Top Five Accessible Christmas Events This Winter
With the most wonderful time of the year fast approaching, you may be thinking of planning some festive trips out with family and friends.
Need some inspiration? We’ve rounded up our top five picks to help you get into the Christmas spirit.
1. The Snowman Tour 2023 – 30th November – 23rd December 2023 (Selected dates)
One of the nation’s most beloved animations, The Snowman, is going on tour to a place near you this Christmas.
The Snowman premiered in 1982 and is based on Raymond Briggs’ picture book of the same name. The story is about a young boy named James who builds a snowman outside his home, which comes to life.
This Christmas, you’ll be able to see it like never before with a special screening and live orchestra featuring the film’s leading performers. The orchestra is comprised of some of the most talented musicians in the UK, with over 300 performances completed to date.
Alongside the screening, there will also be:
- A Christmas guide to the orchestra
- A visit from the Snowman himself
- A screening of Wallace and Gromit in ‘The Wrong Trousers’ before the performance*
There are a range of different performance times available, open to schools and the public. Relaxed sessions are also available for those with learning difficulties or more specific needs.
The Tour offers an assistance scheme with tickets for a personal assistant available on request. These can be claimed at no charge, and wheelchair spaces are also available to request in advance. To do this, you’ll need to contact the ticket issuer for your chosen venue.
A festive outing full of atmosphere and Christmas cheer, The Snowman Tour will make a perfect trip out for all the family. You’ll be resisting the urge to sing along when the famous opera soundtrack, ‘Walking In The Air’ is played!
*Please note for performances at London St John’s Smith Square, the feature will be The Bear and the Piano instead.
2. Kielder Winter Wonderland – 19th November – 23rd December 2023 (Selected dates)
In or around Northumberland? You’ll want to book tickets for Kielder’s Winter Wonderland at Kielder Water & Forest Park. The full-day experience offers a range of activities for all the family, including:
- Mrs Christmas – help Mrs Christmas get things ready for the festive season
- Santa’s Elves Workshop – see the magic behind the scenes at the elves’ workshop, and create your own wooden keepsake with the help of Master Elf
- song and dance included!
- Meet the Reindeer – Pay a visit to Santa’s reindeer while they are in training at Kielder’s Winter Wonderland
You’ll also head on a walk through the forest in search of Father Christmas, among lots of other activities.
For food and drink, The Forest Bar & Kitchen offers a range of snacks and refreshments. There’s also The Hide cafe next door with festive treats and hot drinks to warm you up.
You can even stay over in your own lodge from the classic Heritage range, or the new Woodland range in the forest.
Day tickets can be booked online, while lodges must be booked separately. The site is mostly flat making it suitable for wheelchair users. The Snowman route is recommended as the most accessible for visiting Father Christmas.
Guide dogs and assistance dogs are also permitted. For more information on accessibility, get in touch at [email protected].
3. The Festival of Light at Longleat – 11th November 2023 – 7th January 2024
This winter, immerse yourself in a fairytale adventure at Longleat’s Festival of Light in Wiltshire. The annual lantern festival brings a world of fairytales to life with scenes from children’s classics. From The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, to Cinderella, and more.
These are reimagined in over 1,500 stunning lanterns along enchanting trails. Activities include:
- Journey to Narnia
- Enchanted Christmas Tree Show
- Santa Train
- Longleat House Light Show
- The Flight Before Christmas
- Festive House Tours
- Winter Safari
The venue offers accessible toilets located on various parts of the site. These will require a radar key, which can be requested from the Guest Services in the Main Square, or you can bring your own.
The Safari Drive-Through has hearing loops installed on all buses. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
At Longleat House, access for those with limited mobility and wheelchair users is at the rear of the house. There is space for up to four of these at one time, and you’ll need to contact guest services by emailing [email protected] to book a wheelchair space.
The Jungle Cruise route is accessible for wheelchair users via a ramp, where staff will be happy to help. On the Santa Train there is a specially adapted carriage to accommodate one wheelchair user and their carer or guide.
For refreshments, head to The Watering Hole at the African Village, or The Chameleon Tree Restaurant and Coffee House. Both are fully accessible. There’s also the Cellar Cafe which wheelchair users can access at the back of Longleat House.
Manual wheelchairs and mobility scooters are available. These can be hired in advance through contacting 01985 844400 before your visit, or on the day at Guest Services. There is a £20 charge for mobility scooter hire, payable by card only.
For more information on what’s on or to book tickets, head to the Longleat website.
4. Hogwarts in the Snow, Hertfordshire – 11th November 2023 – 14th January 2024
For Harry Potter lovers, Hogwarts in the Snow at Hertfordshire will be a must this Christmas.
Brought to you by The Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour, immerse yourself in the wizarding world at its most magical time of year.
See the Great Hall decorated for Christmas with gold decorations featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. At the banquet, you’ll feel just like one of the students at the end-of-term feast!
Admire the tall Christmas trees all around you, the flying witches, and fireplaces decked with holly, mistletoe, and wreaths.
At the experience, you’ll also be able to see iconic sets from the films (all decorated for Christmas of course!) including:
- The Gryffindor Boys’ Dormitory
- The Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms
- The Forbidden Forest
- Diagon Alley
Along the way, you’ll learn all about how the magic of the films was created by set decorators, including the never-melting snow!
Visit the Christmas shop for gifts, souvenirs, and stocking fillers. Before you leave, you’ll finish your trip with a walk around the Hogwarts Castle Model covered in snow.
The Studio Tour has an accessibility guide, listing all the features you may require. There is a map of the layout, and there is level access throughout the majority of the tour.
Mobility scooters and wheelchair users are welcome, though there may be certain parts of the tour which are inaccessible. This is because they will have been original set pieces.
Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed for free on a first-come, first-served basis from the Information Desk.
Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome, and there are accessible toilets located throughout the site.
For other disabilities, there are a number of added features in place to make sure everyone is accommodated. Read more about these in the Accessibility Guide.
For food and drink, there are plenty of places to grab a meal or snacks including the Hub Cafe, Food Hall & Chocolate Frog Cafe, and Backlot Cafe.
These provide a range of options catering to all dietary requirements and allergies. You can also bring your own lunch if you wish and sit in the picnic areas on-site.
A fun day out for all Potterheads, Hogwarts in the Snow will make an exciting festive trip for all the family.
5. Tulley’s Christmas Experience – 26th November – 24th December 2023
If you’re near West Sussex, you might want to pay a visit to Tulley’s Farm this winter for a Christmassy experience. Here, you can enjoy enchanting woodland walks, decorate gingerbread houses, make reindeer food, and much more.
Other attractions include:
- A 3D cinema
- Ice skating rink
- Christmas circus
- The Elves’ Magical Forest
- Storytime with Father Christmas
- Santa’s Post House
- Make a bear
- The Elf Hunt
There are even some small fairground rides for the little ones to enjoy. For those with a wheelchair, there is a ramp at the beginning and end of the Sleigh Ride, and the below activities will all be wheelchair friendly:
- 3D cinema
- Christmas circus
- Reindeer flying show
- Reindeer food making
- Gingerbread decorating
- Make a bear
- Storytime with Father Christmas
Santa’s Post House and The Elves’ Magical Forest are both wheelchair friendly. However there are some tight spaces to be aware of which may make manoeuvring more difficult.
The site offers dedicated disabled parking close to the entrance, and there are disabled toilets across the park. If you’d like more information on accessibility at Tulley’s Farm, you can contact the Visitor Services team.
If you rely on the assistance of a guide dog, these are permitted in the Christmas areas, Farm Shop, and Tea Room. You can see a list of facilities to help plan your visit here.
Motability at Bristol Street Motors
We hope you’ve found this article useful and feel inspired to plan some festive trips out for you and your family this Christmas.
At Bristol Street Motors, we’re dedicated to making sure you receive an excellent customer experience. Our dedicated Motability representatives will be happy to help with anything you require, so feel free to get in touch.
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