Inside Winter Wonderland as it reopens after two years – with an ice kingdom, the UK’s largest skate rink & and circus

WINTER Wonderland is back and bringing Christmas cheer to visitors.

The festive spectacular has returned to London’s Hyde Park on Friday for the first time since 2019.

Winter Wonderland returned on Friday

The attraction was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic

Thousands of people flocked to Hyde Park in London on the opening weekend

Skaters took to the ice on the UK’s largest ice rink

Families and friends gathered to celebrate the festive season

Visitors have clearly missed it as the opening weekend drew huge crowds of people ready to get into the Christmas spirit.

And it looks like it will continue to be busy as tickets – which are needed for the first time this year – are already sold out for several weekends.

The family-friendly attraction will be open from 10am to 10pm everyday until it closes on January 3, 2022.

And all the Winter Wonderland favourites are back in full swing.

At the weekend, families were lacing up their skates and taking to the ice on the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink which stretches over 1,600 square metres at Hyde Park’s Victorian bandstand.

The Cirque Beserk show has returned with an adrenaline-fuelled cast performing impressive gymnastics and acrobatics.

The show features a terrifying ‘Globe of Death’ performance where stunt riders ride motorcycles inside a mesh sphere ball.

The walk-through attraction Magical Ice Kingdom, which has been created from more than 500 tonnes of ice and snow, is back and features an ice sculpture of a knight slaying a dragon.

The Bavarian Christmas market was heaving with families and friends eating, drinking and celebrating the festive season.

Lots of visitors were having a chilled drink out of ice sculpted glasses at Bar Ice which is set at -10C.

And families were learning new skills at ice sculpting workshops.

The Cirque Beserk show returned with a ‘Globe of Death’ performance

Performers entertained visitors in a show

A knight slays a dragon in the Magical Ice Kingdom

Families learning a new skill in an ice sculpting workshop

Friends race on the ice slide

Tickets must be pre-booked to go to Winter Wonderland this year.

Tickets during off-peak times – 10am until 1pm, Monday to Thursday – are free, but tickets for all afternoons and evenings, as well as Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, cost between £5 and £7.50.

The entry price is free if more than £20 is spent on pre-paid rides and attractions when booking in advance.

Ticket holders must enter the park within their time slot but are then free to stay for as long as they like.

The nearest London Underground stations to Hyde Park are Bond Street, Green Park, Knightsbridge, Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner, Paddington and Victoria.

There are several bus routes that get you there, and Paddington, Victoria and Marylebone train stations are nearby.

If you plan on getting to the event by car, the best place to park is Q-park which has entrances at Park Lane and Marble Arch.