Dickens World facts for kids
Dickens World was a special indoor attraction in Kent, England. It was all about the life and amazing stories of the famous writer Charles Dickens. After a soft opening in April, Dickens World officially welcomed visitors on 25 May 2007. Sadly, it closed its doors on 12 October 2016.
The Idea Behind It
The idea for Dickens World started way back in the 1970s. It was designed by Gerry O'Sullivan-Beare, who also created other themed places like Santa World. Building Dickens World cost a lot of money, about £62 million! The designers worked closely with experts on Dickens to make sure everything, from the streets to the characters, felt just like the time period Dickens wrote about.
Dickens World was based on the life of Charles Dickens. He lived in Chatham as a child and later in Higham. Many of the places and people in his famous books were inspired by the Medway Towns area. For example, a house called Holcombe Manor inspired "Dingley Dell" in Pickwick Papers. Part of Edwin Drood even takes place in Rochester Cathedral.
Dickens World was an indoor attraction. It had a big central courtyard with building fronts that looked like places from Dickens' stories, such as Warren's Blacking. Unlike some theme parks, you didn't have to follow a set path. Visitors could explore and discover things at their own pace.
What You Could See and Do
When Dickens World first opened, it had many exciting attractions:
- A water ride based on Great Expectations.
- A spooky Haunted House.
- A 4D film in Peggotty's Boathouse.
- An animatronic show in a mock-up Britannia Theatre.
- An interactive schoolhouse called "Dotheboys Schoolhouse," from Nicholas Nickleby.
- "Fagin's Den," a play area for younger children.
- "The Six Jolly Fellowship Porters," a themed bar and restaurant.
When you finished your visit, you would exit through a gift shop called "The Olde Curiosity Shoppe."
The Great Expectations water ride took you through scenes of Victorian London. It ended with a fun simulated drop into the River Thames. The ride didn't follow the exact story of Great Expectations. Instead, it focused on the criminal side of Dickens' novels. It had a jail filled with characters from many of his books. This ride closed in 2013.
The 4D film at Peggotty's Boathouse told the story of Dickens' life. It had special effects like an inflatable Catherine Dickens and a spray of water during a scene about the Dickenses' trip to America. The whole film looked like it was shown with a magic lantern. This attraction also closed in 2013.
At Dotheboys Schoolhouse, you could experience what a Victorian classroom was like. Instead of old slates, visitors used touch-screens. You could take a quiz about Dickens' life and his books.
The haunted house was first advertised as Ebenezer Scrooge's house. Before it officially opened, it was renamed the "Haunted House of 1859." This might have been a nod to Dickens' own ghost story, "A Haunted House," published that year. The house used a special trick called a Pepper's ghost effect to make ghosts appear!
Why It Closed
The company that owned Dickens World started having money problems. They were losing a lot of money each year, sometimes between £500,000 and £1 million. Only the income from the nearby Odeon Theatre and Porter's restaurant helped keep it open for a while.
New owners tried to save the attraction. They lowered ticket prices to £6.50 per person. The boat ride was removed. From March 2013, they offered guided walking tours where visitors could meet costumed characters. They also planned to host weddings and company events.
However, these efforts weren't enough. Dickens World officially closed in October 2016. The company that was trying to help with the money problems pulled out. The staff found out that the attraction was closing through text messages and emails.
Seen in the Media
The band The Hoosiers used Dickens World as a filming location. They shot the music video for their song "Cops and Robbers" there in March 2008.
