The Hot Wheels City Experience has made its European debut at the BEC Arena in Manchester, bringing a thrilling, hands-on adventure for fans of all ages. Spanning over 6,000 square meters, this immersive event offers visitors the chance to explore the world of Hot Wheels through a number of exciting stations, including a design centre, gamer zone, immersive museum, and even a Hot Wheels Lab. It’s an opportunity to step into the vibrant history of the iconic brand, with life-sized cars, interactive exhibits, and plenty of creative activities. This experience promises hours of fun, nostalgia, and learning, making it a must-visit for Hot Wheels enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike.
Our kids are huge Hot Wheels fans—they love watching Hot Wheels Let's Race on Netflix and spend hours playing with their ever-growing collection of cars and playsets. So when we heard about the Hot Wheels City Experience at the BEC Arena in Manchester, we knew we had to go! However, we weren’t sure we’d be able to attend due to the ticket prices, which start at £27.50 for adults and £22.50 for children. Fortunately, we found a half-price discount code (HOTWHEELS50), which made it possible—and I’m so glad we did! Both my son Leo, age 5, and daughter Alice, age 6, were thrilled, and this was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.
The booking process was easy—just pick one of the available time slots. In August, these start from 9:00 am, with the last entry at 5:00 pm, and in September, weekday slots extend to allow the last entry at 7:00 pm. However, if you don’t want to be tied to a specific time slot, all-day tickets are available at a higher price, starting at £32 for adults and £27 for children.
The BEC Arena is conveniently located in Trafford Park not far from the Trafford Centre. My dad offered to drop us off, but you can also take the tram to Parkway station, which is just a 5-10 minute walk away. The venue also has an onsite car park, which you need to pre-book at a cost of £12.
Upon arrival, our tickets were scanned, and a friendly staff member pointed out key spots like the toilets and food areas. She even offered to take our picture in front of the Hot Wheels sign, which was a great start to our day. The experience begins in a cosy room filled with bean bags where we watched an introductory video, setting the stage for the journey ahead.
The first major section is the museum, featuring a timeline of Hot Wheels cars through the decades, display cabinets of classic models, and even a few life-sized car replicas. While I was fascinated by the history, Alice wasn’t as captivated and hurried us along—a common challenge with little ones!
We then moved to the activities area, where Leo enjoyed colouring in a picture of a Bone Shaker car, which was later scanned and animated on a big screen. This was a fun touch and Leo loved seeing his creation on the big screen, though I wish they had more functioning pens available, as many were dried out.
Next, we hit the gaming zone, where Leo and my husband Lawrence loved playing the Hot Wheels PlayStation game. The car simulators were another highlight, although our kids needed to sit on our laps to reach the pedals, which wasn’t the most comfortable experience for Lawrence. While Alice had fun steering, it’s clear this section is better suited for older kids or adults. The children also enjoyed the smaller, pedal-free simulator designed for younger visitors—though there’s only one of these, which could be a drawback during busier times.
We then explored the painting workshop, where the kids could design their own car on a tablet, which was then projected onto a life-sized mode car. Seeing their creations come to life was a real hit.
The Shark Frenzy trampolines and foam pits were a big favourite, with separate zones for under and over sixes, allowing Leo and Alice to jump to their hearts’ content. Lawrence even got in on the action, making it a fun experience for the whole family.
The Hot Wheels Lab was another standout, featuring several playsets like the Ultimate Garage and Super Loop Fire Station, along with various track set ups. Each child received a car to play with, which they could swap out as needed—a simple but engaging activity.
The final area we explored was the Build Your Own Car section, where tablets allowed kids to customize virtual cars, by changing the colour of each section of the car. There designs along with their name were then displayed on the screens in front of them.
There were also numerous photo opportunities, including green screen setups that could place you in exciting Hot Wheels scenes. We didn’t try these, so I can’t comment on them or the pricing, but they looked fun!
Overall, we spent about three hours looking around, and we were fortunate that the venue was very quiet when we visited. We didn’t have to queue for anything and could easily access every activity, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. By the time we left at 5:00 pm, only one other family was in the main area, making it feel like we had the place to ourselves.
Food and drink options were a bit disappointing during our visit. Inside the venue, the street food stall was closed when we checked around 4:30 pm, and while there were food trucks outside serving hot dogs and chips, no one was available to serve us. In hindsight, I wasn’t too upset, as the prices were quite high—£10 for a children's meal of a hot dog, chips, and a drink, and £9 for a jumbo hot dog. We ultimately decided to wait and stop at McDonald's on the way home. If you do choose to eat at the venue, there are picnic benches and tables near the bar area inside, as well as outdoor seating near the food trucks.
Our visit wrapped up at the gift shop, which was a bit underwhelming due to limited stock. The selection of cars and playsets was sparse, and the prices were noticeably higher than what you'd pay in regular stores or online. They also had Hot Wheels City Experience-specific merchandise like sweatshirts, T-shirts, and caps, but they were quite pricey—£25 for a kids' sweatshirt and £15 for a cap. The items were nice, though, if you’re willing to splurge on a souvenir.
Overall, the Hot Wheels Experience at BEC Arena was a fantastic day out filled with hands-on activities that catered to both kids and adults. We had a great time, and the discounted ticket price made it feel like good value for money. However, I have to admit that if we’d paid the full ticket price, I might have felt a bit disappointed, as I don't think there was quite enough there to justify the higher cost. Despite a few minor hiccups, the joy on Leo and Alice’s faces made it all worth it. It’s an experience they’ll remember for a long time. Highly recommended for Hot Wheels enthusiasts and families looking for a fun, action-packed day out—but if you can, definitely try to snag a discount!
The Hot Wheels City Experience is on at the BEC Arena Manchester until 12th September 2024, you can purchase tickets by clicking on the button below.
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