No. This experience will replace the Grotto Bluewater has run in previous years and, while Santa will play a part in this new experience, The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater is not a traditional grotto. This in an interactive Christmas adventure experience based on ‘The Elf on The Shelf’. 

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure is a worldwide exclusive to Bluewater. Families will get to go on a brilliant and bright adventure, where joy and play can lift Christmas spirits and make sure it’s strong enough for the 25th. Let the countdown begin! 

All children will have an activity booklet which they can get stamped as they explore the experience.

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater opens on Saturday 16th November and closes on Sunday 24th December. 

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater is not a traditional grotto i.e. you will not have a private family meeting with Santa. But Santa is inside the experience, and everyone will have the chance to meet him and pose for a photo.

Tickets for The Elf On The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater cost £14.50 per child and £6.50 per adult. Please note: There is a £2.50 booking fee per transaction that covers the cost to issue your tickets and the Customer Service relating to The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure.

All tickets should be pre-booked online wherever possible. We highly recommend advance booking online to avoid disappointment although there may be some tickets available for purchase on the door subject to availability.   

You can book online for a session up until the time that it starts, and you can also book at the box office on site (subject to availability).

Babies in arms do not require a ticket if attending with siblings, however a minimum of one child ticket MUST be purchased per family group. This means that if the only child in your group is a baby in arms, they will require a ticket. All-ages are welcome, but this experience will be particularly enjoyed by children from 2 years+.

Please note: Only children with a paying ticket will receive a gift.

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater is an all-ages event for the whole family, but it will be particularly enjoyed by children from 2 years.

Unless absolutely essential we cannot permit buggies in the experience. The event has a buggy park that can accommodate a limited number of buggies. These will be left at your own risk. We recommend not bringing valuables to the experience as we cannot take any responsibility for belongings left unattended.

No, you may show it on your smart mobile or make a note of the booking name and your reference number. In the interest of saving trees, we recommend not printing your ticket!

You can make changes to your booking online up until 48 hours before the booking date and time (subject to availability).  In order to be able to amend your booking you will need to have registered for a DigiTicket user account. This can easily be done while purchasing tickets and you will be prompted to do so at the end of your transaction. 

If you have not registered for an account, our team may be able to assist you.  Contact our team via email at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk. Please note that emails are monitored only during office hours and will typically be responded to within 48 hours

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure lasts approximately 25 minutes but please arrive 10 mins before your allotted time to check in. For example, if you have booked a session at 11:00am, please arrive at 10:50 and join the queue outside the experience. 

Upon arrival, all visitors will receive a time-coded wristband which will allow our staff to guide you through the experience.

There are selfie opportunities at certain points throughout The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater and you are welcome to take lots of photos. There will also be a fun greenscreen photo opportunity with the chance to purchase special souvenir photographs of your visit.

To avoid congestion at the entrance to The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure, please aim to join the designated queue outside the event space no earlier than 10 minutes before your session start time.

If you are late for your booking time, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to come into the venue and you may need to buy new tickets to come back at a later time or on another day (subject to availability.)  There will be no refunds if you miss your booked session. 

We reserve the right to fill your space if you have not arrived for your booking by the start of the session. 

Please contact our team by emailing TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk. Please note that emails are monitored only during office hours and will typically be responded to within 48 hours.

Each session has a capacity of up to 60 people and you can book as many available tickets as you like within that session time.

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure is a group experience. You are welcome to book an exclusive session, subject to availability. Please email us at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk to make large party or group bookings. 

Sorry, we can’t accept cash. Only card payments are accepted.

If your session is cancelled by the organisers, we will endeavour to rebook you onto another session. If there are no further sessions available or you are not able to attend any alternative dates offered, we will refund the cost of your tickets minus any booking fees.

If the event is cancelled your tickets will be refunded minus any booking fees.

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater is a walk-through experience and is wheelchair accessible. There is also seating within the venue.

In the interests of health and safety, we request that you do not eat and drink in the venue.

Your ticket is valid for 25 minutes from the booking time stated. After this point, you will not be able to re-enter the experience and tickets/ wristbands will not be valid later that day or any day thereafter. Wristbands are valid for your session only and are non-transferable.

Guests with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are welcome to book for any session but some people may find it more comfortable to book on one of our SEND sessions. 

These sessions are available for booking – please refer to the SEND sessions section of the ticket booking site for dates and times. SEND sessions will be a little quieter with music and lighting moderated and a reduced capacity of visitors. SEND sessions are limited so please do not book SEND sessions unless your family needs to – in this way we can ensure these sessions are reserved for those children who will benefit most.
 

If you have any further questions about our SEND sessions or have any specific ticketing, access or support needs you would like to talk to us about, please speak to our team via email at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk.  We will respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

SEND sessions allow up to one free companion ticket per family group, so if you are supporting someone with additional needs and require a companion ticket, please select a Companion Ticket.

Please bring a copy of one of the following with you:

• A Nimbus Access Card with the +1 symbol. For more information, visit the Access Card website.

• Blind or partially sighted registration certificate (BD8 or CVI certificate.)

• A personal letter from the GP, community nurse or social worker.

• Benefit award letters.

 • Copy of a blue badge (we'd need to see both sides.)

If you have any further questions about our SEND sessions or have any specific ticketing,  access or support needs you would like to talk to us about, please speak to our team via email at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk.  We will respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

This Christmas experience doesn’t contain strobe lighting but may be busy and bustling and full of action. Calmer quieter sessions are programmed in on specific times & dates

At times there may be the presence of a professional photographer or videographer inside the venue. By purchasing tickets, you agree to photos or videos being taken and to the possibility that these may be used by the organisers to promote this or future events. 

If for any reason you do not wish for you or any member of your group to be recorded or photographed, please notify our team on arrival and we will ensure your wishes are adhered to. 

Pets are not permitted inside the venue, except for registered assistance animals.

Smoking and vaping is not permitted inside the venue.

This is an indoor experience which will take place inside. The experience will be signposted. Located on the Upper Rose Gallery next to River Island

You are welcome to pass your tickets to a third party if you are unable to attend your booked session.  If you choose to sell or give your ticket to another person, you do NOT need to notify the venue of the change of name, they will just need to have the booking name, booking reference number and QR code. 

We will be unable to help with any enquiries relating to booked tickets from persons who are not the named person who bought the original tickets 

We cannot accept liability for tickets passed to a third party or any transactions between third parties 

Apologies but we cannot accept any responsibility or liability for tickets NOT purchased directly from our ticket site or website.  We will be unable to help with any enquiries specifically related to booked tickets from persons who are not the named person who bought the original tickets.

Yes, every child with a paying ticket will receive an age-appropriate gift. Children 0-3 will receive a non-branded story book and Children 3+ will receive a branded The Elf of the Shelf sticker book.

There will be the opportunity to have a photo taken as part of The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater. You will have the option to purchase copies of your souvenir photograph at the end of each experience from our Kiosk which is situated on the ground floor.  

There will also be a variety of The Elf on The Shelf souvenir items that you can purchase.

Unfortunately, photos from The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater can only be purchased as part of the event.  Photos and merchandise must be paid for on the day of the event. 

The site of the experience is designed to be wheelchair accessible. 

If you have any specific access needs that you would like to discuss with us before your visit, please contact our team by email at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk.  We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

The £2.50 booking fee per transaction covers the cost to issue your tickets and the Customer Service provision relating to The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater.

The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater is located on the Upper Rose Gallery next to River Island.

Parking at Bluewater is free and the nearest carpark is the Rose Gallery. For information about your visit to Bluewater, please see: https://bluewater.co.uk/your-visit/getting-here 

You will find information here including options and prices (where applicable) for: 

• Disabled & Parent & Child Parking 

• Electric Vehicle Charging 

• Hotels 

• Map & directions 

• Parking 

• Transport options 

Bluewater is easily accessible by public transport. Whether you’re travelling by bus, car, train, bike or on foot – getting here is easier than ever. 

For information about getting to Bluewater, please see: https://bluewater.co.uk/your-visit/getting-here

There are no toilet facilities inside the experience. The nearest toilets and baby change facilities can be found Upper Rose Gallery next to Starbucks.

The nearest public toilets to The Elf on The Shelf Christmas Adventure at Bluewater are located on the Upper Rose Gallery next to Starbucks, you will also find baby changes and family restrooms here. 

If you have any specific access needs that you would like to discuss with us before your visit, please contact our team by email at TEOTSBluewater@bakehousefactory.co.uk.  We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

No, we cannot issue refunds but you can amend the date and time of the booking yourself, subject to availability. In order to be able to amend your booking you will need to create an account. This can easily be done while purchasing tickets and you will be prompted to do so at the end of your transaction. 

Please note you cannot make amendments to a booking on the same day that the booking is for, however you can amend future bookings up to 48 hours before the sessions scheduled start time.

We do not offer a Blue Light / NHS disount for The Elf on the Shelf Christmas Experience at Bluewater.