The ice rink at Bluewater opens on 5 November and runs to 3 January, closed only on Christmas Day. Off-peak tickets £15 adult, £13 child, booked a day ahead.
The ice rink at Bluewater is back this winter, open from Thursday 5 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is outside The Village, near Zizzi, under a roof canopy, and it closes on Christmas Day only. Every session is 45 minutes and skate hire is included. Tickets are on sale now. (Bluewater; the rink’s FAQ)
The quick answer
- Dates: Thursday 5 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, every day except 25 December. That includes Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- Where: outside The Village at Bluewater, near Zizzi. Bluewater, Greenhithe DA9 9ST.
- Off-peak price: £15 adult (13 and over), £13 child (12 and under), £46 for a family of four.
- Peak price: £17 adult, £15 child, £56 family. Weekends, Friday evenings and every day from 14 December are peak, apart from 2-for-1 days.
- Book a day ahead: those are online prices bought a day or more before you skate. On the day the same tickets cost £1.50 more (£6 more for a family).
- Cheapest way on: the 2-for-1 Thursdays, two skaters for £15.
Opening times
The rink runs a session every hour, on the hour, and the times change through the season. These are from the rink’s booking system on 6 October:
| Days | First session | Last session |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays to Wednesdays, 5 to 25 November | 4pm | 8pm |
| Thursdays, 5 November to 10 December | 3pm (4pm on 5 November) | 8pm |
| Fridays in November, and weekdays from 30 November | 12pm | 8pm |
| Saturdays and Sundays | 10am | 8pm |
| Every day from Monday 14 December | 10am | 8pm |
| Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve | 10am | 6pm |
| Boxing Day | 10am | 6pm |
| New Year’s Day | 10am | 8pm |
On the opening day, Thursday 5 November, sessions run from 4pm to 8pm. On Thursdays during term time the daytime sessions (10am to 2pm) are kept for school groups and cannot be booked online; teachers book them by email. A few evening slots are marked as private events. The booking page is the final word for any single day. (Bluewater Ice Rink tickets)
Arrive 20 minutes before your session at busy times so your skates are fitted and you get the whole 45 minutes on the ice. With an e-ticket you go straight to the skate exchange.
Ticket prices
| Session | Adult (13+) | Child (12 and under) | Family of four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off peak | £15 | £13 | £46 |
| Peak | £17 | £15 | £56 |
| Quiet session (weekends 10am) | £17 | £15 | £56 |
| Skate & Sing (Wednesdays) | £18.50 | £16.50 | £62 |
| Disco Night (Fridays, adults only) | £18.50 | ||
| Double Disco Night (two sessions) | £24 | ||
| 2-for-1 (Thursdays, New Year’s Day) | £15 for two skaters | ||
| Parent and toddler | £15 parent, one under-5 free |
A family ticket covers two adults and two children, or one adult and three children. In the parent and toddler sessions one child under five skates free with each paying adult, and an extra toddler costs £5. The wheelchair tickets are priced as an adult or child ticket and cover the manual wheelchair user and a carer on the ice.
The prices above are what the booking system charged on 6 October for tickets bought a day or more ahead, with no booking fee. Its standard price, which applies on the day, is £16.50 adult, £14.50 child and £52 family off peak, and £18.50, £16.50 and £62 at peak; 2-for-1 rises to £16.50. Skate & Sing and Disco Night cost the same either way. Groups of ten or more get 10% off. Bluewater was also offering 25% off to members of its free PLUS+ scheme “for a limited time”. (Bluewater Ice Rink tickets; Bluewater)
Penguin and seal skating aids, for children up to 1.4m tall, cost £5 to hire on the day from the box office, first come, first served. The box office takes card and contactless only.
The special sessions
- Quiet sessions: Saturdays and Sundays at 10am, from 7 November to 3 January, Boxing Day included. No music and fewer skaters on the ice.
- Parent and toddler: one session a day for under-fives, with pushchairs allowed on the ice and skate aid hire included: Fridays at 12pm in November, most weekdays at 12pm from 30 November, and 10am from 14 to 18 December.
- Disco Night: Fridays from 6 November to 18 December, 7pm and 8pm. Adults only, dance music, no skate aids.
- 2-for-1: Thursdays from 12 November to 17 December, and all day on New Year’s Day.
- Skate & Sing: new this year, five Wednesdays from 18 November to 16 December, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Two themes: Kids Pop, with cowboy hats and glow sticks for children, and 80s & 90s for the grown-ups. Lyric games, lip-sync battles and spin-to-win.
- Skate & Donate: two 8pm sessions, Thursday 26 November and Thursday 10 December. Bluewater has not yet said what they involve and tickets were not on sale on 6 October.
Rules for children
There is no minimum age, but small children must walk confidently on their own and be able to hold themselves up on a skating aid. Children aged 8 and under must have an adult ticket holder skating with them. Children aged 9 to 12 must have an adult watching from the spectator area, which is a raised platform at one end of the rink. Skates run from a baby size 4 double blade to an adult 15; children in size 9 or below need proper shoes for the double blade to clip over.
Skating fast, skating backwards and tricks are banned. Bags and coats cannot be left at the skate exchange, only your shoes, so bring as little as you can.
Tickets, refunds and bad weather
Tickets are e-tickets sent by email. There are no refunds unless the rink cancels your session; if you cannot make it, email bluewater@icetickets.co.uk with your booking reference before the day and staff will try to move you. The canopy keeps the rain off, but the rink can close sessions in high winds, in which case you are offered another slot or a refund. Assistance dogs are welcome at the rink but not on the ice; no other dogs.
Parking and getting there
Bluewater has more than 13,000 free parking spaces, and the rink’s own advice is to use The Village car park, the closest to the rink. This year the West Car Park also holds Winterland, the separate funfair, which opens on 7 November; see our Winterland story for its dates. For council car parks in town see parking in Dartford, and before a weekend trip check Dartford roadworks and travel for road closures.
Is it on this year?
Yes. Bluewater’s own page says “our magical Ice Rink is back outside The Village from 5th November 2026” and the booking system was selling sessions on 6 October. For more of the season in Dartford, see the Christmas lights switch-on, Santa’s House, the pantomime and our what’s on this month page.
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