Longleat Festival of Lights

[Piccalino3]

Does anyone know if this will be happening this year and also when tickets are usually released?

I've been desperate to go to this for a few years and since it's outdoors I was thinking it might still be on.

Anyone been? Is it as good as it looks?

It is as good as it looks, but it's usually absolutely rammed. I'm not sure how they would go on with SD. Tickets have usually been released by now, but it does say on the website that it will be going ahead.

The carpark can get very slippy, one year every vehicle was having to be pushed out!

Last year the Christmas lights at Stourhead were also very good- not as spectacular but quite special in their own right.

Tickets usually go on sale at the beginning of September, I have a reminder on my phone from last year. There isn't anything to say it isn't on, however as PPs say it is usually rammed, so cant see how it can go ahead in its usual form. Tickets usually sell out incredibly quickly as well, so if there's less of them you'll have to be quick.

Stourhead was fab last year, very magical, they are already selling tickets to it.

We’ve been to the event at Blenheim but this year they’re not having any indoor facilities or displays as they usually do. I’m not sure how any if these Christmas lights events can do SD as they’re normally so busy.

Yes I was thinking it's probably usually rammed. I've done Blenheim Palace before but this year the market and house is closed. I've booked for Kew after Christmas but I really don't how that's going to work and I booked thinking that if things were bad we just wouldn't go. I'm usually pretty quick off the mark with Christmas things but have a feeling this year is going to be insane!

I think they're just doing an online event this year.

@YoBeaches that would make sense because I saw a group that was tickets for an online Longleat Festival of Lights. Sad times but understandable I suppose if that is the case.

Op it's wondeful, hopefully if not on this year you can go again. The santa train is wonderful too

They are doing a light event it’s on their website but they are calling it Land of Light or something rather than Festival of Lights . We’ve been the last couple of years and it is very good . We will go again this year as we are at Centerparcs Longleat in December and also plan to do the Christmas trees at Bournemouth if it goes ahead . We’ve booked Bedgebury lights for our local one , never been so no idea if it’s any good .

Oh thanks for posting @Floralnomad. The Land of Light looks good, I wonder if it will end up being an almost full day outside, which might be too cold for 3 little kids, but the Santa train sounds great. It did sound like some of it will be inside in the Longhouse? I bet booking will be mad!

Says on there website

It’s been replaced this year by Land of Lights , which I’m assuming will be less individual items as such so they can keep people moving as usually it’s people stopping at all the individual statues to take photos that make the bottlenecks and hence will make social distancing difficult . We’ve never found an issue booking for midweek quite close to going but will be checking earlier this year . Fridays and weekends usually book out quickly . It does make for a very long day if you do the whole safari thing as well so I’d recommend not getting there until 1/2 pm . Last year we did the safari and animal bits in the morning then left and went back in the evening for the lights which is the advantage of staying close by .

Anyone been to longleats land of light?
It says compacted hardcore, just wondering if pram/wheelchair friendly or not?
Anyone know what the food stalls are serving? Trying to plan ahead!

We cancelled our tickets due to being in tier 3 but you might get more response if you post something on one of Longleats posts

Having seen some pictures and been to Longleat before it’s all around the house and grounds so all flat and accessible for pushchairs
Not sure on the food front I think they have outdoor vendors

Wsley have done theirs this year. Ticketed, timed entry, far fewer people and one-way system. But actually easier to see the lights and felt relaxed and suitably distanced.

@SeaMoonWave

Anyone been to longleats land of light? It says compacted hardcore, just wondering if pram/wheelchair friendly or not? Anyone know what the food stalls are serving? Trying to plan ahead!

We are going on Saturday, have seen a few photos from others that have been. As far as I’m aware there are food stalls but be prepared to queue, we went to the balloon festival a few months ago and ended up spending an hour queuing for food and almost missed the display and food was really expensive. I think the hardcore maybe down to make access from the car parks easier because some of the parking maybe in a field? Once your into the main bit you should be fine, it’s pretty pushchair and wheelchair friendly.

We went on Saturday - much quieter than usual.
No internal places to eat - hotdogs, chips, donuts hot drinks and sandwiches and mulled wine (£4.50).
Not as good as lanterns but still a really lovely visit.
We also did the Santa train which was much quieter and socially distanced from Santa.
Glad we went!

We've been twice before & going after Christmas this year.
Food is quite expensive, so we usually take a picnic.
If the lights are in the usual places then they put down plastic matting so yes wheelchair & pushchair accessible. But I'd advise a torch as some bits are uneven/kerbs etc.

We're planning on visiting next week and looking at booking the santa train and story time. Do you know how long each one takes?

I think the train is all sons out - they have really reduced the capacity. It takes about 45 minutes.
We didn’t do story time.
The pizza place is open for takeaways too. It is great pizza!

We went last year but it was disappointing as we arrived on the afternoon and by the time we had done the safari (took hours as it was so busy) and went into the park a lot of the little kid attractions were shutting 3/4pm and there was only one indoor food place which I could get the pram in. Kids and us were too cold in the end so we didn’t even walk round the lights, just saw a few from a distance but it wasn’t as good as I expected and so I would go elsewhere for lights if we went again. It was a shame as I really thought it would be a better experience.