Tinsel Town Grotto, Trafford Centre

Meet Father Christmas in his twinkling tipi at the Trafford Centre

Say hello to Father Christmas’s elves' as they welcome you to his twinkling tipi and tell them all about your Christmas wishes.

Head through and get cosy as you prepare to see Father Christmas, where he will be ready to tell the boys and girls all about the special preparations he is making for Christmas and join in with the Elves’ Christmas song.

You’ll then get to meet Father Christmas himself, receive a special gift and have your photo taken with him! *

This magical family experience will be outside The Great Hall until Christmas Eve.

Admission costs £9.00 per child (+ 90p booking fee) and £5.00 per adult (+ 50p booking fee). Child’s ticket includes an age-appropriate gift from Father Christmas.

Children MUST be accompanied by a paying adult.

*Guests are welcome to take their own photography. There will be no professional photography available at this experience.  

PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING!

Visitors to see Father Christmas must arrive 10 minutes prior to the stated time on your ticket. Traffic on the roads and car parks at the centre are particularly busy at Christmas, so please allow enough time for your journey and parking.

Anyone arriving late WILL NOT be permitted to enter the experience. We will try and rebook you on to another session that same day, but tickets are limited so this may not be possible, or could be much later in the day, dependant on session availability. We will not be able to transfer your ticket to another day due to a late or no show.

Cancellation Policy

We regret that we are unable to refund unwanted tickets.

If you need to change your tickets to another date, you must make the request at least 72 hours’ before your booked session. The experience is extremely busy so tickets are subject to availability, and we will do our best to accommodate but we cannot guarantee. Please contact helpers@santatrafford.co.uk if you wish to change your tickets. Any tickets within the 72-hour period will not be eligible for a date/ time change.

COVID Policy

The safety and wellbeing of our guests and staff is of the utmost importance to us and we will continue to monitor and respond to the latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) government guidance . The Grotto event space will be frequently cleaned and hand sanitiser will be available for you to use. We encourage you to give each other a little space, be kind and respect fellow guests and event staff.

We reserve the right to cancel at short notice in which case a full refund will be given or the option to book in to an alternative session (subject to availability). If legislation changes which means we have to make alterations to the way we operate the experience but we are still able to remain open then no refund will be given.

We ask that if any customer attending the experience has symptoms of coronavirus or someone they have been in contact with has symptoms, that you DO NOT attend the grotto as we are trying our best to keep everyone safe.

FAQs

When will Father Christmas be in his grotto? From 4pm on 19 November 2021.

When do Father Christmas and his elves finish for the year?  The final session is 1:40pm on Christmas Eve with the experience closing at 2pm that day.

How much will my visit cost? Your visit to Father Christmas will cost £9.00 per child (including an age-appropriate present) and £5.00 per adult. Applicable booking fees will be added to your ticket price.

Is there a charge for babies in arms under 12 months old? Babies in arms, accompanying a sibling will not be charged, but they will not receive a gift. If you are bringing a baby on their own or would like the baby to receive a gift, then the price of a child ticket will apply.

Are there any dedicated inclusive sessions available? Yes, Inclusive Relaxed Sessions are available for any families with special requirements. The sessions are adapted in a variety of ways; including reducing noise and lighting effects. To book your tickets for these sessions please email helpers@santatrafford.co.uk and a member of the team will contact you. If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, then we recommend that weekdays and earlier times at the weekend may be quieter in the open sessions. Please ensure that you complete the special requirements section, and we will try to accommodate you wherever possible. Please note, it would not be possible to reduce noise and lighting effects in open sessions and the experience may well be quite busy at peak times.

The Relaxed Inclusive Sessions are

• Saturday 27 November: 12noon

• Wednesday 1 December: 4pm

• Sunday 12 December: 11:00am 

• Thursday 16 December: 5.40pm. 

Why should I book in advance? We recommend that you pre-book your tickets to avoid disappointment. There maybe tickets available for some slots on the day, but these will be sold on a first come, first served basis and demand will be high at peak times.

If I choose not to book in advance, how can I obtain a ticket? If you choose not to book in advance, it may be possible to purchase a ticket on the day at the grotto itself but availability is not guaranteed.

Will I receive a ticket once I have booked? Yes, you will be emailed an e-ticket if you book in advance. You can either print your ticket or show it on your mobile phone at the entrance to the grotto. For tickets booked at the box office for the same day you will receive a printed ticket.

Can I book a special requirement group and school party visits? We welcome pre-booked groups, please email your requirements to helpers@santatrafford.co.uk

Where is the grotto located? The grotto is outside The Great Hall, outside Slim Chickens.

Where can I park? The Trafford Centre has several surrounding car parks that can be used during the event. The closest parking is Orient 12 car park. Disabled and parent and child parking are available in all our car parks. All parking is free of charge.

Are their toilets and baby change facilities? The nearest toilets and baby change facilities can be found in The Orient, it’s a few minutes’ walk away from the grotto.

Is there somewhere to leave buggies? Space is limited and there is a small area to leave buggies but if possible, please bring babies in arms without a pushchair.

Is there access for wheelchairs? There is full disability access throughout the tipi.

Can we bring food and drink into the experience? No, we would ask that you refrain from eating and drinking please.

Can we take our own photographs with Santa? Yes, every family will have the chance to speak to Santa, receive your gift and take your own photo.

Will my child receive a gift? Yes, all children will receive a wrapped age-appropriate gift to take home.

Have all staff been security checked according to government guidelines? Yes, all staff are checked to the relevant level for this experience.