Planning a visit to Lotte World Theme Park in Seoul? From the rides worth queuing for to the snacks you need to try, here’s what to know before you go.
We’ll let you in on a secret – we had no plans to visit Lotte World on our last visit to Seoul. As huge theme park fans, we’ll admit that we thought that the park was going to be a bit, well… lacklustre.
That was until, late at night, we decided on a whim to chance it and book tickets for the following day. We just couldn’t pass up the idea of visiting a theme park and getting our rollercoaster on.
But seriously, how on Earth could it compare with Disney or Universal (we had also just visited Universal Singapore, too)?
Well, it turns out, pretty well.
We were so wrong. So wrong that we needed to write this article so that you don’t make the same mistake and nearly write off Lotte World, too.
Buckle up, because we’re about to give you the complete lowdown on Lotte World. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Lotte World South Korea: What You Need to Know
How to get Lotte World Tickets
Getting Lotte World park tickets is fairly easy – we tend to use Klook when we book things in Korea as it makes it so easy to turn up and scan a barcode on your ticket.
And when it comes to this Korean theme park, you’ve got plenty of options. Basic one day tickets are around £26 each, though you can opt to book a half day ticket, where you can enter from 4pm for cheaper – very, very savvy.
Or, you can do what we did and book a park and aquarium package (it was approximately £30 each). This allows you entrance to both Lotte World and the Aquarium in the attached mall – the latter of which is open until 8pm.
Something to note, though: if you leave Lotte World to visit the aquarium, you can’t re-enter. We – almost – got stung by this, but thought to ask a worker on the gate
Getting to Lotte World South Korea
Another reason we loved Lotte World was how accessible it was – you’ll find the park underneath and next to Lotte World Tower and Mall. It was pretty cool being in a theme park in the centre of a sprawling city.
Wondering how to travel to Lotte World? It’s easy. Take the Subway to Jamsil Station Exit 4 on Line No. 2 (green) or No. 8 (pink). Alternatively, you could grab a Kakao Taxi, though that will be way more expensive.
Best Time to Visit Lotte World
While Lotte World is open year round and there’s not a bad time to visit, there are certain times we recommend planning your visit for.
A magical time to visit is during Cherry Blossom season (this takes place in spring, usually the first week of April). That said, autumn/fall is also a great time to visit Lotte World in Seoul – especially around Halloween.
Get there early – the lines get very long and there’s lots to see and do – and make sure you avoid weekends and holidays (we know we just said to visit during Halloween but if your priority is to avoid the busiest crowds then unfortunately this means staying away from these busy times of year).
Lands, Layout and Parks
One of the things we loved about Lotte World is that it’s actually two theme parks in one. It’s split into Lotte World Adventure on the inside, with (generally) more family-friendly rides, and Magic Island on the outside, where the real big heart-pumpers await.
Inside has four jam-packed floors and a basement floor called Underland which sits closer to the mall. Here you’ll find yet more rides in what looks like a magical forest.
Read Next: A Guide to the Best Theme Parks in South Korea
Must Ride Attractions in Lotte World Theme Park Seoul
Atlantis
Location: Magic Island
One of Magic Island’s biggest thrills, Atlantis is SO fun. Part roller coaster, part log flume, this ride usually has a long queue. With top speeds of 75.0 km/h, it’s pretty speedy – you’ll experience plenty of twists and turns before plunging straight towards the water below.
French Revolution
Location: Adventure 2F
Situated indoors, French Revolution is another of the best rides in Lotte World Theme Park. Step inside your vehicle and prepare to rotate up to 540 degrees at full speed as you experience near misses with the surrounding buildings.
Gyro Swing / Drop
Location: Magic Island
Are you brave enough for the two mega-rides of Lotte World? It’s stomach churning stuff. We had to skip these as the queues were pushing three hours while we were there, but we totally would have ridden them. Promise.
Gyro Swing stands at 42 metres tall and spins you around fast as the pendulum swings from side to side – this is not one for those with motion sickness (eeek).
While Gyro Drop does exactly what the name suggests. You’ll be taken to a height of 38m, where you’ll delicately balance – full of suspense and dread – before you plummet towards the ground at the speed of 90km/h!
Camelot Carousel
Location: Adventure 1F
If the above rides seem a little bit too intense for you, calm your nerves on the Camelot Carousel. This is a super sweet ride – and also a huge photo spot – that becomes even more magical when it gets lit up at night.
World Monorail
Location: Adventure 3F
Despite this being less of a ride and more of a way to see the park, the queues for the World Monorail are usually on the longer side (we waited around 90 minutes for our turn). Hop in a monorail adorned with Lotty’s face – one half of Lotty and Lorry, the park mascots – and get ready for a sweet journey around the perimeter of the entirety of Lotte World.
Pharaoh’s Fury
Locations: Adventure 4F
We have to say, the theming of Pharaoh’s Fury is pretty incredible. This is a Motion Dark Ride that’s suitable for the entire family – if you’re ready to face a heart-stopping race through ancient Egypt, that is.
Balloon Ride
Location: Adventure 4F
We definitely underestimated the Balloon Ride that transports you around the park in a hot air balloon – it was a knee-wobbler. Hop in your balloon and go up, up, and away before floating around the roof of Lotte World Adventure, with all the attractions underneath you.
We recommend waiting until it gets dark outside and the lights come on inside (you’ll have to grin and bear the queue). The reward? A sparkling view from above.
Flume Ride
Location: Adventure 1F
We hope you’re ready to get wet, because the Flume Ride is an unmissable addition to a day spent in Lotte World. Be transported to the Jurassic Era, where you’ll board a 4-seat log boat and head off on a journey filled with live dinosaurs.
Lotte World Food
Chicken in a Cup
You’ll notice chicken in a cup is EVERYWHERE in Lotte World. And it’s absolutely genius – we cannot believe that the likes of Disney World and Universal haven’t introduced this mega cool snack.
Deliciously crispy fried chicken is stacked atop a soda (in a bowl of course – no chance of soggy chicken here) with a straw running through the middle, so you can sip while you snack.
We bought ours from the TGI Friday’s near the carousel, though the queues for BHC chicken were always ridiculously long, which can only mean good things – head there if you can stomach the wait.
Moo Bar
For a sweet treat in the summer months (or all year round if you’re brave enough), hit up Moo Bar for an ice cream. When we visited, they were selling a limited edition Halloween treat, which we gobbled up far too quickly – it was tasty AF.
Slushies
Another thing you’ll find all over the park are little slushies packets – we had the strawberry (red) and the grape (green) ones throughout the day and loved them both (the strawberry was our favourite, though).
Or, if you’re more of a smoothie fan, there’s a Jamba Juice stall on Adventure 2F.
Mega Coffee
Mega Coffee quite literally became our life when we last visited Seoul (Chris had far too many Cherry Cokes over the course of a week). The menu is huge, the coffees are also huge, and the prices are low.
If you go when it’s colder, make sure you snap up a mint hot chocolate (way better than a Starbucks, we promise you), while the unicorn frappe was delicious when we visited in autumn.
Top Tips for Visiting Lotte World Theme Park Seoul
Download the Lotte World App Before You Go
Going to a theme park without downloading the park app is never a good idea. And the one for Lotte World is excellent. It gives you all the live queue times and show times, so you can make a beeline for your favourite rides when the queue dips… Or, you know, you can mull over the fact that the queue for Gyro Drop is four hours.
Prepare to Queue… A Lot
On that note, even if you visit in an off-season, it’s likely you’ll have to queue for most rides and attractions. Believe it or not, we spotted fast food queues that were pushing the 30 minute mark (ahem, BHC we’re looking at you and your deliciously crispy chicken).
