London Eye

Roberteggers

London Eye 4th September 2008

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Possibly the best attraction in London, I know it’s really touristy but I love it.
It’s basically a really big Ferris wheel with sealed pods that hold about 20 people or so. The pods are constantly turning you hop on at the bottom and it slowly rotates to give you an amazing view of the London skyline. You are free to move around the pod so there’s plenty of opportunity to take in the views all around you. You can even rent a private pod for parties’ etc champagne and all. I’ve had to entertain out of towners on several occasions and it is one attraction that never fails to impress. It’s located on the South Bank of the Thames just along from the London Aquarium.

charlievenice

Dull 4th September 2008

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I went on the London Eye during its probationary period many years ago, and, unless they have increased its speed to allow passengers to achieve weightlessness, I doubt that the experience would enthral me any more now than it did then.

The view was interesting for approximately two to three minutes, after which I passed the time having the same conversation that I could have had on the ground, somewhat bored by the experience of seeing London from a slightly different angle.

Perhaps the experience is more enjoyable for those that have greater links with the city, but, frankly, developing those links would give me more trouble for me than a normal Ferris wheel would cause.

sjsoutherner

Romantic 4th September 2008

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My partner and I went on our first break together to London and as a surprise he booked us onto the combo package of a river cruise and trip on the London Eye. I loved every minute of it. I recommend the package of cruise and Eye as it makes for a great couple of hours entertainment. I'd previously lived in London and never been on the Eye and learnt more about the city from the experience than in the entire time I'd lived there ;0)

The only negative thing I can say is we were there on a bank holiday weekend and were on one of the last trips round on the wheel before it closed for the day so each pod was pretty much jam packed full of people. You really had to elbow your way through to get a decent view outside. But it was well worth the effort ;0)

creative

Not for the hyperactive 4th September 2008

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The London Eye is worth going and although it's expensive I'd recommend paying the extra fee to jump the queue. The queue can be astonishingly big and if you're only visiting the city for a short time you don't really want to waste it standing in queues.

The views really are quite spectacular and it's fun pointing out all the buildings. The Eye moves slowly enough that your pictures won't be blurry from the motion. The speed however is exactly the problem with the Eye. It's too slow. If you're the fidgety, hyperactive type you'll be dying for it to be over long before you reach the top. Kids seem to bore of it quite quickly and even adults start eyeing the seats before long (no, there's not enough room for everyone).

Here's a tip though. Each pod has a photo taken of it. There are two cameras but everyone only seems to notice the one nearest the dock. Look for the other one and you might be able to get a photo of just your companions rather than everyone in the pod.

stitch

Fun but a once is enough event 4th September 2008

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the London Eye is an enjoyable experience for young and old alike.

The whole journey lasts 30 minutes for one complete revolution of the wheel, however the queues to get on are often far longer.

The views over London are incredible - pick a good clear sunny day and you can see for miles.

My favourite time to visit is dusk when the cities lights are coming on as you get to see it with the sun setting in the distance and the magical lights emerging from the darkness.

The London Eye is expensive and really one trip on it is enough. You will not really need to visit more than once.

Overall it offers a new perspective of London, but for a high price.

Kiki2008

London Eye 3rd September 2008

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As with almost all London attractions, the London Eye is great fun but expensive. The views are definitely breathtaking and it’s a pleasant way to spend half an hour. You don’t have to queue for too long if you buy tickets in advance. For those with less cash flow a walk along the South Bank offers an equally lovely panorama of London whilst in good weather you can get a great view from Primrose Hill. However if you’re prepared to spend the money it might be worth going for the night ride – it makes for a very romantic evening!

keshnik

Simply Breath Taking 3rd September 2008

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London Eye, the largest ferris observation wheel in the world, is one unique experience. You can get to it from Westminster Underground station. The scenery, first on foot, that is even before you have bought the tickets, include Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, the hustle and bustle of River Thames. Once you have bought your tickets, it is figuring out whether the wheel is actually turning today! I mean it is not obvious as it goes really slowly. While the attraction costs a lot of money for a family of four, we have an annual Merlin attractions pass which covers Thorpe Park, Legoland, London Aquarium, London Eye, Chessington World of Adventures, etc - so we are trying to make the most of it. I would say these 30 minutes would allow you to see more of London than an entire day on foot - weather permitting of course!

samking

You have to do it even though it's a little pricey 3rd September 2008

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Despite moaning about the price I have had the luxury of having gone on two London Eye 'flights' (as they call them). One time was at night, the other during the day. Both offer spectacular views but if i did it again (not that i plan to - think i'll save my money) i would choose to do it in the daytime. This might be fairly obvious that you can see more during the day but you do get lovely views of the lights all along London - e.g. the Houses of Parliament are beautifully lit up (though you can see this anyway at night). I don't want to put you off of doing it at night because it's okay (i just didn't feel like it was worth the cost).

If you're visiting London for the day or weekend - this is a must. It does offer fabulous views of London (although you might have to share them with up to 20 or so others - but it shouldn't spoil the view). I found the 30-40 minutes long enough to go around and you'll be happy snapping away at the sights. You could always combine it with a trip to Madame Tussauds or the London Dungeons to make the price slightly cheaper (if you want to do those things - there's lots of other alternatives on the london eye website).

Furthermore you could opt for the alternative London Eye in Greenwich which is half the price but still has the views (though if you're in Greenwich you could just climb up to the Observatory to get your London views from there).

Happy travelling!

yoleey2k

Amazing 3rd September 2008

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Great experience, just once. Although the ticket is quite pricey, I think it’s worth experiencing it just the one time. You are booked into a time slot and then you queue when that time arrives, this means that you shouldn’t need to queue for long before you get on. They put quite a big group together in one pod (you have to jump on it while it’s still moving!) but not too many to be over crowded. The view is breathtaking and it’s nice to just watch London in a quiet space. It takes about half an hour to get all the way around but I think that’s enough to get some great shots on the camera and take in the view.

johnny2323

Pricey but good 3rd September 2008

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The ups - You get a unique perspective of London. Once you at the highest point it's really interesting to see the spread of the streets beneath. So often we think of London in terms of the tube map but from the London Eye you see it as it really is - and man is it crowded.
The wheel itself is an experience, you don't have to wait long to get on board and because there's only 25 people in each pod it's not overcrowded.
The downs - it's way too expensive and if you've bought tickets upfront (it's a bit cheaper buying online i think) then there's no clear system of what you're supposed to do or where you're supposed to go when you arrive.
It's great though and I'd recommend it to all, not just tourists.