Lilidorei Playground at The Alnwick Garden : What to Expect

This post is based on a visit in May 2023. Please check with venue direct for the most up to date info.

Lilidorei at The Alnwick Garden is now open! This much anticipated attraction has been YEARS in the making and I am so pleased that it's open and it's fantastic that we have such a brilliant new attraction to enjoy in my home county of Northumberland.

I will be visiting Lilidorei on Sunday and posting a full review here. Make sure you follow me on Instagram : www.instagram.com/northeastfamilyfun

where I will be sharing videos from our visit.

For now, let's take a little look at what to expect......

Lilidorei Opening Times

We now know that Lilidorei will be open from 9am-7pm during school holidays (there may be reduced hours in term time but we will have to wait and see. Each session lasts 2 hours 45 minutes and you can book one of three sessions:

9am - 11:45am
12:30pm - 3:15pm
4pm - 6:45pm

Lilidorei Prices

Just a quick note to say, it might be worth checking out this 2 for 1 Alnwick Garden deal before booking. It's not valid for the playground but it is valid for the garden itself and may save you a bit of cash if you plan on visiting both. Check the t&cs.

Find out more and book tickets here: https://www.lilidoreialnwick.co.uk/

Children aged 2 and under go free
Child (One Lilidorei Session) - £15 (must be accompanied by an adult)
Adult (One Lilidorei Session) - £12

Child (One Lilidorei Session and Same Day Garden Visit ) - £15
Adult (One Lilidorei Session and Same Day Garden Visit) - £24
Founder Lilidorei Membership (one named child with any adult) - £125 for unlimited visits across the year
Founder Lilidorei Membership (one named child with any two adults) - £145 for unlimited visits across the year
Parking is available in the Alnwick Garden Car Park where normal charges apply (£3 - card payment on arrival)
Max card holders will receive discounted entry - this is £8 per adult and free entry for children (up to a max of 2 adults and 2 children per Max card). So if you're a family of 2A, 2C with a Max Card, you'll pay £16.

If you're a Max card holder, you can call 01665 511350 (option 1) to book in advance or present your Max card on arrival (entry subject to capacity). Or you can now book online (select the Max Card option).

A family of 4 will pay £78 to visit Lilidorei and Alnwick Garden. This compares with £86 for Stockeld Park (with a 1.5 hour Playhive Timeslot) or £82 for Bewilderwood Cheshire. So I would say if you are comparing like for like, although it is a very expensive day out, it is priced in line with other similar attractions.

I have noticed, Lilidorei have started off-peak prices too - these are £10 per child and £8 per adult. Look out for these!

If you're looking for cheaper options, scroll to the bottom of this post for alternative ideas or why not check out my guide to FREE Adventure Playgrounds.

Pet dogs are not permitted.

Included Activities

As well as access to the play structure and magic village, your session will include activities, games and interactive storytelling. No two visits will ever be the same!

Lilidorei is a year-round attraction but is said to be particularly special around Halloween and Christmas time.

Age Recommendation

Lilidorei is recommended for up to age 11 and under but all are welcome and yes, adults can play too.

Our Visit to Lilidorei

I will be visiting Lilidorei on Sunday and posting a full review here. Make sure you follow me on Instagram : www.instagram.com/northeastfamilyfun

where I will be sharing videos from our visit.

For now, let's take a little look at what to expect......

I will be visiting on opening weekend with my nephew Evan (aged 7). I booked ahead online and it was £39 for 2 adults and 1 child for a 2 hour 45 minute slot.

Obviously, information may change after this post has been published so please do check with the venue direct for the most up to date information.

I did visit with high expectations - Lilidorei cost over £15 million and have had months of 'test' and 'preview' days to iron our any issues before they opened to the public.

The following information is based on my personal experience and information available from the Lilidorei website. Obviously opinions/thoughts may differ to my own. Lets jump in.......

What is there to do at Lilidorei?

What they say

Lilidorei is a magical, mysterious village full of play and 9 clans who worship Christmas. They are ruled by Lord Elfwin who lives in the biggest play structure in the world.....

When you visit Lilidorei you can visit the clan houses, play on the biggest play structure in the world and take part in daily activities and storytelling.

The world's largest play structure (26 metres tall)
There will always be games & activities
Storytelling sessions
Explore the 9 clan houses

What I say

We all absolutely loved it and there was plenty to do for all ages. First of all, check in was a little random. The signs take you around by the main ticket office then back towards the treehouse and Lilidorei is just behind the treehouse. It is much quicker to cut across the disabled car park and head straight to the side of the treehouse but I am guessing that Alnwick Garden don't want people doing that.

There is no check in booth or anything, in fact for us there was just a random guy in the car park checking some emails. He didn't even check how many tickets we had bought and some people just walked straight past him without having tickets checked.

I expected it to be something like Alnwick Garden where your ticket is scanned but it's not. Perhaps that will come in time. There are no bag checks.

On arrival, we were handed a little map which was handy and it can't help but take your breath away. It's incredible!! The first part of the walkway is filled with voices which may be a little scary to younger children, I just explained to Evan that he might hear Goblins arguing because they were sad that it wasn't christmas time and he wouldn't actually see them but he might hear them. He was fine.

We decided to walk through the village first and were greeted by a playful member of staff who asked Evan to look through the windows of the houses and find 5 different objects.

Evan loved doing this and you can ring on the doorbells of some of the houses and hear what's going on inside. Nobody is physically inside the houses but you can see and hear different things.

This walk was really enjoyable and you're surrounded by Christmas trees.

Inside the village is a magical wishing tree. An elf will ask you to whisper your wish in your hands and then you need to feed it to the tree who may 'burp' it back up and then you catch it with a net. Evan was a little apprehensive to put his hands in the tree but it looked cute.

As you're walking around the elf village you hear lots of voices and sounds. The theming is excellent.

I had read about a jail where you could put naughty children and had high hopes. You can't actually get to this house to look inside but can see the spooky gravestones and skeletons around it. I suspect they may bring this aspect of the village more to life over Halloween but for now it was a little disappointing.

Onto the main play structure and it was brilliant. It was busy and crowded at times, especially when two different paths joined into one but it wasn't too bad. There were queues for the biggest slide and it took us around 10 minutes to work our way to the front of the queue.

The views from the top (or even half way up) are great. It feels really safe and secure and there aren't any sections where you feel as if you could fall out. It's a mix of stable wooden walkways, spiral starcases and wobbly bridges. I did spot a few nets to climb up too but I avoided these.

The slides are super fast and loads of fun. There is an elf at the top of the biggest slide keeping control of things but the other ones were a free for all. We had lots of fun. There weren't queues for the lower slides and I think the queue for the biggest slide did die down a bit towards the end of our session.

In some places towards the top, it does get a little tight / claustrophic. You could be queuing on a fairly narrow staircase that you kind of have to twist yourself around the get up for example.

My bro had to stoop to walk through a lot of the corridoors where as I was fine. I was expecting it to be worse than it was and the kids found it easy peasy.

I am a size 18 and didn't get stuck / anywhere near getting stuck. My bro mentioned if you were upwards of 6ft, you may struggle with some of the twisty stairs you have to climb up to get to the very top. He had a backpack with him and although it would have been easier without, he managed ok with it.

We did go around with Evan a few times but then he just wanted to run and play by himself. I think we were holding him back! Although it's huge, we felt ok letting him run around himself as there are actually quite a lot of open viewing points on the structure (eg the wobbly bridges) where you can see kids. They may disappear inside the towers but it won't be for long. Evan loved waving to us from the top.

You know your own child and whether you and they would feel ok exploring alone and knowing where you are. I would say 75% of kids were exploring without a parent.

There is a storytelling area too which is cute. Staff will shout announcements when a storytelling session is about to start and you make your way over. There were two sessions (that I heard being announced anyway) during our timeslot.

We all had a brilliant time. I'd go again. The standard is super high and it all feels really magical.

Age Suitability

What they say

Lilidorei is best suited to children aged 11 and under. Adults are more than welcome to play too. Children aged 2 and under (so up until the day before their 3rd birthday) visit for free.

There is a warning that there may be some scary 'Goblin' sound effects around the clan village that may scare / spook younger or sensitive children.

There are 4 different levels of Lilidorei to explore as well as the clan village. All ages are welcome on all areas but Monstrum who created Lilidorei have made the following recommendations:

Entry level - best suited to 0-3 year olds, seniors and wheelchair users. There is smooth level access to swings, musical play features and carousel
Easy level - best suited to 3-5 year olds, seniors + a more challenging route for wheelchair users. Experience the thrill of height whilst still remaining close to the ground. There is a wide boardwalk and lower suspension bridges
Intermediate level - most suitable for ages 5-12 years & adults. You will encounter higher suspension bridges and more climbing opportunities
Difficult level - best suited to ages 6-12 years and adults. Includes a pathway full of challenges and obstacles which may get narrow in places plus access to the 30m slide

You can see the report here: Age suitability report

What I say

All ages were there from little babies up to teens and some grandparents were getting up and getting involved. I would definitely take an under 3 year old if I was just paying for 1 adult as I feel like £12 for both of us would be good value. There isn't a huge range of equipment for little ones - there is no baby swing for example. But there are little reindeers and smaller slides.

If I was visiting with a little one and two adults (so £24), I don't think it would be worth it. There are better parks and playgrounds which are free and they won't remember a visit. I would wait until they were aged 4+.

I think little ones would love the elf village and just looking up at the castle and playing in part of it would be magical for them.

There are also some jumping toadstools and a carousel which are great for all ages.

I would say the best ages are 4 - 12 year olds and I reckon quite a few 4 and 5 year olds would easily make it right to the top.

I personally would take younger children with siblings too. There were elves in front of the main play structure with little toys to play and ribbons etc... and it's just a super magical place / atmosphere.

I think I would struggle looking after two toddlers here myself as it's a large space and the structure has lots of nooks and crannies. If I was visiting with my three when they were little, I probably would have brought my mam and I think it would have been fine.

Can children escape? Not really. The gift shop is quite far from the main structure (see photo below which is taken from the gift shop door). You would see a toddler running up the path towards the shop in plenty of time (or someone else would).

The shop is also staffed and then if a toddler did for whatever reason manage to then leave the shop unnoticed, there is a member of staff in the car park and someone would see them by themselves and notice. I think the flight risk although possible, is extremely small.

We got chatting with three adult men visiting from America who were here without any children which was a bit random but they seemed to be having lots of fun.

They don't have a pram store or any lockers which I think are needed and would be a welcome addition. Fingers crossed this is being looked into.

Food & drink at Lilidorei

What they say

In the grogery savoury hut you can purchase BBQ sausages cooked on a swing grill, gourmet mac n cheese and spiral potatoes.
In the sweet hut you will find churros, waffles and ice creams with magical toppings
Hot and cold drinks plus magical muffins are available from The Magic Muffin
There is a magical sweet shop with troll snot and other delights
Picnics are permitted (but there are no lockers)

What I say

There are two main places to buy food inside - the Magic Muffin as you first enter Lilidorei or The Groggery which has two little huts, one for savoury and one for sweet. There is also a sweet shop at the exit and a little ice cream cart. We paid by contactless and I assume it's card payments only.

We visited on a session which was fully booked / at capacity and found service to be very quick with barely any wait.

You can take a picnic and if I was to visit again, I would probably buy drinks on site and bring a picnic / eat before or afterwards. McDonalds just off the A1 is always a popular option on the way home with kids and not too pricey.

Prices:

Swing Grill Sausage £7
Potatio Stick £3.75
Mac n Cheese £5.50

Americano £2.50
Latte / Cappuchino £3
Tea £3
Hot Chocolate £3.20
Bottomless Fizzy Drink £3.50
Calipo Slush £3.65 (these seemed very popular)
Innocent Juice £3.25
Innocent Smoothies £2
Bottle Water £1.70

Ve and GF options available.

I don't actually find these prices to be too bad but the quality wasn't the best. The only negative about bringing a picnic is there aren't any lockers / anywhere to leave bags so if you're climbing on the structure with kids, you need to carry everything with you or risk leaving it unattended.

I don't think the bottomless fizzy drinks were working when we were there as we couldn't see them and they were selling cans instead.

More prices.....

Ice Cream £3.25 - £4.50
Churros £4.75
Waffles £6.50

Evan ordered the ice cream (which is Ciccarelli) and I tried the Churros. The ice cream was lush but my Churros were very overcooked - they were so crispy that they were hard and crunchy all of the way through. There also wasn't a dusting of sugar and they were quite dry. Nothing like the fresh churros I'm used to from Christmas Markets. I wouldn't recommend.

The Magic Muffin is a cute little hatch and perfect for parents sitting on the grass watching kids. Muffins are £3.75, drinks as before. They looked really nice.

You can also buy troll snot ice cream from this stand or from the gift shop.

The Snots and Lollies Sweet Shop in the gift shop is cute too and some local businesses have created special items including fudge and special lollipops. Lollys were 85p which is doesn't break the bank. They are like gobstoppers though so obvs take the usual precautions with little ones.

Although the sweets were reasonable and there were pocket money toys in here for a few £, some things were very expensive in here (£16.50 for a basic bauble or £30 for a reindeer soft toy).

In summary, I wouldn't buy a meal here and I think bringing a picnic isn't an easy option. I'd eat before / after our visit and probably buy ice cream / a coffee next time.

There is quite a lot of seating outside of the food huts and you can eat your own food there too. We were able to get a seat here no problem (during a sold out session) but did have to share with another family.

Access at Lilidorei

What they say

Wheelchair Users

The village is surfaced and suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs with a huge mix of audio and visual aspects to see and hear, This surface also leads to the toilets, storytelling area and food and drink area
Visitors are invited to look through the clan windows as they listen to the sounds
Wheelchair users can access 'entry' and 'easy' levels of the play structure
You can enjoy the artistic design of Lilidorei no matter what your abilities or mobility
There are many metres of boardwalk suitable for wheelchair users and family fun
Everyone can take part in Lilidorei's Chandelier Room where children can sit and play together around a table

Visually Impaired
There are tactile handrails around the structure for the visually impaired
Mushroom play elements make sound as you jump on them
Integrated lights on the boardwalk encourage independence for the visually impaired

SEN
When asked about dedicated SEN sessions, they have replied that they will look into these when they open (no word yet)
With equipment of various heights, children can choose the correct challenge for them
The Chandelier Room is a quiet space to relax and recharge away from the rest of the play structure
Lookout points offer places pause and take in the scenery as well as connect with caregivers and friends below

Inclusive Features

They list the following as their inclusive features:
Handrails provide support for children with mobility impairments
Wide walkways provide access for wheelchair users / support aids
Lookout points help children navigate their surroundings and reduce anxiety
Lighting features provide visual cues
The nest swing with back support is suitable for wheelchair users
Slides of varying heights provide thrills for children of all abilities
Designated quiet space within the play structure
Mushroom carousel encourages children of different ages and abilities to play together
Built using natural materials providing a tactile and sensory experience for children
Musical play allows children to engage with the environment through sound and touch

You can read the full access report here: Lilidorei Access Report

What I say

So this is where I feel really let down by Lilidorei. I would have expected access to be at the heart of their plans but it doesn't feel that way.

My insta-friend Kate who has visited with a wheelchair has shared this video of their visit in a Wheelchair on Instagram which you may find useful.

After visiting with a wheelchair, Kate kindly shared the following points:

"The first part of the play structure is just a ramp going in and out. There's not actually anything to do or interact wih and the play structure is bumpy."

I would agree with this - I have noticed at other playgrounds, there are sensory games and challenges etc... on boardwalks suitable for wheelchairs. I would also say that on the day of my visit, I couldn't see how you would access the playstructure in a wheelchair as all of the entrances that I could see involved an initial step up.
"Most of the play and interactive stuctures are not suitable for wheelchair users and for those with SEND I'd recommend visiting at a quiet time as there are added lights / smoke / elves and it can get busy"

I definitely agree with this. It's a real shame that there are not wheelchair swings (I know you can lift a wheelchair user from their chair to use a basket swing but this isn't always appropriate or suitable) or wheelchair roundabouts. I think Harestanes Park is WAY better for wheelchair users and it's free.

In terms of SEND sessions, I can't believe these haven't been thought of or included from the start and instead people are being told 'it's something we will look into'. It doesn't exactly make you feel like a priority and more like you're an after thought.
I would also point out that when Evan jumped on the mushrooms, they didn't make any sound (which I expected).

"When you walk through the magical village, the doorbells, interactive elements and windows are not at wheelchair / pushchair height. Even the storytime benches are not accessible.

Again, I completely agree. It's a shame that the walk through village is like this and I do not think a wheelchair user would be able to access / get a good view of the storytime session as there are obstables in the pathways and it is busy / I could not see a designated wheelchair space.

The mushroom carousel is great for mixed abilities but I don't think it's suitable for all wheelchair users

As you can see from this picture, there are areas around the back of the house etc..... where a wheelchair user would not be able to access.

And as you can see here, I don't think many wheelchair users would be able to reach some of the doorbells

There are some inclusive features such as the wishing tree which wheelchair users will be able to join in with

The play frame is very busy but I did find the chandelier room to be quiet on our visit so the design in working well.

Why is this random log in the middle of the pathways blocking access for wheelchair users in the storytelling area? And as you can see from the narrow gaps, I don't think a wheelchair user would get a great view at all.

In summary, it's not somewhere I would take someone in a wheelchair personally which is a shame. Most of the paths around the site are not a smooth surface either, it's like bulky gravel. There are better places to visit and better playgrounds (including Harestanes which has both a wheelchair swing, wheelchair roundabout and sensory boardwalk - more details later in this post).

In terms of visiting with children with additional needs, somethings are to be aware of is that it's busy, there are places where you need to queue for slides etc....and these are generallly not managed and do expect kids to push past / jump the queue. There are points where it gets crowded and busy/gridlocked and it can feel claustrophic and some places have unexpected noise and smoke in the elf village.

Saying that, there are some places to chill out that aren't so busy. Especially the storytelling area when there isn't a session running and the viewing spheres that pop out of the play structure.

The MAX Card Discount is welcome.

I really hope they add quiet sessions soon. I do have experience of visiting attractions with children with complex additional needs (previous fostering) and I know that every child is different but just to say, I think he would have enjoyed visiting and would have been ok if an adult (or two) had been with him at all times.

1 June Update - A Quiet Session is Now Available

Lilidorei has announced today that there will be a quiet session on Thursday 8 June 4-7pm. This will have a reduced number of guests (maximum 100 rather than a maximum of 300), there will be lowered sound and the Secret Keepers will not approach guests unless prompted to do so.

You can buy tickets for this session here.

Lilidorei has mentioned they will endeavour to put on more of these sessions across the year. If you'd like to keep up to date, sign up to their mailing list at the bottom of this page.

Toilets at Lilidorei

What they say

There will be toilets and baby change on site at Lilidorei and further toilets at Alnwick Garden.

What I say

There are indeed toilets on site. They are just behind the storytelling / food area. They are modern and clean with about 10 cubicles in the female loos. There are two large unisex baby change toilets too.

I couldn't see any accessible toilets inside Lilidorei (there are some near the main Alnwick Garden Ticket Office).

Alnwick Garden has received a grant to open a public Changing Places Toilet in their shop. I don't think it's open yet but hopefully the wait won't be too long.

Seating at Lilidorei

What they say

I could not find this info in any pre-visit information.

What I say

Lots of people have mentioned to me that there isn't much seating and I would say this was fair. Most people were seated on the grass in front of the play structure. There is seating though with benches around the paths next to the play area.

There is also seating in front of the food court area where you can also eat your own food and drinks. We shared a table but there were enough seats to go around.

Finally, you can sit in the storytelling area which is filled with benches. When it's not storytime, these are pretty empty and some people were eating picnics here. The only downside is there is no direct access to the play structure from here.

If you really needed a seat, I don't think you would struggle with finding somewhere to sit down. It just might not be in the prime area. If you're visiting with people who won't be going on the play structure, they can also bring their own camping chair in. A few people had brought blankets too.

There is a little covered area on the grass but when it's raining, there are not many (if any) places with covered seating so bring a brolly. Equally, if it's a hot and sunny day, you may struggle to find any shade.

A few people have also mentioned that when it's a hot day, the slides can get super hot and it's worth wearing cool, long sleeved tops and trousers. I would definitely recommend wearing this whatever the weather when playing on tube slides.

Is it worth visiting?

I tried to go in with an open mind. Was it worth me paying £39 for 2 adults and a 7 year old today? Yes, it was. We had such a fun afternoon playing together and a good laugh going down all the different slides plus at 7, Evan was old enough to play by himself too when we needed a little break.

The visual and interactive aspects have been done to such a high standard. Most people were saying "WOW this has been such a good day" as we were leaving and already planning a revisit.

It's expensive and if it's not within your budget to visit right now, I wouldn't say it's somewhere you need to visit straight away. It's here forever so there is plenty of time. Many children will be visiting through their free school visit scheme too.

I do have a feeling that in the colder months (outside of Christmas and Halloween) they may offer some deals too as similar venues tend to do this during quieter periods.

For me, £39 is about the same price I would pay to visit a farm park and the fun levels were comparable. It's somewhere us adults had just as much fun as the kids so I didn't actually begrudge paying for us.

It would be nice to see a lower entry fee for those who travel by public transport and for those who are not able to go on the play frame (eg if a grandparent just wanted to come along and watch / look after the bags).

I think it is going to be GORGEOUS over Christmas and hopefully we can visit again then.

I do have to mention again though, the lack of inclusivity does really taint it for me/it's frustrating that not everyone will be able to have the same experience that I have.

Spend the Weekend in Alnwick

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If you're looking for a cheap night away, Alnwick Premier Inn is just 1 mile from Alnwick Garden and offers free onsite parking as well as family rooms. Check prices from £29 per room per night here.

A family room at Alnwick Premier Inn

Alternatively, the Hogs Head Inn is a lovely family pub with rooms a few miles from Alnwick Garden with good links to the A1. It has a playground too. Find out more and check prices here.

Doxford Farm Camping and Glamping

If you're looking for a camping/glamping site nearby, I can highly recommend Doxford Farm Camping. We enjoyed a wonderful stay there earlier in the year (watch our video review here).

You can find out more & book Doxford Farm Camping / Glamping here.

There are lots of other places to visit in the vicinity. You might find the following posts helpful when planning your trip:

Other Adventure Playgrounds to try

If you absolutely cannot wait for Lilidorei to open, here are some alternatives to try:

Lowther Castle

Lowther Castle in the Lake District is absolutely fantastic! Definitely recommend a visit. You can read our full guide to visiting here.

Plotters' Forest at Raby Castle

Plotters' Forest at Raby Castle is a treetop play structure in County Durham. Find out more and read our review here.

Shiremoor Adventure Playground

Shiremoor Adventure Playground is FREE to visit (do check their session times before you visit though) and has dedicated sessions for families with additional needs too. There are lots of added extras including hands on activities and farm animals too. Read our full review here.

Adventure Playground at The Kelpies

The adventure playground at the Kelpies in Falkirk is FREE to visit and definitely somewhere I'd recommend. There is lots to do including a splash pad in the summer. Read our guide to visiting Falkirk here.

Harestanes Adventure Playground

Harestanes adventure playground in the Scottish Borders (nr Jedburgh) is one of the best playgrounds I've ever visited and the kind of place you can easily chill and spend a few hours. There are wheelchair swings and a sensory play area too. Read our full guide to visiting Harestanes here.

Preston Park Adventure Playground

The adventure playground at Preston Park is free to visit and has a good range of play equipment for all ages. It's easy to spend a day here, especially if you combine with a visit to the museum and Butterfly World too. Read my full guide to visiting Preston Park here.

As mentioned earlier in the article, I will update this post with opening dates and prices as soon as they're released.

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