We (myself, DH and kids, ages 16 & 18) will be in London during the Diamond Jubilee. Because of the expected crowds, I'm debating whether we should purchase our tickets for attractions online ahead of time or wait to take advantage of the 2-for-1 deal. The attractions in question are: Tower of London St. Pauls' Cathedral
Churchill War Rooms As always, thank you!
What is the 2 for 1 deal? We found it well worth it to purchase Tower of London tickets online. They were mailed to us. The lines were horrible even first thing in the morning, but it was much better to be standing in the queue for ticketholders than the other one.
We were in London in July of 2011 and got to the Tower of London about 5 minutes before it opened no line at all. We were able to use the 2 for 1 and save a lot of money. Ditto for Hampton Court Palace. If you are able to arrive anywhere first thing in the morning, I'd opt for the 2 for 1. If you plan on arriving later when the crowds may be heavier, you might want to purchase ahead.
The two for one plan is a promotion by the railways companies in the UK. If you have a valid train ticket for the time you there groups of 2 can gain admission for the price of one. There has been extensive discussion here about the program, and it is the reason many people go to LOndon and get paper Travelcards from railway stations.