London Dungeon

Sono stata per la prima volta al London Dungeon nel Dicembre 2008, piena di aspettative per questo posto chiacchieratissimo, definito quasi un tempio dell'orrore. Consapevole della possibilità di file e attese lunghissime, vi sono andata alle dieci di mattina, e sono entrata subito, ma dietro di me cominciava già a formarsi una piccola coda. Il prezzo pieno è alto, ma avevo alcuni sconti ritagliati da una brochure informativa, di quelle che si trovano negli alberghi, quindi occhio, si riesce a pagare la metà e alla cassa accettano questi buoni senza problemi! Per iniziare il giro si attende si sia formato un gruppo di circa venti persone, in modo da evitare sovraffollamento e rumore, e intanto si attende in un antro scenograficamente d'impatto, curatissimo nei dettagli, nei suoni e nelle luci. Il punto è quanto si sia disposti ad abbandonarsi alla suggestione e all'immaginazione: è giocando su queste che il Dungeon può riuscire a spaventare veramente: io, paurosa della mia stessa ombra, in quell'atmosfera mi sono spaventata come una bambina. Il mio ragazzo, più razionale e meno suggestionabile, si è lasciato comunque andare ed ha apprezzato tantissimo la cura con cui sono organizzate le attrazioni, la recitazione, i costumi. E' vero, è tutto in inglese, ma è perfettamente comprensibile e anche divertente: risate però terrorizzate e nervosissime. Le attrazioni sono parecchie, per un totale di circa un'ora e trenta di visita, e anche se il percorso è stabilito, chi è particolarmente sensibile può evitarne alcune: ad esempio quelle che utilizzano luci strobo o quella finale con un breve ma efficace salto nel vuoto. Nel complesso c'è molta recitazione con interazione col pubblico, ma non si può non restare incantati dalle scene e dalle atmosfere, nei momenti d'assenza degli attori: hai davvero la sensazione che questo mondo sotterraneo ti abbia catturato e che difficilmente ti farà uscire. Scrivetemi per qualsiasi informazione e buon viaggio :)

Good Lord it is awful!

We were a group of 6 who had been to see most of the sights in London numerous times over the years but had never been to the Dungeon. As it was our last day yesterday we decided to go. Friends and members of the family had been there years ago and said how brilliant it was. (Was being the operative word-why on Earth did they change it?!) After queing and having an embarressing photo in the stocks/weilding axe's we paid nearly £21 each to get in. We thought this was expensive but if we enjoyed it would be worth it- how wrong we were! As we were waiting to get into the first room there were a few signs around the place stating if you felt faint or sick throughout the tour you should tell a member of staff- this made us think it must be extremely scary...

The group was greeted by a 'ye olde hag' (with PMT it seems) who stood up on a box and started banging on about hearing voices- Queue us looking around at each stifling laughs-and to be honest that set off the rest of the tone of the 'tour'. It was embarressing to watch sometimes & as the tour progressed from the 'plague' to 'sweeny todd' to 'jack the ripper' people became wise to the fact that they would get picked on and were all trying to hide behind each other. Its not fair really as a lot of people i think expected it to be some sort of history tour with waxwork models and didnt want to be dragged into some silly panto. And believe me it really is easier to participate when they call you up because they will humiliate you more if you dont!

In the courtroom scene i got selected to go into the dock. Im not a very shy person but this would be awful for someone who was as i was accussed of dancing naked around a "giant erection or fire as its also known ". A few people laughed but not many and a lot of children in the crowd didnt know what was going on. The next one in the dock after me was accused of sleeping with a horse! Its all very near the mark and unecessary and i wouldnt have been too pleased if i had brought youngsters there. Credit where its due though the actor who played the Judge was by far the best but it was all so over-the-top throughout the tour, so cringeworthy.

By this stage we were all so bored and fearing that we would going to get picked on it was hard to concentrate on what was being said. You dont really learn a thing from a historical point of view either which was disappointing not only for us but i should imagine for those who had perhaps travelled from other countries to London. London has so much History and to come out of there £21 poorer and having wasted an hour and a half of your life knowing as much as you did when you went in is ridiculous. It's not scary and thrilling and we (and most of the crowd in general) were plodding along willing it to end.

The 'rides' are pathetic.

Overall i would strongly advise against paying money to go to the Dungeon as long as it remains like a panto. Even if you get vouchers and can get in for half price dont bother. The guy behind the ticket counter on the way in tried to sell us a 'tour map' which is such a rip off as im sure many people do buy it. Dont bother because you can only go where they take you, its just another way to con tourists out of money. Its disgracful. You come out of there feeling deflated and thinking it was time and money wasted - and hotter than the surface of the sun.

There are so many cheaper and value-for-money attractions in London. This would defiantely be last on the list, never going there again!

Alarm bells should have rang when, on the queue to get in, theres a big sign saying MONEY CANNOT BE REFUNDED.

They were probably sick of people asking for their money back.

Terrible waste of time and money! Visited this place on July 8, 2008. We spent over 60 pounds sterling ($120) for a family of four (two teens), waited over an hour outside in the rain despite being on the "fast track" because we bought tickets in advance, and this place is cheezy, boring, and fake! We are from Central Florida, and we all agreed if this place were in Orlando it would go broke in a few weeks- no one would go there. The Haunted Mansion at Disney is scarier. The rides are really short and non-events. I was bored for the whole hour we were inside and my husband actually fell asleep at one point. If you want scary in London, visit the Tower instead. I wish I had known this before my trip. Don't waste your time or money at the London Dungeon.