Winter Wonderland Christmas market: 'laughably high' prices leave visitors feeling short-changed

The event opens up for 2024 today, and usually sees 2.5 million people every year, but I have a warning if you’re planning on going: you need deep pockets.

Christmas is a time for joy, laughter and spending extortionate amounts of money at festive markets.

I’ve always loved the festive period and get into the spirit as early as possible. I put my tree up in October, start buying gifts in September, and I’ve been known to start playing festive tunes in the car even earlier. It truly is a magical time of year.

So it seemed only natural that I should go to London’s biggest Christmas market – Winter Wonderland – which last year was named as one of the best in the UK.

Coming from a small town in the south of England, I’ve always been surprised by London prices. I knew a jaunt to the Christmas market wouldn’t come cheap but I was not prepared for the dent in my bank account the following morning.

The event opens up for 2024 today, and usually sees 2.5 million people every year, but I have a warning if you’re planning on going: you need deep pockets.

By the time I arrived, I’d already spent hundreds. I figured if I was travelling to the festive event people rave about, I should see what they have to offer. The entry fee was £7.50 per person (which is waivered if you spend over £25 on activities beforehand – which I did). For two people, a 45-minute ice-skating ticket cost £34, the Ice Kingdom £26, the Giant Wheel £22 and the ice bar £36. As it was all pre-booked, it was discounted, so on-site it would cost 20 per cent more.

It’s not to say the activities weren’t fun but it costs to even get photo evidence of the memories. We were told to put our phones away while skating and in the sculpture walk – not in case we drop and break them, but because all images came with a price tag afterwards. When we took our skates off and headed to the kiosk, it was £25 for digital copies and a few printed ones.

Of course these things are optional, but as somebody who loves to keep souvenirs, and has been stood in a queue just to view these pictures for 25 minutes, I felt compelled to pay. When we did that for two attractions, we’d spent £40.

The worst part though was the food and drink. Two hot dogs racked up nearly £30 and two chocolate crepes, over £20. One singular, tiny, sugar doughnut was £3. The only thing that seemed reasonable were the hot chocolates, priced between £3.50 and £5. However, being branded a “luxury” seemed far-fetched considering it tasted like the same hot milk and powder I put together at home. It was of course extra if you opted for an added dollop of cream and a sprinkle of a few marshmallows.

Looking around, other stalls didn’t seem to be any cheaper. Fish and chips would set you back £14, a baked potato £7, and candy floss £8. It’s not just me who has been disheartened by the prices over the years. People have taken to social media to vent about it. One said prices were “laughably high”, and others have claimed it to be overpriced or extortionate. I can’t help but agree.

It’s worth noting I’m not particularly uptight with spending my money but the whole thing seemed excessive for a mediocre experience. The rink holds so many people that the hardest part wasn’t keeping your balance on a thin blade, but actually finding space on the sheet of ice to skate. Walking around involves weaving in and out of thousands of people, only to get stuck between groups or shoved to one side. It’s a much calmer experience in local town rinks which often cost half the price.

The event claims to be from “humble beginnings” having grown from an open air market in Hyde Park nearly 20 years ago to the hotspot it is today, but to actually enjoy yourself there the prices seem wildly unfair, especially given the cost of living so many of us are facing. Christmas is already expensive as it is, with presents, food and gatherings, so it is hard to fully enjoy yourself when you’re there unless you’ve fully budgeted for it.

When we headed to the stall that gave out tokens for the rides on offer, we were told it would be £80 for coupons that would give us access to eight rides, or access to the arcade-style games. We instead opted just to pay for one ride – £10 each for a VR experience rollercoaster. When I sat on it, having paid what I thought was a ridiculous amount for the pair of us, I was expecting to be transported into a new world. Yes, animals jumped out and I physically ducked when it looked like I was about to be splashed with water –