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What is Edinburgh Zoo's Spooktacular?
This Halloween, Edinburgh Zoo is opening its gates after dark to invite you on a family-friendly spooktacular trail through the zoo!
On selected dates from 7 – 31 October, we’re celebrating all things Halloween with a ghoulishly good, illuminated trail!
How long will the event last and what is included?
8 – 16 October
Due to light levels, the events on these dates will open at 6:15pm and end at 9pm. Entry slots are available every 30 minutes at 6:15pm, 6:45pm, 7:15pm. Gates close for entry at 8pm.
18 – 31 October
The events on these dates will open at 5:30pm. Timeslots will be every 30 minutes at 5:30pm, 6pm, 6:30pm, 7:00pm and 7:30pm. Gates close for entry at 8pm.
Please try your best to arrive within your 30-minute time slot. No matter when you arrive, you can stay until closing time at 9pm.
The route is approximately one-mile trail long and will take around and hour and a half to complete. Food and drink kiosks will be available throughout. Standard Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular! tickets do not include entry to the zoo during the day. If you wish to visit during the day and attend the event in the evening, please consider buying one of our VIP Package tickets.
What is the Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular VIP Package?
Fancy spending the day at Edinburgh Zoo, followed by a meal at The Gannet restaurant before being one of the first to enter our Halloween event?
With this ticket, your family will spend the day at the zoo and enjoy an early two-course supper at The Gannet restaurant. Once finished, you'll be one of the first to head back into the park to see Edinburgh Zoo transformed into a spooktacular illuminated trail!
Your VIP package ticket acts as entry into Edinburgh Zoo for the date you have selected. You will not need to pre-book a day visit on our website. The zoo opens at 10am, with last entry at 4pm.
We cater to a variety of dietary requirements at our restaurant. From our menu, you will select a main and desert of your choice. You will also receive a complimentary drink (soft or alcoholic for adults), but don’t worry you can add more food or drink and pay at the venue.
View our adult and child VIP menus.
For more information, please contact events@rzss.org.uk
Do I have to book in advance?
EVERYONE is required to book online in advance. There are allocated time slots for entry available every 30 minutes with gates closing for entry at 8pm. See below for available timeslots for specific dates:
8 – 16 October - Due to light levels, the event on these dates will open at 6:15pm and end at 9pm. Entry slots are available every 30 minutes at 6:15pm, 6:45pm, 7:15pm.
18 – 31 October - The event on these dates will open at 5:30pm. Timeslots will be every 30 minutes at 5:30pm, 6pm, 6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm.
We will only admit visitors during or after their booked time slot if they have advanced online booking confirmation. No matter what time slot you arrive in, everyone can stay until the event ends at 9pm.
Will I see any animals?
It’s very unlikely you’ll see the animals as at that time of year they’ll mostly be in their indoor enclosures where it’s warm! If you’d like to see the animals, you can purchase a reduced-price ticket on the same day as your Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular visit. Just present your Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular ticket on arrival to receive the discount.
How do I purchase tickets using a zoo credit voucher?
If you are looking to book tickets using a credit voucher from last year, please email events@rzss.org.uk making sure you provide the following:
- E-voucher number
- The event, date & timeslot
- No. of tickets (please include the split e.g. adult and child)
- Contact number
We can then book you in and you will receive your tickets from Eventbrite. Please check your spam folder for your confirmation email.
Who is the event suitable for?
The event is suitable for all ages, families, and couples alike.
Our Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular trail follows a one-mile long route and will take approximately an hour and a half to complete. We do have some wheelchairs available for hire on arrival. These are available at a first come, first served basis. Mobility scooters are also permitted during the event. A limited number of electric mobility scooters are available for free hire. These are available on a first come first served basis and are disinfected after each use.
Please be aware that the zoo is located on a hill and our mobility vehicle is not available during the event.
Where are tickets available?
Tickets can be booked online through Eventbrite, our ticketing partner from Friday, 17 June. We may run offers and promotions through other partners in the lead up to the event. We strongly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Do under 3's go free?
Yes, children under the age of 3 go free and you can purchase their ticket online through Eventbrite.
Can I change the date of our ticket?
If you need to change the date of your tickets, please email events@rzss.org.uk with your booking details with as much notice as possible. Our small team work very hard to get back to everyone as quickly as they can but this could take up to 72 hours at the moment.
We will of course rearrange your visit to an evening with availability if you need to self-isolate or have another emergency and really appreciate your patience - do not worry if you do not receive a reply before your original booked date.
Please note, tickets are non-refundable, no refunds or exchanges will be issued for event bookings should you no longer be able to attend. Tickets can be given to friends or family if you are no longer able to attend, you do not need to be the named person on the booking.
Tickets purchased through third party sellers, such as Itison, are non-refundable.
How much are tickets?
Please see ticket prices below. Please note that all tickets are subject to a booking fee in addition to the prices listed.
Early Bird
Adults: £15.30
Child: £11.70
Adult member: £13.05
Child member: £9.45
Under 3s: Free
Carer (must bring carers card or other ID): Free
VIP adult: £45.90
VIP child: £27.90
VIP adult member: £29.25
VIP child member: £19.35
VIP Under 3s: Free
VIP carer (must bring carers card or other ID): £15.75
We may run ticketing promotions or discount offers in the lead up to the event through our own channels or with wider partners.
Can we use discounts and gift vouchers to purchase tickets?
As this is a special event, we do not accept standard entry discounts such as Blue Peter Badges, ASVA cards, gift vouchers, Young Scot Cards, RZSS Complimentary tickets, daytime corporate tickets, Scotrail Kids go free. Other discounts may also not be redeemed during this event.
Please contact us on events@rzss.org.uk if you have any discount enquiries.
Do I need to print out my tickets?
No, we don’t require you to print your tickets. We can scan them from a mobile device.
I don’t have my ticket confirmation, what should I do?
You should have received an email from Eventbrite directly after booking with your ticket information. If you have not received this, have a look in your junk email folder. You can also log into Eventbrite to find your ticket details. If you’re still having difficulties, please email events@rzss.org.uk listing the date you booked, the name and email address you used to book and a contact telephone number.
Will the event go ahead in bad weather?
If it’s raining the event will still go ahead. This is an outdoor, all-weather event. Booked tickets cannot be changed due to adverse weather on the evening. We would only cancel the event if the weather is deemed unsafe due to high winds or extreme conditions. See below if the event has been cancelled.
What happens if my event is cancelled?
Edinburgh Zoo will only cancel an event if it is deemed unsafe to attendees, for example, in high winds. If we decide to cancel the event, attendees will be notified by email with as much notice as possible. An email will be sent to the email address used to book the tickets with the opportunity to re-book for another date. It is the responsibility of the attendees to check their emails before arriving at the event to check for any updates, and to make sure email addresses are correctly entered when booking tickets. Updates will also be made on our website and social media sites.
What should I wear?
Please be aware that this is an outdoor event, please dress appropriately for the weather and terrain.
How do I get to the zoo?
Please visit our Getting to Edinburgh Zoo page for more information.
Is this event wheelchair accessible?
Yes, wheelchairs and buggies can get around the trail. However, it is important to note that Edinburgh Zoo is located on a hill and the route does encounter a variety of inclines. We do have some wheelchairs available for hire on arrival. These are available at a first come, first served basis. Mobility scooters are also permitted during the event. A limited number of electric mobility scooters are available for free hire from the main entrance. A £25 deposit is required, which is fully refundable on return. These are available on a first come first served basis and are disinfected after each use.
Please be aware that Edinburgh Zoo is on a hill. Unfortunately, our mobility vehicle service will not be in operation during this event.
Are there cash machines on site?
No there are no cash machines on site. Please note we cannot cash payments onsite.
Do I have to pay for car parking?
Yes, we have electronic ticket barriers in place, attendees can park their car in the RZSS Edinburgh Zoo car park for just £2 for the duration of the event. If you are an RZSS Member car parking will be free on the evenings. Please note, the car park may become busy at times.
What food and drink will be available?
A variety of food and drink offers will be available throughout the event, including hot and cold food, drinks and snacks.
Will the gift shop be open?
Our gift shop will remain open until 9:30pm.
Do carers get free entry?
Carers tickets are available through Eventbrite, but you must provide proof on arrival. A maximum of one carer is permitted to enter Edinburgh Zoo free of charge when accompanying someone with additional needs.
How sustainable is this event?
RZSS is a charity committed to the conservation of our natural world. All our operations work to meet the highest levels of sustainability: minimising waste, reducing single-use plastics, reusing materials where possible and segregating and recycling waste.
Are dogs allowed?
With the exception of guide-dogs for the visually impaired, dogs and other pets are not permitted into Edinburgh Zoo for this evening event. We also do not permit dogs to be left unattended in the car park.
Please note:
Only fully trained and accredited assistance dogs, who are assisting a visitor, are permitted to enter. Please bring relevant proof of accreditation as this may be asked for on arrival.
All registered assistance dogs must be up-to-date with all inoculations.
Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and under strict control.
Dogs must not be allowed to defecate anywhere in the zoo grounds and any incidents should be cleared away by their owners.
Will there be another lights trail at Christmas this year?
Edinburgh Zoo Spooktacular! will be our only evening lights trail for 2022. We are planning exciting festive daytime events which will be on sale later this year.