London has so many fantastic attractions to visit and as part of my London Travel series, my aim is to give my readers as many reasons to visit London as possible. Recently I was invited to experience Dreamworks Tours; Shrek’s Adventure London, normally, I would have taken my nephew with me, as we have been before as part of a 3 attraction special deal I purchased which allowed us to visit Madame Tussauds, The London Aquarium and of course Shrek’s Adventure London, but as it was a school day and the summer holidays had just finished he couldn’t come, so I took my friend Denise from Fabulicious Travels instead as she wants to start blogging herself.
Shreks Adventure Experience
We arrived at the Shrek’s Adventure 15 minutes before our set entry time which was at 1:00 pm so that we could have plenty of time to get our tickets scanned and have our bags security checked. Luckily for us, there were only 10 people in our group including us which meant that we were able to move things along much quicker.
As we walked through to the main area we were greeted by the Tour Guide, who set the adventure into play, whilst also running through the checklist of the rules. Which included enforcing that the use of flash photography, videography and mobile photography during the main tour is strictly prohibited. As a content creator, this is a nightmare because I want to capture everything, but very understandable because if the whole event was captured, it would spoil the magic and no one would visit.
Once the Tour Guide had said her bit we were guided through to our first Princess the one and only Princess Fiona and then on the DreamWorks tour bus for a 4D experience which was ready to take us to the land of Far Far Away…
4D Experience
This isn’t your average 3D glasses affair. This adventure is all about the 4D experience and is one of the best 4D experiences I have ever experienced.! This was a full-blown sensory adventure that whisked us away on an unforgettable journey into the world of Shrek. Imagine being surrounded by sights, sounds, and surprises from every nook and cranny – this was it!
Land of Far, Far Away
Stepping off the DreamWorks tour bus, we had officially arrived in the Land of Far, Far Away! Now, you might think we were just spectators in this adventure, but oh no! From the moment we stepped off the bus, we had challenges lined up like an all-you-can-eat buffet – mazes, game shows, and face-offs with iconic characters both good and bad including Shrek, Donkey, Puss in Boots, Pinocchio, a few Princesses as well as witches and Rumplestiltskin just to name a few. Audience participation is an absolute must for this fun family adventure in order to move on to the next chapter of this interactive adventure. Without giving the plot away, I am proud to say that I led the charge to help the muffin man as my tour group was a little shy and hesitant to join in.
The Other DreamWorks Themes at the Attraction
As the main adventure wrapped up, a treasure trove of Dreamworks characters awaited. Cue the Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Kung Fu Panda, and Trolls-themed wonderlands, perfect for in the words of Madonna to “strike a pose” against character-themed backdrops.
Note: Just a heads up, these themes can switch things up now and then, when I previously went with my nephew they had a How To Train Your Dragon theme instead of the Trolls theme. This is to probably keep you on your toes and ready for new adventures.
The Final Conclusion – It’s a Wrap!
I have been to Shrek’s Adventure London, twice now and really enjoyed it on both occasions. It’s a fun experience geared towards kids aged 6 and up, this interactive extravaganza is a playground for all ages including kids like myself as well. The only thing that I would say they could look at doing in the future, is to have a few more characters like Kung Fu Panda walking around after the main adventure is finished for some post-adventure mingling. It’d be like the ultimate meet-and-greet photo fest!
Audience Participation
The adventure does require some audience participation because effectively you are part of the story. The experience is what you make it, and if you’re not willing to cheer and join in when requested by the performers then you won’t enjoy it as much, because you’ll spoil the magic of the interactive adventure. (It’s ok to let your inner child out as no photos or videography is allowed during this section, no one will ever know).
Photo’s
Before you dive into the adventure, prepare for a trio of snapshots from the onsite photographer. Get cosy with a statue of Donkey, put on your cheesiest grin and strike your poses in front of a green screen, and pick the backgrounds you want with some of the DreamWorks Animations characters and theme. The third photo is with the man himself Shrek, which you can also use your own camera for. Should you choose to pay for this you get a photo book and the printed photos for £36, but if you want to save some money you can get the images emailed to you for £16 and print them off yourself which is what I did on this occasion as I had previously done the £36 option when I took my nephew the first time around. But this is not compulsory to do and there are opportunities to take your own photos after the main adventure.
Gift Shop
For those of you with children, it’s worth noting that there is no way to avoid the gift shop as you have to walk through it to exit the attraction. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom for your wallets – they do toss in special deals and clearance goodies. And don’t worry, you can check out the merchandise prices online before committing to a shopping spree.
Make A Day of It
In the interest of making a day of your adventure, especially if you are visiting from outside London. You might want to plan a few other activities to do during your trip to Shrek’s Adventure, as this is only around an hour long. So, I would recommend that you pick a morning time slot, leaving you to do some of the other sites and attractions that London has to offer (there are offers available on the ticket and offers section of Shrek’s Adventure website), you could also take a walk down the South Bank and see what events and activities are going on down there and if you have children with you and the weather is nice there is a park opposite the London Eye which is free to go to.
Shrek’s Adventure Information
Shrek’s Adventure Opening Times
- Monday 10 am -4 pm
- Tuesday 10 am-4 pm
- Wednesday 10 am -4 pm
- Thursday 11 pm – 4 pm
- Friday 10 am -4 pm
- Saturday 10 am -6 pm
- Sunday 10 am -5 pm
Please Note: Times may vary for school holidays and special events, so check the website to check for the most up to dated times.
Shrek’s Adventure Ticket Prices
I always recommend purchasing tickets online for most attractions as they tend to be cheaper and sometimes there may be mix-and-match ticket deals available (So check the website for other offers).
- Standard Adult Ticket – £30.00 (online) and £32 (On The Door)
- Shrek’s Adventure Anytime Entry Adult – £40.00 (Online)
- Standard Child Ticket (Ages 3-15) – £21.50 (Online)
- Shrek’s Adventure Children’s Premium Ticket – £23.80 (Online) and £34.50 (On The Door)
Please Note: Under 3’s get in for free and family tickets are available.
How To Get To Shrek’s Adventure
Shreks Adventure is Located on the South Bank next to attractions such as The London Eye, The London Aquarium and The London Dungeon. Opposite The Houses Of Parliament.
Address: Shrek’s Adventure, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB
Nearest Tube Stations:
- Waterloo (Jubilee, Bakerloo and Northern Lines)- 6 Minute Walk
- Westminster (District Line) – 11-Minute Walk
- Embankment (Circle, District, Northern and Bakerloo Lines) – 13 Minute Walk
- Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern Lines) – 16-Minute Walk
Buses
Buses that take you close to Shreks Adventure are as follows;
- 211
- 77
- 381
Nearest Rail Stations
- Waterloo
- Charing Cross
What a fun time out! I am a big kid so I would have loved this. Great tips on booking a morning session which leaves you time to do something else for the rest of the day. Also great tip about the photos. Thanks for sharing.
It’s a great place to visit with kids. My cousins are visiting UK this summer. I would highly recommend this to them as they have kids. The information on tube stations nearby to the place will surely be very helpful for them to commute.
Who doesn’t love Shrek? I’m a big kid who will have fun at Shrek’s Adventure. It’s good that you also give alternatives of transportation to get there, from tubes to buses and how long will it take you to walk from the tube stations. Very helpful.
What a great place to visit with kids and with/for big kids :)! I would love to check it out when I visit London. Thank you for this interesting recommendation.
OMG I love Shrek movie and this would complete the experience. Glad you and your friend enjoyed this trip! The fees are reasonable as well, and would be nice if there are coupon discounts!
There is really so much to see and experience in London. Shreks Adventure is another reason to visit the city. The Shreks Adventure experience sounds really thrilling though not being able to take videos is a dampener for us bloggers. The 4D experience is something that we would love to have.
O wow…this is the first time, I am reading about this place. Looks like another reason to explore the city of London with kids. I am sure as you mentioned, the experience at such places depends upon the participation of the crowd and us. I am sure , my son is going to be fascinated by this place.
I always feel that a place where there is engagement makes it really interesting. The audience participation always makes it a fun thing to do. So I am all for meeting puss in the far far away land. Thanks for the recco.