We regularly do trips away as a family to numerous attractions across the UK. This was a rare treat where the children were staying with their grandparents whilst my wife and I had a weekend in London.
We had a business event to attend on the Friday but Saturday was a day to spend at our leisure. We decided it would be nice to see some of the sights, do some shopping and visit a couple of attractions that are aimed more towards adults.
Madame Tussauds London Review
The attractions we selected were Madame Tussauds and The London Dungeon. Having done some research it became quite apparent that the queues to get into Madame Tussauds can be quite long. This is particularly the case if you don’t purchase your tickets in advance. It is also worth noting that pushchairs are not allowed inside the attraction.
As is normally the case I was looking for a way of visiting the attraction at a reasonable price whilst also minimising our wait time. With only the single day in the city, we wanted to make the most of the time available to us. I found that if I purchased our tickets using Tesco Clubcard vouchers we could use our a dedicated entrance for guests with pre-purchased vouchers.
On the day of our visit, we got the London Underground from our hotel to the attraction. The nearest Underground station to Madame Tussaud’s is Baker Street. It is a very short walk from the tube station to Madame Tussauds. One of the things we found in London is once you get to the underground station nearest to the attraction you are visiting there are plenty of signs both inside and outside the station giving clear directions.
A busy day at Madame Tussauds London
We arrived at 11.00am and there were large crowds outside the attraction. This was a little intimidating but there were plenty of team members outside the attraction giving directions on where we needed to be. Everyone was been directed to different queues dependant on their preferred payment method, booking status, and various other factors. We observed that some of the queue times were up to 2 1/2 hours but we had chosen to visit on a Saturday during the 6 week school holidays so no doubt one of the busiest days of the year.
Multiple entrances to Madame Tussauds London
There are 7 entrances to the attraction in total each with their own queue. The entrances are located at various points around the building. Thankfully the queue we were directed to for people visiting the attraction using pre-purchased vouchers was relatively short. We waited outside for approximately 30 minutes. Once allowed into the building, paying using our Tesco voucher was a seamless process.
As we headed for the first exhibition it became apparent why pushchairs are not allowed. It was a long climb up a narrow staircase for what must have been at least 4 stories. The first exhibition was all about stars? We weren’t surprised to find the room a little crowded with wax models scattered around the room. This appeared a little disorganised at first as Only selected wax models had dedicated queues. As we made our way through the attraction and people started to grasp the process and the majority of people were polite and waited patiently whilst other people took their photos with the celebrities.
Interactive Elements
As you would expect some of the wax models were extremely popular whilst others had very little interest. There were some fun interactive elements thrown in like the voice with its spinning chairs and 10 Downing Street where you could stand at a plinth outside.
Some of the models had dedicated queues for example if you wanted a photo with the Royal Family or Donald Trump. We found the sports section enjoyable with wax renditions of Lewis Hamilton, Tiger Woods, Tom Daley and Jose Mourinho to name a few.
The Spirit of London Ride
An unexpected attraction was the Spirit of London ride. Here you sit in a capsule emulating a black cab which takes you past a number of wax exhibits. The ride was okay and gave a nice break from being on our feet. Following this ride, we walked down to what felt like the depths of the building where the Sherlock Holmes exhibit is located. At the time of our visit, there was an additional charge of £5 per person to do this. With so much to see and do already and only having limited time available, we decided to skip this.
Marvel Superheros 4D
One of the final sections of the attraction was Marvel Superheros, no doubt this would appeal to kids as it included a 4D movie. Starring in the movie we’re Spider-Man, Ironman, Captain America and The Hulk. The 4D movie was enjoyable as it depicted a storyline based in London which incorporated the actual Madame Tussaud’s building.
Following the 4D movie, the final exhibitions were Starwars scenes and characters. If you like Starwars then it may also be worth paying the toilets a visit in this section of the attraction as they also include some fun interactive elements.
When we left the attraction at 2.00pm we observed that the queues were much shorter than when we had arrived so early afternoon may possibly be a better time to visit.
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Madame Tussauds London Review Summary
Pre-book your tickets in advance or use a voucher such as Tesco Clubcard as there are long queues to pay at the door. Visit in the afternoon when the queues appear to be much shorter. If visiting with young children go at a time when they are happy to part with their pushchair. Allow approximately 2 hours for your visit.
In summary, I would describe Madame Tussauds London as a fun interactive attraction. There is a good mixture of exhibits to entertain all of the family. If you are limited for time, there appeared to be no option to bypass the exhibits so you need to allow approximately 2 hours inside the attraction plus additional time for waiting outside. The attention to detail on the wax models is amazing with them looking very lifelike. If you like celebrities then you will enjoy your visit to Madame Tussauds London.
We visited Madame Tussauds London on Saturday 29th July 2017.
More Reviews
If you enjoyed reading this London Dungeon Review then you may also be interested in these reviews of other UK theme parks and attractions.
Travelling to Madame Tussauds London
Madame Tussauds London is located on Marylebone Road, just one minute walk from Baker Street underground station.
London Underground
Madame Tussauds is just a two-minute walk away from Baker Street tube station. Baker Street underground station is on the Bakerloo, Circle, Jubilee, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. With so many lines passing through Baker Street, it is a short, easy journey from anywhere on the central London underground network.
Travelling by Train
The nearest railway station is Marylebone Station which is within 10 minutes walking distance of Madame Tussauds. Euston, St.Pancras, Paddington, Victoria, Waterloo and Charing Cross mainline stations are all within five stops on the London Underground. Search for your train tickets using Raileasy.
Nearby Accommodation
There are lots of places to stay in London. Try searching for hotels with Hotels.com alternatively Britannia Hotels have some great offers on city breaks. If you are looking for a cheap hotel in London then Travelodge is a good choice.
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Author: Dan
I am passionate about Theme Parks and Attractions. I love riding roller coasters and thrill rides. With two young boys I understand how expensive family days out can be and this was one of the main driving forces behind Attractions Near me. My aim is to help you and your friends enjoy some great days out without costing the earth. Thanks for reading and have a great time - Regards Dan
