One week ago my family headed out to check out the Ripley’s attractions in Niagara Falls. These include Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks, Ripley’s Moving Theater, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. Our first stop was Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks.
Note: To view images from our trip, visit the 20160620 Trip to Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks – Image Gallery posting.
[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0vCctBUzsi8/V21NVJBDEOI/AAAAAAAAAZE/k7oqW7hqmb0q2x_gRqMDRgRzlbytkxwbQCHM/s144-o/20160620_182623.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/109947520709267474738/6299777474899227585#6299776479354097890″ caption=”Front of Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks attraction in Niagara Falls” type=”image” alt=”20160620_182623.jpg” image_size=”3024×4032″ peg_single_image_size=”w80″ peg_img_align=”left” peg_img_style=”float: left; margin-left: 5px;margin-bottom: 5px;margin-right:5px;margin-top:5px;” ] My wife and I have visted Tussaud’s before, both in their current location on Victoria Ave as well as the old location near the bottom of Clifton Hill. However, it had been a few years, and my kids had never been. The new location has been in use for several years, and they’ve done a nice job with it. Blondin is on a wire outside the building, above the street. The building itself appears very large from the outside and seems even bigger on the inside. The attraction consists of several rooms that are designed as a variety of sets. There are several very large rooms that take up almost an entire floor which let you “mingle” with the stars. There are lots of figures, but you never feel like they were crammed in.
[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qEYUpZ0bfBk/V21NVBlk1rI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ZcWyMzwjh1sukTn8c_BBX3VL__ykUAKeQCHM/s144-o/20160620_181558.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/109947520709267474738/6299777474899227585#6299776477359822514″ caption=”Harry Potter” type=”image” alt=”20160620_181558.jpg” image_size=”4032×3024″ peg_single_image_size=”w133″ peg_img_align=”right” peg_img_style=”float: right; margin-left: 5px;margin-bottom: 5px;margin-right:5px;margin-top:5px;” ] As you can imagine, some of the wax figures look amazing, and some of them not so much. Don’t let that discourage you though, as that is part of the fun of visiting such an attraction. [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S4DEAI_A_Ps/V21NVE9Zg7I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/b_q0JzdCepABllRfphF_2a-6zo7syqvhQCHM/s144-o/20160620_180841.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/109947520709267474738/6299777474899227585#6299776478265050034″ caption=”David Letterman” type=”image” alt=”20160620_180841.jpg” image_size=”3024×4032″ peg_single_image_size=”w100″ peg_img_align=”left” peg_img_style=”float: left; margin-left: 5px;margin-bottom: 5px;margin-right:5px;margin-top:5px;” ] The figures that look great are very cool to see and you marvel at how they managed to get them to look so similar to the real person. The figures that don’t look so great are still fun to look at. Harry Potter didn’t look that great, but David Letterman looked excellent. Of course part of the fun is that everyone will have a different opinion of what looks real and what looks fake. You can debate those you are with on what might make the figure look more like the real person (eye spacing, different hair style, height, etc). My kids thought some of the figures were so real looking that they felt the figures were following them with their eyes. In particular they thought that Queen Victoria was “creepily real” (their words) 🙂
[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wpNASC-AZCY/V21NVMq0ZzI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/FjGXEzy-q_Mql9UKNs9KdB_QHP3zodOMACHM/s144-o/20160620_181956.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/109947520709267474738/6299777474899227585#6299776480334604082″ caption=”Hall of World Leaders” type=”image” alt=”20160620_181956.jpg” image_size=”4032×3024″ peg_single_image_size=”w133″ peg_img_align=”left” peg_img_style=”float: left; margin-left: 5px;margin-bottom: 5px;margin-right:5px;margin-top:5px;” ] As mentioned above, there are several sets that are large rooms. [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PFNZV__JDbY/V21NVHnRTDI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/unFzNtUvlscm22C-foJdow82QW9Mscp3wCHM/s144-o/20160620_180221.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/109947520709267474738/6299777474899227585#6299776478977543218″ caption=”We love Back to the Future!” type=”image” alt=”20160620_180221.jpg” image_size=”3024×4032″ peg_single_image_size=”w100″ peg_img_align=”right” peg_img_style=”float: right; margin-left: 5px;margin-bottom: 5px;margin-right:5px;margin-top:5px;” ]There is a small room where talk show hosts are, large rooms with movie stars, a room with religious leaders, a room with world leaders, and more. Almost all figures have name tags on so you know who they are. There is quite a variety of themes and there really is something for everyone… models of historical figures, current celebrities, scenes from movies, and even a horror section. I couldn’t convince anyone to go into that section with me, so we skipped it.
On many of the walls between the rooms were “life masks” of all sorts of famous people. These are replicas of molds that were done of the faces of these people. It was fun to try to guess who was who.
Overall the attraction is very interactive. You can touch and stand beside almost all of the figures. This makes for great photo opportunities. My daughter was excited to have her picture taken with Taylor Swift. My son is a huge Back to the Future fan, so was thrilled to have his photo take in a DeLorean. My other son wanted his photo taken with the super-realistic horse standing beside Queen Elizabeth II. You can also have your photo taken going over the Falls in a barrel and you can practice a highwire/tightrope walk (you are only a few inches off the ground).
I highly recommend Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks. At the time of this write-up on their website adult tickets are $14.99, senior tickets are $10.99 and child tickets are $7.99. There are also some “flex ticket” options where you can get admission to another attraction, or to all three at reduced rates. Be sure to check out the Ripley’s web site for the latest information.
Note: To view images from our visit, visit the 20160620 Trip to Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks – Image Gallery posting.