Arrive at check in for your pre-booked time slot You will then be directed upstairs for a short briefing before the festivities begin Meet Santa’s merry elves who are so excited to see all the boys and girls Meet Mrs Claus and an array of festive characters as you explore the castle Meet Santa, who has a special eco-friendly gift for all the children to treasure for years to come There will be complimentary winter warmers and festive treats for all our guests

Yes of course, each family will enjoy an individual meet with Santa in his enchanting castle, where he will spend some time chatting with them. There will also be an opportunity to take some photos together with your own phones/cameras to capture the moment.

Each child will receive a premium gift from Santa, a soft cuddly collectable, that has been carefully made in his Toy Factory. Every child and infant will receive the same gift. This is a sustainable gift that kids can cherish as their trusty companion for years to come! Please note gifts are not meant to represent any particular ticket value, or indicate the type of gifts our little guests can expect on Christmas morning. The ticket price includes the entire experience and gifts are only a small part of this. Our cuddly gifts are deemed suitable for children of the most receptive Santa visiting age. They are suitable from birth. Our gifts are eco-friendly and made from fully recycled materials. If any guest would like to receive the gift from Santa, simply book a Child's ticket for this person, and they will receive the present from Santa on the day. Take a look at our adorable 2023 toys above. Our 2024 gift will be a new member of the Arctic Animal collection - keep an eye on socials for the reveal!

We welcome Santa believers of all ages, there is no age restriction. If you have young adults attending and want to make sure they receive a present, please book them in as a child's ticket.

Yes – visitors with special needs may admit one accompanying carer free of charge. All carers must be booked into our booking system Please note that there are a limited number of tickets available for each session If a carers ticket is included in your booking, this is not a confirmed ticket you must bring relevant ID and documentation, such as an associated membership card in order to confirm entry. Do get in touch with us directly if there are any specific special needs or requests and we will do our best to accommodate all.

A lot of our experience is the same by-day and by-night, but we do have beautiful lighting and projections which can truly be appreciated from 4pm onwards. During the day the Castle and Garden surroundings can be seen more clearly, both are magical!

Yes we encourage you to bring your phones / cameras to capture the meet with Santa himself & other parts of the experience. Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase a professional printed souvenir photo. This can be purchased in advance with your tickets or on the day of your visit at the event. 1 print for €12.50 Or Buy 2 get 1 free (3 prints) for €25 Please note there is no video professional photo taking or video recording equipment permitted at any time.

There is an Avoca Cafe onsite in the visitor centre open daily for more see: https://www.avoca.com/en/stores-and-cafes/malahide There are also food trucks open from 5pm on select dates adjacent to the castle

Guests can expect to spend approx one hour going through the experience

Please aim to be at the venue 15 minutes before your experience start time and allow for traffic delays. Please bring your barcoded ticket for scanning by our team on entry. This can be shown on your phone, or printed if necessary. And of course don’t forget your Christmas spirit!

No – this is the start time of your experience

Off-peak times: Adult Tickets: €18.00 Child Tickets: (13 months – 12 years) €26.50 Infants (under 13 months) €12.00 Standard times: Adult Tickets: €20.00 Child Tickets: (13 months – 12 years) €28.50 Infants (under 13 months) €14.00 Peak times: Adult Tickets: €22.00 Child Tickets: (13 months – 12 years) €30.50 Infants (under 13 months) €16.00 All prices are excluding booking fee (€1.95 per ticket)

There are charges passed on to us for secure payment transaction services to process credit/debit card transactions, also for the installation and maintenance of ticketing systems and all other costs associated with secure online bookings. Please note that refunds under any circumstances, only apply to ticket prices and not booking fees. Booking fees are charged at the start of a transaction for services and cannot be refunded by the operator.

When you complete your booking online, an email containing a barcode which is your ticket is automatically sent to the email address you inserted at the booking stage. Please also check your spam / junk folders as sometimes the email goes in there. Don’t worry if you still can't find it, email tickets@thechristmasexperience.ie and we will get it to you.

Unfortunately due to capacity restrictions within the castle we can only allow a max of 8 people in to see Santa at a time, as such we have a max number of 8 people per booking. The event will display as sold out should you try to book more than this number. If you wish to make a family booking for a group over this number, we recommend making separate bookings but selecting the same session. Please note each family will see Santa separately but will be together for the other elements of the experience once the same session is selected.

Yes we welcome large corporate bookings. Please get in touch to organise a large group booking of 50+ by emailing tickets@thechristmasexperience.ie

Please purchase the extra tickets for the same date/time as the booking you already have. Simply bring the two booking references with you on the day and you can all go together as one group.

If you think you may need to change your booking date or time, please ensure you create an account at the time of booking. You can change your booking only once, up to 96 hours before your scheduled visit. There will be a €10 admin charge to change your ticket to another date/time. If you didn't create an account at the time of booking please get in touch with our customer service team at tickets@thechristmasexperience.ie who will create an account for you.

No tickets for Wonderlights must be booked separately, but those who book The Christmas Experience can avail of a discount on Wonderlights tickets. This will be emailed to you when you book, get in touch if you have not received this: tickets@thechristmasexperience.ie

No, tickets are non-refundable but they are transferable to friends and family.

The Christmas Experience takes place in the enchanting Castle of Malahide Castle & Gardens.

Public Transport: Get the Dart to Malahide Get the 42 bus or H2 bus Drive M1 exit 3 and follow signage for malahide Free parking available Taxi + Bus Drop off + Collection Zone available

No, unfortunately, overnight stays are not available at The Christmas Experience. We recommend the nearby Portmarnock Hotel, The Clayton Hotel or The Grand Hotel Malahide.

There is no accommodation available on site unfortunately but we recommend the following hotels near by: Portmarnock Hotel 8 minute drive The Clayton Hotel 16 minute drive The Grand Hotel Malahide 4 minute drive

Please aim to be at the venue 15 minutes before your experience start time and allow for traffic delays. Please bring your barcoded ticket for scanning by our team on entry. This can be shown on your phone, or printed if necessary. And of course don’t forget your Christmas spirit!

Yes, the event is based in the castle itself.

It is not possible to facilitate the use of buggies within the castle. They can be left outside but we would advise you to leave them in your car, we cannot accept responsibility for any personal property left on the premises.

Yes, we can accommodate wheelchair users within the Castle. Due to capacity restrictions in the castle, only one wheelchair is permitted inside at a time. So all wheelchair users are required to book a wheelchair pass (free) on our booking system in addition to the specific ticket required for example example adult/child/OAP/Student. Wheelchair passes are available on the hour, every hour (eg. 10am, 11am, etc.) If your desired time slot appears as unavailable, it means that a wheelchair pass has already been booked for that session. Some small amendments to our planned event will be made to facilitate wheelchair access in the best way possible.

Due to the setting of this event the whole experience is deemed sensory friendly. Throughout the castle the music and any lighting / special effects are minimal. Please feel free to reach out to us directly if there is anything you are concerned about in advance of your booking.