Travel: 48 hours in London’s West End

Friday, 2pm Let your child take care of checking in at the Thistle Marble Arch (Bryanston Street, tel: 0871 376 9027, www.thistle.com, rooms from £125) and they’ll get a goody bag.

3pm Take your diva for a VIK (Very Important Kids) Experience at Hamleys (188-196 Regent Street, www.hamleys.com).

7pm Dine among film memorabilia at Planet Hollywood (57-60 Haymarket, 020 7287 1000, www.planethollywoodlondon.com).

Saturday, 9am Arrive early at the Disney Store (350-352 Oxford Street, www.disneystore.co.uk), whose staff require the first visiting child to “unlock the imagination” and open the store each morning. Cast members are on hand to entertain in the biggest Disney store in Europe.

11am Visit “Fun on Four” in John Lewis (300 Oxford Street, www.johnlewis.co.uk) and the newly refurbished children’s department.

1pm Explore the Rainforest Cafe (20 Shaftesbury Avenue, www.therainforestcafe.co.uk) where elephants, gorillas, cascading waterfalls and a tropical thunderstorm bring the rainforest to life.

3pm Find everything you may ever need in life - with M&M sweeties branding on it - in M&MWORLD London, (Leicester Square, worldchocolateguide.com/shop/mms-world/london/). 5pm In an ideal location for a pre-theatre dinner Tibits Restaurant (12-14 Heddon Street, 0207 758 4110, www.tibits.co.uk) offers a delicious vegetarian buffet in a stylish venue. Great for fussy kids.

7.30pm You’re off to see The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium, 8 Argll Street, www.wizardofozthemusical.com, £25 up).

Sunday, 10am Strangeness abounds at Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, an emporium of curios and oddities. (Piccadilly Circus, www.ripleys.com)

The Facts

East Coast operates between Edinburgh and London King’s Cross. Customers travelling First Class get complimentary food and drinks. Advanced return fares, booked online at www.eastcoast.co.uk, from £33 Standard Class or £95 First Class. Tel: 08457 225225. See also westendvip.com