oooo, a ferris wheel..... (London Eye)

Member Name: kissy1

Product:	London Eye
Date:	18/05/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great views

Disadvantages: expencive souvenirs

My dad has just turned 70, and my mum, brother and I decided that we would take him for a flight on the London eye to celebrate. We had heard that the queues can be quite lengthily to get tickets, so we ordered in advance (more about that later). Due to the number of people visiting London, the queue for the Eye gets longer and longer as the day progresses; and I had already made the mistake once before of turning up with my husband at 1pm expecting to get on quickly, and ended up queuing for over an hour .

For the people who want to buy tickets on the day, who will need to go to the ticket office; which is opposite the London Eye, on the left of the London Aquarium and Sacchi gallery. We were quite lucky when we went with Dad, because he is registered disabled and is unable to stand we were put at the front of the queue; but the queue itself was well managed; and they do not tolerate queue jumpers or people trying to push in.

Each capsule will hold around 20 people, although when we went they were putting 10 in each, so it was our 'party' and another couple in ours. This meant that there was plenty of room in our capsule, and my father could manoeuvre around easily within it; even on his walking sticks. Each capsule has large windows all the way around the outside, and a large (and simple) wooden bench style seat in the middle.

On a clear day it is said that you can see around 25 miles, which is just far enough to see Windsor Castle. The views from the capsule are breath taking, especially from the top. Each rotation of the wheel takes around 30 minutes, and you really will see London from a different angle. Once you are at the top the people on the ground look like ants. My favourite part was the great views of the parliament building and Big Ben, it really makes you realise how big it is!

Our ride did seem to end quite quickly, but this was because we were enjoying it so much. 30 minutes is enough time to take in all that you can see. I'm not really one for heights, but I was so engrossed with taking in the views; that I never realised how high we actually got. I'd taken a map on with me, and Dad had a guide book. So I was so busy seeing what I could see. (Incidentally there isn't someone in with you telling you what's what, so you will need a guide book!) You can get a tour book in the gift shop, which is also stuffed full of overprices memorabilia!

As a group with a disabled visitor we found the whole thing was brilliantly arranged. There are ramps up to the eye for people in wheelchairs, and the staff were really happy to help us out with getting Dad in and out. There are also tickets discounts for the disabled, and they get a carer on for free (my mum, in our case!)

The best way to book is via the internet, as its quick, simple and you get a 10% discount. You can also book on the day by visiting the ticket office in county hall. The full prices are as follows:- adults (over 16) £17, Child (4-15) £8.50, Under 4's are free, 60+ £14, Disabled £14 (plus 1 free carer ticket). You get 10% off these prices for booking online.
There are several ways to get to the London Eye.
By tube - the closest stations to the eye are Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster.
By rail - overland to Waterloo or Charing Cross.
By bus - including routes RV1, 211, 77, 381 and also most sight seeing tours.
By car - this can be tricky due to the location of the eye, but there are 3 car parks nearby.
By boat - yes boat! The eye is right beside the Thames, you can get a boat from anywhere on the Thames, and the nearest dock to the Eye is the Millennium Pier.

If you've never been before then I would recommend it. If you want to go up for the sunset then you will need to book in advance.

Summary: worth going on if you get the chance