Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land

Our new and exclusive event for 2024 will be open to ticket holders between 16^th November – 24^th December.  Please see the event calendar above for more information on day which can be booked to visit.

You'll be able to access Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land from the time slot booked on your event ticket. From here you'll have one hour to wander around a snow-covered Gruffalo trail with brand NEW ranger training ready to be seated for the Spectacular Santa Show! This show lasts for approximately 10 minutes, after which you'll be able to have an iconic moment with Santa and collect a premium Gruffalo plush worth £14 - this is the perfect time for a family photo!

You are then free to enjoy the snowy land where you can enjoy Marshmallow toasting, festive crafting workshops and Christmas food and drinks stalls for as long as you please!

If you've visited The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo since it's refurbishment early this year, we're sure you'll have already made memories with your little ones and family. This Christmas, The Gruffalo Discovery Land will be magically transformed into a festive, snow covered land where you'll adventure into the deep dark snowy wood, where you'll meet The Gruffalo's Child and Santa! 

Your chosen time slot will reflect the time you'll be able to enter Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land, before this time, you can enjoy our wonderful zoo and meet our amazing species (please check Zoo opening times prior to visiting). Whilst our time slots are hourly this doesn't mean you'll only have one hour inside the event, however this means that you'll be seated ready for the Spectacular Santa Show 1 hour after your entry slot.

So for example, if you book to visit Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land from 1pm, please ensure you have passed general entry to the Zoo and are ready to enter the event at the entrance to The Gruffalo Discovery Land by 1pm. You will then journey into the magical snow-touched deep dark wood and your Santa Show at 2pm. 

If you're an Annual Ticket holder, your Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land ticket includes a pre-booked zoo admission day as part of your Annual Ticket.

If you don't have an Annual Ticket, your Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land Combi ticket includes an Annual Ticket which can be activated once you visit the event for 12 months FREE returns to our charity zoo. This means it includes entry to Twycross Zoo on the day of your event booking!

All tickets to Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land include;

-Brand NEW Ranger Training with exclusive ranger map.
-Access to magical habitats within The Gruffalo Discovery Land including; Butterfly Paradise, Goat Walkthrough, Snake & Owl's Treetop House, Finch Aviary.
-Spectacular NEW Santa Show 
-Magical moment with Santa
-Gruffalo plush toy worth £14 for every child.
-Meet & Greet with The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child!
-Access to Christmassy Crafts
-Marshmallows to Toast on an open fire
-Seasonal food & drinks in Christmas Market style huts

A combi-ticket includes both entry to Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land and Entry to Twycross Zoo, including 12 months FREE return visits. Simply activate your Annual Pass online after you've visited to set up an account and book your free return visits!

No, this event is an exclusive ticket only event. Between 11th November to 25th December The Gruffalo Discovery Land will be magically transformed into a snowy, twinkly land ready for families to explore and make memories this festive season. Therefore this part of our zoo will only be accessible to ticket holders - you won't want to miss!

Sadly due to high demand for tickets to Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land, we are unable to offer any refunds or reschedules of confirmed time slots.

Unfortunately not, each zoo visitor wishing to enter the event will need to buy a ticket to Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land. 

Yes, all areas of the Gruffalo Discovery Land are part of the Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land event and are accessibility friendly. This land will be ticket only however, so to access the event please buy a ticket by clicking 'Book Now'.

Carers are welcome to visit Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land. Make sure at check out to select a 'Carer' ticket and continue to basket to complete the order. Every carer admissions ticket will be required to provide proof of eligibility. 

Assistance dogs are allowed into the zoo but are unable to go into several areas as our animals may become distressed by the sight of a dog and also your dog may be upset by our animals.  
Please email information@twycrosszoo.org for more details and information.  

We don't currently have SEN sessions planned for Christmas at The Gruffalo Discovery Land, however the off-peak slots will generally have fewer guests and allow for more flexibility around SEN. If we do open SEN sessions nearer the time with increased demand you'll be able to move onto these free of charge by contacting guest services.

Yes, we are currently planning to stay open as scheduled for Christmas at the Gruffalo Discovery Land. However, certain elements of the event may be adjusted based on the high winds forecasted. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on any changes.

The Santa Show, photo opportunities, and the Gruffalo’s Child Meet and Greet are all located in covered spaces, so they will still be available and sheltered from the rain. Some outdoor activities may be affected, but we will do our best to ensure the magic of the event continues. The Marshmallow fire pit and Carousel may be affected.

Absolutely! If you’d like to change the date of your visit, we are happy to offer the following options:

• If you're an annual ticket holder, simply log in to your account and you can move your visit to any date up to 20th December yourself, if you would like to move to a date 21st-24th Dec then email us and we’ll waive the additional charge.
• Alternatively, please email us at information@twycrosszoo.org with the subject “XMAS MOVE,” and include your order number along with your preferred date and time. Please check availability on the website before submitting your request.

Before requesting a new date, please check the availability on our website to make sure your preferred date is available. This will help streamline the rebooking process.

If the weather changes after you arrive, we will do everything we can to ensure your experience is enjoyable and safe. Certain outdoor activities may be paused temporarily, but our indoor attractions, like the Santa Show and photo ops, will still be running unless the weather worsens.

If you don’t want to visit as planned due to the storm, we completely understand. You can either move your booking to a future date at no extra cost (if you're an annual ticket holder) or contact us to request a date change.

For any booking-related questions, please email us at information@twycrosszoo.org. We’ll be happy to assist you with any changes or concerns. Be sure to include your order number and any details about the changes you’d like to make.

The safety and comfort of our guests is our top priority. If the weather conditions worsen, we may need to temporarily close certain outdoor areas. Please check our website or social media for real-time updates on event changes or closures.

 Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds for tickets, but we’re happy to help you move your visit to another date, so you can experience the full festive magic when the weather is more favorable.