London Travel Forum

I am taking my 2 13-year old grandchildren on a "Capital European Capitals" tour in two weeks. We start in London, and I have a question about Speaker's Corner and about the London Eye.
Does anyone know how early in the morning the "speakers" gather in Hyde Park? I read somewhere in the afternoon, most sites say in the morning, but they don't say how early. 10:00? 9:00? Earlier?
Also I wonder how dependable the "flight times" are for the London Eye. If we book a flight for 2:00, how good are our chances of boarding anywhere near that time? I'm sure this attraction is mobbed, but I don't know whether they really stay on schedule. Anybody who's experienced this adventure?
Thanks,
Pat

Speaker's Corner is a bit difficult...who is speaking and exactly when depends entirely on the particular day (and the weather!). There aren't any fixed times, but Sunday morning (probably from around 9-10ish) is the traditional time and your best bet, imo.

I have not been on the Eye, but have heard nothing untoward about its timings. You will need to collect your ticket and then check-in 15 minutes before your flight, so do arrive in plenty of time. The website asks that you are in the boarding queue 30 minutes beforehand, plus ten minutes for collecting your tickets if pre-booked.

http://www.londoneye.com/VisitorInformation/Checking_In/default.aspx

It is only a big ferris wheel, so loading/unloading is pretty straightforward. Unless something untoward occurs I doubt your 2pm 'flight' will be much later, if late at all.

I was in London on tuesday,had to go for Indian visa, so I made day out of it with my 3 yrs old. We went to the London Eye, Natural History Museum & V&A museum...
First as the weather is great these past few days, London was packed..Not only foreign tourists but British too.
For London eye , they were very strict, if the flight is say, 14.00 you have to be in the que 15-20min earler and no que jumpping.
You can not go to earlier flight than the one you booked for. But they are so eficiant & the kids will be so exites that the time will pass like a blink of an eye :D
I can tell you my 3 yr old was gobsmacked, wide eyed & exited altought didn't comprehend everything!
But I think, we went becouse I wanted to go!!! What a experiance! Worth every penny.

Do take them to Natural History Museum, V&A, & Sience museum too.
All of them are on South Kensington Tube station, District, Circular & Piccadily tube line stop there & is very easy to acess.
The first two museums are free but you will need to pay for the sience museum...

Re:speakers corner,
whata leisc said is true, I just add to it, that depends of the politics of the day too.
Be it is something to do with the Commons(lower house of Parliment), current home politics, the Banks & finacial mess, loss of jobs in Britain, current foreign politics, & few people preaching the gospel & the Bible...
It is a mixed bag, that one!!!
Good luck & have fantastic time with your grandchildern.
Many of the well known museums in London are free.

I was in London on tuesday,had to go for my Indian visa, so I made day out of it with my 3 yrs old. We went to the London Eye,took sightseeing boat on Thems, Natural History Museum & V&A museum...
First as the weather is great these past few days, London was packed..Not only foreign tourists but British too.
For London eye , they were very strict, if the flight is say, 14.00 you have to be in the que 15-20min earler and no que jumpping.
You can not go to earlier flight than the one you booked for. But they are so eficiant & the kids will be so exites that the time will pass like a blink of an eye :D
I can tell you my 3 yr old was gobsmacked, wide eyed & exited altought didn't comprehend everything!
But I think, we went becouse I wanted to go!!! What a experiance! Worth every penny.

Do take them to Natural History Museum, V&A, & Sience museum too.
All of them are on South Kensington Tube station, District, Circular & Piccadily tube line stop there & is very easy to acess.
The first two museums are free but you will need to pay for the sience museum...

Re:speakers corner,
What leisc said is true, I just add to it, that depends of the politics of the day too.
Be it is something to do with the Commons(lower house of Parliment), current home politics, the Banks & finacial mess, loss of jobs in Britain, current foreign politics, & few people preaching the gospel & the Bible...
It is a mixed bag, that one!!!
Good luck & have fantastic time with your grandchildern.
Many of the well known museums in London are free.

Entirely agree about the museums.

To be frank, Speakers' Corner would be some way down my list of 'must-sees' especially with two thirteen-year-olds. It is, basically, just sundry people speechifying/ranting/whatever, with associated heckling.

I think your grandkids would enjoy other things rather than the Corner. My granddaughter most enjoyed riding on the top of the double-decker buses! The area around Borough Market is also interesting.. buildings that look like the old London we love to read about.. Clink St. and I think there is a dungeon museum. The Market itself is interesting and full of great food to snack on...open Fridays and Saturdays but go early if you do. It gets packed.

The Eye is pretty darn reliable- be there early and you shoudn't have a delay from your time schedule. You just have to be in line. The view often depends on the weather or the smog- it runs at night also.

The Tower of London seems interesting to all ages- as was the rubbings in St Martins in the Fields crypt. Since you do it yourself, it is something experiential that can be enjoyed by all ages. This is also open in the evenings, and has a great cafe in the crypt with good food and reasonable prices. There was a walk across the river near the eye heading to one of the museums- they might enjoy that or a boat ride on the Thames.

If they are into Harry Potter, you can go to one of the underground stops (if you decide to do it, let me know, I will look back at my photos to see exactly which station) and there is a trolley stuck halfway through the wall at stop 9 1/2- you can take a photo as if they were passing through the wall.

Hope you have a great time! Don't forget time to let them shop! It's amazing to me sometimes how much time kids can spend in souvenir shops, T-shirt shops, etc. And they are always fascinated by seeing other young people their own age.

The station relevant to Harry Potter is EARL'S COURT. It is one of the main tube/train stations for the subbrbs. Circle & District line (yelow & green ) wich stops there & not too far away from South Kensington & all the museums.
Alpart of above mentioned museums, I would take them to the Military museum (great display of aircrafts & tanks!), London Transport museum (they can see the public transport in London & UK trought the ages), St Pauls Catedral, Museum of the London Excange (not well known museum) but lots of history, specialy about the British empire, and colonies, shugar cane from W Indies, tabbaco from Virginia, tea from Ceilon... My older kids are 13 & 14 yrs old & they enjoed all above atractions,most of them free.
Also the London Dangeon (you will have to pay for it)its display Victorian London for most part, and groty history of Jack the ripper,Sweeny Todd & many more. There are very good wax figuries depicting the caracters...It will be great fun for the childern. Do not forget to take them to Kew Botanical Gardens if weather premits, Hampton Court Palace of Henry VIII, in Hampton SW London, Grinwich Naval Academy at Grinwich, & see the clock for the start of GMT. Great thing to see is the Boat "Cutty Sark" but unfortunatly the boat accidentaly burned down two years ago, now is in the process of restauration, but still walking on the banks of Thems in East London is great..
Meaby take them for spicy lunch in Brick Lane (it is street in East London). Brick Lane is kult place, where many of the emigrants from the Indian subcontinet tend to flock to.With great restaurants.
Or Antique hinting on Notting Hill Road-Portabelo Market is the place to go. They can choose some small memento from the unforgetable trip to London...
Oh, Oh, I nearly forgot, no visit to London, specialy if you are child is complete without visit to HAMLEYS store.
Hamleys is THE BIGEST toy shop in the world & world famous! Seven storys of toy bliss.
It is in the hart of London in Regent St.

There is also a special 'Platform 9 3/4' which has been created at Kings Cross railway station (not Tube). The filming was actually done on platform 4 of that station.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_King's_Cross_railway_station#Harry_Potter

Other scenes were filmed elsewhere in the UK including Alnwick Castle(Hogwarts'grounds), Gloucester Cathedral and Oxford christchurch College (Hogwarts).

http://www.historic-uk.com/DestinationsUK/HarryPotter.htm

I was not aware that there was any Potter link with Earls Court Tube station.

If they are into Potter, the kids will really enjoy this Sunday afternoon London walk:

http://www.walks.com/Homepage/Sundays_Walks/Harry_Potter_-_3_pm/default.aspx#13933

or you can plan your own:

http://www.carryontours.com/harrylondon.htm

Many thanks to all you sent an answer, they were all a big help.
Pat from Fort Worth, Texas