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Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question or looking for some further info? Take a look through our most commonly asked questions and answers below.
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What is Wonderlights?Wonderlights is an enchanting evening spectacle for all the family, taking you on an awe-inspiring walking trail through the illuminated gardens of Malahide Castle. The experience will captivate all ages - perfect for families, couples and friends. Guests can expect a magical mix of lights, colour, nature and sounds. Wonderlights brings its host venue alive with stunning lighting displays and immersive projections for all ages along a fully accessible trail. Featuring brand-new stunning displays that will leave you in awe, alongside some of our beloved classics that have captured hearts before, this experience has something for everyone. Ireland’s only multi-sensory outdoor trail, Wonderlights captures the imagination and safely transports guests into a world of wonder. An international team of talented creatives have curated this year’s spectacular new show. State of the art technologies and dazzling displays will see Wonderlights, "The Magic of Winter” reaching new heights for this best in class experience. Come outdoors this Winter and walk by night.. walk by Wonderlight!
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When will the event be on and where?Wonderlights will take place on select dates from November 10th 2023 - January 2nd 2024. This is an evening event and will only take place from dusk onwards. Wonderlights is located on the grounds of the picturesque Malahide Castle and Gardens in Dublin. The venue is accessible by: - Dart - Bus (route 47, H2) - A 30 minute drive from Dublin City - Free Parking avaiable on site See our CONTACT US page for more
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How do I get there?Public Transport: Get the Dart to Malahide Get the 42 bus or H2 bus Drive Free parking available Taxi + Bus Drop off + Collection Zone available
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How much time should I put aside for my visit?We recommend putting aside at least 90 minutes to enjoy all that Wonderlights has to offer. It is a 1.8km walk, which you should complete in approx 60 minutes at a leisurely pace, but there will be parts where you will stop to enjoy the sites and take photos. You are then welcome to visit the outdoor Woodland Village, where we will have a selection of food trucks serving up hot food and drinks, festive treats and snacks. Feel free to stay as long as you please, before the closing time on the day of your visit.
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What is the new light-up wristband?An exciting new addition for 2023 is our dazzling interactive RFID light-up wristbands! Every child's ticket comes with one for an exciting engaging experience! Be Guided Through the Trail as You Go! Watch as your child's eyes light up with wonder as they embark on an unforgettable journey. With our RFID wristband, each step becomes an adventure of its own, guiding them through the trail with a world of surprises waiting to be discovered. Immerse in Enchantment: Our wristbands light up and come to life, adding an extra layer of excitement to every twist and turn of the trail. Interactive Fun: These wristbands aren't just for show! They react to the environment, making your child an active part of the experience. Take Home a Keepsake: After your Wonderlights adventure, your child can keep the wristband as a memento of their visit. A wristband comes as standard as part of a child’s ticket, but if you too want to join in the wristband fun, other ticket holders such as Adults, Students, OAP’s and free Infant ticket for U2’s can purchase a wristband for €3
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Are there many exhibits on our walking route?Every few minutes along the route you will come across one of our lighting exhibits. They are spread around over our 1.8km route. Please note there are sections between these exhibits where guests will walk by festoon lighting only. Our event is a walk, lighting display and outdoor nighttime experience.
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Will there be anywhere to buy food or drinks?Yes - we will havefood trucks in our Woodland Village - they will be announced in the coming weeks! Make sure you stop by our Woodland Village area before or after your Wonderlights experience!
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Can I bring my camera?Yes we encourage you to bring a camera and take lots of shots of the stunning lights. Photographers are also welcome to bring their tripod, while being considerate to other guests and not blocking the pathways. Drones are not permitted.
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Can I cancel my booking?No, unfortunately single use tickets are non-refundable but are transferable to friends and family. Season tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. ID will be required upon entry.
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Can I reschedule my booking?If you think you may need to change your booking date or time and want that flexibility please ensure you create an account at the time of booking. You can change your booking only once, up to 96 hours before your scheduled visit. There will be a €10 admin charge per booking to change your ticket to another date/time. If another suitable date or time is not available, we would advise you to transfer your tickets to friends or family, and make a new booking for yourself at a more suitable date. You can email us and we can amend details on the ticket for you.
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I need to add more guests to my booking?Simply make a second booking for the same time slot and you can all go together as one group.
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Is there parking on site?Yes there will be ample parking available on site, please take care and drive slow through the grounds.
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I haven’t received my ticket yet?When you complete your booking online, an email containing a barcode which is your ticket is automatically sent to the email address you inputted at booking stage. Please also check your spam / junk folders before contacting us as sometimes the email goes in there. Don’t worry if you still can't find it, email tickets@wonderlights.ie and we will get it to you.
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What should I bring?Please ensure you bring your barrcoded ticket either to be shown on your phone, or a printed copy – which will be scanned upon entry. Please bring weather appropriate clothes, you will be outdoors for the duration of the event, dress warm and waterproof if necessary. Umbrellas are welcome. Please read our terms & conditions for event safety information before your visit.
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Where can I buy tickets?Tickets are on sale now! Click the 'Book Now' button on our home page. Advance online booking is strongly advised as some times will be sold out. You will first be asked to enter details on how many people you want to book for, only times with availability for your group size will show as available to book.
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How much are tickets?We offer an off-peak rate for visits up until 30th November 2023, the standard rate applies for visits in December and January. OFF - PEAK RATE: - Adults: €22 (18 yrs and over) - Children: €20.50 (over 24 months up to 12 years) * new * includes interactive, light-up RFID wristband for an exciting, engaging experience - Student: €18.50 (13 – 17 yrs, or 18+ with student ID required) - OAP: €18.50 (ID required) - Infants: (under 24 months) FREE (but must have a ticket) (Booking fee of €1.75 per ticket applies - no booking fee for free infant tickets) STANDARD RATE: - Adults: €24 (18 yrs and over) - Children: €22.50 (over 24 months up to 12 years) * new * includes interactive, light-up RFID wristband for an exciting, engaging experience - Student: €20.50 (13 – 17 yrs, or 18+ with student ID required) - OAP: €20.50 (ID required) - Infants: (under 24 months) FREE (but must have a ticket) (Booking fee of €1.75 per ticket applies - no booking fee for free infant tickets) **Extra offer! Priority list subscribers can avail of an extra 15% off on sessions from 10th- 30th of November. You must be an email subscriber to avail of the offer, sign up here: https://www.wonderlights.ie/sign-up
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Why is there a booking fee?These are charges passed on to us by the bank for their services to process credit/debit card transactions, also for the installation and maintenance of computer hardware and software and all other costs associated for our ticketing system.
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What is the new light-up wristband?An exciting new addition for 2023 is our dazzling interactive RFID light-up wristbands! Every child's ticket comes with one for an exciting engaging experience! Be Guided Through the Trail as You Go! Watch as your child's eyes light up with wonder as they embark on an unforgettable journey. With our RFID wristband, each step becomes an adventure of its own, guiding them through the trail with a world of surprises waiting to be discovered. Immerse in Enchantment: Our wristbands light up and come to life, adding an extra layer of excitement to every twist and turn of the trail. Interactive Fun: These wristbands aren't just for show! They react to the environment, making your child an active part of the experience. Take Home a Keepsake: After your Wonderlights adventure, your child can keep the wristband as a memento of their visit. A wristband comes as standard as part of a child’s ticket, but if you too want to join in the wristband fun, other ticket holders such as Adults, Students, OAP’s and free Infant ticket for U2’s can purchase a wristband for €3
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Can I buy tickets as a gift for someone else?Yes, of course. To gift someone a visit, please purchase them tickets via our website. Afterwards, if you would like to switch over the name on the booking and the email address that any future correspondences will be sent to, then you can get in touch with our customer service team at tickets@wonderlights.ie. If the booked date and time does not suit, we will do our best to accommodate them on an alternative date & time of their choice where available. We do not offer gift vouchers unfortunately as this is a a short-term event with limited capacity that can sell-out, so it is best to have a date and time
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What if the event is cancelled, how will I know?If any cancellations have to be made, we will send you an email by 2PM on the day, and post on our social media pages. The event will only be cancelled if the weather in the location is perceived to be a danger to the public (e.g extremely high winds), or if there is a major failure in the electrics. The event will be cancelled when: – The weather at the venue is perceived to be a danger to the public due to very high winds – There is a major fault in the electric system The event will NOT be cancelled when: – There is heavy rain, snow or very cold weather at the venue, please wrap up and wear warm, appropriate clothing – There is heavy rain or snow in another part of the country – we advise visitors to take note of weather conditions for their journey and allow ample time to get here A decision will be made by 2pm on the day and visitors for the day will be contacted by email and a message will go out on all our social media platforms advising any cancellations due to weather
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What happens if there are any technical faults or severe weather conditions?The organisers of the event will do everything in their power to ensure the smooth running of the event. In the unlikely event of something going wrong out of our control, we will facilitate, in the best possible manner to deliver the event as close as possible to the organized time up to
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Is there accommodation on site?There is no accommodation available on site unfortunately but we recommend the following hotels near by: The Grand Hotel Malahide 4 minute drive Portmarnock Hotel 8 minute drive The Clayton Hotel 16 minute drive Clontarf Castle Hotel 20 minute drive
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Can I bring my dog?Although we would love you to have your 4 legged friends join you, dogs are not permitted in the walled garden and inner castle grounds. We ask that you please leave your dogs at home for this one. Guide dogs are welcome.
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FeedbackThankfully the majority of our customer experiences are very positive. However, we welcome all types of feedback – we strive to be the best we can be, but we may make mistakes, we are human too. We are here to listen to you to better ourselves and try to create the best possible experience. We would expect and appreciate you giving us the opportunity to do so. Please contact us directly should you have any issues. Remember people can have varying opinions and expectations. Please take time to read our FAQs before your visit. Please note: We do not expect to agree with all comments. We will listen and take your feedback on board – this is how we learn. We encourage all feedback once it is balanced, constructive and fair. We cannot accept rude or personal comments or those of a defamatory nature. The best way to send feedback is to email it to tickets@wonderlights.ie. We kindly ask for your patience during our busiest times
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Is the event wheelchair accessibleThe event has been designed to cater for all ages and abilities and the paths are deemed to be suitable for MOST wheelchairs. If you have any specific questions to help you assess whether it is suited to your specific needs, please get in touch directly at tickets@wonderlights.ie If you are in any doubt we can arrange a site visit for you to make a call on it.
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Can I bring a buggy?Yes, you are welcome to bring buggies along. The paths are deemed suitable for most prams.
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Special Needs – EpilepsyWe do not recommend that photosensitive epileptics attend Wonderlights, although no single source of lighting regularly strobes at high frequency, the amount of lights on site could raise the frequency of light flashes and strobing across multiple sources to a level where it could be considered unsafe for those affected by photo-sensitive epilepsy.
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Is the event suitable for children / infants / elderly / people with disability or special needs?The event has been designed to cater for all members of society, of all ages and abilities. Our trails are wheelchair and pram friendly. However, care should be taken whilst navigating the route. We would advise that young children be supervised at all times because of the nature of this outdoor event. If you have any questions or specific special requirements, please get in touch directly at tickets@wonderlights.ie and a member of our team would be happy to help.
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Do you offer discounts for carers?Yes – visitors with special needs may admit one accompanying carer free of charge when attending Wonderlights Monday - Friday. Carers must get in touch with us in advance to apply email tickets@wonderlights.ie. You will need relevant ID and documentation, such as an IAA Autism ID card, or an associated membership card which confirms the visitor is unable to visit Wonderlights independently without the aid of a carer.
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Can I host an event at Wonderlights?We welcome all kinds of events. From birthday parties to large corporate groups, community and charity groups. For groups of 50+ please get in touch with us directly at corporate@wonderlights.ie and a member of the team will get back to you shortly. We have lot's of flexible booking options to make it super easy on the organiser.
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Can I make a large group booking?You are welcome to book in a large group online for numbers of less than 50. If you are a group of 50+ and would like to find out more about our group and corporate packages, pay by invoice, or require flexible booking options - please contact us directly on corporate@wonderlights.ie. we welcome groups of all sizes and can cater for exclusive events and anytime-use flexi ticket options.
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Sponsorship EnquiriesPlease email corporate@wonderlights.ie for details on sponsorship options.
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Food VendorsIf you are interested in trading at Wonderlights, please email us with details of your offering to tickets@wonderlights.ie
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ArtistsWe are always on the look out for new talent and installations for our new shows - please email details to corporate@wonderlights.ie
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