Madame Tussaud's
Jun 26th, 2006, 03:56 AM
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Madame Tussaud's
Trying to fit a lot of things into a short time in London. We wanted to go to Madame Tussaud's but have been advised to get tickets in advance as the lines are long. That said, how much time should we plan for viewing Madame Tussaud's?
Jun 26th, 2006, 11:24 AM
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The British newspaper "The Guardian" recently published a list of the ten most over-rated things to avoid while on holiday in the U.K. and one of these was Madame Tussauds. They quoted the price for someone under 18 as 19 pounds, which is an obscene price. I assume that it is correspondingly more for an adult.
Jun 26th, 2006, 11:29 AM
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I have to agree with the above. Half the wax figures do not look like the famous people they represent. The most interesting there is watching the guards pretending to be wax figures.
Skip it and save your money.
Skip it and save your money.
Jun 26th, 2006, 11:32 AM
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Well i loved Madame Tussaud's ("too-sod" in English parlance - overrated as it may be - now at 19 pounds or more i probably would like it less than i did several years ago when the British Pound was not so dear. Yeh it Kitschy but to me it's a London institution.
Jun 26th, 2006, 11:47 AM
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Perhaps if lammom heeds our advice and does not do Tussaud's she will regret it forever. 
Everybody wants to do Tussaud's when they go to London! 
Weadles : I <i>passed by</i> Tussaud's in early January and there was a <i> really</i> long line. Is there ever a short line at that place?
Thankfully I did the Tussaud's in Amsterdam and so will perhaps never see the need to do it again in London.
But I ask for lammom's sake: So, if you have tickets ahead of time, do you just go right in without having to join a line? And is 2 1/2 hours the time it would take you to go through the museum taking into account the crowd?
Everybody wants to do Tussaud's when they go to London! Weadles : I <i>passed by</i> Tussaud's in early January and there was a <i> really</i> long line. Is there ever a short line at that place?
Thankfully I did the Tussaud's in Amsterdam and so will perhaps never see the need to do it again in London.
But I ask for lammom's sake: So, if you have tickets ahead of time, do you just go right in without having to join a line? And is 2 1/2 hours the time it would take you to go through the museum taking into account the crowd?
Jun 26th, 2006, 12:29 PM
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I'm not sure the OP really care much whether anyone advises for or against going, just how long it might take.
I assume those who absolutely hate the place have already been or do they have knowledge about it which is unavailable to the rest of us?
I assume those who absolutely hate the place have already been or do they have knowledge about it which is unavailable to the rest of us?
Jun 26th, 2006, 12:31 PM
#10
OK - a confession. Mme tussauds is actually a secret vice of mine (psst - don't tell anyone). I actually think it is fun. But it is much, MUCH too crowded in the summer and much too expensive for anyone w/ any sense. Because of the crowds you really can't get good photos of most of the figures.
All that being said - I would never, never, <b><u>ever</u></b> go there if I was on a short visit, my first (or 4th) visit, or had much else on my plate in the way of sightseeing. I lived in the UK for 5 years and go to London pretty often - and have probably visited Mme Tussauds 3 times in 30 years - definitely not a must . . . . . .
All that being said - I would never, never, <b><u>ever</u></b> go there if I was on a short visit, my first (or 4th) visit, or had much else on my plate in the way of sightseeing. I lived in the UK for 5 years and go to London pretty often - and have probably visited Mme Tussauds 3 times in 30 years - definitely not a must . . . . . .
Jun 26th, 2006, 12:56 PM
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having never been to london, i can't compare-- but go in new york city( that way at least admissions is in acurrency u recongnize ) but i found that i could recongnze almost everybody- adn mostly, they were american celebritys( apst adn present)(ex: lincoln adn jlo..)-- is the english version english stars?
) but i found that i could recongnze almost everybody- adn mostly, they were american celebritys( apst adn present)(ex: lincoln adn jlo..)-- is the english version english stars?
Jun 26th, 2006, 01:14 PM
#13
JAGIRL: The scary thing is that if one is the least bit interested in the celebities, Royal Family, and politicians depicted (and if you aren't there really isn't much reason to visit), any of the history of Mme Tussaud/the French Revolution/her traveling show in Victorian England and everything else - it would easily take 2 full hours. And likely more.
Again - not really someplace you can just dash in and out. For most people - there are better ways to invest that much time.
Again - not really someplace you can just dash in and out. For most people - there are better ways to invest that much time.
Jun 26th, 2006, 01:22 PM
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Do kids like it? We're trying to balance a 10 and 13 year old and two adults. There are only so many paintings and churches the kids are going to being interested in. The 10 year old still thinks the Power Rangers is good TV. Has anyone taken their kids? What is the kids' reaction?
Jun 26th, 2006, 01:43 PM
#16
Actually - it really isn't that great for (American) kids. One would think it is - but so many of the personalities are geared to the UK and Europe that most kids really don't have a clue who they are.
Sure there are movie stars, the Royal Family and such - but for most of the figures to have any interest, one would need to know about UK politicians, celebrities, TV stars, and sports figures.
For instance - there are no baseball/basketball/football/NASCAR stars - but lots of football(soccer)/cricket/rugby/formula 1/tennis icons.
A big part of the fun is instantly recognizing a famous person and taking your pictures w/ them. Terry Wogan - or even Davis Beckham - won't float the boat of many US teenagers.
And yes - if you have pre-booked tickets you can just walk in. You can jump the queue - but it won't help you avoid the crowds.
Sure there are movie stars, the Royal Family and such - but for most of the figures to have any interest, one would need to know about UK politicians, celebrities, TV stars, and sports figures.
For instance - there are no baseball/basketball/football/NASCAR stars - but lots of football(soccer)/cricket/rugby/formula 1/tennis icons.
A big part of the fun is instantly recognizing a famous person and taking your pictures w/ them. Terry Wogan - or even Davis Beckham - won't float the boat of many US teenagers.
And yes - if you have pre-booked tickets you can just walk in. You can jump the queue - but it won't help you avoid the crowds.
Jun 26th, 2006, 01:49 PM
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Not sure you're actually asking this, lammom, but your children might enjoy things with movement, height and views, such as climbing to the top of St. Paul's, riding a boat on the Thames, and riding the London Eye (also expensive, and you will get mixed reviews on it - we loved it). There is a great thread on travel to London with children the ages of yours - Mr. Ben Haines provided a ton of information in a response to the thread:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34774808
If I've gotten us off track, I apologize!
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34774808
If I've gotten us off track, I apologize!
Jun 26th, 2006, 02:43 PM
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Dropped off a group of Girl Scouts there last summer. It took them about two hours. (Yes, they enjoyed it. They ranged from 13 to 16. I skipped it since I had done it years before)
Tickets can be reserved in advance on their website. Very easy and it made things MUCH easier when we got there. My tickets were for 3:30. I think we arrived around 3 and they were going in at just about 3:30.
I figure a 10 year old boy would like the "chamber of horrors" if nothing else.
Tickets can be reserved in advance on their website. Very easy and it made things MUCH easier when we got there. My tickets were for 3:30. I think we arrived around 3 and they were going in at just about 3:30.
I figure a 10 year old boy would like the "chamber of horrors" if nothing else.
