City Park Ice Rink and Boating — Attraction in Budapest

We were a group of 5 (4 adults and 1 child) that purchased tickets for ice skating online a few days prior to the scheduled time and date (for December 27th at 21:30-00:30). We arrived at the facility around 21:00 and saw that there was a massive crowd waiting in line to get in. Staff members outside were splitting up people into multiple lines depending on the type of tickets they purchased, but it felt like that caused more confusion than easing the process. I understand that it's difficult to manage everything regarding organization of such a large group, but I felt that the lines should have moved a bit quicker given the time people started arriving. After about 45 minutes of waiting in line we made our way in and got the hang of everything (locker room, wardrobe, skate rental) quickly. Really no complaints about that.

I was really looking forward to getting on the ice with my friends until a new problem arose. Since we were still searching for each other and entered the facility through different lines, I wanted to go find the seal rental and contact the remainder of the group to let them know where they can get it for their five year old child.

Upon taking a photograph of the Bobby seal rental area beside the rink (where I planned on meeting up with them and acquiring the seal rental), I was approached by a group of young adults coming out of there with an attitude telling me to erase the photo I took (I guess assuming I captured them). It turned out they worked at the Bobby seal rental and let me know with an aggressive tone that they are closed. I politely asked why I can't purchase a seal rental for a child given the fact that the rink was operating and we purchased a ticket for a child in the group. They cursed at me and told me to go away. Not at all professional to charge tickets for children that then can't even get a Bobby rental and aren't ready to skate alone. Doesn't make sense at all to not have that as an option during the operating hours of the ice rink.

The skating was fun, the rink was nice, but the attitude of certain staff members upon addressing thr problem and the approach of this group of young employees just completely screwed up the experience....

I was really looking forward to going there but was hugely disappointed. My boyfriend and I went on december 30th and it was pure chaos. There were two lines from the entrance to the next little "bridge", only two signs. People were cutting the line and it was extremely disorganized. security personnel that was extremely unfriendly. A woman in front of us didn't understand what he was saying, mind you it's a tourist attraction, and he just yelled at her the hungarian word for ice skates, multiple times, each time louder and louder. My boyfriend told her that he means ice skates since he's hungarian. He complained to the person at the ticket office who was really nice and she said that it's a total chaos since it's an external security company that has nothing to do with the ice skating rink per se. And btw it's a security company that is very close to fidesz

Then we finally entered and were told that there were no more locker keys, so we went to the ice, wanted to go on but were stopped and told that we need to put our shoes in the locker. We said that there were no cards left so he gave us his. Long story short, after finally buying a ticket, which took ap. 30min, it took another 30min to fight our way through the masses at the locker, the toilets etc. Then we finally went ice skating and the first thing we see on the ice is a woman that fell and was unconscious. It's easy to see why: It's so full that we got seperated multiple times during skating, people nearly crashed into each other and in my honest opinion there should be at least 100-200 people less on the ice. They seem to let everyone in without a maximum number or if there is one, the maximum capacity is too high.

The Toilets are dirty, trash is laying around.

All in all it seems to be a money making machine, 3500 forint is outrageous for that badly organized experience. Never again, which is very sad, since my boyfriend has fond memories of that place from when he was younger and the scenery is indeed beautiful.

One star for the scenery, zero for the rest.

Down below you can see the trash can- it was like that...

I am unsure how this ice skating rink has got the stellar reviews it has..

The rink itself is beautiful and well worth having a look at but I'm not sure the hassle of getting into the rink is worth it.

We purchased our tickets online, and arrived half an hour before the rink reopened for the evening, it was chaotic. I asked an attendant where to queue if you have already purchased tickets online and was told "the middle queue", which would be fine if there wasn't about 6 queues...(and then another person asked a different attendant that exact same question and was told completely different to what I was told)

There were no instructions on what to do in English anywhere whilst queuing, which is okau, it's not the native language, however if you can put signs in English saying "it's nice to see you again" I would advise taking them down and replacing them with some helpful information.

As time went on, instructions were given over a megaphone (unsure what the instrictions were) and everyone would surge forward, people would run from all directions and bully their way to the front, not caring who or what their elbows hit on the way...

And that's before you get inside, it's just as manic and chaotic inside. The organisation for the skate rental and to return your skates is awful.

If you don't like crowds or feel uncomfortable in close proximity of lots of people I would advise pick your timings for this carefully, avoid weekends and it appeared quieter during the day.

If you don't mind being pushed and shoved and being herded like cattle, then once you get out on the ice,...