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Home / Type of trip / Attractions / Review: Shrek’s Adventure London

Review: Shrek’s Adventure London

September 14, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 16 Comments

Shrek's Adventure London © Mikael Buck / Shrek's Adventure London

Shrek’s Adventure London
© Mikael Buck / Shrek’s Adventure London

During the summer holidays my kids (17 and 12 years old) and I were invited to London to check out the new Shrek’s Adventure attraction on the South Bank.

The kids enjoyed watching the Shrek films when they were younger, and they both thought that they were a bit too old to be going to Shrek’s Adventure – but they came along anyway to see what it was like.

Shrek’s Adventure

Shrek’s Adventure is in a vibrant part of the city, right near to the London Eye. We walked there along the river from London Bridge Station and arrived just in time for our booked slot at 11am. You need to book a time to visit the attraction because you go through it in groups and the numbers are limited to a maximum of 40 people per group.

Photos

Before the actual tour started we were invited to have our photos taken in front of a green screen – this happened at various points during the tour but we declined the offer. Visitors aren’t allowed to take any photos during the tour (the ones included here are from when I took part in a blogger event at Shrek’s Adventure a few weeks after my visit with the kids).

Once the photographer had finished, our group was ushered into a waiting area where an actor explained, very theatrically, the tour rules: switch off our phones; let kids to the front so that they can see what’s happening; don’t touch any of the characters. Next we walked into an area which reminded all three of us of the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Here we met Princess Fiona and she explained that we were going to the land of Far Far Away.

Princess Fiona, Shrek's Adventure London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Princess Fiona, Shrek’s Adventure London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Bus ride

We were invited to sing along to a song (my kids were very uncomfortable with this) and then get on a bus, driven by Donkey to get to where we needed to go. The smaller children couldn’t go on the bus (you have to be at least 90 cms tall in order to go on it) and so had to wait outside with their parents while the rest of us enjoyed the ride. This was my favourite part of the tour, although I felt sorry for the little ones and their parents who missed out on it. The bus ride is a brilliant 4D cinematic experience – you feel like you really are flying through the sky above London and beyond. As you fly you meet various characters from the DreamWorks stable including Po from Kung Fu Panda, Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon and the penguins from Madagascar. Finally the bus is surrounded by some scary witches on broomsticks and it crash lands in the forest, squashing Rumpelstiltskin’s favourite witch in the process.

Escape

Princess Fiona ushered us off the bus and directed us to escape through the forest before Rumpelstiltskin and the other witches found us. By this point it felt like we were in the story – and I think that some young kids could find it a little bit scary. I won’t give away everything that happened on our journey but we went in search of safety through a series of scenes with different fairy tale characters. It was entertaining and interactive and felt a bit like taking part in a pantomime.

Scene from Shrek's Adventure London, copyright Gretta Schifano

Scene from Shrek’s Adventure London, copyright Gretta Schifano

The End

I found the end of the tour to be an anticlimax. We’d managed to escape to safety, with the help of Shrek, Puss in Boots and various other characters and it felt like there should be a finale – something to mark the end of the performance. Instead of which we filed out into a corridor where we could line up to have our photo taken with Shrek. The kids didn’t want to wait for that so we made our way out past the people trying to sell us a £25 book of photos of our experience, past the models of characters from DreamWorks films, through the gift shop and outside to the busy Southbank to find somewhere for lunch. The whole tour took an hour and 15 minutes.

Gift shop toys at Shrek's Adventure. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Gift shop toys at Shrek’s Adventure. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Cost

If booked online in advance, adult’s tickets for Shrek’s Adventure London cost from £23.40, children’s (under 16 years old) tickets cost from £18.72.

Verdict

My daughter, 17, says: ‘I think that Shrek’s Adventure would have been very fun when I was younger or if I’d gone with younger kids. If you went with toddlers it would be a pain if they were too small for the bus ride because that’s the best bit. It’s kind of like Disneyland with the characters because the young kids were really excited to see them.’

My son, 12, says: ‘It’s really for younger children.’

I think that the 4D bus tour is brilliant and the scenes after that are fun. I found the forced photo stops and the start of the tour (before the bus ride) irritating. My kids were definitely too old for the tour – the best age to enjoy it is probably about four to nine years old.

Disclosure: We were guests of Shrek’s Adventure for the purposes of this review.

If you’ve been to Shrek’s Adventure, what did you think of it? If you haven’t been, would you like to go there?

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Related

Categories: Attractions, City, Things to do in London with kids
Tags: London attractions, Shrek's Adventure London

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. Ninjacat says

    September 26, 2015 at 7:51 am

    I would love to visit here one day
    Ninjacat recently posted…Upon The Autumn LightMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Gemma says

    September 17, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    I’ve read so many great reviews on this recently! Definitely on my list of places to visit
    Gemma recently posted…Ellie’s 13th birthday Pop Story partyMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Globalmouse says

    September 15, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    My children really enjoyed this, at 4, 6 and 8 I think they were exactly the right age….I do agree about the buying photos thing, we rushed past this but it always annoys me to feel pushed into buying things (not that I ever do buy them!!).
    Globalmouse recently posted…The latest collection of Smafolk clothes {and win some too!} 2015My Profile

    Reply
  4. Sonia says

    September 15, 2015 at 10:35 am

    I’m really hoping to go here soon, I love Shrek as do my kids 🙂
    Sonia recently posted…Instagram Weekly 7th-13th Sept 2015My Profile

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    September 15, 2015 at 7:23 am

    As a photographer, it saddens me that you are not allowed to take photographs during the tour. This would actually put me off of going. However, my son loved Shrek when he was younger, and I imagine he’d have enjoyed going to this.
    Michelle recently posted…Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Treats at Walt Disney World 2015 63/#100DaysOfDisneyMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Fritha says

    September 15, 2015 at 7:21 am

    I think we are at a bit of a tricky age with Wilf where he is just that bit too young to be able to enjoy things like this but I think it looks like so much fun for children a teeny bit older than him! x
    Fritha recently posted…Hanneli Mustaparta for Deichmann – What Mama WoreMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Kara says

    September 15, 2015 at 6:26 am

    Ah now we loved it and meeting Shrek and posing with the characters made it a great experience for us, mine are mostly younger though. The shop is amazing too!
    Kara recently posted…Dreaming of a cosy evening around the fireMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Pinkoddy says

    September 14, 2015 at 9:03 pm

    I have read a lot of reviews on this now and this is the first time that I have learnt that you can decline the photos but that you cannot take photos yourself.
    Pinkoddy recently posted…Gloucester Scrumpty Trail for Rugby World CupMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      September 14, 2015 at 10:02 pm

      You can take photos at the very end, after the tour itself has finished. There’s an area with some models of various DreamWorks characters which are set up for photos.

      Reply
  9. Sarah Bailey says

    September 14, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    This sounds like such an amazing day out! I have to admit to having a soft spot for Shrek! x
    Sarah Bailey recently posted…Personalised stationery from FastprintMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    September 14, 2015 at 6:50 pm

    Having read Ting’s review, it’s interesting to see your kids’ opinions from the older age group. It does seem like there’s a few years where it’s perfect but otherwise perhaps a bit pricy.
    Cathy (MummyTravels) recently posted…Florida travel lessons learnedMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Rachel In Real Life says

    September 14, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    I agree with Joanne in that it sounds like a lot of money for something so short.
    Rachel In Real Life recently posted…FrustratedMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Adele @ Circus Queen says

    September 14, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    This sort of thing would suit mine when they’re a bit older. At four and one, they haven’t seen Shrek yet. But it does look like a lot of fun!
    Adele @ Circus Queen recently posted…Rugby World Cup kids activity – flags in a cup (printable)My Profile

    Reply
  13. Jen aka Muminthemadhouse says

    September 14, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    We might give this a try when we next go to london, although it is quite expensive for a family for such a short period of time
    Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…10 Ways to keep kids occupied in restaurantsMy Profile

    Reply
  14. Joanne says

    September 14, 2015 at 11:47 am

    I think you’re right about the age thing. Friends of mine went with their 7 and 9 year old and they loved it but it does sound like an awful lot of money for something so short. It’s definitely creeping into ‘treat’ territory at that price.
    Joanne recently posted…Tamworth Castle, Tamworth, StaffordshireMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Ting at My Travel Monkey says

    September 14, 2015 at 9:09 am

    I agree that the bus ride was the best bit – Monkey was big enough to go on it, but he actually found it scary. I think he was a bit too young tbh. I also thought it was all over a little too quickly.
    Ting at My Travel Monkey recently posted…Monday Escapes #17My Profile

    Reply

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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