A MUM has told how she was left horrified by the “crazy expensive” prices at Winter Wonderland.
Emma, 41, was forced to take her three kids to McDonald’s before their day out at the Christmas market in London's Hyde Park as she couldn’t afford the “overpriced” grub.
The market is packed with food stalls – serving £9.50 hotdogs, £4.50 portions of chips and £6 waffles.
But mum-of-three Emma said she had to opt for fast-food during their big day-out.
Speaking to The Sun she said: “It’s a rip off and I knew it was going to be. We come every year and it's always the kids' Christmas highlight but every year the prices are worse.
“I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford food for the four of us inside because it's crazy expensive. The worst bit is you spend so much money and the food isn't even nice.
“This year I thought ahead and I brought the kids to McDonald’s before we came inside to try and stop them asking for food inside.
“I tried to make it part of the whole day out but it obviously didn't work and still had them asking for waffles and twirly potatoes.
“I had to put my foot down which you feel terrible about but I think they still enjoyed the day.
“The thing that made me most angry was that I had bought three fizzy drinks for them to have inside so we wouldn’t have to buy them inside.
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“But after queueing for 15 minutes when we got to the top of the security line they took the bottles off us. They said we couldn’t bring them in because they had already been opened. Ridiculous.
"I think it is worth it because you see how excited the kids get running around and seeing Father Christmas but it's just so hard to budget for it with the cost of living.”
Winter Wonderland is running for six weeks in Hyde Park, with a variety of attractions, activities, entertainment, and food on offer.
This year the funfair has a brand new theme: the Nine Realms of Norse Mythology.
Inside the Viking Ice Village, which is a temperature-controlled environment, more than 500 tonnes of snow and ice have been used to build mythical ice sculptures.
There are more than 250 ice sculptures on display, with some taller than 5 metres.
The winter attraction's Christmas Market has also been given a slightly new look thanks to the Scandinavian-themed Market Square.
Inside the brand-new Scandi-inspired market, there are Danish-style chalets, artisanal crafts, and hygge bars.
Fan-favourites, like the Real Ice Slide, also form part of this year's festivities.
The Real Ice Slide requires visitors to climb up to the top of the slide before heading down the 35m slope on a rubber ring.
Meanwhile, the open-air Ice Rink is also returning for the 2023 season.
Visitors are able to skate across the 1,795 square metre rink as live acoustic music plays in the background.
Other popular attractions include the Giant Wheel, ice sculpting workshops, and Zippos Christmas Circus.
For those looking for something a little more high-octane, there's also Munich Looping, the world’s largest transportable rollercoaster.
Other rides include the Aeronaut Starflyer, the XXL, and the Blizzard.
Winter Wonderland said: "We strive to create a magical experience, with the best attractions and something for everyone to enjoy at a range of price points, including various free activities and entertainment.
"Despite rising event costs, we have kept our prices in line with last year, continue to offer free mid-week off-peak entry tickets, and have benchmark pricing on food and drink.
"We encourage visitors to book advanced tickets online for the best prices."
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