Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland: ‘I tried the largest outdoor ice rink in the north with a HARIBO theme - it felt like New York’

With rides, games stalls, and of course HARIBO Goldbear topping the 30ft tree, Yorkshire Winter Wonderland is open all this festive season at York Designer Outlet.

We sent our reporter Sophie Mei Lan Malin to try it out.

I enjoy Christmas shopping, especially bargains. Give me a designer outlet or a sale and I am there.

I travelled in a car full of kids with trepidation because I had previously visited several lacklustre Winter attractions attached to shopping centres, evidently set up in a bid to win customers over the festive period.

I was on a mission to focus on the attraction next to the York Designer Outlet.

After battling the school run traffic, we arrived in the dark to be welcomed by the glow of the illuminations cutting through the drizzle. You could see the stunning sweetie themed tree in the middle of the ice rink.

It looked much bigger than I’d expected. We roamed around the Winter Wonderland with a glimpse at the stalls tucked away in wooden huts, a German hot dog stand, an Alpine-themed Cafe in the chalet, a mini zoo-themed Christmas tree maze and a traditional fun fair.

It looked incredible, I couldn’t believe how quiet it was.

After getting our wristbands for the ice rink and booking a slot for later on because the kids wanted to start with the fun fair, there’s a haunted house, vintage children’s rides including merry-go-rounds as well as dodgems and Waltzers.

It was perfect for the older kids to whizz around while I took the baby on the smaller rides. There was a good mix of both.

The happy world of Yorkshire Winter Wonderland’s ice rink

Then it was time to skate. It felt magical. It was the closest thing to what I felt like when skating around the Rockefeller Centre in New York where my sister lives. Except there weren't lots of people crammed onto the rink like the overly priced session we enjoyed in the Big Apple.

We then had a quick drink in the chalet, giving us a touch of being on the Alps, as much as you can feel the ski village vibes when so close to the A64.

They also had a range of hot snacks such as toasties, soups and fries available.

The kids however had their hearts set on the indoor food court of the Outlet where there’s a Wagamamas, Pizza Express, Pret and a range of other fast food outlets.

Fortunately, before heading inside, we had a look at the Christmas tree trail which was full of interactive activities and photo opportunities. This is also where you can book to see Santa.

We couldn’t believe how quickly the time passed.

Our only regret is that we didn’t leave time for shopping.

Next time we will be having a full day out because this is one of my favourite places to shop and with the Winter Wonderland this is a must-visit attraction every Christmas.

The prices and the family-friendly entertainment were much more to my liking in York than they had been on our magical trip to NYC when the kids were younger.