The Experience
The Cork North Pole Outpost Experience is a 65-80 minute interactive theatrical experience in which children are invited to become Elves-in-training and meet the Cork Elves, Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus. They will visit 4 areas, including the toy workshop where they will help the elves build a toy and Mrs Claus Kitchen where they will decorate their own cookie. Every year the experience is different with new characters and themes. We will be announcing the new areas of our experience in the coming weeks and we will update this section as soon as they are finalised.
Ticket Prices
Please find an overview of our ticket prices for 2024
Adults – €22.00
Children (over 23 months) – €31.50
Toddlers (12-23 months) – €22.00
Baby (with present) – €11.00
Baby (no present) – €0.00
Photos – €15.00 per photo
Refunds / Cancellations
Please note that the booking fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, this includes being unable to attend due to the cancellation of the event. Due to administration costs, a €1.00 per ticket booking fee is included in the price of all tickets sold. Refunds under any circumstances, only apply to ticket prices and not booking fees. Booking fees are charged at the start of a transaction for services and cannot be refunded by the operator. Please note in buying a ticket you agree to these Terms & Conditions.
The following refunds will be provided on a per ticket basis:
Adults – €21.00
Children (over 23 months) – €30.50
Toddlers (12-23 months) – €21.00
Baby (with present) – €10.00
Baby (no present) – €0.00
Photos – €14.00 per photo
Cancelation policy
In the unfortunate event that you can’t make it to The Outpost, if you cancel more than seven days before your booking date we will be delighted to provide you with a full refund. If you need to cancel less than seven days and up to 24 hours before your booking time we will offer you a 50% refund, less the booking fee included in each of your tickets. Should you cancel with less than 24 hours notice we are unable to provide you with a refund.
Change your booking date
Please note we require a minimum of 24 hours notice to be able to transfer your tickets to another date should a date be available. A change of booking fee of 5 Euros applies to all change of bookings. Please call us at 0212428868 or email HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com.
Due to the high demand for tickets this year there are limited options on alternative booking dates.
Launch of tickets queuing system
On our ticket launch date, before the queue opens, all visitors to the booking page of our website, www.northpolecork.com, will be redirected to a Presale page, and will automatically go through to the queue for tickets when the sale opens.
Once the sale opens, visitors will be allocated a random position so that all visitors who arrive before the queue opens are treated equitably and fairly.
For any visitors to the site who go to the booking page after bookings have opened, these visitors are served on a first-come, first-served basis, but behind those who have seen the PreSale page, and are online and ready to buy at opening time.
Our experience is a full theatrical elf experience with a short visit to Santa at the end. This year Santa is located in an in-door cabin at the end of the experience. For each element of the experience all groupings are systematically rotated through each performance area. No family group is permitted to skip through any area of the experience as it will create time delays and impact on other customers experience.
For every year of our experience we have set up outdoor cabins where families will visit Santa in their individual family grouping. Should you wish to visit Santa with other families as a group, we advise that you book in together at the same time slot and date and outline how many families are in your grouping. This is located at the start of the booking section under “Number of Families”.
Should we close due to weather we will announce on our website and Facebook page and will contact you via email. All tickets will be refunded in full or when possible transferred to another date. If you do not have access to these platforms our answering machine will be updated daily with details of the event.
This year some of our experience will be outdoors in covered spaces. We strongly recommend wearing weather appropriate clothing and foot wear. We strongly recommend you avoid wearing high-heels or open toe footwear, water resistant shoes with gripped soles are advised for woodland pathways.
Please note, should the event be open but you decide not to travel we will be unable to refund your ticket.
This year some sections of the experience will be outdoors in the woodland areas of Cuskinny Court, due to this, we recommend you bring appropriate footwear and wrap up warm. If it’s raining waterproof jackets would be strongly advisable. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of areas which offer shelter to keep you warm and dry. Please be aware that despite our best efforts, due to the natural woodland setting, some pathways are steep and can get muddy at times so we would strongly advise you to wear grip soled, water resistant footwear.
We can change the date and time of your tickets but we need a minimum of 24 hours notice. A 5 Euro change of booking fee applies. Tickets can not be changed later than 24 hours in advance of the day of your booking.
All available dates and time slots are on our website www.northpolecork.com. However we have noticed that people using old versions of the browser Internet Explorer are having difficulty booking. If you are unable to see our booking dates or unable to book try changing your browser to Google Chrome or Safari.
Please note that as time slots fill up there may only be 1 or 2 spaces available in a time slot – as a result you may be unable to book in your family. We would recommend trying another date and time if you experience this issue. If you select any ticket type you will be able to see how many spaces are left in any particular time slot.
If you experience any issues please call us at 021 2428868 or email: headelf@northpolecork.com.
We limit the numbers in each time slot so you might be selecting a time that is nearly full. Try another time or date or call our booking line at 021 2428868 and we will select a time that is available for you.
We wish to let you know that we are an Elf Experience rather than a solely grotto visit event. The focus of the Outpost is the interaction with our Cork Elves in a series of “panto” style rooms, followed by a short visit to Santa. Santa will will then invite each family to visit his Elf in the Toy Shop where you are invited to select your own gift (unwrapped). Each gift is suitable for a wide range of ages and personalities! Santa prefers not to take any personal information about you and your family.
If you have an important personal message for Santa we ask you to mention this to one of our elves in Santa’s room. We can not always guarantee that the message will be passed on by our elves but we will certainly do our very best to help! Unfortunately we can not communicate messages left by email or otherwise.
Every year we offer some ASD friendly times. For 2024 our ASD Friendly Experience will take place on Friday Dec 13th. These bookings can only be booked over the phone 021 242 8868 as they are not available to purchase online. Pre-booking is essential. These bookings can be made from the date of our ticket launch, September 5th 2024.
For our ASD friendly time, we provide a booklet (Social Story) via email outlining our experience so you can prepare for your visit. This will be available in November 2024. We also make a number of adjustments to the experience to make the Outpost more suitable to your family’s needs. This is detailed in our booklet. We welcome all guide and assistance dogs. For further information contact 021 242 8868 or email bookings@northpolecork.com
Our Postcode is P24R623
Directions from the Jack Lynch Tunnel roundabout:
Take the road to Midleton
Go straight on the motorway and take the second exit Fota / Carrigtwohill
Take the last exit on the first roundabout – road to Fota
Take first exit on next roundabout – Fota / Cobh
Follow the road and pass Fota on your right
Go over the bridge and take the left turn
Follow the road taking the signs to Cobh
After you come down a winding hill you will see a major crossroads with red benches (Please note this turn is before the Apple Green Petrol station / Lidl / SuperValu)
Take the left turn signposted for Cuskinny
Go straight along this road for 2 kms until you get to a T-junction
Take a left turn here for Marlogue
Go over the small humped bridge about 150 metres and The Cork North Pole Outpost is the next left!
Directions from Cross River Ferries (Glenbrook – Carrigaloe):
Come off the Ferry in Carrigaloe and take a right
Follow the road 100 yards and take the first left signposted Rushbrooks Links / Ballymore
Follow the road under the railway bridge and veer left
This road continues for over a mile and will pass through a crossroads
Continue straight all the way to Cuskinny until you get to a T-junction
Take a left turn here for Marloag
Go over the small humped bridge about 150 metres and The Cork North Pole Outpost is the next left!
Welcome!
Our experience is not like a regular visit to Santa! We are an interactive Elf Experience where the Elves and their work in The Outpost is a big part of your visit. The final part of your experience will include a short family visit with Santa. After this each child will visit the Toy Shop where they will get to select their own toy as a special gift from Santa.
Yes – you are most welcome to take your own photos or videos. There will also be an Elf photographer on hand and these photos will cost an additional €15 but this is totally optional. We also offer discounts for more than one photo purchased per family.
No – Our Elf photographer will be on hand to take photographs that will cost €15 for one and €25 for two but this is totally optional. You are most welcome to take your own photos or videos.
As part of our immersive theatrical experience each family will visit Mrs Claus’ Kitchen. Here you will be able to interact with Mrs Claus. As part of this scene one of Mrs Claus’ helper elves will give your child a biscuit, some sprinkles and icing. Each child will then be able to decorate their own cookie whilst Mrs Claus is talking. Please note these cookies are not freshly baked and we have a range of cookies available to suit your allergen requirements. We provide a Gluten Free, Lactose Free and Nut Free option. We do our very best to avoid cross contamination however if you have a particular concern we would advise to bring your own cookie suit your child’s needs. Please ensure you ask Mrs Claus if you have an allergen requirement.
This year we are an indoor and outdoor experience so dress for the weather! If you would like to bring your letter for Santa if you wish to post it at the Elf post office, and of course your booking reference. You don’t need to print your booking reference you simply need to quote your booking name. Please ensure to arrive 15 mins before your booking time as the time on your booking is the time you go into The Outpost.
The Commodore Hotel
WatersEdge Hotel
Bellavista Hotel
Knockeven House Hotel
The Elmville
Nyali Lodge
Abhaile B&B
Ard na Laoi
Ardeen B&B
Traveling time to The Cork North Pole Outpost Experience: 5-7 minutes by car Great Island and Little Island: Fota Island Resort The Radisson Blu Traveling time to The Cork North Pole Outpost Experience: 10-15 minutes by car Cork City: The Imperial Hotel Hayfield Manor The Clarion Hotel Silver Springs Moran Hotel Traveling time to The Cork North Pole Outpost Experience: 15-20 minutes by car Please also find a link to a list of other accommodation options for East Cork: The Ring of Cork
The Outpost is a 65-80 minute theatrical production and therefore has limited capacity. For each booking time only a few families can enter our magical Elf world. The Elves make sure we do it this way so you can have time with the Elves at the Outpost (when they are not busy making toys…!). Each tour runs every 20 minutes and can only be booked in advance online or on the Elf telephone.
The Cork North Pole Outpost Experience is an immersive theatrical experience for the whole family to enjoy together. Much like going to see a performance in the theatre there is a charge for adults. We very much encourage adults to get involved and become part of an experience that will celebrate the magic of a child’s belief in Father Christmas and create memories for all the family.
Of course! Babies are classified as a child under the age of 12 months. Please note that a baby ticket does not include participation in any of the activities or qualify for a gift. If you wish for your baby to receive a gift from Santa please select the “Baby with Present” ticket option. Please ensure you include your baby in your booking by selecting “Baby with Present” or “Baby- No Present” option.
We are happy to discuss group bookings with you. Please email bookings@northpolecork.com
The experience finishes after 65-80 minutes. We are happy to recommend a number of venues to bring your group should you wish to make a day of it. Please contact us for more information.
The Cuskinny Cafe is located in the Check-in area, serving hot and cold drinks, cakes and hot waffles all day. Step outside our magical world and Cobh is just 5 minutes away with lots of great restaurants for families.
We advise families arriving 25 mins and no less than 15 mins before their booking time. Facilities are extremely limited in our wooded waiting area so please try not to arrive too early.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us to keep The Cork North Pole Experience as safe, welcoming and comfortable as possible for our audiences, staff and performers. Please help us by playing your role and adhering to the following policies.
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your booking time to enable safe entry for all audience members. Latecomers will join their group.
- Have your e-ticket or mobile device ready to scan upon entry and please use contactless payments where possible to enable faster, touch-free transactions.
No. Parking is Free.
The time of your booking is the time you enter our Outpost. In the unfortunate event that you are running late each family joins their allocated group where ever they maybe in The Outpost at that particular time. This may result in you missing some of the Outpost rooms. We ask all families to arrive 25 mins and no later than 15 mins in advance of their booking time to ensure this is avoided.
We are lucky to be an indoor event and therefore wet weather conditions do not affect our experience. In the unfortunate event of extreme weather conditions (Red Weather warning), if the Outpost is unable to open it’s doors, a full refund will be provided to all bookings for that time and or date.
In the unfortunate event that you can’t make it to The Outpost, if you cancel more than seven days before your booking date we will be delighted to provide you with a full refund. If you need to cancel less than seven days and up to 24 hours before your booking time we will offer you a 50% refund, less the booking fee included in each of your tickets. Should you cancel with less than 24 hours notice we are unable to provide you with a refund. All changes to your booking need to be emailed to HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com.
Refund Policy
Due to administration costs, a €1.00 per ticket booking fee is included in the price of all tickets sold. Refunds under any circumstances, only apply to ticket prices and not booking fees. Booking fees are charged at the start of a transaction for services and cannot be refunded by the operator. Please note in buying a ticket you agree to these Terms & Conditions
Change your booking date
Please note we require a minimum of 24 hours notice to be able to transfer your tickets to another date should a date be available. A change of booking fee of 5 Euros applies to all change of bookings. Please call us at 0212428868 or email HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com. If you are unable to reach us on the phone please email us and we will return your call during our office hours.
Due to the high demand for tickets this year there are limited options on alternative booking dates.
Yes of course. Just call our helpline at 021 2428868 or email HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com. Please note an administration charge of 5 Euros applies. Date changes are subject to availability. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required.
The outdoor and indoor areas are fully wheelchair accessible. Some of the car park terrain and pathways to Santa’s cabin have uneven surfaces and may be difficult to bring a wheelchair but we will have assistants at hand if you need any assistance. Disabled parking close to our check in area. If you need further assistance on the day simple call our helpline at 021 2428868 or give us advance notice of your arrival just email HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com if you have any other queries.
The outdoor and indoor areas are buggy friendly. Some of the car park terrain and pathways to Santa’s cabin have uneven surfaces and may be difficult to bring buggies but we will have assistants at hand if you need any assistance.
In the unfortunate event that you or a member of your can’t make it to The Outpost, if you cancel more than seven days before your booking date we will be delighted to provide you with a full refund. If you need to cancel less than seven days and up to 24 hours before your booking time we will offer a 50% refund. In the event that we are able to resell your tickets we will provide a full refund. All tickets are also transferable should we get 24 hours notice. Just email HeadElf@NorthpoleCork.com. If you arrive on the day without providing 24 hours notice we will be unable to provide a refund.
Refund Policy
Due to administration costs, a €1.00 per ticket booking fee is included in the price of all tickets sold. Refunds under any circumstances, only apply to ticket prices and not booking fees. Booking fees are charged at the start of a transaction for services and cannot be refunded by the operator. Please note in buying a ticket you agree to these Terms & Conditions.