Get ready to take family game night to a whole new level! At Monopoly Lifesized in London, you don’t just play a board game; you’re in one. From competing in challenges, to moving around the game board, to earning Monopoly money and buying property, you’ll fall in love with Monopoly all over again. Here’s everything to know before playing lifesized Monopoly.
What Is Monopoly Lifesized?
Monopoly Lifesized is a real-world version of your favorite board game. It works very similarly to the Monopoly you know and love. Except the tokens, chance cards, jail, and challenges are all brought to life. This experience takes place in London. They also have a restaurant on-site that you can visit even if you don’t partake in the game. And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the game lover in your life, they sell a unique variety of Monopoly game boards, some of which I’ve never seen anywhere else! We especially loved the option to customize a board with someone’s name. This is a great gift to remember your experience playing lifesized Monopoly, or just to personalize a board for the ultimate Monopoly fan in your life.
What to Expect When Playing Lifesized Monopoly
When you arrive at Monopoly Lifesized, you’re taken into the game room where you’ll find your spot on the real-life game board. Every member of your team will be given a role. Perhaps the most important role is the dice roller! Whatever number your dice lands on, you’ll move the corresponding number of spaces on the game board. From there, you’ll compete in a series of challenges to earn money and buy property. The challenges on our game board included a windy cash grab, pretending to be a telephone operator and connecting the callers to the right Monopoly characters, and a coal shoveling challenge. These challenges were so much fun and brought out the competitive nature in our entire family. The winners of the game, much like in the board game, are those who have the greatest value in assets. We were already having such a blast playing the game, but it was an especially exciting moment when we found out we won the whole thing!
Who Is Monopoly Lifesized For?
Monopoly Lifesized is definitely best with a group. It’s excellent for families, bringing game night to life. This experience is enjoyable for both Monopoly enthusiasts and newcomers alike. One member of our group had never really played Monopoly before and found the rules to be easy to follow. Honestly, this experience makes you want to go home and play Monopoly far more often. Good thing they sell a variety of boards on-site!
What to Know Before You Book
Timing
How long does lifesized Monopoly take? The full experience lasts for about 70 to 80 minutes. We were having such a blast that we couldn’t believe how quickly time went by. We recommend going in a group of six, but they accept groups of any size. The age limit for this experience is nine years old, but they are slightly flexible with this rule. Monopoly Lifesized is open Tuesday through Sunday. There’s no best time of day to visit. It’s entirely up to you and your group. But we will say there’s so much to see in London during the day, that doing this experience in the evening is a great way to structure your itinerary. We did happen to visit during the holiday season, and Monopoly Lifesized was absolutely decked out for Christmas, which added a really festive touch to our visit.
Cost
The tickets start at £54. This price can add up if you’re paying for a full group, but there is a family discount if you purchase four or more tickets together. And the experience was well worth it.
Choosing the Right Board for Your Group
There are four boards to choose from at Monopoly Lifesized. There’s the Classic Board, the Own It All Board, the Luxury Board, and the City Board. They all have the same rules, but the themes and challenges are different on each board. We did the Classic Board because it most resembled the traditional board game. The Own It All Board is similar to the Classic Board, but with some new challenges, including ‘whack-a-mole’. The Luxury Board gives you a behind-the-scenes peek at Mr. Monopoly’s bank. The City Board pays homage to the streets of London, which might be a nice touch if you’re visiting the city. We love that there are so many boards to choose from, so you can come back again and again and experience entirely new challenges.
Our Takeaways from Monopoly Lifesized
One thing we were curious about before going to Monopoly Lifesized was whether the experience would feel kitschy. But that truly wasn’t the case at all. It’s not kitschy; it’s committed to the immersion of being in the world of a Monopoly board. If you’re planning to play lifesized Monopoly, you’re probably the type of person who likes games and wants to lean into the fun and silliness anyway. The game is led by real-life tokens who are hilarious and keep you immersed in the world of Monopoly. The design of the game is perfect, with the names of the streets mimicking those you know well from the game. We especially loved the real jail. And the challenges were honestly a blast. None of them felt cheesy. They brought out the competitor in everyone playing.
For anyone questioning whether or not it’s worth it, every member of my family, ranging from teenagers to retirees, had a blast, and we haven’t been able to stop talking about the experience since.
More of a visual person? Check out our Monopoly Lifesized TikTok video!
Unique Activities Nearby
While you’re in London, be sure to check out some of these other unique activities that you’ll be talking about for years to come after your trip.
Bunga 90 – I had one of the best nights of my life at Bunga 90. This is a speakeasy, but not the kind you’re thinking of. It’s not a quiet, intimate bar inside. It’s a lively 90s-themed throwback extravaganza. Everything inside makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time to the 90s. From the music, to the decor, to the fun cups that resemble Kevin McAllister from Home Alone, Britney Spears, and Will Smith from The Fresh Prince. Even the bathroom here is a full experience. Imagine our surprise when we walked into the bathroom and discovered people were doing karaoke in there!
Cahoot’s Postal Office – This cocktail bar is modeled after a 1940s post office. When you order a drink, it will be sent flying through the air in a tube delivered right to your seat.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea – Another childhood favorite brought to life. Enjoy an afternoon tea with a twist. Here you’ll be served treats that remind you of one of your favorite childhood movies. That even includes a fizzy lifting drink! This is an afternoon tea experience that appeals to all ages.
Climb the O2 – Did you know that you can climb up London’s famous arena? This experience is for the brave and the brave only. You’ll climb the roof to get a view of city landmarks as far as 15 miles away. We recommend the sunset climb. Once you make it to the top, it’s well worth it. Around Christmas time, you’ll also find their Winter Wonderland snow globe experience at the top.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, visiting London with family or a friend group, or just looking for a fun, new experience, Monopoly Lifesized is an activity you’ll remember forever. And let’s face it, who doesn’t want to play real-life Monopoly? Now if only Monopoly money were real…
