Lotte World

The world’s largest indoor theme park, Lotte World exists in Seoul, only a 20-minute subway ride from Hanyang Station! It is also famous for it’s appearances on Korean dramas and variety shows, like in Stairway to Heaven, Full House, and Running Man.

You will get off the Jamsil Station (잠실역) and head to exits 3 and 4, which both will lead you to the theme park. Just follow the sign that guides you to “Lotte World Adventure”; don’t get confused by the other “Lotte” stores that exist in this area. There is a Lotte Department Store, a Lotteria fast food chain, and many more stores that contain the “Lotte” brand. Only look for the “Lotte World Adventure” and follow those signs.

You will then reach the ticketing desk, which sadly doesn’t seem to have many English speaking staff. Despite the language barrier, it was easy to get a ticket. The original prices for adults and students are 46,000₩ for the day pass. If you come after 4, it is 37,000₩. However, a little tip: they usually have special discounts going on every month on their official website, which can reduce the price drastically. For me, I had a discount that allowed my friends and I to enter after 4pm for only 13,000₩.

When you first enter, you will find yourself in the indoor section of Lotte World, called the “Lotte World Adventure”. With a skating rink in the very center, you can also ice-skate here all year round with an extra fee.

There are four floors in the indoor section, all of which have rides, rollercoaster, and attractions to see. Just for example, there is the Giant Loop right in front of the entrance that rotates its passengers in a “giant loop”. The wait was not terribly long for us, less than half an hour. However, I’ve had experience on very busy days (during vacation season or holidays) where the lines can get up to over an hour. Most of the rollercoasters have an expected waiting time stated for visitors to be able to decide if the ride is worth the wait, which is nice to keep in mind if you have a time limit.

If you’re not a rollercoaster fan, there are definitely things for you to do. Lotte World holds performances and concerts on their stage; this picture shows a musical.

There are also less-intensive rides like the Merry Go Round and the Hot Air Balloon ride. The Hot Air Balloon will give you a wonderful view of the whole indoor theme park, and is perfect for pictures.

The outdoor section, called “Magic Island”, is where most of the larger rollercoasters reside. The outdoor section shines during the evening, when the park lights up beautifully. The rollercoasters in Magic Island are definitely not for the faint-hearted, so be prepared for these.

The park also sells food, drinks, ice cream, and snacks so that you can stay nourished and hydrated. The cost was a little overpriced, I must admit, but who comes to an amusement park to be stingy? The prices aren’t so outrageous: a meal was around 10,000₩ and a green tea ice cream I got was 3,000₩. The theme park opens at 10:30 am to 10:30pm; but keeps in mind that some rollercoasters end earlier than 10:30 pm. I noticed that the park had much less people in it by 10.

So if you have a day open, you should definitely visit this little gem in the heart of the city.

By Wonmi from the U.S.A.