Tourist who visit London always ask is the London Eye worth visiting? It’s a fair question. Anyone who does a lot of traveling is weary of tourist scams or rip offs. In fact, most people who travel often do not like visiting well know tourist sites that are not really based on any sort of historical significance. It’s one thing to wait in line to view Westminster Abbey or the rare seasonal chance to stand in line to see Buckingham Place. But waiting in line hours for a ride is not everyone’s cup of tea. Although millions of people who visit amusement parks aka Disney Land would vehemently argue that point. However, the London Eye in fact falls somewhere in between amusement ride and well, uh, something else. So, back to the original question. Is the London Eye worth visiting? The quick answer is, yes! However, you must do it the right way. Here’s how.
Just like any Disneyland or Disney World ride, the London Eye offers tourist the ability to purchase a fast pass ticket. The purchase of a fast pass ticket enables riders to bypass the main line and enter through the fast pass gate. My son and I purchased a fast pass ticket and virtually just walked onto the ride with no waiting. The regular line had at least a thousand people on it. These people were waiting in line for hours to access the ride. That also does not take into account that you have to wait on a separate line inside to purchase the ride tickets that take you to the ride line. This brings up another recommendation. Buy your tickets online, so you don’t have to wait another hour or two waiting to buy tickets. Vacation time is hard earned and valuable. Smart planning helps you avoid wasted time waiting on lines and affords you more time to spend sightseeing and eating. Yes, eating is a big part.
The difference between a fast pass ticket and a standard ticket is only 10 euros. If you purchase your tickets at the ride, it will cost £ 27 for a standard ticket or £ 37 for a fast pass ticket. Is two hours of your time worth £ 10? You’re probably spending between five and ten thousand on your vacation. Do you really want to waste two hours of your time over £ 10. Even if you’re a Londoner, it seems obvious that £ 10 is not worth a wasted two hours or more of standing in the hot sun. Yes, there is really very little shade while you wait on that line. If you purchase your tickets on line you will save even more money. A standard ride ticket purchased online will cost £ 23 while a fast pass ticket will cost £ 33 These are the prices as of August 2018. If you’re the type that really likes to live it up, you have the option to purchase a VIP experience ticket at £ 41 which will get you either champagne wine or chocolate served on board the ride.
When you purchase your London Eye tickets you are also given tickets to view the London Eye 4D cinema experience as part of your purchase. It is a film that is viewed indoors. However, after riding the London Eye and experiencing the views first hand, we had no interest in seeing a film about it.
We have looked the prices and methods of purchasing tickets for the London Eye, but in the end we are still left with that same question. Is the London Eye worth visiting? Once again, we have to answer, yes!
If you’re an amateur or professional photographer, the London Eye delivers the chance to get breathtaking photos of the city of London. The ride moves so slow which enables one to have ample opportunity to shoot photos and video from all angles. When your done shooting your photos, the ride’s slow speed lets you just sit back and take in the incredible views of London. From the time your carriage reaches the highest point your breath will have been take away. That is why the London Eye is worth visiting. It’s as simple as that.
More reasons why the London Eye is worth visiting
When you enter the London Eye compartment, you have to be careful as they do not stop the ride from moving. It is moving very slow, but the fact is, its moving. You must watch your step. Its like hoping on a slow-moving train. I did not count the exact amount of people who were in our bubble, but it seemed to be around 15. A few more people and it would have been too crowed as everyone is hogging the glass. It’s understandable that they want to move the lines and get people on the ride, but they do come close to overcrowding the bubble. Supposedly, according to the people running the London Eye, each carriage can support up to twenty five people.
I am a person who is extremely afraid of heights. I have had the phobia since my deranged scout leader made us 12 year old boy scouts climb the ladder up a very tall water town back in the 1960’s. So my inclination to visit the London Eye was extremely low. However, my 16 year old son wanted to go on the ride So, in the end parental longing to make my kid happy won over my fear of heights. Interestingly, I did not feel the phobia that much once I boarded the ride. The fact that the ride is in a completely encased glass bubble with metal floors made me feel somewhat safe. Although the glass doors that said do not lean on doors,” did make affect my nerves a bit. In the end, the opportunity to get such great pictures also helped calm my fear of heights.
If your visiting London, we highly recommend purchasing fast past tickets online and taking a ride on the London Eye. The views are breathtaking and the opportunity to get such great photographs of the city of London that will last a lifetime makes the London Eye worth visiting.
