Updated Thursday 5 November 2026 — tickets are on sale and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens in two weeks
| The short answer Dates: Thursday 19 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, open every day except Christmas Day.Hours: open until 10pm every night, with last entry at 9.30pm. Most days open at 10am, but opening day and many weekdays open at 11am or 12pm, and Tuesday 1 December opens at 2pm.Entry tickets: £1 off-peak, £5.50 standard and £8.25 peak, booked online for a one-hour arrival slot. Booking fees are now included.Free entry: every £25 you spend on rides, attractions or meal deals in one online booking unlocks one free entry ticket.Cheapest days: entry is £1 all day on every Monday to Thursday in November: the 19th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th and 30th. |
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is London’s biggest Christmas event, with more than 150 rides, attractions, bars and stalls. It has been running in Hyde Park for two decades, and this year’s edition opens on Thursday 19 November.
You may have seen headlines saying entry “now costs £1” where it used to be free. As we explain below, the price you actually pay is the same as last year; only the way it is shown has changed. This guide covers every date, time and price you need, plus how to get in without paying for entry at all.
When does Winter Wonderland 2026 open?
Winter Wonderland opens on Thursday 19 November 2026 and closes on Sunday 3 January 2027, according to the official tickets guide. It is open every day in between apart from Friday 25 December, giving 45 open days in total. The final day, 3 January, is billed as a Family Fun Day, with details still to be announced.
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, is a normal 10am opening.
Winter Wonderland 2026 opening times
Every day closes at 10pm, with last entry at 9.30pm. Most days open at 10am, but this year a number of weekdays open later. These are the exceptions:
| Date | Opens at |
| Thu 19 – Fri 20 Nov | 12pm |
| Mon 23 – Thu 26 Nov | 12pm |
| Fri 27 Nov | 11am |
| Mon 30 Nov | 12pm |
| Tue 1 Dec | 2pm |
| Wed 2 Dec | 12pm |
| Thu 3 – Fri 4 Dec | 11am |
| Mon 7 – Fri 11 Dec | 11am |
| Mon 14 – Fri 18 Dec | 11am |
| Fri 25 Dec | Closed |
| Mon 28 Dec – Fri 1 Jan | 11am |
| All other dates | 10am |
Source: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland tickets guide. All dates close at 10pm.
In practice, every weekend opens at 10am, as do the last days before Christmas, from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December. If you were planning a weekday morning visit in November or early December, check your date first.
Winter Wonderland 2026 ticket prices
Every visitor needs an entry ticket for a one-hour arrival window, booked through See Tickets. Once you are in, you can stay until closing. There are three price tiers:
| Tier | 2026 price | What it cost in 2025 | When it applies |
| Off-peak | £1 | Free + £1 booking fee = £1 | All day Monday to Thursday in November, plus other green slots |
| Standard | £5.50 | £5 + fee = £5.50 | Many mornings and afternoons, and all day on some dates |
| Peak | £8.25 | £7.50 + fee = £8.25 | Mostly later in the day and at weekends |
Sources: the 2026 tickets guide; 2025 prices from Time Out and Mumsnet.
Has Winter Wonderland got more expensive?
Not for entry. Last year the ticket prices were advertised as free, £5 and £7.50, with booking fees added at checkout, which took them to £1, £5.50 and £8.25. For 2026 the organisers have built the fees into the headline price, so the total you pay at each tier is exactly the same as in 2025.
Is Winter Wonderland free?
Not quite. The official tickets guide still describes off-peak slots as “always free to enter”, a line carried over from last year, but the same page lists the off-peak ticket at £1.00. Expect to pay £1 per person at off-peak times, unless you unlock free entry with the £25 offer below.
Everyone needs a ticket, including young children, so add them to your booking. You can buy entry at the gate, but popular slots sell out and on-the-day prices are higher. Advance prices are available until 11.59pm the day before your visit.
The six £1 days: when entry is cheapest
Off-peak pricing applies all day on every Monday to Thursday in November. Because Winter Wonderland opens on 19 November, that gives just six dates:
| Date | Opens at |
| Thursday 19 November (opening day) | 12pm |
| Monday 23 November | 12pm |
| Tuesday 24 November | 12pm |
| Wednesday 25 November | 12pm |
| Thursday 26 November | 12pm |
| Monday 30 November | 12pm |
All six open at noon, so the £1 days are afternoon and evening visits. Off-peak slots also bring cheaper prices on attractions. The organisers say there are half a million off-peak tickets this year, and green off-peak slots can appear on other dates too, so check the booking calendar.
How to get free entry: the £25 rule
This is the most useful money-saving rule at Winter Wonderland. When you pre-book online, every £25 you spend on activities in a single transaction unlocks one free entry ticket, worth up to £9.50, according to the official packages page. Rides, attractions, packages, passes, Ride & Game Credit and meal deals all count.
All packages and ride passes include free entry too. The catch is that it only works online and in one transaction, so book your entry and activities together rather than separately.
Worked example: a family of four on a peak Saturday evening
| Booked online in one go | Paid on the day | |
| Ice skating, family ticket | £55.00 | £59.00 |
| K-Pop Dragon Circus, family ticket | £66.00 | £70.00 |
| Entry for four | £0 (four free tickets) | Up to £38.00 |
| Total | £121.00 | Up to £167.00 |
Peak prices from the official ice rink and circus pages. £121 of activities unlocks four free entries. On-the-day entry estimated at the £9.50 maximum value the organisers give for an entry ticket.
Booking ahead in one transaction saves this family up to £46 on the same day out.
How much do rides and attractions cost?
Entry only gets you through the gate. Rides, shows and the big attractions are paid separately, and they also have off-peak, standard and peak prices. These are the official 2026 advance prices:
| Attraction | Off-peak | Standard | Peak |
| Ice skating, adult | £12.65 | £17.05 | £19.25 |
| Ice skating, child | £9.35 | £11.55 | £13.75 |
| Ice skating, family | £37.40 | £46.20 | £55.00 |
| K-Pop Dragon Circus, adult | £13.75 | £17.60 | £19.80 |
| K-Pop Dragon Circus, child | £10.45 | £14.30 | £16.50 |
| K-Pop Dragon Circus, family | £41.80 | £57.20 | £66.00 |
Sources: the official ice rink and circus pages. On-the-day prices are £1 to £4 higher.
The organisers also highlight these off-peak prices: the Giant Wheel from £8.80 per adult or £26.40 for a family, Magical Ice Kingdom family tickets for £32, and two goes on the Real Ice Slide for £5.50. The Santa Land Unlimited Ride Pass costs £27.50 in advance, UK Festival Guides reports, and the new VIP Tour Experience costs £149.
Two practical extras: ice skates are included in the rink price, and bags must be checked into the rink cloakroom at £2 per item.
Winter Wonderland 2026 packages and passes
Packages bundle attractions at a 10% discount and all include free entry. The main options on the packages page are:
- Arctic Adventure: ice skating, Magical Ice Kingdom and the Real Ice Slide, plus £20 Ride & Game Credit.
- Festive Favourites: Bar Ice, the Real Ice Slide and the Giant Wheel with fast track, plus £20 credit.
- Show Town Spectacular (new): the K-Pop Dragon Circus and the Giant Wheel with free fast track, plus £20 credit.
- Santa Land Package: unlimited goes on 16 Santa Land rides plus a Jingle Bell Bistro meal deal.
- Coaster Pass and Explorer Pass (both new): bundles of the big coasters, or of the Real Ice Slide, Haunted Mansion and other family rides.
- Ride & Game Credit (new): £20, £30 or £50 of prepaid credit, valid all season. The £30 and £50 options include free entry.
Orders over £50 can be split with Klarna, and bookings can be moved to another date through the online rescheduling tool.
What’s new at Winter Wonderland 2026?
- Magical Ice Kingdom presents Neverland: a Peter Pan-themed ice sculpture trail made from 500 tonnes of ice and snow, in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.
- Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus: a 55-minute family show blending K-pop music and dance with circus acts, making its London debut.
- Christmas by Candlelight concerts: six sing-along concerts with a West End cast and live band between 5 and 23 December, UK Festival Guides reports.
- VIP Tour Experience: a hosted tour for groups of up to six, with fast-track entry, three rides, lounge access and £30 of credit each.
Returning favourites include the 70-metre Giant Wheel, the Munich Looping rollercoaster, Bar Ice, the UK’s largest open-air ice rink around the Victorian bandstand, the Bavarian Village and Santa Land, according to Time Out.
How to get to Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland has four gates. Picking the right one saves a long walk around the site, because each gate is closest to different zones:
| Gate | Nearest stations | Closest zones |
| Red (east) | Bond Street, Marble Arch | Santa Land, Thrillville |
| Blue (south) | Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Victoria | Ice rink, Show Town (circus) |
| Green (west) | Knightsbridge, High Street Kensington | Bavarian Village, Christmas market |
| Gold (north) | Marble Arch, Paddington | Arctic Circle (Ice Kingdom, Bar Ice, Ice Slide) |
Source: official Getting Here page.
The organisers say Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge and Marble Arch are the closest stations but can be very busy and are sometimes closed. For a calmer journey they suggest Victoria, Bond Street or Paddington, all within about a 20-minute walk. For step-free access, use Green Park or Bond Street.
If you are visiting on Boxing Day, note that the organisers’ travel page warns there is no Elizabeth line service on 26 December. Driving is discouraged; the recommended car park is Q-Park Park Lane.
What you can and can’t bring
- Bags: A4 size or smaller only. Every bag is searched and there is no left-luggage, so leave suitcases at home.
- Food and drink: no outside food except baby food or food needed for medical reasons. Sealed water bottles and empty reusable bottles are allowed.
- Banned items: scooters, bikes, glass, your own alcohol, drones and fancy dress costumes, among others.
- Pets: dogs are the only animals allowed.
Tips for visiting Winter Wonderland in 2026
- Book entry and activities together. One transaction is what triggers the £25 free-entry rule.
- Go on a £1 day if you can. The six Monday-to-Thursday November dates also bring off-peak attraction prices.
- Book by 11.59pm the night before. That is the cut-off for advance prices.
- Arrive early in your slot. You can only get in during the hour you booked.
- Use the right gate. Families heading for Santa Land should use the Red Gate; skaters and circus-goers the Blue Gate.
- Download the official app. It holds your tickets in time order and shows your Ride & Game Credit balance.
Winter Wonderland 2026: FAQs
When does Winter Wonderland 2026 open?
Thursday 19 November 2026, from 12pm on opening day.
When does Winter Wonderland 2026 close?
Sunday 3 January 2027. It is closed on Christmas Day.
How much are Winter Wonderland 2026 tickets?
£1 off-peak, £5.50 standard and £8.25 peak, with booking fees included.
Is Winter Wonderland free in 2026?
Off-peak entry costs £1, the same total as last year’s “free” tickets once the booking fee was added. You can get free entry by spending £25 on activities in one online booking.
What time does Winter Wonderland open and close?
It closes at 10pm every day, with last entry at 9.30pm. Most days open at 10am, but some weekdays open at 11am, 12pm or 2pm.
Is Winter Wonderland open on Boxing Day?
Yes, from 10am. It is only closed on Christmas Day.
Do children need a ticket?
Yes. Every visitor needs an entry ticket, so include children when you book.
Can you buy Winter Wonderland tickets on the day?
Yes, if slots are still available, but prices are higher and popular slots sell out in advance.