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West Edmonton Mall
Category: Shopping Shopping Centres Shopping Centres [Edit]
8882 170 St NWEdmonton, AB T5T 4J2
(780) 444-5321
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
76 reviews for West Edmonton Mall
Review Highlights
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"Bourbon Street - A themed street full of cute eateries." In 15 reviews -
"...or send them to the indoor water park while you enjoy a..." In 7 reviews -
"And check out the fire breathing dragon at the movie..." In 5 reviews
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75 reviews in English
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Review from Leon C.
Vancouver, BC
5/22/2012
Fun facts: West Edmonton Mall, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. There are over 800 stores and services and parking for more than 20,000 vehicles. More than 23,000 people are employed at the property.
It was my first time in West Ed & I loved it! I love how everything (really everything) is under one 6 million sq ft roof, you can hang out at the water park in the morning, ride a roller coaster, skate and watch sea lions before noon, check out Santa Maria (the pirate ship) then hit Chinatown for lunch, buy some edible gifts at T&T, shop till you drop before dinner, run to the casino to recover your spending, shoot a few rubber bullets at the Wild West Shooting Centre (not the perfect place to treat your in-laws) then go for a few drinks at Moxie at the Restaurant Avenue and finish the night with a few hours looking cool and standing around at the night club then return to the Fantasyland hotel room in Hollywood style.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this review is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by a subjective first-time tourist (like car side mirrors, objects may appear "nicer" than they are) after enjoying a half day of air conditioning and a tasty meal at Moxie with a gorgeous lady.
Your friendly neighborhood,
The Merchant of Truth -
Review from Deanna S.
3/30/2012
I have mixed feelings about this mall. Having worked at various retail stores over 4 years, I love/hate it.
I love how everything you'd ever need could be found in this mall. How many people can say they've ridden a roller coaster on their lunch break? Not many. I was never short of things to do after work, and it's a great place to hide on a rainy/snowy day. You can shop, go to an amusement/water park, eat, and see a movie all within the same mall.
Why don't I like this mall? It's dirty. When you go there almost every day, it loses it's lustre and you just start to see how dirty it really is. A walk from one end of the mall to the other in sandals will leave your feet almost black with dirt. I'm not kidding, it happened to me on a regular basis. Sometimes, there's a rough crowd hanging around. One time I was walking to the bus and someone came up to me and just took my wallet right from my hand. It happens, and there's a reason why Edmonton is pretty much the crime capital of Canada. Naturally, mall security was useless and I was never able to find justice in the theft. So just be careful and aware of your surroundings.
It's definitely a cool place to check out if you're visiting (and it's actually one of the very FEW things to do in Edmonton, so get ready because it doesn't really get much better than this-- other than a few restaurants, the river valley, and maybe Fort Edmonton Park). If anyone ever came to visit me from out of town, this was always the first place to take them. It's Edmonton's claim to fame. -
Review from Eric C.
2/26/2012
Whenever you hear the word "Edmonton", you automatically think of West Edmonton Mall. I'm not ashamed as a local because face it, it's the top tourist destination to visit if you stop by the city. Besides the mall is one of my favourite places to go to whenever I have the urge to go shopping or catch a flick.
The mall has pretty much everything you can think of from a waterpark, amusement park, skating rink, themed "streets" like Europa Boulevard & Chinatown, a casino, hotel and a mini golf course! The selection of stores is vast because just simply the mall is huge, so make sure to grab a map in case you get lost.
There are two food courts at the mall, one by Galaxyland and other near the Sea Lions although I try to avoid them since fast food isn't my thing. If you want better tasting food, try Bourbon Street.
One thing I do like is that have been more high end stores like Victoria Secret, Apple Store, Banana Republic, Forever 21 in recent years so it's a welcome addition to the aging mall.
Contrary to the previous review, the mall is currently undergoing a major renovation & facelift that is much-needed and welcomed since it was getting dated and old.
Parking can be a hassle and a nightmare especially on weekends and during the Christmas season so make sure to come early to find the perfect spot. If not there is the overflow parking although it's too far for my taste. -
Review from Dee Z.
5/25/2012
It's in need of a facelift. I mean, the European area is really pretty, and if you ride the elevator to the hotel level above, you can look through windows and people watch which is cool. But the rest of the mall is lacking in the aesthetic area.
The theme park area is small-ish. But to my surprise, the rides were actually pretty fun. Like stomach-dropping fun. There was one ride where you have to hold down a button to stop your seat from swinging back and forth, upside-down. That was fun. But don't expect to spend more than a couple hours there unless you like to ride everything over and over again.
I didn't get to try the waterpark, but the Travel channel liked it ,so I'll take their word for it.
All in all, it's a mall. It has a lot of stores. Probably all the stores you'd find in your standard mall. So if you're going there to shop, it''s fine. If you're making the trip for the attraction side, I would skip it. They could definitely benefit from a good, thorough cleaning, and a remodel. -
Review from Kim H.
1/21/2012
"Mall Walking Review"
This will be a bit of a strange review of the mall.
It's been so cold this week and we've had a hard time going walking, it's just too cold! We ended up walking the entire mall today (upper & lower) not including any stores. We were able to complete a full 'indoor perimeter' in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
In case anyone is wondering, the walk is about 9,700 steps if you're a big pedometer fan, and about 6.72 kilometers, so pretty decent all in all.
Difficulties were navigating busy spots like an event at the ice arena, Galaxyland full of children/stollers and food courts when you're hungry.
I think we'll make this a 'back up plan' when it's too cold outside to go walking, plus, there's so much to see. Just leave your wallet at home. -
Review from Andrew H.
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Christmas time for the men is a challenge. It's gut check time, a test if you will, by the women to see if the men can buy something nice that doesn't rhyme with rift tards.
I honestly think I did all of my shopping at the mall instead of running all over town. Let's see how I did
person A: iPod fitness tracker from Sport Chek and music CD's from HMV
person B: Funko Homer Simpson figurine from Collector's Edge
person C: Self steep tea cup from David's Tea
person D: Darth Vader alarm clock from HMV
person E: two ties from Mexx and a shirt from Tip Top
nephew: 2 pairs of PJ's from the Disney store (Captain America and Spider-man for a 2 year old!)
brother: pasta maker at Bed Bath and Beyond
I think I did pretty well!
Need a break? you have two distinctive food courts and a strip of restaurants to refuel if you need a break.
Say what you will about buying into commercialism, West Ed has so much variety and ideas that I could work with to give the thoughtful and useful gift.
Holiday tip: Tuesday/Wednesday nights are a great way to avoid the crowds.
Holiday pro tip: parking can be atrocious so my sweet spots are lower level right underneath Silvercity. -
Review from Laurel P.
2/14/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I'm honestly not a huge fan of West Edmonton Mall. My excuse for going here used to be that it had stores we didn't have in Calgary. However, Calgary now has all the same shops (and more) at way nicer malls so there really isn't the same incentive to come here to shop. I really only go here when I have people visiting from out of town.
It is way too easy to get lost and they don't make it easy to find a mall directory. I'm sure I would figure it out if I came here more often, but my point is that the confusing layout doesn't make me want to come back. There is also never enough parking. Even if you come first thing in the morning before all the other shoppers get there, you still have to search for a spot.
I feel like tons of money is being pumped into tourist attractions like new slides at the water park while the actual structure of the mall is being neglected. This place is in desperate need of a multimillion dollar face-lift that I don't see coming anytime soon. The floors are all cracked and worn and the décor is like something straight out of the 80's. It doesn't exactly scream fashion-forward.
Long story short, I like things in this mall, but I don't particularly care for the mall itself. Once you see past the glitz and glamour of the tourist attractions, WEM is really just a big outdated mall, nothing more. -
Review from Kristin K.
Edmonton, AB
12/27/2011 12 Check-ins Here
Love WEM for specialty things like the APPLE store or DISNEY store. I don't come to the mall just to wander around but we do go there at least once a month. Also, love that Ed's Rec Room has the Edmonton Events Centre in it - we probably go to 3 or 4 rock shows there a year with a great tiered bar area. Also love to take my toddler to Galaxy Land - M-Th you can get an all day wrist band for $10 as long as you purchase it before 3PM (holidays excluded)!
It's a great escape for the cold winter months. -
Review from Amanda F.
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
EEEEEK! I just do not have the personality to be able to handle this place. The idea of it is great - everything you could imagine all in one place! There's something for everyone to do!! I think you have to be a die hard shopper to be able to contend with the crowds here. I also usually find that the prices here are a little higher than everywhere else.
Don't get me wrong; the sea lions are neat (and whatever other animals they have on display at the time - lemurs, flamingos, etc...), Bourbon street is awesome, there's so much to see and do - be really cool if the dragon in the theater ever did it's thing while I was there to see it!!!! If you are just bored and looking for something to do - take a walk around this mall and I am positive you will find something. When it comes to shopping though, I personally avoid this place like the plague (also because parking can be a nightmare, and then remembering where you parked is even worse) - off to Southgate or Kingsway for that!!Listed in: Malls in Edmonton
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Review from Peggy L.
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the number of stores this mall has, and I love the feeling that a good days shopping here gives me (sore feet are a badge of honor). There are plenty of restaurants in the mall and in the surrounding areas. The mall also has plenty of other fun places things to do with a theater, a shooting range, mini-golf, and multiple aquariums.
There are definite downsides though. I don't go very often because it's a thirty minute drive from the south side, but more than that, I don't go because of the insufferable noise. In the holiday season the mall is so noisy and crowded it gives me a headache every time. -
Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
11/12/2011
I hate malls - in fact, when I was in high school, I took pride in that I refused to step inside a particular local mall for over two years (a desire to be employed broke my streak). But as a newcomer to Edmonton with a need for winter stuff, I felt I should check out the hype. And as far as malls go, it's pretty cool.
Some things I liked about it:
1) The washrooms located near the Payless Shoe Source on the 2nd floor above the skating rink are possibly the fanciest mall washrooms ever.
2) It has a waterpark (sure, I didn't actually visit the waterpark, but the waterpark's existence is awesome, and may be essential for me in a few months).
3) Any sort of fun activity you could ever want to participate in is there, if not necessarily in abundance. There's a casino with a poker room, a bowling alley, a billiards hall, 2 miniature golf courses, and more.
4) The T&T Supermarket (which deserves its own review).
5) No matter what your interest is, you can find a store which suits your needs.
6) While the mall is certainly family friendly, there are also many stores that are not exactly family oriented.
What I didn't like:
1) As a new person to Edmonton (and real winter weather in general), I found myself to be much too hot inside.
2) The prices of the retail stores inside the mall seemed to be rather high - it's like the stores charged a premium due to their location. -
Review from Janine W.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This mall has fantastic stores and attractions, and given the fact that this mall needs a facelift and they are working on that is a good thing.
The thing that ruins West Edmonton Mall is ridiculously busy every time I've gone. It is actually to the point that it fails to be enjoyable. It is so congested to the point that navigating the place is really an exercise in futility. I mean, Times Square isn't even this congested with people (yes, I've been there).
If you can deal with excessive crowds then this is a great mall for the whole family, but if you can't stand hoards of people, then I suggest finding alternative activities.
Yelp 30 Day Challenge: 16/30Listed in: Alberta Adventures With…
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Review from Kenny M.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I remember when I was a child west Edmonton mall was a serious destination. It was the worlds biggest mall! They had it all ! A theme park , a waterpark, a hotel with themed rooms! Shops up the yin yang, a submarine, a giant whale, real dolphins!!! What a trip Its a place any kid would dream of going to! A fantastic and magical land!!
I hate to bash the once biggest mall in the world now probably 10th biggest mall in the world but it really needs major work. It's outdated to the point where even I notice. Obviously, plenty of great shops to tour and such but the mall itself is tired and worn out which takes away from its appeal. I can't even imagine the cost of remodeling this place! Not to mention all of the time it would take! Plus You would need a huge army. Anyhow I hope to see this mall be reinvigorated, it's an Alberta institution! Do you remember the 80s? I sure do!
14/30 -
Review from Scott W.
Vancouver, BC
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I thought this mall is really cool - especially the ice rink! I was sitting at the starbucks over looking the rink and saw a 3-4 year old practicing, and he was amazing! Not to say that if this little boy wasnt there showing off the rink wouldnt be as cool - because it totally is, how could a giant ice rink in the middle of a mall, with coffee shops and stores all around it, not be awesome!
You could spend a couple days wondering around it is so big.. lots of stores, but the coolest things are the extras like the rink, the pool, climbing wall, giant pirate ship - and all the cool restaurants.
Will go back again next time i am in edmonton! -
Review from Joshua W.
7/12/2011
Big Mall. Very Big Mall. The biggest mall in North America.
So big it has a freakin water park, ice rink, movie theater, their own Chinatown and bourbon street, pink flamingos, sea lions and a fire breathing dragon (no joke). The store selection is quite extensive, but they are SO far apart and spread out I would rather someone hand me a computer so I can purchase my items online.
It's a nice tourist attraction, but I for one would not be able to live in Edmonton, as there is absolutely no trace of any other types of sports stores other than hockey. Where is the football and basketball stuff fellow Canadians?! -
Review from Mike W.
7/12/2011
Good Points, Bad Points!!!!!! Yeah this Huge World Class Mall has them all, Good and Bad.
It is so huge that you can easily get lost trying to find your car, you will have sore feet running around everywhere, you may get a little nauseous from the Mind Bender and you may be a little stuffed from excellent food and possibly a few cocktails. You will see amazing aquariums, a hockey rink, an awesome ship, a submarine, exotic birds, Bourbon street, a huge theater, and an amazing beach and wavepool in the mall. There are so damn many attractions to see and participate in at this mall. Many shops, stores, dealerships, restaurants, pubs, services and almost anything else you can think of!!
Why do some people love to hate this mall, I am not sure but I for one am proud we have it here in Edmonton. Not a place I would like to visit everyday to do my shopping but a very cool place to take your friends or family visiting our fine city. Let us face the fact that the WEM is a tourist attraction for our city and we should all just enjoy it for what it is.
I have been to WEM many times since it opened and will continue to recommend it to everyone new to our city.Listed in: 5 Star - The WOW Factor
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Review from Melissa B.
Calgary, AB
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Got all the stores I could want (forever 21, Victoria Secret, American Apparel, weed paraphernalia store, huge HMV, and the list goes on...) Having a movie theatre, ice rink, wave pool, arcade, event centre, hotel, casino, amusement park, restaurant district, ect, ect really makes this a mall that literally has everything.
Give yourself the whole day if your going for the first time cause it is so large you could end up in the same place twice and not even notice. -
Review from Alex P.
7/12/2011
You know, I'm so on the fence when it comes to WEM.
They've got a Victoria's Secret which I absolutely LOVE, Coin & Stamp is great for the odd thing, T&T Supermarket is the only place that sells the ramen I like (don't judge my student ways), and there are a couple other places unique to the mall that inevitably carry things I would like.
But despite this, I'm still not a huge fan. For one thing, the mall is DIRTY. Maybe it's because the place is so darn big and has a lot of traffic, but if you look at the edges of the floors, or at the support columns, or just about anything in the hallways, it's just dirty. Especially in the Waterpark ... blech. They've made some improvements over the last few years, and put in some nice seating areas in Phase I, but those are soon becoming worn out and dirty as well. Compare this to the recent improvements to Southgate Mall, and you can see a night-and-day difference. It's not even really a great tourist attraction because of the run-down state of the place.
Also, it's hard to find anything there. Because the mall has such a high volume of traffic, everything is picked through and often disorganized. This is especially relevant as I am a pretty average dress and shoe size. Usually if I'm looking for something specific at a chain store, I'm better off going to a smaller mall.
WEM has some good qualities, though. If you're shopping with a group of 4-5 people, especially mixed gender, it makes it easy for all of you to have something to do or somewhere to shop. Since the mall is so huge it does offer good diversity when it comes to both store types and price range within those types.
Overall, it's not my favorite, but I do inevitably have to go there for the odd thing. I enjoy going with friends, as it offers us somewhere to walk around for a while (especially in winter) and the mall pretty much has something for everyone.Listed in: Cheep Thrills, Chores, Chores, Chores
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Review from Tasha A.
6/5/2011 6 photos
The biggest mall in North America....yep...it's nice!
So West Edmonton Mall has a lot of every day stores along with high end stores, attractions & restaurants. The good thing about the mall is that you're able to quickly find many "go to" stores like Gap, Banana Republic, the Apple store, Calvin Klein, etc. I was impressed by the attractions - they have TONS of attractions like the Fire Breathing Dragon inside of the movie theater, the ice skating rink, the water park which looks super awesome, Chinatown & Bourbon Street.
Having been to the Mall of American before I knew exactly what to expect of West Ed Mall. For someone who has not been to a mall of this magnitude though, I think it would be a bit overwhelming. I've checked this off of my list of "things to do" while I'm in Edmonton. -
Review from Elvis A.
9/17/2011
This monstrosity is on the west end of the city as the name suggests. I am sure it was a marvel to behold when it opened up as what was not to like an theme hotel, an indoor water park, an amusement park, a casino, movie theater, clubs and live show with animal acts not to mention the ice rink etc etc.
The mall feels dated now and dark in some area. The aisles are tight and get pretty congested on the weekend. I dreaded the thought of coming here unless there was an absolute need to do so.
There are some good parts like I liked the T&T supermarket (at one time the only one in the city) and some shops that have only one outlet in the city.
The food court is nothing special and the food is not good in most of the places I tried.
I can see the attraction of being everything under one roof approach but an overhaul is severely needed here.Parking can be pressing. -
Review from Anthony R.
Lethbridge, AB
It was an experiance thats for sure big place lots was under construction so it was incomplete last i was there in july 2011.
well i cant boast for it, it was fun neat cool & if you'v never been go!! -
Review from Brittany K.
Edmonton, AB
1/19/2011 19 Check-ins Here
This mall simply keeps getting better and better. It started with the expansion of Quebec chains like Le Chateau, and now we have Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, The Apple Store, and the mother of all frock shops, Anthropologie.
For a while there, it seemed like the WEM team had lost their focused and were being all entertainment-obsessed, when great stores are what this girl needs in her mall. But they've rebounded with their amazing recent additions and I couldn't be happier. (Although my wallet could be.)
For out-of-towners: do the usual touristy stuff - Galaxyland and World Water Park are kind of awesome. And check out the fire breathing dragon at the movie theatre and squeeze in a submarine ride if you can. But also check out the corners of the mall where local businesses live (like bakeries - yum!) visit littler attractions like the glow-in-the-dark putting green.
Among the restaurants to choose from are Cactus Club (I die for the cajun chicken) and Delux Burger Bar!
Boxing Day Shoppers - get here early! 6:45 AM this year meant I wasn't even one of the first 100 in line at H&M. Whaaat?! -
Review from Emma G.
4/19/2011
West Ed really does have everything! It's huge and I love all the different things they have - the ice rink, the water park, etc. The sea lions are so cute!
Also I love the "areas" like Chinatown and Bourbon Street - very cool.
The mall itself, though, is kind of run down and ugly looking? I expected something cleaner/nicer and it was kind of grungy. But it has so many awesome stores, who cares? -
Review from Spiro P.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2010
This mall is the only place where you will find an Apple store in Edmonton. The benefit of shopping here is that Alberta does not have a computer tax, nor a provincial sales tax. Therefore, you are going to pay 5% only ontop of the retail price.
It is true that you will find a lot of the generic chain stores, but they may have certain items that ran out at the other stores. Some of the stores in this mall will carry more stock because it is a tourist destination.
If you can find an item at a closer store to you, in Alberta, don't go out of your way coming here.
Even though I didn't use them, it was nice seeing the roller coaster, ice rink, and water park. -
Review from Joanne H.
Edmonton, AB
6/21/2011
It's dirty and crime ridden. Don't believe me? Check out the edmonton city police site Neighbourhood Crime Mapping and do a search for Summerlea where the WEM is located.
Driving around it is frustrating and dangerous, and parking is a joke!. Not to mention, most everything in there is expensive! With the World Water Park, Fantasy land hotel, Galaxyland eta- sure its great for the tourist. Absolutely horrible for residents especially during morning and evening rush hour and holiday season. -
Review from samuel a.
Vancouver, BC
11/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's a mall and one that is getting older and more outdated with each passing year. Who really cares how big a mall is if all it has is crap in it.
West Ed is OK. Nothing special. Sure there's an ice rink in the mall, etc., but nowadays it's not something to go out of your way to see. -
Review from Matt R.
8/6/2008
This place is insane. The good insane, not the "The neighbor's dogs told me to do it in my dreams" insane.
Where else can you find the following in the same location*?
Amusement Park
World's Largest Indoor Wave Pool
NHL Regulation Sized Hockey Rink
Two Movie Theaters
Indoor Shooting Range
Bowling Alley
Casino
Indoor Skate Park
3 Radio Stations
Inter-Denominational Chapel
Paintball
*When I say that, you have to realize that, as the third largest mall on the planet, even if you just walk around to bars and get drunk, you'll be walking your ass off (literally). -
Review from Fraulein C.
8/20/2008
Okay...so towards my educational vacation with my family, we end up here for the end of our trip. Yeah it's not like any other mall you would find in the US. I've been to nicer and bigger malls outside of the US...this mall comes close to it.
A water park, ice skating rink, miniature golf...etc. I mean really...awesome! It's every kid's and teen's dream. A mall with all the good stuff. The teens can go shopping (more like the girls) and have the time to go through a roller-coaster. Crazy right? While the adults can scurry away to gamble in their mini casino or check out a live show.
Besides all the goodies, they have great restaurants and a jubilee of a Chinatown, Bourbon Street, and a European experience...inside a MALL! It's like a small version of Disney World/Las Vegas style place, but a miniature form inside a building.
This place really seized to amaze me. The minute I walked in...I really didn't want to leave. I was glad that my parents saved the best for last for our trip. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy all the educational stuff, but they sure as hell know how to make our vacation end with a BANG! I definitely want to come back here. -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
10/27/2009
One of the most amazing malls I have ever been to, and for sure one of my all time favourite malls in Canada.
What do they have you ask? Let's see:
-Fantasy Land Hotel - a hotel inside the mall and a good majority of the rooms are theme rooms! I've stayed here a couple of times and the theme rooms are done SO beautifully! Any theme you can think of, they have a room that encompasses it.
- Bourbon Street - A themed street full of cute eateries. It makes you feel like you're ACTUALLY on Bourbon Street.
- Let's not forget to mention that inside the mall there is also: a water park, an amusement park, rides, an ice palace, a skateboard park, an imax, a dinner theatre, a casino, a shooting center, a climbing wall, a ball room, a piano bar, a lounge, an indoor lake, and don't even GET me started on all the shopping!!!
This place is AMAZING.
There is nothing they don't have.
Just a note though: you'll never, not ever, catch me in the water park. Yes it's huge, yes they've got water slides, but there's just something not right about going swimming in the mall. I refuse :)
Absolutely amazing.
If you haven't been, GET THERE. -
Review from Aditya R.
1/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Is it a mall? Is it a tourist attraction? Is it a place for kids to have fun? It seems to be all of the above, but overall, is still average in all three departments.
1.) The Mall aspect of this place is big and overwhelming. While they do have a humungous variety of stores and honestly speaking, the only place where you could find any kind of store you wanted to - from Gap to Calvin Klein and from Zellers to The Bay, WEM lacks in uniformity and expectation. Some stores are just too bad, pretty much living on life-support and the only reason they're there is because the mall is so HUGE! The hugeness also opens up avenues for classy restaurants, steak houses etc. to open up at the WEM and I think that's probably THE most awful concept - having to come to a mall, not just any mall, but a huge one, to have an $80/person meal?!?!?
2.) Touristy stuff at the mall seems to be lackluster, at best. There are several things out here that are outdated and ordinary. Given that people in E-town like to spend their money, I really think an effort should be made to at least get things up to state-of-the-art. I particularly feel kinda sorry for the dimly lit, indoor area, in which the seal has to do its dance with the black & white ball. I do understand that Edmonton is not in Florida and hence, anything with a seal involved would have to be indoors. But just the thought of all this happening in the middle of the chaos of shoppers walking by, is a little too much. I would say that the Waterpark is good, given that E-town has harsh winters (it reminds me of the ski slopes in one of Dubai's malls!).
3.) Closely linked to point number 2, among things that kids enjoy here are the gondola-like water rides and of course, the skating rink and the thrill rides. They're again, just about okay. I think the skating area is decent, although very public in a weird way. They have rentals too, which make it kinda fun.
I give it 3*s for a decent variety of things. However, I certainly don't consider it a great place to visit. It's overwhelming, crowded, lots of ordinary things and can be quite lackluster. I don't expect it to improve tremendously, because it's just too big! -
Review from Kevin C.
1/7/2009
I must say I love WEM. I've lived in Edmonton before and miss it quite a bit.
Not having access to WEM makes it 10 times worse.
You can easily spend 2-3 days at the mall. One day at the water park, another half day at the ice rink and the other half at the theme park, and a day to explore the mall, especially now that Zara and BR have set up shop in the mall.
During Hockey season, you can watch the team of the 80's practice live. Then head on over to pseudo Bourbon street for a few meals including Hooters.
Did I forget anything else? -
Review from Donna Y.
8/20/2008
The World's Largest Mall-
This is a mall that all mall lovers dream of. They got everything here. Two of each kind of store, water park, casino, and amusement park all wrap into one place. This place is huge to have two stores of the same kind on each side of the mall. Besides that you can go gambling, or ride roller coasters, and if you don't feel like doing any of that you can go into the huge wave pool they have. This place is so much fun and it has something for everyone. Love to go back! -
Review from Ross G.
8/7/2008
This place is huge!
Stunningly
Mind blowingly
Incomprehensibly
Overwhelmingly
Big
That is all...
Well ok, lets add some facts to give you an idea of the size of this place:
It has a theme part, with rollercoaster, inside
It has a (huge!) water park, with slides, inside
It has a hockey rink!
It has two (2!) mini golf courses.
It has a casino! Inside a mall!
It has two (2!) movie theaters!
Multiple laser tag places, a go cart rink, a supermarket, tattoo parlors, liquor stores, lots of bars and restaurants and enough fast food to clog the hearts of everyone in Alberta.
It just goes on and on...
Upon reflection this makes sense. In the middle of a cold and snowy Alberta winter the last thing you want to do is drive from place to place. Well, problem solved. Pile the family in the suv, drive down to the mall and go nuts. Get some breakfast, play some mini golf, do some swimming, have a nice lunch, buy some clothes, buy some booze at the liquor store, drink it, go to the bar, drink some more, get a tattoo, play some more mini golf, slide around the ice rink, visit the health clinic, and you're good to go! -
Review from Eric B.
8/11/2008
I have been to both the Mall of America and the West Edmonton Mall on several occassions. Both were developed by the same family. I prefer West Ed overall because of the water park, ice rink and other entertainment options that I think are a bit better than Mall of America. I imagine a Minus 40 weekend in Edmonton and with my son staying at the Fantasyland Hotel and spending the weekend in the water park, dining out in nice places, and wandering the mall. Then again, maybe my son and I would drive to Jasper (~4 hours away).
Another point: Edmonton has a lot more going for it than the West Edmonton Mall. The University of Alberta is here as is the stunning Saskatchewan River Valley. There's lots of opportunity for outdoor activities here in addition to various cultural festivals and performances in this very diverse city. The Strathcona District and watching the Edmonton Esks play CFL football are also fun outings.Listed in: Unique Places to Stay
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Review from Aaron M.
8/8/2008
I went here as a kid and was totally awestruck. They have rollercoasters, waterpark sunken pirate ship the list goes on. The coaster was pretty sweet and well worth the visit.
The only other thing I remeber is they had an Amiga store which made me love this mall more than all others. -
Review from Skylar L.
8/7/2008
This place was such a disappointment. My friends and I actually drove to Edmonton on our road trip just for the mall. I had seen a documentary on it when I was younger and my mind ran with excitement ever since.
It's such a crappy mall. Yea, it's big, but so what? It's dilapidated and has a lot of repeat stores. There are no stores that seemed individual to the mall. The water park looked pretty cool, but a water park is a water park. A mall is a mall. You go there, in the end of the day, to shop.
Don't waste your dreams and fantasies on this depressing excuse for a mall.
Hey, at least there's no tax in Alberta.Listed in: Oh the Places We'll Go
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Review from J C.
1/10/2009
A must visit on any visit to Canada. I made a huge detour just to come here, and it was worth it. Lots of stores, although there's maybe 2 or 3 of the same places at different locations.
They have a bourbon street themed area with lots of eateries. There's also a casino in another wing. Yet another wing has an indoor amusement park (it looked mediocre, I did not visit that)
I especially loved the indoor waterpark. It was BIG, and FUN! I didn't have to worry about getting sunburned during the summer. It wasn't even too crowded.
IMO this is the main attraction in Alberta, although I spent so much time here I didn't have any time to spend in Calgary.
The locals didn't seem to enthused about the Mall.. They did mention that there were plans to expand it even MORE to keep the Largest Mall in North America title. -
Review from Patricia M.
Edmonton, AB
9/14/2010
It's big, out dated, dirty, busy, and full of obnoxious people. On top of it all, the parking is horrendous.
If you are a white sheep you will love this mall. It is full of redundant American box chains. There is nothing original in this mall as it is full of stores like Aldo, American Eagle, Gap, Stiches, Forever 21, Guess, and Mexx ... etc ... etc ... YAWN.
The restaurants are not worth mentioning (more corporate business chains) and the store selection for stuff like home decor, gaming, electronics, bridal, etc ... is equally boring.
Then you have the animal attractions which are inhumane or the entertainment like golf, an indoor water park, and galaxy land which need huge make overs.
The only mildly good thing in this place is Build A Bear Workshop.
Triple thumbs down! -
Review from Virginia Y.
8/18/2010
What isn't there to do here in this mall!?
Waterpark, amusement park, ice rink, sea animals, eating oh and did I mention SHOPPING!?
They have practically the whole world packed in this mall.
Fun for the whole family, all ages included!
I could probably spend a good 4 days in this mall.. -
Review from Zoe L.
Calgary, AB
1/30/2010
I used to know West Ed like the back of my hand. Now that I don't live near it anymore I haven't been in a very long time. Even though it has evolved over the years it has only become better.
Galaxyland is a great amusement park, for being in a mall that is. They have rides for all ages. A general admission costs $32, the family rate is $85 and kids under 2 are free. The World Waterpark is a must stop, you can even bungee jump above the wave pool! The skating rink is always full, whether it be classes or free skate. I guess they have sea lion shows now and the marine life caverns are still going, but I haven't been in them for many years. Ed's rec room offers billiards and bowling. They have a Jubilation's Dinner Theatre and also a Casino. There is even mini putt and putt n' glow as well! Another words this place is filled with fun activities! There is a great Movie theatre if you feel the need to catch a flick. The shooting range is a must stop, it is a bit hard to find, but it is so fun! It costs about $40/50 to try a handgun.
The stores range in popularity and prices. The upper level tends to have the higher end designer brands. The lower level carries a lot of the popular stores. There is everything from pets to art to home accessories to bridal stores here! Imagine your favorite clothing store, the chances are high that there is one in here. The mall isn't hard to navigate, there are ample maps around. The West 49 has a skate park in it! I was so excited to see that they had a Urban Outfitters here! Needless to say, I had no trouble spending my money throughout the mall! Most of the stores are unisex, so there is a lot of men's shopping to be had as well.
They also have numerous restaurants, including a huge food court with every kind of cuisine imaginable. Bourbon St. is one of my favorite areas, it is always buzzing. They have an Earls, Spaghetti Factory, Moxie's, along with other unique places to eat, like Jungle Jim's. It sure has improved over the years, it has such a cool vibe now!
The mall even has a T&T Market and a themed "Chinatown" area. Europa Boulevard is an interesting change from the rest of the mall, it has a variety of stores you can shop, while feeling as though you are walking down the street of a European city. The mall offers super savings books for $8 that give you a number of coupons for food and shopping.
I was exhausted after a long day of shopping! West Ed is a must go, especially if you like spending a whole day shopping and maybe throwing in a bowling game or a movie! It is unlike any other mall you have ever been too, but expect to deal with crowds, especially on the weekends!
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