On Thursday evening we were lucky enough to be invited to the Press evening #gifted for the opening evening of The Enchanted Journey of Light at Thursford. We were mega excited as massive fans of Thursford spectacular we were glad we could still visit just without the show and to explore their new attraction.
Arrival: On arrival we were greeted by staff at the entrance which in itself is covered in lights and absolutely massive! We were given a map and headed on our journey. There are the traditional shops packed full of beautiful gifts and delicate ornaments. The window displays are beautiful and certainly something to stop and admire.
Beginning your journey- Wonderland Trail: You start your journey in the main auditorium with an all new wonderland trail a maze of engines, fairy-tale creatures and an immersive experience of light and sound including one of the UK’s biggest kinetic light displays. They have the music and light display on a 6 minutes circuit featuring lots of great songs and even some dry ice. The girls and I loved dancing around and enjoying the lights and music in front of the Thursford Stage (where I have many memories of watching the spectacular show which is not able to happen this year). The decorations are amazing, there is so much to look at everywhere you look.
Maybe stop for some refreshments?: After the wonderland trail you have an option to stop at the restaurant for a bite to eat. We opted for this and enjoyed the live singing on the small stage in this area. We were shown to our seats and then one person goes up and orders. If you are buying a shortbread for example you pop gloves on and serve yourself. They offered many options including slices of pizza which Amie opted for!
Next – Santa’s magical journey: The next part of your journey is through the area where Santa would usually be. Unfortunately he is ICE-solating this year but he has left a message on the TV screen near his workshop for everyone to watch. In this area you travel past penguins, polar bears and giant teddy-bears. You also go past the the elves working hard in the toy factory alongside the wondrous wrapping machine. This is especially magic for those younger children who love friendly characters and cute animals.
Finally- Outdoor light lantern extravaganza: Having left the indoor attraction you walk past the vintage fun fair into the lantern journey. There are animals, flowers and festive creatures. The lights are really amazing! Gorgeous colours, brightly coloured accompanied by music and noises they really are amazing. You walk along a wide path through the centre of the lights which are on both sides of the path (which was very wet as it had been raining all day). If the weather was nicer we would have spent much longer admiring them. They are definitely the best outdoor lights you will see this year.
Covid information: Thursford are absolutely spot on with implementing new precautions. They have temperature checks, hand sanitiser stations and masks are required indoors. Tickets need to booked in advance of your visit in order to monitor visitor numbers, there is a one way system in operation and they are also using a card only system. In the food and beverage areas there are tables and chairs spaced out and you are shown to a table. At the moment as we are in Tier 2 you can only book a maximum of 6 tickets per group from the same household or support bubble.
Tickets information: Tickets cost £18 per person and children under 2 years of age go for FREE. The fun fair is an extra charge but totally optional. The Journey of light is running until 10th January 2021 (Closed 25th and 26th December). Festive food and drink will be available to purchase.
What we thought: We had an absolutely magical evening, we think the experience is well worth the money. We laughed, smiled, said Wow and Aww so many times! We would absolutely recommend it for all the family, I can imagine those that who have been to Thursford before will be just as delighted to see this new attraction as an alternative this year to the show. After a strange year we definitely need something special to put us in the Christmas spirit and made us feel festive and excited for the big day! I took so many photographs and even in the rain it didn’t spoil our fun. If you choose to book tickets we hope you have a fantastic time.
Adventures of the Allum family 
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