PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING!
We’ll be doing a few things differently this year to help stop the spread of the virus this Christmas. There’ll be hand sanitiser available throughout your visit and we’ll be managing social distancing by reducing the number of people onboard. However, we still really want you to have a great time and enjoy that festive feeling. Christmas comes just once a year after all!
The first, and most important, thing is that we’ll do our best to provide all of the usual elements of our Santa experience; the train ride, the chance to meet Santa and a present for all children. But, as you’ll appreciate, this year is very different and restrictions may be imposed at the last minute meaning some of these may just not be possible on the day. We hope you’ll understand if this happens and, so long as the station can be open, you’ll be able to visit and collect your child’s gift, hopefully from Santa or possibly one of his elves. In these circumstances we unfortunately won’t be able to offer a refund, but as a charity we hope you will see this as a donation to support us through these difficult times.
If you’ve visited us since lockdown you’ll know that we’ve changed the way we’re selling tickets with each family group being seated in their own compartment, separate from other passengers. For our Santa trains, simply choose the date and time you wish to travel and select one of the available compartments. Then, select the different ticket types for the people travelling with you and ‘seat not required’ for any you don’t need. That stops anyone else from being able to sit with you on the day. You’ll understand that it’s been a difficult year for us so please do consider filling as many of the seats with your family or friend ‘bubble’. Just remember to adhere to any restrictions in place.
Once onboard, Santa will meet and greet each family group as usual, but he won’t be able to enter individual compartments or stop and have a long conversation. He’ll be available for photographs when you return to Bitton rather than part way through the journey like he’s done before. He’s also going to have to make some changes to the gifts he gives out as the virus is causing no end of problems for his elves in Lapland. They’re having real problems getting hold of everything they need to make presents for all the little boys and girls. Therefore, specifically for this year, he wants to give a gift more suitable for all ages. This will be in the form of a high quality plush teddy bear (planned to be bespoke to the railway) for all children aged from 1 to 7 with a couple of presents suitable for our youngest infant visitors as well as older boys and girls aged 8+. We know this is a much more simple arrangement than Santa has previously provided but we hope you understand his reason at this time.
Finally, you’ll be pleased to know that the festive Christmas donkeys will be returning and you’ll be able to see these on the lawn at Bitton, either before or after you’ve travelled on the train. Once you’ve left our elves will then be working hard cleaning and sanitising the train before the next passengers arrive.
We very much look forward to welcoming you to our Santa Specials. It’ll be slightly different, but just as enjoyable!
