Cardiff Castle — After Dark
Dates
October 20, 2026
Doors
Early evening
Where
Cardiff Castle
Tickets from
Price range: £15.00 through £79.00
Instant e-ticket
In your inbox the moment you pay
Secure checkout
Encrypted card payment
Guide-supervised
Every vigil led by experienced staff
Date changes
Move night up to 48 hours before*
About this
Event Description
Wales’ first theme-park-scale Halloween scarefest, on the green at Cardiff Castle. Family rides and trails by day, five live-actor scare mazes after dark. 20 Oct–1 Nov 2026, in the city centre.
- Format: Two separate sessions each day — a family-safe Castle Green Daylight session, then a After Dark session for ages 12+. The site fully resets between them.
- Age: Under-12s are not admitted after dark. 12–15s must be accompanied by a guardian. The most intense mazes are 15+ or 16+ — each maze lists its own minimum age below.
- No contact: All mazes are no-touch. Actors may startle but never physically contact guests. A free no-scare wristband is available on request.
- Included: Every standard ticket covers full access to the ride zone and daytime attractions at no extra cost.
- Outdoors: Much of the event is outdoors — wrap up warm and wear sturdy footwear.
Cardiff Castle Green is a 2,000-year-old site layering a Roman fort, a Norman keep and William Burges’ opulent Gothic Revival apartments — with a documented reputation for hauntings, including a faceless ‘Grey Lady’ and the 3rd Marquess’s occult experiments in the Clock Tower. Each day splits cleanly in two: a fully family-safe Castle Green Daylight session of rides, trails and entertainment, then a separate After Dark session for ages 12+ built around five live-actor scare mazes, evening shows and the Castle Horror Market. Every maze is a temporary, demountable build sited on Castle Green to protect the scheduled monument.
Why you should book this
No Halloween event of this scale has run in Wales, and the setting is one no purpose-built scare park can manufacture — a Roman wall, a Norman keep and a Gothic Revival palace as the backdrop. It sits in the city centre, walking distance from Cardiff Central, so no car is needed. Castle Green Daylight starts at £27 and After Dark at £33, with the full ride zone and daytime attractions included in the standard ticket. A Season Pass at £62 covers both sessions across all 13 days. Fri 30 and Sat 31 Oct sell first.
What you’ll experience
- Castle Green Daylight by day — the full ride zone, pumpkin trail, magic show, trick-or-treat trail and face painting, fully family-safe with no scare content
- After Dark after dark — five live-actor scare mazes, evening shows, a horror market and street food, strictly 12+
- Five mazes: The Clock Tower Séance · The Grey Lady’s Corridor · The Norman Keep · The Black Tower Dungeon · Roman Wall Fog Watch
- Every ride and daytime attraction included in the standard ticket, not sold as an extra
- A full site changeover between sessions, so family guests never encounter night-time scare content
- Season Pass available — unlimited entry to both sessions across all 13 days
Scare mazes (after dark)
| Maze | Concept & minimum age |
|---|---|
| The Clock Tower Séance | Drawn from the real occult experiments held in the Clock Tower’s summer smoking room. Candlelit corridors, a ritual-chanting sound loop and a slow, ceremonial pace. 16+ |
| The Grey Lady’s Corridor | Built on the long-reported faceless grey figure of the Palace wing. A cold, mist-filled corridor maze — dread over shock, with one lingering presence. 15+ |
| The Norman Keep | Set around a temporary structure echoing the real motte-and-bailey shell keep. Stone-spiral stairwell effects and sentry actors appearing at the turns. 13+ |
| The Black Tower Dungeon | Themed on the castle’s real Black Tower and its dungeon history. Claustrophobic corridors, chain-rattle effects and a slow-moving gaoler. 16+, claustrophobia warning |
| Roman Wall Fog Watch | Outdoor trail along a themed recreation of the reconstructed Roman wall, under heavy ground fog with distant marching footsteps and silhouetted sentries. 12+ |
Rides & family attractions
| Ride | Details |
|---|---|
| The Keep Wheel | A 20-metre Halloween-themed Ferris wheel with gondola seating and views over the Norman Keep. All ages; under-6s with an adult |
| Bute Carousel | A traditional carved carousel with a Gothic Revival paint scheme inspired by William Burges’ interiors. All ages; under-4s with an adult |
| The Roman Wall Hayride | A gentle tractor-drawn cart circuit tracing the outside of the reconstructed Roman wall. All ages; under-3s on a guardian’s lap |
| Crypt Coaster Jr. | A small-scale family roller coaster with mild dips and no inversions. Min. height 100cm, or 90cm with an adult |
| The Spinning Cauldrons | Tea-cup-style spinning ride in cauldron-shaped cars. Min. height 90cm, or any age with an adult |
| Castle Ghost Train | A trackless dark-ride train looping through a mild-scare tunnel, lit for family viewing. All ages |
Daily schedule
| Time | What’s on |
|---|---|
| 10:00am | Castle Green Daylight opens — ride zone, pumpkin trail, magic show and family entertainment |
| 3:00pm | Last entry to Castle Green Daylight |
| 4:00pm | Castle Green Daylight closes |
| 4:00pm–5:30pm | Changeover — park closed to guests for a full site reset, lighting rig, fog systems and safety checks |
| 5:30pm | After Dark opens — strictly 12+, under-12s not admitted |
| 9:30pm | Last entry to After Dark |
| 10:30pm | Close — all guests must leave within 30 minutes |
Before you visit
🚗 Getting there & parking
By train: the castle is in the city centre, within easy walking distance of Cardiff Central and Queen Street stations. By car: there is no event parking — city-centre car parks are a short walk away. Public transport is the better option here.
🕐 Entry & times
Castle Green Daylight runs 10:00am–4:00pm and After Dark runs 5:30pm–10:30pm, daily 20 Oct–1 Nov 2026. Last entry is 3:00pm for the daytime session and 9:30pm after dark. Please leave within 30 minutes of the advertised end time.
⚠ Code of conduct
Prohibited at all events: real or imitation weapons, full-face masks that prevent ID checks, and glass containers. Costumes are welcome within those limits. Security searches may be carried out on entry. Abusive or threatening behaviour, or failure to follow venue instructions, means removal without a refund.
Content note: The evening session is strictly 12+ and involves darkness, strobe lighting, fog, loud sound and close-proximity actors; 12–15s must be accompanied by a guardian and the most intense mazes are 15+ or 16+. The daytime session is fully family-safe with no scare content. Much of the event is outdoors on uneven ground that gets muddy — wear flat, sturdy footwear and wrap up warm. All mazes are no-touch and a free no-scare wristband is available on request. Good for: Cardiff and South Wales families · History and heritage fans · Teenagers and student groups · Anyone arriving by train
What you get
Every ticket includes
On the night
Access & guiding
- Entry to the venue on your chosen night
- Experienced guides with you the whole time
- Small, controlled groups — never a coach party
- Nothing staged, no outcome promised
Before you go
Your ticket
- Unique QR code for every guest
- PDF download, ready to print
- Apple Wallet & Google Wallet
- Resend anytime from My Account
If plans change
Support
- Move night up to 48 hours before*
- Questions answered before the event
- Clear age and access info on every tier
- *Subject to availability
Not sure which
Choose your ticket
Every event runs more than one ticket tier. Tier names and prices vary by venue — pick a date and tier in the booking card and the exact price updates instantly.
Daytime & family tiers
Lights still up
- Earlier session, no scare content
- Rides, trails and entertainment included
- All ages welcome with an adult
After-dark tiers
The main event
- Full after-dark experience at the venue
- Live-actor scare zones and mazes
- Age-restricted — see the ticket option
Where offered
Upgrades
- Smaller groups, fewer places per session
- Extra access or equipment where offered
- Fri and Sat nights sell out first
Selected events
Season Pass
- Unlimited entry across the season
- Both sessions where an event runs two
- Not available on every event
Getting there
Where
Venue
Cardiff Castle
Please allow extra travel time — several of our venues are rural, with limited public transport. Parking details are on your ticket.
Event dates
October 20, 2026
Inside the venue
Gallery
Before you book
Good to know
Age policy varies by tier — check the ticket option you pick. Photo ID may be requested for age-restricted tiers.
Genuine historic buildings. Expect uneven floors and, at some venues, steep stairs and limited step-free access.
Bring a torch, warm layers and flat, sensible shoes. Venues are cold and dark.
No physical contact takes place. All vigils are guide-supervised and every activity is optional.
Still deciding
Questions
What kind of night is this?
It depends on the event. Ghost hunts and horror houses take place in genuine historic buildings, with structured vigils and no promised outcome. Theme-park scarefests are built entertainment with live actors, mazes and scare zones. Each event page says which it is at the top.
What happens after I pay?
Your e-ticket is emailed straight away, with a unique QR code per guest. Save it as PDF, add to Apple or Google Wallet, or resend it any time from My Account.
Which ticket should I choose?
Daytime tiers are family-safe with no scare content. After-dark tiers are the full experience and are age-restricted — the limit is listed on each option. Upgrades mean smaller groups and longer access. Coming more than once? Check whether a Season Pass is offered.
Can I change my date?
Yes, up to 48 hours before, subject to availability on the night you move to.
Is there any physical contact?
No. Actors may startle you but never touch guests, and every activity on the night is optional. A no-scare wristband is available on request at most events.
Do I need experience?
None at all. Staff are on site throughout, and anything guide-led is clearly marked on the event page.
Book your experience
Price range: £15.00 through £79.00
- Instant e-ticket by email, QR per guest
- Secure card checkout — total confirmed at checkout
- Every activity on the night is optional
Price range: £15.00 through £79.00
Early Bird — 30% off
