Olympic Park Orbit Slide Ready To Go!
September 1st, 2021Olympic Park Orbit Slide
It was said at the time that the ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower looked like a giant helter skelter & now with the creation of the Orbit Slide this has actually become a reality! We previously popped along to test out this attraction and see how the world’s longest & tallest tunnel slide works in practice.
Follow our Guide to the Olympic Park Orbit Tower packed with top tips and cheap ticket options for the tower.
The Orbit Slide at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
The Orbit Slide
The Orbit Slide snakes around the steel structure of the Orbit Tower a total of 12 times from top to bottom reaching speeds of up to 15mph during your decent. From the ground you can’t quite believe that the narrow steel cylindrical tube that you can see emerging from the top of the complex can actual hold a human on a mat but it was time to try it out.
To ride the slide you will need to purchase a combined Orbit Slide & Tower ticket that offers access up to the observation desk and 1 use of the slide. Previously we noted that there were a limited number of tickets made available each day for a subsequent trip down the slide priced around £5pp, but check if this is available on the day of your visit. It is best to pre-book tickets for the Orbit Slide to guarantee entry to this popular attraction.
Look out for more ideas in our Guide to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park including a chance to swim in the former Olympic pool!
Top of the Orbit Slide
The Orbit Slide; More Details
Once through the ticket barriers, we were advised to make use of the lockers available on the ground floor, (£1 refundable charge). As you cannot take phones, bags, loose change etc down the slide you will need to make provisions for your belongings.
We made our way up to the the top deck of the Orbit Tower to take in views both over the Olympic Park as well as the city of London. Built as a viewing tower for the 2012 London Olympics, the Tower still offers an impressive glimpse back to those heady golden times plus a chance to see how the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park legacy is shaping up 4 years on. However today is all about the decent down the tower so time for my 13 year old tester to make his way to level 1 for a chance to ride the world’s longest & tallest tunnel slide!
For more impressive views over the city look out for our London Eye Guide packed with top tips and money saving offers to help you save time & money.
About To Descend The Orbit Slide
The Orbit Slide; Few Queues!
Considering that all the Orbit Slide tickets had already sold out on the day of our visit, I have to say I was surprised to see that our queue to take the slide was no longer than 10 minutes long! Having become accustomed to theme park queue times of 90+ minutes, I was quite taken aback to find you are kitted out and ready to go quicker than the journey on the Alton Towers monorail. No fastrack tickets or priority entrance required for the Orbit Slide but it does mean you’ve less time to mentally prepare yourself for your decent as you’re literally at the edge of the slide before you know it.
With knee & elbow pads in place coupled with a protective skull cap for the old loaf, time to position yourself on the mat to take instruction on how to safely navigate your passage to the bottom. At a cost to build of £3.5 million, it’s time to see how this slide navigates 12 turns around the Orbit Tower followed by a 50 metre straight run to the ground. We were told that ultimate thrill seekers should look out for the tight corkscrew section, known at the ‘bettfeeder’ – after the German world of ‘bedspring’, that is contained within the loops for an extra twist!
Look out for our Extreme Sightseeing in London Guide packed with money saving ideas to enjoy the city on a budget and take in a few attractions off the beaten track.
The Orbit Slide in Action!
The Orbit Slide; Tried & Tested
Measuring 178 metres in length, the journey down the Orbit Slide takes just under 40 seconds but from the screams emitting from the slide throughout the day this may seem longer than you think!
Your initial decent is fast where you find yourself swinging out to the sides moving between darkened tunnels & transparent windows that offers a hasty glimpse over the park. At times you can find yourself literally upon the window that ultimately provides you with a weightlessness feeling of being at one with your surroundings. With 12 sharp bends to navigate coupled with this movement from darkness to light you quickly become discombobulated never too sure what’s next on your journey.
Journey’s End on the Orbit Slide!
The Orbit Slide; Our Verdict?
Once you’ve taken the taken the final 50 metre straight run to the bottom, you’ll be greeted by a staff member as you steady your legs for life back on earth. Looking directly up 76 metres to the initial opening of the slide, (to give this some perspective that’s higher than Nelson’s Column), this feet-first descent is certainly one of a kind.
Guest will need to be at least 1.3 metres tall & under 149kg to ride the slide & those that don’t wish to use the slide can purchase cheaper Orbit Tower tickets.
The Orbit Tower Slide
The Orbit Slide; Tickets
To ride the slide you will need to purchase a combined Orbit Slide & Tower ticket that offers access up to the observation desk and 1 use of the slide.
Whilst entry to the Orbit Tower is included within your London Pass you will need to upgrade your ticket on the day should you wish to include the slide within your visit, (subject to availability). Orbit Tower annual passholders can ring the ticket & information line, (0333 800 8099) to book a ticket for the slide but must remember to present a valid pass on the day of your visit. More Information available at the Olympic Park Orbit Tower.
You can find more information over on our Guide to the Orbit Tower plus cheap ticket options and top tips to make the most from your day.
The Orbit Tower at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
