Hiya Folks –
We would like to inform you that we are
not part of the Winterval program for 2022
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
VIPSanta 2021 – Waterford Winterval
How do I receive my tickets?
Your confirmation email is your ticket
Bring a smartphone device to display your confirmed ticket or a printout of email ticket and booking reference no. to validate entry
Please ensure to provide the correct email address when booking
I haven't received my confirmation email?
Please check your spam folder and any other sneaky email folders!
If it still isn’t there, then pop us a mail via the contact form on the site.
Where is VIPSanta located?
VIPSanta is part of the Waterford Winterval, and is located within the Elfstival Festival Family Quarter (around Arundel Square)
Address: The Old Sorting Office, The Quays, Waterford City
View Map: Google Maps
Do adults have to pay?
- Adults go free
- There is a maximum of 2 x adults per booking
- All children must be accompanied by an adult
How much time should we allow for the experience?
Your visit will include a 5-7 minute private visit with Santa
This will begin at your scheduled booking time
Afterwards, we invite you to relax in our Yuletide Café for as long as you like after your visit with Santa Claus.
What if I am late / early?
Each family has their own unique booking with Santa Claus.
This is a sold-out event, so we cannot accommodate late arrivals, as this will delay other families’ bookings.
If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, you may be asked to wait outside the Grotto until your scheduled booking time.
Can I get a refund for my VIPSanta ticket?
No, unfortunately we cannot refund tickets in the case of no-shows, late arrivals, cancellations or refusal of admission due to late arrival
Will there be baby changing facilities available?
Yes
There will be toilets and baby-changing facilities at VIPSanta
Are prams / buggies permitted?
Buggies / Prams are welcome at VIPSanta
Can I bring edibles, fidget toys, headphones or other items that help my child/family member stay calm?
Of course!
We encourage you to bring any items that might make the experience more comfortable and enjoyable
Is VIPSanta wheelchair accessible?
Yes indeed
Please inform the box office of any mobility issues when reserving tickets – there is a tick-box on the booking form
In the event of government restrictions - Covid-19
All tickets purchased for a visit to VIPSanta will be refunded or rescheduled
However, any booking fees that are charged are non-refundable, as these fees are paid directly to credit card companies and ticketing providers
We can not recoup these fees unfortunately
COVID-19 Information
We will be operating according to the latest government guidelines; these are subject to change at short notice. We will require: Digital Covid Certificates and proof of ID (over 18s); face masks to be worn (over 13s); physical distancing; hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Please do not attend if you or anyone in your group is feeling unwell. In this case, please contact us.
I booked the wrong date; can I reschedule?
Unfortunately we cannot reschedule or move bookings once they have been processed through our system. Please double check all booking fields before proceeding to payment.
What date(s) is VIPSanta 2021? *
Fri 19th – Sun 21st Nov: 11am-6pm
Fri 26th – Sun 28th Nov: 11am-6pm
Fri 3rd – Sun 5th Dec: 11am-6pm
Fri 10th – Sun 12th Dec: 11am-6pm
Fri 17th – Thurs 23rd Dec: 11am-6pm
*Subject to change
How much are tickets?
Tickets are priced as follows:
- 1 Child (Max. 2 x adults free) = €27 (incl. €2 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 1x gift book
- 2 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €44 (incl. €2 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 2x gift books
- 3 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €61 (incl. €3 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 3x gift books
- 4 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €79 (incl. €4 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 4x gift books
- 5 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €95 (incl. €5 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 5x gift books
Can we take photographs?
Our Elves will be taking your photo with Santa, and then printing this in their workshop for you
This will be available for collection at the end of your visit. This photo is included in your ticket price
You will also have the option to purchase a custom Snow Globe or Christmas Tree Ornament with your family’s picture printed and put inside it – we suggest to pre-order these during booking
Will there be parking facilities available?
Yes!
We are right across the road from the Clyde Wharf car park, and the IPairc Clock Tower car park is a 2-minute walk away
You can find more information on parking all around Waterford City at:
Finding us by Local Transportation
Our colleagues at Winterval have compiled an extensive list of parking facilities, public transportation, and e-car charging points: Winterval maps page
You can access the VIPSanta Santa’s Grotto from Parade Quay, and exit via Keizer Street
Is there a shop at VIPSanta?
Yes
The Yuletide Café will be open to all visitors, once they have seen Santa.
Festive snacks, gifts, tea, coffee and hot chocolate will be on offer.
We recommend visiting the café while the Elves print your photos in their Workshop, as this can take up to 15 minutes
Are service animals allowed into VIPSanta?
Yes
Who can I contact about the sensory-friendly performance?
Do I need to buy a ticket for my infant?
That depends. If your infant (up to 1 year old) is the only child coming to see Santa, then yes you will need to book a ticket for this child. This ticket will include the visit with Santa, the family photo, and the gift of a book. However, if you have bought a ticket for older children and just want to bring the infant along, then they go free of charge. In this case, only one infant is permitted and they will not receive a book.
Terms & Conditions
VIPSanta 2021 – Waterford Winterval
By placing your order and paying for your VIPSanta tickets, you acknowledge that you have read, and agree to, these terms and conditions:
- Bookings are non-refundable and CANNOT be modified once booked.
- If you arrive late for your visit, we regret to say that we cannot allow you to partake in the visit as it will affect other paying customers’ wait times. No refund will be issued.
- We cannot reschedule bookings once they have been made on our system.
- Please note that this is a live booking system and ticket availability will decrease accordingly, as they are booked.
- VIPSanta reserves the right to change, modify or cancel events. In this situation, a refund or a new booking will be offered.
- All prices are quoted in euro, and tickets must be used on the date and time purchased for.
- Ticket prices:
- 1 Child (Max. 2 x adults free) = €27 (incl. €2 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 1x gift book.
- 2 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €44 (incl. €2 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 2x gift books.
- 3 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €61 (incl. €3 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 3x gift books.
- 4 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €79 (incl. €4 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 4x gift books.
- 5 Children (Max. 2 x adults free) = €95 (incl. €5 booking fee). Receives 1x photo & 5x gift books.
- Extra adults can be added to your booking (up to 3x extra adults) = €17 per person.
- Children under 18 years of age MUST be accompanied by at least one adult.
- We offer free admission to 2x adults per booking. Any additional adults must purchase an adult’s ticket (up to 3 additional adults permitted per booking).
- Infants (up to 1 year old) may go free if accompanying other children with a paid ticket. Please note, in this case the infant will not receive a book. If the infant is the only child in a booking (ie no other children), then you must purchase a ticket for the infant.
- Tickets are non-transferable, and cannot be used for resale without our permission.
- Tickets are not allowed to be used for competitions without consent from the organisers.
- A confirmation email will be sent to you with details of your purchase and ticket information. This email accounts for your ticket, so please ensure that your email address is entered correctly to avoid the non – receipt of your ticket.
- Accessibility: please tick the box when booking if any member of your group has accessibility requirements. Feel free to outline what your requirements are, so that we can provide the best possible support.
- Please ensure to bring the booking confirmation for your visit either printed or displayed on a smartphone.
- Please arrive at VIPSanta 5 to 10 minutes prior to your allocated time slot.
- No-shows or late arrivals will be considered non-refundable cancellations.
- Please allow extra travel time during bad weather and peak traffic times.
- All members of a group booked on the same booking/ticket will visit Santa as a group within the 5 minute slot. We cannot merge bookings.
- Please book your slot per family as the photo is required. Grouping families into the one 5-minute slot (i.e. brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces etc…), will offer less time for photos, and less time for the children to speak with Santa Claus.
- Please note that the family photographs will be taken by Santa’s Elves, not professional photographers.
- Management may carry out professional photography and videography recordings for future promotional purposes.
- Taking photographs or videos of other children is strictly prohibited and you will be removed from the event.
- We do not supervise the taking of non-professional photography and we cannot be held responsible if you or the children under your supervision are in other customers’ photographs.
- The 5-minute window with Santa will be enforced in order to keep the time slots running smoothly throughout the event.
- Parents must supervise their children at all times and we will not be responsible for any injury/s or loss sustained while at VIPSanta.
- Parents need to be aware that the experience is located using multiple buildings and, in places, multiple floors. It’s therefore imperative that parents supervise their children at all times.
- We want your experience to be a happy and memorable one for you and your companions, however we cannot be liable for distress caused by circumstances beyond our control. For example, the weather or any part of the experience being closed due to circumstances beyond our control.
- We cannot take responsibility for emotional distress or disappointment caused by the role playing of characters for any reason as a result of visiting VIPSanta.
- The timing and sequence of the activities that make up the VIPSanta experience is at the sole discretion of our management.
- This is an unlicensed event, therefore alcohol is prohibited and will not be sold onsite
- Smoking is prohibited at VIPSanta.
- We will not accept any responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings while you are visiting VIPSanta.
- You must comply with all instructions from VIPSanta staff at all times, plus applicable health and safety rules, COVID-19 rules, and any security requirements in place.
- In exceptional cases, our staff reserve the right to refuse entry to individuals to VIPSanta, or remove those who have already been admitted, if in their reasonable opinion, the presence of those individuals is likely to create any health and safety or security concerns, or considerably lower the enjoyment of other guests.
- Video cameras are not allowed on the visit. We allow the use of cameras during the visit for the taking of photographs of children that are under your own supervision.
- We cannot guarantee the availability of extras (ie. snow globes and christmas tree bauble) if it is not added to cart at the time of booking.
- The VIPSanta Grotto and Workshop is indoors, but the food and beverage vendors and seating will be outdoors, and may be subject to weather conditions.
- Flashing lights – This is an immersive experience and will feature flashing lights and sound effects / music.
- By clicking ‘Submit & Pay’ in live booking system, you also agree to the standard Terms & Conditions of sale and service.
- Covid-19 Protocol – The Management wishes to advise that all current government guidelines regarding Covid-19 safety will be implemented and adhered to throughout the VIPSanta experience. These are subject to change, at the discretion of the government. We will require:
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Digital COVID Certificates In line with Government Restrictions with respect to COVID-19. All attendees over the age of 18 years old must be able to provide proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 within the last 6 months. This will be checked on entry so please have your Digital COVID Certificates and a form of identification with you to avoid any disappointed small and big children.
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Face Coverings Attendees over the age of 13 years must wear a mask while inside the Grotto. These may be removed temporarily for your photo with Santa. We need to keep Santa and the Elves safe so please keep your mask over your nose and mouth.
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Physical Distancing Please remember to respect other attendees and remember to keep physically distanced while enjoying your visit. When visiting Santa please keep at least 2m away until you are ready for your photo. Unfortunately, children will not be able to sit on Santa’s lap.
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Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette Please remember to sanitise your hands when you arrive. We will provide this at the check in. If you cough or sneeze, please do so into your elbow and remember to sanitise your hands again.
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Health Monitoring Please do not attend if you or a member of your group
- Are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or are feeling unwell
- has been identified as a close contact
- are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test
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By purchasing these tickets you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and to comply with the event COVID-19 measures.