The Doctor Who Experience Cardiff – Chopsy Baby is Reviewing… The Doctor Who Experience Port Teigr Cardiff

It’s not our usual form to put a review into a blog post. But as this was a day out rather than a press trip, it would be more fitting in this section. Oh what the hell. Let’s add it to reviews as well.

The Doctor Who Experience opened its doors today at its brand new long-term home in Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay.

While my common sense told me to wait until much later in the run to visit the attraction, I thought the opening day would be a really special treat for my son. For various reasons he really deserves a treat at the moment.

Just walking past the Millenium Centre is exciting enough for any young Who fan. There are plenty of places filming has taken place, along with the base for Torchwood.

The new exhibition is located in an impressive looking modern building. A large Tardis Blue

Despite valliant efforts from staff, the queue to get in was around three hours. I did hear a member of staff telling people they were running one hour behind. Well, one hour and the rest. At one point, they tried to pull out people booked for earlier time slots by breaking the queue in half. The end result of this was fraying tempers as people who had queued significantly longer watched those who had turn up later and for later time slots get in first.

It was only luck that it didn’t rain or was very sunny, as there were very young babies also in the queue.

Once inside, things moved faster, but it was just one queue to the next.

The one thing that saved the queue from turning into a protesting mob was the fantastic character actors. A Silurian, Silence, Dalek and Cyberman entertained the crowds and allowed people up close for photographs.

The interactive Experience itself, is the same as the one in London. Perhaps it was opening day teething troubles, but the slot we were in was beleaguered by technical troubles.

The information node failed to work, but our guide leapt into action with some splendid add libbing.

The inside of the Tardis is spectacular, but the hydraulics seemed to grind away alarmingly.

At one point, a very significant Dalek scene failed to work, and the audience was left to watch a large empty space lit up.

After three hours waiting to get in, this was just rubbish. Suddenly, words sprung from my mouth that are completely out of character. “I have waited outside over two hours, part of it wasn’t working. My son is disappointed. I want to take him around again please.”

And fair dos to the staff. They let me do this without question or argument.

Throughout the day, the staff had been amazing. Helpful, polite, really fighting hard to keep the event moving as best as possible despite massive delays. Working in customer facing roles can be a thankless task.

On leaving the end exhibition, my child suddenly realised he had left his beloved sonic screwdriver next to a Dalek. I didn’t think for one minute it would still be there, but going back to look couldn’t hurt. Or could it? We were told by the staff member on the desk that we would not be allowed back  inside the exhibition section to look for the toy. Though we could go into the gift shop.

And, despite telling them the exact location it would be, no a member of staff could not check on my behalf. Well now, having just spend around £60 in the gift shop, queuing three hours, having to go around a second time because there were so many technical cock ups, this just took the urine as far as I was concerned.

So I had to leave with a distraught four year old child who had lost his precious toy, crying about how it was his fault he should have looked after it better. Life lesson learned yes. But will it ever entice me to go back? Not sure.

Would I recommended it to others? Yes totally. But wait until it much later in the run when the hoo haa quietens down and for God’s sake, don’t leave anything behind. The interactive side is great fun, especially for youngsters. The whole thing has been thought out and written very well. And it is some of Matt Smith at his best.

The effects are impressive – when working – and it’s fun to be able to walk through props and sets that were part of the TV programme.

The secondary part is the exhibition. It’s fantastic, with items for all generations of Who fans. The best thing for me was being able to get really close to the inside of the Tenth Doctor’s Tardis. You could almost sense David Tennant in the fixtures.

If you make the journey from Bristol to Porth Teigr, do visit Cardiff and Cardiff Bay first. The city’s continuous development is amazing. It make Bristol look like a shoddy backwater town.

I’m sure we will visit the Doctor Who Experience again. It will be impossible not to with a child who has dressed in a pinstripe suit since he was two. “Oh how cute he looks.” We heard this so many, many times. But this is how he dresses every day. He has shunned the infant school uniform in favour of a pinstripe suit and tie. What head teacher could argue with this?

And, to the eagerly Googling marketing team in Cardiff . If that Tenth Doctor sonic screwdriver ever turns up in lost property, do let us know.

For more information, visit: www.doctorwhoexperience.com