What it’s like at The Paddington Bear Experience
We take a tour of London’s furriest new attraction
Full disclosure, we are BIG Paddington Bear fans in our house, so were delighted to tour the new attraction The Paddington Bear Experience, in London. Just opened on Southbank, it’s an immersive experience for all ages.
Visitors enter through Mr Gruber’s shop, then catch a train from “Paddington Station”, to Windsor Gardens, where you walk through the Brown family’s home and embark on an adventure, culminating in a Marmalade Festival at the end.
What it isn’t, is a high-tech attraction with lots of thrill-seeking rides. What it is, is an actor-heavy, activity-packed love-letter to the world of Paddington, from the books, to the recent movies. It’s done with the utmost love and attention to detail and is absolutely charming. It’s unlike any other attraction I’ve visited and we all adored it.
As I took my two daughters, I thought it appropriate they do a review. So, this special newsletter is brought to you by budding-writer, Poppy Parnell, aged 10.
“Picture this: you walk along the chaotic streets of London, in search of something calm and fun. Just as you are about to admit defeat, you see a sign for The Paddington Bear Experience. Most adults would walk past, but honestly, what’s better than a talking bear from Peru, in a blue coat and red hat, who loves marmalade sandwiches? Nothing, apart from meeting him. And this is the closest thing you can get to it!
The tour starts with a train ride from Paddington Station to Windsor Gardens. Various characters from the Brown’s house take you through different interactive rooms, such as the kitchen, where you have to find the larder key, and the jungle in Peru where you make marmalade! This is great for kids as you all have a chance to do something. As you proceed into the last room of the tour, you meet Paddington himself, thanking all his friends for making him marmalade! As well as this, you get a chance to take a picture with him, concluding the day with a big bear-hug.
The Paddington Bear Experience is full of many different things to interact with, making it great for children who want to join in with the activities. It is around 70 minutes long, yet won’t bore your kids half-way as there is always something to do. You can also treat your kids with something from the gift shop as a souvenir so they won’t forget their amazing day! I would say it is a brilliant experience, however, maybe there could be a small ride at the end? People who are older may want something as well and might feel that they don’t get as many things to do as their children.
Verdict: I would give the Paddington Bear Experience 9.5/10 Happy Marmalade Day!”
Top tips
Don’t arrive early: You enter and exit through Mr Gruber’s gift shop, so the crowd was significant. Don’t come too early before your slot.
Do book first or last slots: We had the last slot of the day and I’d advise going for early or late slots, as it was much less-crowded.
Leave enough time: This is a walk-through attraction, with interactive rooms, led by actors. You can’t progress faster than the group, so make sure you leave enough time – at least an hour and half, if you want photos at the end.
Is your kid a runner?: This is suitable for all ages, but very young children might get fidgety with all the talking and if your toddler is a runner, I’d say it’s not for them.
The Travel List
What is it: The Paddington Bear Experience is an immersive walk-through experience.
Where is it: In County Hall, Southbank, it’s near the London Dungeons, Shrek and Aquarium.
Ticket info: Tickets are from £29 per adult and £19 per child, visit paddingtonbearexperience.com
Note: We received media tickets to The Paddington Bear Experience