FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes — we strongly recommend booking online in advance. Capacity is limited, popular times will sell quickly, and online tickets are cheaper than buying on the day.

Both tickets give you access to Halloween Island and all of its included daytime attractions, shows, and activities.

✨ Daytime Tickets (10:00am – 5:00pm) By day, Halloween Island bursts with bright, playful energy — packed with shows, adventures, and attractions for families to explore together — from trick-or-treat trails and live shows to pumpkin villages, storytelling, play zones, and more. It’s bright, playful, and full of family fun.

🌙 Twilight Tickets (5:30pm – 10:00pm) As the sun sets, the Island transforms… lighting, sounds and crackling fire pits add an extra layer of magic. Twilight includes everything from the daytime plus special after-dark exclusives like the Salem Sisters, the Fire Show, marshmallow toasting, and magical owl encounters.

So whether you join us under the sun or the stars, your ticket unlocks a full day of Halloween magic — it just depends when you’d like your adventure to begin!

Every entry ticket gives you access to Halloween Island and all of its free adventures, including:

• Ghost Ship Voyage – spooky pirate journey to the festival site (weather dependant)

• The Sunken Galleon – walk-through adventure

• The Festival of Bones – A Skeleton fiesta!

• The Pumpkin Village – every child takes home a free pumpkin!

• The Singing Pumpkins – a musical pumpkin chorus (Twilight only)

• The Carnival of Curious Games – interactive Games zone (daytime only

• Monster Boogie – family dance party

• Spooky Storytelling – tales that tingle the spine

• The Cursed Map – scavenger hunt across the Island

• Tiny Pumpkins’ Play Patch – play maze for under-5s

• Ghostly Graffiti – creative chalk-art zone

• The Owl Keepers – magical owl encounters (Twilight only, plus daytime 30 & 31 Oct)

• Photo Opportunities - Plenty of epic photo opportunities across the Island
  

Live Shows

• Jack & Luna: The Curse of Halloween Island – family stage show (Daytime only)

• Slime It Live! – messy game show fun

• Potion Commotion – mad science experiments

• The Howlers – Our mysterious choir of witches and wizards, cropping up when you least expect them (Daytime only)

• The Salem Sisters – spellbinding vocal trio (Twilight only)

• The Fire Show – blazing evening spectacle (Twilight only)
  

Food & Festival Areas – fire pits and seating

Bonus Adventures are our special add-on adventures — extra quests and activities that go beyond your entry ticket. For 2025, these are:

• 🎃 Trick or Treat Street

• 🧙 Witch & Wizard Academy

• 🐙 The Kraken’s Bounce Kingdom

• 🎨 The Island Makers Hut

• 🏴‍☠️ Pirate Putt Putt

Most of these are designed especially for young adventurers, so only children need a ticket (grown-ups are welcome to watch and guide). The exceptions are Trick or Treat Street and Pirate Putt Putt, where everyone taking part needs their own ticket — and children must be joined by at least one adult.

The best value is the Child’s Spooktacular Pass, which bundles four bonus adventures together. Witch & Wizard Academy can then be added separately if your little witch or wizard wants the full training.

There’s already a full day of shows, pumpkins, free attractions, and Island magic included with every entry ticket — plenty to enjoy without the add-ons. Bonus Adventures simply let you dive deeper into the adventure if you’d like.

You can add them when booking online, or on the day if spaces remain — but availability is limited, so we recommend booking in advance.

Most Bonus Adventures are just for younger guests, so only children need tickets. However, Trick or Treat Street and Pirate Putt Putt require tickets for everyone taking part — children must be joined by at least one adult.

It’s spooky fun designed for families — full of games, jokes, and magical characters. It’s playful, not frightening.

Are there shows during the day as well as at twilight? Yes — stage shows and performances run throughout both Daytime and Twilight sessions.

• Daytime only: Jack & Luna: The Curse of Halloween Island and The Howlers (our mischievous pop-up choir who appear at random around the Island).

• Twilight only: The Salem Sisters and the Fire Show.

• Both sessions: Slime It Live! and Potion Commotion

Yes — every child ticket includes one pumpkin to take home. There will also be additional pumpkins available to purchase.

Children under 2 do not need a general entry ticket for Halloween Island.

Please note:

• All bonus adventures are recommended for ages 3+, and under 2s would require a ticket if participating.

• Babes in arms can accompany their family into Trick or Treat Street free of charge.

When you book, you’ll pick one of the following entry slots:

• Daytime – 10:00–11:00, 11:00–12:00, 12:00–13:00, 13:00–14:00 or 14:00 - 15:00

• Twilight – 17:30–18:30, 18:30–19:30, or 19:30–20:30

After your entry slot, you’re free to stay until the end of your session (Daytime closes at 17:00, Twilight closes at 22:00).

Please arrive within your chosen entry slot. This helps us manage queues and keep boarding smooth. The Ghost Ship Voyage departs from Mermaid Quay, and your ticket time refers to your departure window, not your arrival time on the island. Your arrival at Halloween Island will depend on when your ship sails.

If you’d like to guarantee reaching the island for the very start of your timeslot, we recommend walking. Simply ask our crew at Mermaid Quay for The Lost Crew Trail — a fun, family-friendly route to enjoy as you make your way along the barrage to the island entrance.

Your ticket is valid for the whole session you book — either Daytime (10:00–17:00) or Twilight (17:30–22:00). Time slots are just for entry, to keep things smooth and avoid queues. Once you’re inside, you can stay as long as you like until closing time for that session.

Yes — if you need to step off the Island during your session, just ask for a stamp on the way out. Show it when you return and you’ll be welcomed back in.

Yes — you can exchange your ticket for another available slot up to 24 hours before your booking through the “Manage My Order” section. Tickets are non-refundable.

No. If a session is sold out online, it is fully sold out — we don’t hold back extra tickets for on-the-door sales.

Yes. Groups of 20 or more paying guests (adults and children combined) can receive 10% off Standard Entry tickets. The discount applies to entry tickets only, not to premium add-ons such as Trick or Treat Street or Witch & Wizard Academy.

Group bookings must be made in advance by emailing hello@cardiffhalloweenfestival.com. Payment is taken in one transaction, and you’ll receive a single booking reference to make entry quick and easy.