Westminster Abbey Hidden Highlights tour -- problem booking?

Jim, don’t know if you saw my thread about the HH tour, but like you I was wondering why it wasn’t showing up. I emailed them and they responded that the HH tour would not be offered after September. They didn’t say why nor if this was just a brief pause in it being offered. The other change is that before when you purchased the HH tour, the Diamond Jubilee galleries was included. Now admission to that part of the Abbey is separate from the tour.

Hope this helps. I’m a bit disappointed they are discontinuing the Hidden Highlights Tour. It had been widely recommended to take part in. When I looked at October dates for the Medieval Monasteries tour, I could add them. Maybe there are no tickets available for your dates bc they are indeed full..

Thanks, yes I did see your post. But I interpreted " HH tour would not be offered after September" to mean that it would be offered until the end of September. And in fact the Abbey website shows that it's offered most days through Sept 30.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/special-tours-and-events/2024/september/hidden-highlights-tour-september-2024/?_gl=1*1l90k4z*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTIwMDc5Mjc1MC4xNzI1MjE1MjMw*_ga_DHMS4WRT6Q*MTcyNTIxNTIyOS4xLjAuMTcyNTIxNTIyOS4wLjAuMA..

That link doesn't look like it pasted properly so if it doesn't work go to
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/
and click on "Hidden Highlights tour - September", which is pretty self-explanatory.

If they indeed canceled it they should take it off the website. I spent a frustrating hour this morning trying to book it.

It's possible they ended it early. I looked and it has all the September dates as being open, which seems strange, as they sell out relatively early.

I would email them and ask what is going on (and if they do say they ended it, tell them to please update the website). I don't blame you for being frustrated. Here is the email: [email protected]

"The lead page says that Hidden Highlights is offered during September but I'm at a loss."

I'm guessing that the HH tour is sold out for the dates/times you are trying for in September. And perhaps the Medieval Monastery tour is not offered until October, given that it's a sort of replacement for the HH (?). These are just my thoughts as I had no trouble booking the MM tour yesterday for Oct. 4. You could also email the abbey as was suggested in the thread on this topic a couple of days ago: [email protected]

Good luck!

They do need to clean up the website, bc last week when I was looking to see if I was doing anything wrong, all the available dates for the HH Tour in September had “sold out” beside them. Now those words are gone. I agree with Sara about the answer being the new tour replacing it is the Monasteries tour and you can’t book that one until October after the Highlights tour ends September 30.

Thanks, I did email the Abbey address this morning (Eastern time). No reply yet -- they're probably all busy with Sunday services.

I got this reply from the Abbey:

The Hidden Highlight Tour is our most popular tour and it is oftentimes booked far in advance. Unfortunately, all dates in September are fully booked by now.

The Medieval Monasteries Tour will replace the Hidden Highlight Tour from October onwards and is not offered in September.

Would have been nice if their website gave some indication of that. But at least we have an answer.

I agree, Jim. And they should also say that the tour is being discontinued and the Medieval Monastery tour taking its place in October. I have idea why the secrecy. It just makes more work for the people answering emails, and causes confusion with customers.

I wonder what was the reasoning for canceling their most popular tour? Will there be more people allowed in the Medieval Monasteries Tour, which in turn provides more money? They are also charging separately for the the Diamond Jubilee Galleries with the MM tour as well.

The email replies are def going to be time consuming if they don’t put a clarification up at some point. Thanks Jim for coming back and sharing what they told you.

My daughter and I decided last night to do the Houses of Parliament Tour instead of the MM tour at the Abbey. It will be new for both of us and since we couldn’t do the HH tour, felt it was a better option to spend our money on. We may try to go to an Evensong service, though. So beautiful.

I am completely making up reasons here. But when I took this tour in December, I thought they said that excavation/renovation or some such would be ongoing. Which makes me wonder if work in that area could be the reason.