Cardiff Castle After Dark
Dates
October 20, 2026
Doors
Early evening
Where
Cardiff Castle
Tickets from
Price range: £15.00 through £79.00
Book your experience
- Instant e-ticket by email, with a QR code per guest
- Secure card checkout — final total confirmed at checkout
- Every activity on the night is optional
Inside the venue
Gallery
About this
Event Description
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 in two: a fully family-safe Parkland Daylight session of rides, trails and entertainment, then a separate After Dark session for ages 12+ built around live-actor scare mazes, shows, a horror market and street food. All mazes are temporary builds on Castle Green to protect the scheduled monument.
Tickets
- Parkland Daylight (Adult, Young Person, Child) — full daytime access including all rides and family attractions.
- After Dark (Adult, Young Person 12–15 with a guardian) — the full evening scare event.
- Family (2 adults + 2 children) — a discounted daytime family ticket.
- Season Pass — unlimited entry to both sessions across all 13 days.
Dates & times
20 October – 1 November 2026 (13 nights). Parkland Daylight runs 10:00–16:00; After Dark runs 17:30–22:30. Last entry for Daylight is 15:00 and for After Dark 21:00.
Good to know
- Two sessions each day: a family-safe Parkland Daylight session, then a separate After Dark session for ages 12+ (16+ for the most intense mazes).
- Every standard ticket includes full access to the ride zone and daytime attractions at no extra cost.
- All mazes are no-touch: actors may startle but never make physical contact. A ‘no-scare’ wristband is available on request.
- Wrap up warm and wear sensible footwear — much of the event is outdoors on parkland.
Daily Schedule — Two Distinct Experiences
The day is split into a fully family-safe session across Castle Green and the outer grounds, and a separate 12+ evening session using temporary structures closer to the Keep, Black Tower, and Roman wall, with a hard changeover between the two.
| Session | Time | Audience | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Green Daylight | 10:00 – 16:00 | All ages, families, under-12s | Rides, pumpkin trail, Castle Quest family trail, magic show, trick-or-treat trail, and family-friendly entertainment across the green. |
| Changeover | 16:00 – 17:30 | Park closed to guests | Full site reset: lighting rig, fog systems, actor call, safety checks, and a final walkthrough before the evening session opens. |
| Castle After Dark | 17:30 – 23:00 | Ages 12+ only (16+ for extreme mazes) | Live scare actors, 5 scare mazes across temporary structures on Castle Green, evening shows, and the Castle Horror Market. |
Last entry for Castle Green Daylight is 15:00; last entry for After Dark is 21:30. Doors close and all guests must exit within 30 minutes of the advertised end time.
Scare Mazes (Evening Session)
| Maze | Concept | Min. Age |
|---|---|---|
| The Clock Tower Séance | Inspired by the real historical detail of 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 | Inspired by the long-reported faceless grey figure of the Palace wing. Cold, mist-filled corridor maze, dread over shock, with a single lingering, faceless presence. | 15+ |
| The Norman Keep | Set around a temporary structure echoing the real motte-and-bailey shell keep. Stone-spiral stairwell effects, medieval sentry actors, and sudden appearances at stairwell turns. | 13+ |
| The Black Tower Dungeon | Themed on the castle's real Black Tower and its dungeon history. Claustrophobic corridor sections, chain-rattle sound effects, and a slow-moving gaoler character. | 16+ (claustrophobia warning) |
| Roman Wall Fog Watch | Outdoor trail along a themed recreation of the castle's reconstructed Roman wall, heavy ground fog, distant marching-footstep sound effects, and silhouetted sentries along the ramparts. | 12+ |
All mazes are no-touch: actors may startle but never physically contact guests. Guests may request a “no-scare” wristband to pass through with reduced actor interaction. All maze structures are proposed as temporary, demountable builds sited on Castle Green rather than inside the real Keep, Black Tower, or Gothic Revival apartments, to protect the scheduled monument and listed interiors.
Rides — Included in Standard Ticket
A dedicated ride zone operates on Castle Green throughout the Daylight session, built as freestanding, demountable structures with no fixings into the Keep, Black Tower, Roman wall, or Gothic Revival apartments. All rides below are included in the standard admission price at no extra cost.
| Ride | Description | Age/height guidance |
|---|---|---|
| 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 castle's reconstructed Roman wall. | All ages; under-3s on a guardian's lap |
| Crypt Coaster Jr. | A small-scale family roller coaster with mild dips, 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 dark-ride style trackless train looping through a mild-scare tunnel, lit for family viewing. | All ages; may not suit very young or easily frightened children |
Ride queues are timed and marshalled; each ride is inspected daily by a qualified engineer under standard UK fairground safety (HSE/ADIPS) requirements before opening. Ride siting and loading are agreed in advance with Cardiff Castle’s conservation team, consistent with the same heritage protections that apply to the evening mazes (Section 8).
Before you visit
- Entry & timings: Parkland Daylight runs 10:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00); the 12+ After Dark session runs from 17:30 (last entry 21:00–21:30). Please leave within 30 minutes of your session’s advertised end time.
- Parking & getting there: In the city centre, within easy walking distance of Cardiff Central and Queen Street stations and city-centre car parks.
- Code of conduct: Daylight is for all ages; After Dark is 12+ only (16+ for the most intense mazes). This is a no-touch event and a free ‘no-scare’ wristband is available on request. Please follow all steward instructions — anti-social behaviour may result in removal without a refund. Much of the event is outdoors, so dress warmly with sturdy footwear.
Getting there
Where
Venue
Cardiff Castle
Please allow extra travel time — several of our venues are rural, with limited public transport. Parking details are shown on your ticket.
Event dates
October 20, 2026
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*
Still deciding
Questions
Is anything staged?
No. Nothing is staged and no outcome is ever promised. These are genuine historic buildings, investigated with structured vigils and traditional techniques.
What happens after I pay?
Your e-ticket is emailed straight away, with a unique QR code for every guest. Save it as a PDF, add it to Apple or Google Wallet, or resend it anytime from My Account.
Which ticket should I choose?
Twilight for families and first-timers, Standard for the full after-dark tour, Premium if you want a small-group vigil with equipment, VIP for the extended late session on 31 October.
Can I change my date?
You can move to another available night up to 48 hours before, subject to availability on the night you move to. Get in touch and we will sort it.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Guides run every session, explain the equipment, and stay with your group the whole time.
Price range: £15.00 through £79.00
Early Bird — 30% off
