First there was Disney World, then the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – and now Dickens World. New York Times’ magazine critic Sam Anderson writes a mixed review of the theme park. A recreation of the London of Charles Dickens’s novels (including the smells), the park was to open in Chatham, England (Dickens’ childhood home) in April 2007, but was delayed due to lots of last minute construction problems. When Mr. Anderson returned to the park last month before Dickens’ 200th birthday he noted that “Dickens World was an attraction very much down on its luck. Posts were abandoned; displays were broken; animatronics failed to animate. The visitor experience consisted mainly of listening to recorded speeches, many of which were either dull or unintelligible.” And many of the attractions at the park, marketed to children, were “surprisingly grisly”. Despite this he found Dickens World a “perfect tribute to Charles Dickens”. You can read the entire and very insightful NYT article here.
Laura