience. We of course know who he is from books, that he is from Peru and likes Marmalade, and this is the only knowledge required to ‘get it’.

The fun starts from the moment you arrive on ‘the platform’. We were given a group colour and had to wait for our allotted time slot. Groups were small (approx. 5 families) so it didn’t in any way feel crowded.

The ‘conductor’ entertained the children, teaching them dances and doing the conga. Go with an open mind and join in to get the most out of it because it all about having fun. I won’t give too much away but when our time came we were taken on a ‘train’ and transported through several rooms including the Brown’s house, kitchen and rainforest, where we were all given tasks to complete. All were really geared towards children but it was a fun thing to do as a family. At the end of the experience you have the opportunity to enjoy some free time in Windsor Gardens before leaving to play some Fete Games such as Ball In A Bucket, or do some colouring whilst enjoying Paddington themed refreshments purchased from the stand.

Photos were not permitted once we boarded our train until we reached the Windsor Garden’s party at the end of the experience. There is however an opportunity to purchase photos including one with Paddington himself. There is a gift shop in the form of Grubers Antiques from which you enter and exit the experience. This sells a huge range of Paddington themed and official merchandise.

The Experience is aimed at all ages and my daughter (9) said she really enjoyed it, as did I, but I do think you have to have children 10 and under to really get the magic from it – much like Christmas, they need to believe!

Facilities include toilets, buggy park, chargeable cloakroom and refreshment stands as well as the aforementioned gift shop.

We had a lovely hour there before heading back into the hustle and bustle of London. And I think if you are a big Paddington fan, you will absolutely love it. The set was absolutely amazing, the actors were fabulous and yes, we did get to meet the little bear himself!!!

Rating: 5/5

Tickets for The Paddington Bear Experience start from £24. Online booking can save up to 35%.
For group and access tickets, please refer to website.

Further details and booking can be found at paddingtonbearexperience.com