Over the years I had always been fascinated by Lotte World after seeing so many photos and videos online of the indoor and outdoor theme park located in the middle of Seoul, complete with its own Disney-like castle. I really wanted to visit Lotte World when I travelled to South Korea for the first time in September this year but sadly did not have enough time during our short stay. However when we unexpectedly had to stay in Seoul for three extra nights, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to go and as someone who loves visiting theme parks around the world, it was unlike anywhere I had ever been before.

What and Where is Lotte World

Lotte World is a theme park for all ages located in the Sincheon-dong neighbourhood of Seoul just to the south of the Han River. The park is divided into two main sections and the indoor area which is located underneath a giant glass dome is called Lotte World Adventure and features four floors of shows and attractions plus a basement area called Underland featuring rides themed to a fairytale magical forest and is one of the largest indoor theme parks in the world. The outdoor section of the park which is located in the middle of Seokchon Lake is known as Magic Island and offers several thrill rides alongside scenic lake views.

Lotte World first opened in 1989 and is part of the larger Lotte complex which includes the Lotte Tower (including the Seoul Sky observation deck) which is the sixth tallest building in the world, the Lotte World Mall, the Lotte World Ice Rink, the Lotte World Folk Museum, the Lotte World Aquarium, Kidzania, the Lotte Cinema and the Charlotte Theater.

How to Get to Lotte World

To get to Lotte World using the Seoul Metro, you will need to take either Line 2 (Green Line Station 216) or Line 8 (Pink Line Station 814) and get off at Jamsil Station (Songpa-gu Office). The subway stations are all clearly signposted in English, Korean and Chinese making it very easy for any first time visitors to South Korea to get around and the journey from the centre of Seoul – for example from Myeongdong – will take approximately thirty to forty minutes. At Jamsil Station you will need to take Exit 4 and from there it is a short walk to the Main Gate park entrance and there are also signs pointing the way so you cannot get lost.

When is the Best Time to Visit Lotte World

Lotte World is open all year long however make sure to try and avoid busy times such as school breaks, public holidays such as Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), weekends and even late afternoons or evenings when school groups and families arrive in the park and it can get extremely crowded.

To make the most of your visit to Lotte World, it is best to arrive early in the morning for when the park opens – you can check the opening times in advance on the Lotte World website – to beat the majority of the crowds as it will get very busy later in the day especially after lunchtime when there will be long and slow moving lines for all of the bigger rides.

The most special times of the year to visit are in Spring for Cherry Blossom season, Christmas when festive decorations illuminate the park and light up the castle as well as Halloween when spooky decorations transform Magic Island into Horror Island and zombies roam about after dark.

Lotte World is also perfect for a rainy day since most of the attractions are located indoors however be aware that some of the outdoor rides on Magic Island will close during bad weather as I sadly found out during my visit as Atlantis (a water ride) will close for even the smallest amount of rain – make it make sense!

Where to Buy Lotte World Tickets

The biggest money saving tip I can give to anyone planning a visit to Lotte World is to not buy your tickets at the gate but instead make sure to purchase your tickets online in advance through Klook, as they cost just over half the price compared to buying at the park entrance.

For reference, an adult one day ticket through Klook costs ₩39,200 (£20.25 / US$26.75) while the same ticket at the park entrance is ₩64,000 (£33 / US$43.70).

The park also offers an “After 4 PM” ticket for ₩52,000 (£27 / US$35.50) but even this is a lot more expensive than the full day ticket from Klook.

When you buy your day ticket through Klook, you will receive a Direct Entry QR code which will allow you to enter the park through the turnstiles without waiting or having to exchange any vouchers. However if you purchase any of the combo tickets from Klook that include the Magic Pass, the Lotte World Aquarium or the Seoul Sky observation deck, you will need to collect your tickets at the Wild Tour Gate entrance before entering the park.

I found the tickets from Klook to be very reasonably priced, especially if you are only planning to visit Lotte World for a few hours and I was able to book my ticket the evening before my visit (you can even book for the same day) with no issues.

The above are affiliate links through Klook. Any tickets purchased from these links earns myself a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Download the Lotte World App

One of the best things that you can do before your visit is download the official Lotte World app. The app will give you all of the information that will you need and more in English including ride opening times, live wait times, show and parade times, parade routes, maintenance schedules and even details for the attractions which offer reserved ride times and where and when you can collect these tickets. The app will also let you know if attractions are closed temporarily for the weather or for the entire day which will help you to plan your visit when you are there.

The app will also show which floor each attraction is located on and in a few cases it will tell you how to find the entrance to each once as some of them can be a little difficult to find.

To help me stay connected whilst I was in South Korea, the most important purchase I made before my trip was an E-Sim which helped me use the Lotte World app constantly whilst I was in the park, look up directions wherever I was in Seoul or even use a translation app whenever I needed to during my stay

If you also need to access mobile data whilst visiting South Korea, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

How to Skip the Lines at Lotte World

The Magic Pass at Lotte World is an additional cost on top of your regular park ticket that allows you to skip the regular lines on the most popular rides. This can help you to save a lot of time during your visit which can be invaluable if you only have a short time at the park and is especially useful on busy days when the lines for the bigger attractions can get very long – an hour or sometimes a lot more is completely normal.

On rainy days when the outdoor rides on Magic Island are closed, the indoor attractions can have even longer lines therefore making the Magic Pass even more useful for making the most out of your visit.

Is Lotte World like Disneyland

Before my visit, I had read that many people described Lotte World as a “Korean Disneyland” and even though there are some similarities between the two, that is really where the comparison ends. Whilst Lotte World does have themed areas, rides, shows and an afternoon parade, it does not have the same magical atmosphere that any of the various Disney parks around the world have so it is not really fair to compare the two as they are both so different and therefore it is best to enjoy Lotte World on its own terms.

However some of the more obvious similarities between the two include the castle with blue turrets at the centre of Magic Island as well as the Lotte and Lorry characters who seem to be inspired by Mickey and Minnie – even down to Lorry’s giant red bow. There are also a few rides that feel very familiar: Pharaoh’s Fury is similar to the Indiana Jones Adventure, the Adventures of Sinbad has a Pirates of the Caribbean vibe and Flyventure is reminiscent of Soarin’ Around the World. The park even has a restaurant called Crystal Palace and a night parade with lights like the Main Street Electrical Light Parade, Paint the Night or Disney Starlight.

The Rides and Attractions at Lotte World

One of the most impressive things about Lotte World is just how many rides and attractions are packed into such a compact space. Everywhere you turn there is something new to discover with rides hidden away is almost every corner and on every level of the park. Some of the entrances can be a little tricky to find so it is worth checking the park map or app to make sure you do not miss anything during your visit.

Several attractions at Lotte World require a special free of charge ticket known as the Boarding Reservation System, which gives you a return time to join the line for the ride. The app shows which rides use this system and tells you where and when to go to collect your ticket. There are also several rides in the park with single rider lines including Atlantis, The Conquistador and French Revolution which can help save time if you are visiting alone or do not not mind being separated from your group.

Some of the most popular rides and attractions at Lotte World include:

Atlantis (Magic Island)
A high speed hybrid roller coaster and water flume ride that races through the ancient ruins of Atlantis.

French Revolution (Second Floor of Adventure)
An indoor roller coaster that loops upside down and twists through the park’s different floors and buildings.

Pharaoh’s Fury (Fourth Floor of Adventure)
A thrilling jeep adventure through an ancient Egyptian tomb.

Comet Express (Magic Island)
A fast, spinning roller coaster located underground.

World Monorail (Third Floor of Adventure)
A gentle monorail ride featuring the faces of Lotty and Lorry that travels around the entire park offering great views of both Lotte World Adventure and Magic Island.

Pokémon Balloon Ride (Fourth Floor of Adventure)
A slow and scenic hot air balloon ride with aerial views over the indoor park below.

The Conquistador (First Floor of Adventure)
A classic swinging pirate ship ride that will make your stomach drop.

Flume Ride (First Floor of Adventure)
A dinosaur themed log flume ride with fun splashdowns along the way.

Gyro Drop (Magic Island)
A towering free fall ride that offers amazing views of Seoul and Seokchon Lake before plunging you back down to earth.

The Adventures of Sinbad (First Floor of Adventure)
A dark boat ride through underground caves filled with pirates, treasure and dragons.

Flyventure (First Floor of Adventure)
A flying theatre experience that takes you on a fantastical journey to another world with a daring inventor.

Other Information to Know When Visiting Lotte World

Lotte World can be a little bit confusing and hard to navigate when you first arrive as the layout is tricky, with rides tucked into every corner and multiple floors to explore. I felt lost for the first hour of my visit and it took some time to get my bearings however once you know your way around, it becomes much easier to move between attractions and enjoy everything the park has to offer.

Before your visit to the park, make sure to download the English language map from the official Lotte World website as it is really helpful for finding your way around the park as it clearly shows the locations of the attractions, elevators, escalators and toilets.

As the majority of Lotte World is located inside, there is no need to worry about any inclement weather. However as already mentioned, some of the outdoor rides will close for even the smallest amount of rain so if riding Atlantis is top of your must-do list, make sure to visit on a dry day.

And if visiting on a sunny day, make sure to bring plenty of SPF with you for when you are waiting in the queue lines outside on Magic Island.

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes during your visit as you will be surprised by the amount of walking that you will do.

The shows and parades at Lotte World are very popular so if you want a good spot, be sure to arrive early and grab your place in plenty of time.

While Lotte World is very visitor friendly, English is somewhat limited throughout the park so having the English map or the Lotte World app will be very helpful. Most of the rides and shows are only in Korean, but you will still be able to enjoy them even if you do not understand the language. The staff are all very friendly and most of them speak a little English and some will be able to speak more than others. Having the Papago translation app on hand can also be really useful for written or spoken translations if you need any extra help during your visit.

For some unknown reason that I do not completely understand, adults can rent school uniforms to wear while visiting Lotte World. However if this is something you are interested in, be aware that they may not have any larger sizes, especially for western visitors, so options may be limited if you need a bigger fit.

Lotte World has plenty of shops selling merchandise including plush toys of Lotty and Lorry to other themed souvenirs and accessories. I had no issue using my credit card to pay for my shopping even though I had read before my visit that some places in South Korea might not take overseas cards. During my visit Apple Pay was not working yet but I was told it would be available at Lotte World from October 2025 so I still needed to present the actual card to pay.

There are lockers available for rent at Lotte World where you can store any bags, jackets or any other items that you do not want to carry around with you all day.

If you are visiting with friends or family, designate a specific meeting point as soon as you arrive at Lotte World as it is very easy to get separated and lose each other, especially when the park is very busy and crowded.

And finally, unlike at other theme parks, you cannot re-enter the park once you have left.

If you are visiting Seoul and looking for a fun way to spend a few hours or even a full day, I would definitely recommend a trip to Lotte World. The park is truly unique and makes for a great break after a few busy days of sightseeing around the city. Even though I only spent a few hours there, it is so easy to see how you could easily spend a full day exploring. Between the fun rides, photo opportunities and simply wandering around the park, there is so much to see and enjoy.

I will definitely be going back on a future visit to Seoul – after all, I still need to ride Atlantis!

I visited Seoul in 2025 so some information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check any official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

Support Me and Buy Me a Coffee
Follow Me on Instagram
Pin this Blog Post on Pinterest
Follow Me on Bloglovin’