Santa’s Magical Journey

This event is best experienced when dark therefore this is reflected in the ticket pricing.

2024 prices

Ticket prices when lighter outside –

Children (Includes a gift) – £23.50.

Adults – £16

Ticket prices when darker outside –

Children (Includes a gift) – £29.50.

Adults – £23

There is an additional transaction fee of £2 per booking.

For those who require an essential companion to accompany them, please check our Access Statement for eligibility criteria: https://www.thursford.com/access-statement/

Please note:
– All children aged 12 months and over must purchase a child’s with gift ticket and be accompanied by at least one paying adult to gain (please see note about carers in our access statement)
– Children under 12 months can be permitted in for free without a ticket but must be accompanied by at least one paying adult and one paying child with gift and will not receive a present. If you wish for them to receive a present, please purchase a child with gift ticket.
– Due to the size of Santa’s House, the absolute maximum group size is 8 people for each visit. If your party is greater than 8 please be prepared to split into two groups  as you approach Santa’s House, each group must have at least one ‘child with gift ticket’ in the party.

–Ticket prices include your entrance to the Enchanted Journey of Light along with a visit to see Father Christmas.

-Children’s tickets include a gift from Father Christmas.

Booking is essential. All ticket prices and time slots are subject to change. 

If you DO NOT wish to visit Father Christmas but would like to book the Enchanted Journey of Light, then please pay a visit to the Enchanted Journey of Light page HERE. The Enchanted Journey of Light is suitable for all ages and is fully accessible.

23rd/24th/30th November & 1st December, timeslots available 11:00– 20:00

Friday 6th & 13th December, timeslots available 14:30 – 20:00

7th/8th/ 14th/15th/19th-23rd December timeslots available 10:00 – 16:45

Relaxed Day, 1st December, timeslots available 13:30 – 16:30 (telephone bookings only)

The Fun Fair is operated by a third party and opening hours vary.

If you DO NOT wish to visit Father Christmas but would like to book the Enchanted Journey of Light, then please pay a visit to the Enchanted Journey of Light page HERE

The Santa’s Magical Journey Event

This event includes the Enchanted Journey of Light event, as well as a visit to see Father Christmas in his grotto.

The Enchanted Journey of Light

This event consists of both indoor and outdoor light trails, featuring captivating Christmas animatronics indoors and breath-taking lantern scenes outdoors. If booked on its own, it does not include a visit to Father Christmas.

 Accessibility

Thursford is fully accessible; for full details see our Access Statement here.

Age range

• The maximum recommended age for Santa’s Magical Journey is 12 years, however some children who are older with special needs and are welcome to visit Santa. See section following on Presents.
• Children under 1 year old can enter Santa’s Magical Journey free of charge, but only if there is at least one full paying child in the party (and a full paying adult). The child entering free of charge will not receive a present.

Armed Forces Covenant

Thursford Enterprises are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, as such we offer regulars, reservists, veterans and their immediate military families the following:

A 10% discount on Santa’s Magical Journey. The 10% discount does not apply to discounted tickets or bookings that qualify for a complimentary carer.

Eligibility: The discounted tickets for all events must be booked via the Box Office on 01328 878477, our phonelines are open Monday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00.

If the tickets are booked on line, we are sorry, but we cannot add the discount.

To confirm eligibility for the 10% discount, Thursford will need to receive a copy of the Armed Forces Defence Discount card at the time of booking.

In the event of cancellation tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. However, in the event the service person is posted at short notice either overseas or to an area outside the service provision we will refund the tickets if necessary. We do this providing we are informed as soon as you are notified of any change of circumstances (so that we have an opportunity to resell the tickets). Prior to giving any refund we will need evidence of the posting and will accept the original call up letter with any sensitive information blocked out.

N.B By ‘Immediate’ we mean card holder, their partner and children.

Arrival

• Please be sure to turn up at the time printed on your ticket, latecomers cannot be guaranteed entry.
• The full journey must be completed in one visit.
• Visitors are not permitted to leave and return at a later time to visit the external illuminations (please note prices for visits to Santa when it is lighter outside are discounted accordingly).
• When you arrive at the event your tickets will be checked and scanned so please have them ready.

Booking

• Pricing Tiers: tickets are priced in two tiers:
  • Entry between 10:00 – 14:15 (when it is lighter outside)
  • Entry between 14:30 – 20:00 (when it is darker outside).

The earlier timed tickets are cheaper as the external illuminations are not as impactful in daylight as they are in the dark.

• There must be at least one full paying adult and one full paying ‘child with gift’ for each booking.
• Tickets cannot be bought on the day as the event is always oversubscribed.
• A maximum of 8 people can be accommodated in Santa’s House so we do not accept parties larger than this unless you are able to split into two or three groups each group will need to include a gift-receiving child.
• If you have a larger group please be prepared to split into two or three  groups before you arrive as we do not wish to upset anyone on arrival with this request.
• Adding an extra ticket – subject to availability we can add extra tickets to an existing booking, but the maximum number must not exceed 8 people (including children). Please call the Box Office on 01328 878477 as this can not be done online. We will need to refer to your original booking so please have the booking reference handy.

Booking Protection – XCover

• XCover also known as refund protection covers your tickets so you can apply for a refund should you or anyone in your party be unable to attend the event , like any insurance cover this subject to the Terms & Conditions being fulfilled.
• Refund protection is provided via a third-party company called xcover.com.
• Refund protection must be added at the time of booking and cannot be added once the booking has been confirmed.
• There is a 14-day cooling off period for this cover, so if you decide within the 14 days that the cover it is not for you, please call the Box Office on 01328 878477 and we will refund the payment to the original card. Outside this time frame we cannot action any refunds for the cover.
• XCover will e mail you within a couple of days of taking the cover so you can set up an account with them, this will speed up the process in the event that you do need to make a claim.
• For full Terms & Conditions or to make a claim please click here.

Cancellation

• Tickets to the event are advertised and sold as non-refundable and non-transferable, you agree to this at the time of booking. Follow the link to see the Terms & Conditions of sale.
• If you are unable to come to the event, we will not be able to transfer your tickets to another date, however we can arrange for you to collect Santa’s gift/s from the Box Office. Please phone 01328 878477 if you wish to arrange this and quote your booking reference number.
• We suggest that you buy refund protection provided by XCover at the time of booking to cover you in the event of unforeseen circumstances, see their Terms & Conditions here. Please note that all claims will require evidence of illness, accident etc e.g. a doctor’s note.

Essential Companions

• The minimum requirement for booking Santa’s Magical Journey is one full paying adult and one full paying child with gift, subject to these requirements essential companions may have a companion ticket subject to availability and eligibility criteria.
• These tickets can only be booked by calling the Box Office on 01328 878477.
• Proof of eligibility must be provided:
  • Attendance Allowance
  • PIPs/DLA at the higher / enhanced mobility rate
  • Blind Person’s Registration
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Nimbus Access Card with +1 symbol
• If tickets are not booked via the Box Office essential companion  discounts cannot be added retrospectively.
• Please note there must be at least one full paying adult and one full paying child for each Santa’s Magical Journey booking.

Note for 2025 season: As we endeavour to improve the booking experience for those who need an essential companion, for 2025 we will be partnering with Nimbus Disability and the Access card (with the +1 symbol) as the only form of evidence that we will require to book an essential companion ticket.

We will update in advance of the 2025 season, in the meantime for more information please see: https://www.accesscard.online/how-it-works/

Collection Rides

• The Collection’s vintage rides (Carousel & Gondola) will not be running for the event. However, we will have the Funfair again for 2024; please note this is run independently of Thursford and the cost of attractions and rides are not included in the price of your ticket. 

Complaints

If you have any complaints, please do let us know on the day, there is always a manager on duty who can resolve the issue. We would much rather that issues are resolved promptly so that both you and the children leave the Magical Journey happy.

Complaints about the Fun Fair will be  passed on to the operator.

Dining

• We have three catering facilities including the outlet in the Fantasy Land building which will be open during the Santa’s Magical Journey event.
• We do not take table reservations for our catering outlets as they are provided on a first come first serve basis. That said, you are highly likely to get a bite to eat; even though our café and restaurant tables are not bookable, we are used to a high turnover of guests.
• Special diets, we cater for gluten free, nut allergies, vegan etc. Please phone our office on 01328 878 477 to find out more.
• Bringing your own food; we are sorry, but this is not possible. You cannot consume your own food anywhere on the complex. An exception will be made for severe allergies and for other medical purposes providing it is agreed with a member of staff prior to your visit. Please contact the office on 01328 878477 where we will be happy to assist.

Duration

It very much depends on you and your party, but we would suggest that it takes approximately 1.5 – 2 hours to complete Santa’s Magical Journey.

Please note that the experience must be completed in one visit. Visitors will not be able to leave the event and return at a later time. Please come prepared for the prevailing weather.

Entry Time

• The time slot that you have booked is the time that you must turn up to start Santa’s Magical Journey. If you fail to turn up on time, we cannot guarantee entry.
•  If you think you will be delayed, please call the Box Office on 01328 878477  so we can inform the team supporting Santa.

Groups

We can comfortably accommodate a maximum of 8 people into Santa’s House, this is so that your young ones have a truly special visit to Santa. If you have booked over 8 tickets your party will be required split in to two groups.

With this in mind, please be prepared to split into the two parties – each with at least one ‘child with gift’ ticket as you approach Santa’s House.  Alternatively please agree in advance which adults will enter Santa’s House with the child / children. Those who will not be entering will be given directions to meet their party where they leave Santa’s home.

Individuals will only be able to access one Santa’s House during their visit.

Location

We are well sign posted.

• Located 1 mile off the A148, halfway between Fakenham and Holt.
• Turn off at the Crawfish Inn Restaurant & Public House.
• Follow the brown and white tourist sign for the Thursford Collection.

If you are using a form of GPS, then please use our address/postcode:

Thursford Collection
Thursford
Fakenham
Norfolk
NR21 0AS

What3words: //guards.settle.enchanted

LOST PROPERTY

We will store any lost property that we find for 30 days after the date it was found. Thereafter we will donate all items to charity.

Our crew clean the auditorium and the Fantasy Land building every night and any items that are found are brought to the office in the morning.

On Line / Web Account

• Your password should be made up of letters and numbers and whilst there is no requirement to include a symbol, the following are accepted:  @ $ ! – % _* # ? &
• If you are an existing user, click on the blue figure in the top right-hand corner, enter your e mail address and password.
• If you are a new customer select your tickets etc and then enter your details in the boxes and at the bottom of the page, click on Register.
• Because we use a third-party ticket service provider, to be able to log into your account you need to select the option to ‘book’ again. This will bring you to the page where you can then log in and access your account and previous bookings.
• Click on this link to reset your password. Ignore the code and enter a new password twice, click Continue, enter the new password again and then click on Log in.

Parking

• There is a large, free car park on site.
• We also have overflow parking which adjacent the main carpark, this car park is not on hard-standing but is also accessible.
• We have car park attendants to assist you on the day so if you need Blue Badge or a Disabled space (limited number and cannot be pre-booked) speak to the attendant as you enter the car park, and they will direct you to the most suitable space. Please note there are no facilities on the car park.
• The car park is located on site and, depending on your ability will be roughly a 2-3 minute walk to reach the venue.

Payment

• Cash payments are strongly discouraged for ease and speed as we do get extremely busy. All our tills have card machine facilities.
• Please note we do not accept American Express.

Pets

Dogs / pets are not allowed beyond the car park, except for registered assistance animals.

Photography

• Photographs can be taken and video recorded along the journey, but they are strictly NOT permitted inside Santa’s House.
• There will be an opportunity to have an official photograph with Santa which you can buy from the kiosk after your visit.

Presents

• Santa provides presents based on the following age ranges:
  • Birth- 1 year
  • 1 year,
  • 2 years,
  • 3 – 4 years Boys / Girls,
  • 5 – 6 years Boys / Girls,
  • 7 – 8 years Boys / Girls,
  • 9 years +.
• If your child is mature for their age, has additional needs or is near to their birthday it may be best to go up or down an age range when booking. Only you can know your child’s preferences.
• If you would like more information on the gifts, please call the Box Office.
• We can also provide a gender-neutral present if required, although most presents are suitable for both boys or girls. If this is your preference type N/A in the gender section when making the booking.

Santa’s Magical Journey but no child

Sorry we do not accept adult only bookings without a gift-receiving child. Please book the Enchanted Journey of Light event instead.

Shops

We have gift shops on site which will be open during your visit.

Special Effects

There will be moderate flashing lights and sound effects, however no strobe lighting. Please contact us via [email protected] if you require any further information. On our relaxed day, sound and lighting will be reduced as  appropriate, dates are advertised on our website.

Souvenirs

Whilst you are in Santa’s House you will have the opportunity to buy an ‘official’ photograph of your visit. Please be sure to agree the final image with the Elf as once you have left the kiosk this cannot be rectified. We do not retain the images beyond the day of your visit.

Please check your photographs, magnets, key rings prior to leaving the sales desk as we do not retain any of the images once they have been purchased so they cannot be reprinted or replaced if they are incorrect,

Tickets

• Tickets will be posted 2^nd class mail for all bookings outside 11 days of the event.
• For bookings within 11 days tickets must be collected from the of the Box Office, please turn up to collect your tickets in plenty of time for your booked time slot (in the event of postal strikes tickets may be held in the Box Office for longer than 11 days and may be set to collect c/o Box Office. If there are concerns please phone with the Box Office direct).
• You must have a ticket to enter Santa’s Magical Journey. We will not accept a confirmation e mail in place of the authorised tickets.
• Replacement tickets will incur a £1 per ticket reprint fee.
• Each ticket will be scanned on entry.

Venue

The event is experienced both inside the Fantasy Land building and outside in the high meadow, please wear appropriate clothing for the prevailing weather as the event will not be cancelled unless Met Office warnings indicate a risk to our visitors and staff.

Tracking is provided in the meadow.

Walking aid/ mobility scooter/ wheelchair / pushchairs

• You are very welcome to bring these with you, our site is fully accessible including the meadow.
• The outdoor exhibits will have matting over any grass areas that is suitable for wheelchairs.
• For those who have difficulty walking the combined distance travelled is approximately 1 mile.

Weather

• Please come dressed for the weather and wrap up warm with suitable footwear.
• Santa’s Magical Journey will only be cancelled if Met Office forecasts indicate a risk to our visitors and staff.
• If there are Yellow+ warnings for high winds in this part of Norfolk, it is important that customers check our website and social media for alerts (which will be updated regularly throughout the day) and also look out for e mail notifications.
• Important  note the interior experience and visit to Santa’s House would not be cancelled in the event of high winds and will still operate.

 Wheelchair Hire

Sorry, we do not have any wheelchairs for hire.