Mirror reporter Victoria Lissaman headed to the Paddington Bear Experience in London and was tasked with making marmalade for the upcoming Marmalade Day Festival
The Paddington Bear Experience, a fun and interactive, walk-through adventure featuring the nation’s most beloved bear and the Brown family.
Paddington fans enter via Mr Gruber’s antique shop (plenty of merch to buy here, but leave your purchases to the end as this is the exit as well), then pass by the ticket office to board the train at Paddington Station. This is where the adventure begins, with characters setting the scene for the magical journey through Paddington’s adorable world.
First stop is 32 Windsor Gardens where guests take on the first of a series of very charming tasks from putting up bunting to helping Mrs Bird out in the very colourful kitchen, just like the one in the Paddington movies.
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The interaction with the characters actors along the way is gentle and inclusive, and the ‘little jobs’, which are aimed at primary school-age children, are designed to get visitors playing together. The ultimate goal is to help the family prepare for a very special occasion – and make Paddington’s Marmalade Day festival a great success. Of course there are surprises and mishaps along the way.
All tickets are timed, with groups of around 20 visitors being led through the experience together, so it is never crowded and each interaction with the characters feels like a genuine conversation. The journey culminates with everyone enjoying the festival at Windsor Gardens and children get to play classic fete-style games, do crafts and meet the bear himself!
It’s 66 years since the kind bear from Peru with a big appetite for marmalade sandwiches was first found by the Brown family at Paddington Station in Michael Bond’s first book, A Bear called Paddington, and with a third film, ‘Paddington in Peru’, due to be released in the UK on November 8, this is the perfect time to go on a bear hunt.
The only quibble — paying £5 for a marmalade sandwich at the street party felt a bit steep. Overall the experience was pure, innocent fun, in a fabulously designed set. This sweet and memorable experience is the equivalent of a warm and fuzzy bear bug.
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Through the journey of Paddington’s Marmalade Day Festival, visitors will get the opportunity to explore several immersive rooms including Mr Gruber’s Antiques Store, Paddington Station, the train, 32 Windsor Gardens, the kitchen, Peru and finally, the festival itself.
The immersive trail has both a buggy park and cloakroom. At the end of visitors’ timed slots, they can head to the shop to purchase an array of Paddington Bear inspired cakes, pastries, hot and cold drinks and even a famous marmalade sandwich.
The experience is located in London’s County Hall, Southbank, next to The London Eye and opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Tickets cost from £29 for a 70-minute experience.
