Good Morning Lovelies,

Half term is upon us and this means that we are embracing all things family wise. Hosting my brother and nephew from Blackpool means that we are planning lots of fun activities, including what was a very busy Valentine’s Day. 

Kindly gifted two experiences by Merlin, we took on the scary before the swampy, with a great adventure filled day at The London Dungeons and Shrek’s Adventure on the famous Southbank. 

At 12:30, after travelling to Waterloo station, which is five minutes away from both attractions, we headed into the deep, dark world of the dungeons. Greeted by some unkind folk, we descended quickly into the tunnels of the dungeons via Henry the 8th’s boat. From there we learnt about the plague, Guy Fawkes and the ever evil Jack the Ripper. 

As a history lover, I had tried The Dungeons before, but having been at Halloween before, I wanted to see if they did anything romantic for Valentine’s Day. Let me tell you for a start that you will definitely be holding hands and gripping onto your loved ones and friends for this thrill ride. 

Almost instantly your heart starts racing. Your nerves take a hold. You feel like if you say anything or step even an inch out of line then you are going to be in the hands of the most evil quickly. For me, the aspects that truly make my heart skip a beat, every single time, is the Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper segments. As soon as the lights go down, the music plays and the flashing lights begin, I just have to close my eyes and hope the minutes away. 

Not because I am not enjoying it. I truly am! It is more because of how terrified I am about the whole thing. I can’t take my mum to the attraction because I get worried that something may happen to her. And if she was to be crossed, I think I would do a Jess in New Girl, during the haunted house scene, which is would not be good. 

Taking my little nephew into a scary place was a bit of a worry at first. However, he took it like a champ. There is an age restriction for those who wish to go without an adult, which is 16. However, if you are 12 or under then you can go in with an adult and it is your responsibility to look after the child throughout. Luckily, he was interested throughout and when he did get a bit too scared, he simply closed his eyes and put his fingers in his ears. 

When it came to the court room and drop ride at the end, all worries were removed though and we were able to all laugh about what we had experienced. Though, I think I was really grateful to know we had a bit of an easier attraction coming up next. 

After two hours inside the dungeons, we quickly grabbed a spot of lunch, before heading next door - literally - to Shrek’s Adventure. During half term, to celebrate the release of the new Puss In Boots film, the characters from the series were hosting special meet and greets, which I kept a secret from my nephew, to form an extra special surprise. 

Stepping into the swamp land, you start the journey by climbing aboard a 4D flying bus, which shows you a little glimpse at what you can expect along the way in Far Far Away land. All of which adds to the excitement, which continues when you head into The Swamp. The real home of Shrek. 

This is where the magic really begins and my nephew Leo couldn’t stop laughing at the toilet aspect. I think he wanted my brother to go in to it a lot. For me, it was a magical moment, because me and my dad used to watch Shrek all the time. Even agreeing that Shrek 2 is the best one of the bunch (sorry, not sorry!). Seeing this scene come to life was a dream and I just wished my dad could have been there with us to see it too. 

Next up, we moved onto the Rumpelstilskin’s Carriage, where a mystical fortune teller reveals all your secrets and futures. Something that makes the whole experience move quickly, as you don’t want to hear your fate from that fairytale. Nope, you want to go to the pub! The next stage of the experience. 

Full of karaoke, a very familiar face I mentioned before and a whole host of partying antics, this is where the real magic of Shrek comes to life. Think of your favourite bits from the films and this is where they truly shine. You will be a believer in what I am saying if you experience it lovelies. 

Once the party has started, you are then treated to a Wheel of Fortune type game show, which my nephew thought was great to take part in, before going through an eye opening mirror maze to see the Muffin Man at Drury Lane in The Bakery. However, the experience isn’t always so sweet, when the next stage features a prison, which has Shrek calling on you for help, before you get the chance to meet the main man himself.

Yet, he isn’t the only one you get to meet. With the addition of Puss in Boots this half term, there are loads of other DreamWorks characters too, including Kung Fu Panda and the How To Train Your Dragon famous dragons. 

Ultimately, Shrek’s Adventure was just what we needed to make sure that we could get to sleep after the London Dungeon’s. Both Merlin attractions were fantastic though and I hope to delve into more special events and experiences soon, because they made our day. My nephew already told me that he can’t wait to go back to school to tell all of his friends about it. A fact that made my heart swell on Valentine’s Day. 

Whilst both may have been very different from each other, they were fantastic! However, Merlin have loads of attractions, all around the UK that you can enjoy, so head to their website to find out more about them! You will not be disappointed at all! I honestly can’t thank them enough for allowing my family to make such amazing memories!

Joey X