Lotte World Folk Museum: The Best Part of My visit to Lotte World

 Lotte World was a disappointment due to way too many rides being closed on the one visit I was able to make. However, one part of the park was quite nice: the Folk Museum. It's free with a Daily Passport to Lotte World. It's a bit out of the way from the rest of the park, so follow the signs and just keep going.

 After showing your ticket and passing the guards, you can start your chronological lesson.

 The museum starts before the dawn of man, with a bit on dinosaurs, before getting to hunter-gatherers.

 The museum has lots of dioramas to help get a feel for how life was.

 This is a model of the Number Three Tomb in Anak. The museum is broken up into rooms based on general time periods and dynasties. The main areas are: Prehistoric, Three Kingdoms, Goryeo, Model Village, and Play Yard, which is a stage area with occasional performances and reenactments.

 There are plenty of artifacts and models.

 English signage throughout helps understand the scenes, which show daily life and culture in a much more visual way than the national folk museum at Gyeongbokgung. Both museums combined together (actual artifacts plus visual displays) really complete the picture.

 The clothing is pretty impressive. I wonder how hard it is to walk in a hat like the one the guy is wearing.

 One very large room has a series of scenes that combine to make a full city, including a royal palace.

The museum moves into the 20th century with a street scene.

 You can peer in the windows of the shops before finishing with an exhibit on Korean foods.

For 10,000 won ($10) you can have your photo taken in traditional costumes; there's also a restaurant and gift shop here.

If Lotte World's thrill rides had been open, this would have been a pleasant addition to my day. But without those, it helped make a bad situation a little better.

The Folk Museum is open 9:30-20:00; last admission is at 19:00. With a Daily Passport to Lotte World, admission is free, otherwise adult tickets are 5000 won ($5). The museum is accessed from Lotte World itself or in the mall on an upper floor from Jamsil Station Exit 4 (Lines 2 and 8).

Lotte World, Seoul, Korea: Not the Happiest Place on Earth

Lotte World is Korea's Disneyland. And like Disneyland, when the kids are out of school, this place is insanely packed.

 Most of the attractions are indoors, centered around a large ice rink on a bottom floor.

 Some back areas have different theming with more rides.

 On my first visit in the winter, it seemed like the entire population of Seoul was here because it was a vacation day. My return visit was on a rainy day while children were in school, so crowds in the morning were light.

Unfortunately, the rain also meant that every outdoor attraction was closed. And in preparation for another upcoming holiday rush, several indoor rides were closed as maintenance was being completed.

I did get on the looping coaster, which was fun but a bit rough.

Rain and a Disney-esque castle.

There is a little bit to see inside.

There's an indoor coaster outside, called Comet Express.

It, too, was fun, but nothing really exciting.

There's a second castle on the island which tells the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

You can hear a lot of the story in Korean by pushing buttons at the different displays.

Look! A fork museum! But I don't have enough tine! (Do you get what I did there?) You'll see the Folk Museum in another post.

The ice skating rink is an extra charge.

Why don't I have a lot to say? Well, like every other amusement park in Korea, I've had a lot of disappointment due to different circumstances. My first visit was a complete bust due to the insane crowds. The second time I went, I could take all the pictures you see here, but Pharaoh's Fury, Giant Loop, and all of the outdoor rides (you know, the thrilling rides at the park) were closed. I knew about Giant Loop but the (light) rain really messed up the outside plans. I attempted to return when the weather cleared up but that was the first day of a major Korean holiday. The park was again unbelievably busy.

And I have a second gripe for the park. They have these really fancy ticket-purchasing machines near the gate, but they have never worked when I've visited. I do want to go again, but I am really really hoping everything will be in order and lines will be relatively short.

Park hours vary based on expected demand, but it generally opens around 8:30 or 9:00, and closes late, around 22:00 or even later. Admission is 31,000 won, and a "daily passport" that includes rides is 46,000 won. There are discounts after 16:00. Take Subway Line 2 or Line 8 to Jamsil Station and follow the signs from Exit 4. The park is inside/adjacent to a large mall, which you walk through to get to the park entrance.