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This winter, the Trafford Centre in Manchester is playing host to the annual Winter Funland festival. It’s the largest festival of its kind in the Northwest, and it’s home to a range of wintry attractions – from a sizeable indoor ice rink to a series of musical performances at a thousand-seater theatre. On top of this, there’s a circus, a Santa’s grotto (complete with real reindeer) and a healthy supply of high-quality food and drink.
If you’re considering a trip to the Trafford Centre for the occasion, then a little bit of planning is probably in order.
Where can I stay?
If you’re not local to Manchester, then you might consider staying the night. That way you’ll be able to enjoy the entire day without worrying about how late it’s getting. With all of the hotels, motels and serviced apartments Manchester has to offer, finding appropriate accommodation won’t be a challenge.
How much should I budget?
A family ticket for the event will get two children and two adults into the show (or three children and one adult). Children will need to be under sixteen to quality as such.
It’s £89 plus the booking fee of £3.50. This will provide access to all five of the attractions built into the Funland. If you’re travelling from awhile away, you’ll need to factor in the cost of transport and accommodation, and you could be looking at an overall cost closer to £200, depending on where you’re travelling from. You’ll all need to eat throughout the day, and, given that you’re not allowed to take your own food and drink inside, that means you’ll need to buy from the food and drink stalls inside.
You should also consider setting a little bit aside for optional extras like a photo with Santa Claus.
How long is a day in Winter Funland?
Each session inside the Funland will last for four hours. Your ticket will come with an entrance time, so make sure you arrive promptly if you want to see everything there is to see. Shows run at regular intervals throughout the day, so make a point of noting times so you can come back to see one.
What about Parking?
There are more than three thousand parking spaces available, all of them free – which means if you’re driving, you won’t have to worry about finding a place to park.