Winterland Bluewater: Opens 7 Nov, £3 Entry, Open to 10 Jan

Winterland, the Christmas funfair at Bluewater, opens on Saturday 7 November 2026 and runs until Sunday 10 January 2027. Entry is £3 a person, and rides are paid for with tokens on top. In November it opens at weekends only, 12pm to 9pm. From 5 December it opens every day except Christmas Day, with shorter 4pm to 9pm hours on weekdays until 18 December. (Winterland Bluewater)

The quick answer

• Is it on this year? Yes. The organiser’s site lists the 2026 dates and is taking bookings.
• Where: outside The Village at Bluewater, near Zizzi, DA9 9ST.
• Entry: £3 a person. Children under 18 months go free but still need a free ticket when you book.
• Rides: tokens cost £1.20 each on the day, or 25 for £20 if you book online at least 24 hours ahead. Rides take 2 to 6 tokens.
• Opening: weekends 12pm to 9pm in November, then daily from 5 December. Closed Christmas Day.
• Book ahead to be sure of getting in. Only a small number of tickets are sold on the day.
• Parking: Bluewater’s car parks are free, but Winterland itself takes 413 spaces.

Opening dates and times

This is the timetable Winterland publishes for 2026 to 2027: (Winterland Bluewater, FAQ)

It is shut on weekdays in November, and between 4 and 8 January. The 9pm finish is fixed by the planning permission: Dartford Borough Council’s conditions bar the site from operating outside 12pm to 9pm without its written agreement. (Dartford Borough Council decision, 17 August 2026)

Your entry ticket is valid for the whole of that day’s opening, but there is no re-entry. Once your ticket is scanned, you cannot leave and come back on it.

What it costs

Winterland says child and family rides are “typically 2-3 tokens”, with the bigger adult rides costing more. So a bundle of 25 online tokens covers roughly eight to twelve children’s rides. A family of four pays £12 to get in before any rides. (Winterland Bluewater, FAQ)

The two kinds of token work differently, and it is easy to get caught out:

• Tokens bought online are for rides only.
• Tokens bought at the venue can be spent on rides, food and games.
• There are no refunds on unused tokens, but they stay valid for the rest of the season, so you can use them on another visit.

The booking site also sells entry with a ride on the observation wheel, as single and four-person bundles. Games, such as hook a duck, hook a huskie, ring toss, the Kentucky Derby and cork guns, are priced separately, and Winterland says some give a prize every time. (Winterland Bluewater, games; bookings)

Booking and queues

Booking online is the only way to be sure of getting in. Winterland says a small number of tickets are sold on the day, so if you turn up without one, arrive early.

A booking does not get you out of the queue. Everyone queues on arrival and is let in “at a slow pace to avoid congestion”, first come first served, and other members of your party cannot hold a place for you. (Winterland Bluewater, FAQ)

Age rules

• Under 16s must be with an adult. Security may ask anyone who looks younger to show ID: a passport, provisional driving licence or other government ID. A photo of ID does not count.
• Adult-only groups may not be let in before 5pm. Winterland calls itself a child-friendly attraction.
• Rides go by height, not age. Check the height limit at each ride before you buy tokens for it.

(Winterland Bluewater, admissions policy)

Food and drink

There is a fully licensed bar serving draught beer, cider, wine, spirits and mulled wine. Food stalls listed for this year include Dutch pancakes, Yorkshire pudding wraps, “fancy fries”, churros, a German swing grill, crepes, waffles, doughnuts and toasted marshmallows at the fire pit. (Winterland Bluewater, food and drink)

Access

Winterland says the site is designed to be accessible, with flooring that wheelchairs and mobility scooters can generally use. Ramps cover cables across the site, so some areas need care. Some rides will not suit guests who need to stay in a wheelchair, and Winterland asks you to contact it about a particular ride before buying tokens, at info@winterlandbluewater.com.

Getting there and parking

Winterland is on part of Bluewater’s West Car Park, beside The Village. Bluewater says its parking is free all day, but Winterland takes 413 spaces, and the council called that a loss “at a busy time of year”. On December weekends, give yourself time to find a space. Bluewater’s car parks and the alternatives are on our parking in Dartford page. For the A282, the Dartford Crossing and rail disruption, check Dartford roadworks and travel before you set off.

Winterland is not the ice rink

The Ice Rink at Bluewater is a separate attraction, with its own tickets, next to The Village. It opens on Thursday 5 November and runs to 3 January. A Winterland ticket does not get you on the ice, and an ice rink ticket does not get you into Winterland. Session times and prices are on our Bluewater ice rink page.

More Christmas in Dartford

• Santa in Dartford: the council’s £5 Santa’s House at Acacia and the free fire engine tour.
• Dartford Christmas lights switch-on, Saturday 14 November.
• Cinderella at the Orchard Theatre, from 12 December.
• What’s on in Dartford this month.

What we will update

• Any change to the opening times, including weather closures.
• The rides list, when Winterland publishes it. Its rides page shows no named rides yet.