frequently asked questions

Ernest Eggnog, Chief Toymaker is standing by to answer any questions you have about your visit to The Christmas Portal. In the meantime scroll down and see if it’s already covered for you below!

ticketing & pricing

  • To purchase tickets please visit our official booking page.

  • We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and debit cards.

    We also offer flexible payment options to suit your needs. You can choose to complete your purchase using Afterpay. Simply select Afterpay at checkout to split your payment into four interest-free instalments.

    For more information, visit Afterpay's website.

  • EARLY BIRD
    1 - 31 August 2024 or until Sold Out
    Weekday | Child $69 + Adult $79
    Weekend | Child $89 + Adult $99

    STANDARD
    1 September - 30 November 2024 or until Sold Out
    Weekday | Child $99 + Adult $109
    Weekend | Child $119 + Adult $129

    LAST CHANCE
    1 - 23 December 2024 or until Sold Out
    Weekday | Child $129 + Adult $139
    Weekend | Child $149 + Adult $159

  • Child tickets are for ages 1-12

  • The Christmas Portal is designed for little ones aged 1-12. Babies and infants in arms under 12 months old are welcome to visit on a complimentary infant ticket. Persons of high school age 13 and older are considered adults at the North Pole. Babies and infants under 1 attending on a complimentary ticket will not be permitted to participate in onsite activities and will not be eligible to receive a personal invitation add-on from Santa. For safety, children under 3 may not be permitted on high impact activity jumping castles.

  • * The Enchanted Forest experience with the Gatekeeper Fairies

    * Training to become an Honorary Elf

    * Passage to the North Pole via the Twinkle Light Tunnel

    * Peppermint Forest Walk

    * Snow Play Zone

    * Jump and Play Zone with Jumping Castles and Bubble House (little ones only)

    * Visit Santa HQ and help make a Toy in Santa’s Toy Factory 

    * A visit to Santa's Cottage

    * Stage shows featuring Santa Claus on regular rotation

    * Spin and Twirl to Christmas beats at the Tinsel Jingle Disco 

    * Roving Elves and Characters

    * More items to be announced soon

    Optional Add-Ons (at an extra charge)
    * Santa’s Arctic Invitation
    * Kringle's Gift Voucher to be redeemed at Kringle’s Elf Store

    For safety, access may be limited with small wait lines on some items at peak times. If this isn't for you we recommend booking weekdays.

  • We recommend all little ones (and fun adults) wear an elf hat during the experience. You can purchase one from us when you arrive, or you are welcome to bring your own. Little ones are also permitted in costume.

  • 2-3 hours

  • Entry is available every 30 minutes from 9.30am - 4.30pm. To ensure a smooth experience and to maximise your time at The Christmas Portal we recommend arriving 10 - 15 minutes prior to your allocated start time. The show runs every 30 minutes with a lockout period engaged 10 minutes after each allotted entry time. It is the ticket holders responsibility to arrive on time for the show. Latecomers who are locked out will unfortunately be required to skip the arrival show, or wait until the next available show with adequate space.

  • Kringle Elf Store gift vouchers can be purchased during ticketing. They are a unique and fun way to provide your little ones an extra experience onsite. Our elves get very excited when someone presents a Kringle in store. Bells will ring, singing will erupt and dancing may even happen! Kringle gift vouchers will be added to your ticket wallet and scanned at the Kringles Elf Store. Gift vouchers are a fun, limited event opportunity providing additional interaction with our elves and are redeemable for the duration of the event only. They are redeemable for merchandise only and not redeemable for cash. Read our terms and conditions carefully and make an informed decision. No change will be given for any remaining gift voucher value. Kringle gift vouchers are valid for use at Kringle’s Elf Store from 14 - 23 December 2024.

  • Abso-jingle-lutely, Santa has arranged a Low Sensory session at 9am Wednesday 18th December with a smaller group for more space and a little extra time for activities.

    This session is strictly limited and is expected to sell out. For anyone who prefers a quieter opportunity but does not require a special session we also we recommend joining us for the first session of the day. Your group will be first to reach the North Pole meaning that the first part of the experience will be quieter than if you attend later in the day.

  • Adults and children need a ticket, it's an adventure you experience together!

  • Yes, but not as you know it. As part of the story-led adventure, included in your ticket, you will have the opportunity to interact with Santa at his Headquarters along with other visitors. Your small folk can ask a question, and you can take photos of them as part of the experience. No crying kids forced to sit on an old men's laps here! Start a new family tradition.

santa’s arctic invitation

  • Let the experience for little ones begin at home when you purchase the optional but highly recommended Santa’s Arctic Invitation add-on. 

    Delivered by Arctic Elf Mail, watch your children's surprise as they receive a personalised invitation from Santa Claus to visit the North Pole. See their excitement when they learn there's an elf shortage and Santa needs their help to save Christmas by travelling through the Christmas Portal to his Arctic Village!

    The personalised invitation comes in a The Christmas Portal commemorative envelope, along with The Frosty Times, the official newspaper of Santa’s village. The envelope will be posted in a waterproof satchel to arrive discreetly at your nominated address ensuring it stays a surprise for little ones. 

    To add to the experience, we encourage parents and guardians to place The Christmas Portal commemorative envelope in the freezer for an hour before giving it to your little ones. Watch their surprise and delight when the envelope is cold to touch, having come straight from the North Pole. 

    Each satchel contains one Christmas Portal commemorative envelope with up to 3 personalised invitations. Although the invitation is free, there is a non-refundable $14.95 fee to cover Elf handling and postage. If you need more than 3 personalised invitations, you can purchase additional Santa's Arctic Invitations when purchasing tickets. Each add-on, accommodating up to 3 invitations, has a non-refundable fee of $14.95.

    If you wish to send to multiple addresses, due to system constraints, you will need to purchase a separate Santa’s Arctic Invitation add-on for each address. 

    Santa’s Arctic Invitations are only available for tickets sold prior to October 27th 2024. 

  • Invitations will be sent by Arctic Elf Mail from November 1st 2024 in chronological order of the event date.

  • There is a non refundable fee of $14.95 charged to cover Elf handling and postage fees. 

  • Abso-jingle-lutely, if you need more than 3 personalised invitations, you can purchase additional Santa's Arctic Invitations when purchasing tickets. Each add-on, accommodating up to 3 invitations, has a non-refundable fee of $14.95.

  • Unfortunately our system does not have the capacity to send invitations to more than one address.

  • Unfortunately our system does not have the capacity to send invitations to more than one address.

  • Unfortunately we cannot post outside of Australia.

rescheduling, resale & cancellations

  • We recommend purchasing optional Ticket Protection. Provided by EventCover, ticket protection is charged at 6% of your ticket sale and offers peace of mind. See our Terms and Conditions for more information on Ticket Protection.

    In addition, please visit your flicket.io account page for ticket resale information.

  • The Christmas Portal understands that sometimes life happens. Once sessions sell out, we will offer a ticket resale option for all tickets purchased prior to November 1 2024. A ticket holder can list their ticket for sale and have Flicket find a buyer for them or nominate their own buyer. To do this navigate to the ticket via My Tickets customer portal and find the ticket you want to resell and click View Ticket. Then follow the prompts. If you change your mind, you can cancel the sale at any time. If you require technical assistance, please reach out to support@flicket.io Please note that persons who have purchased tickets via Afterpay will not be able to resell their tickets after 120 days of purchase. This is due to Afterpay terms and conditions. 

  • The Christmas Portal does not offer purchase refunds if you are not able to attend. We recommend purchasing Ticket Protection for peace of mind.

    However, once sessions sell out, we will offer a ticket reseller program prior to November 1st 2024. We also offer Ticket Protection (for a small additional fee). 

your visit

  • The secret magic portal to the North Pole appears in 2024 at The Venue Alexandria 55 Doody St Alexandria NSW 2015. The Venue Alexandria is conveniently located between the airport and the CBD. We are 4 kms south of the city at Alexandria Entertainment Square. Our main entry is via News Direct Road that runs between O'riordan Street and Bourke Road. 

  • Onsite public parking is available for a fee. Attendees of The Christmas Portal can receive up to 3 hours complimentary parking by validating their ticket onsite. We have 50+ spaces available on weekdays and 250+ on weekends. Parking Entry is via the rear entrance at 55 Doody Street. Proceed up the ramp to the Carpark, and take the lift to Ground Level.

    Should you wish to also do a little shopping while you visit, Harvey Norman Alexandria and Alexandria Homemaker Center have significant amounts of parking and are a short few minutes walk. There is also signposted street parking.

  • The 305 bus service runs from Mascot Station (closest) and from Redfern Station. Get off at the corner of Doody St and O'riordan St.

    The Venue Alexandria is a 20min walk from both Green Square and Mascot Train stations.

  • The Venue Alexandria has a dedicated Uber and taxi drop off area on Level 1. Enter via the up ramp at the rear entrance at 55 Doody St. The drop off zone is the area on the right before you enter the Carpark.

  • The Venue Alexandria's usual VIP drop off area will be closed for the duration of this event. If you require special arrangements for security or accessibility reasons, please contact us at hello@thechristmasportal.com.au 

  • The time you booked is the time your experience begins. We recommend arriving 15 minutes early. Arrival shows occur every 30 minutes and a lockout is in place 10 minutes after each start time. If you miss your entry time you will need to wait a minimum of 30 minutes for the next entry show, pending space available. During full capacity, sold out periods, should you arrive more than 10 minutes late you may be taken directly to join your timed entry group and will miss out on earlier parts of the show. 

  • The entire experience is indoors so rain gear and sun gear is not needed. For both little ones and adults, we recommend enclosed comfortable shoes which are suitable for walking through and playing in artificial snow (think sand but clean and way more fun). For safety reasons, heels are not permitted in our snow zone. The North Pole is air conditioned so you may like to bring an extra layer that can be added or removed if needed.

  • We will have a limited pram parking zone in the arrival hall so you can access your pram if needed. Prams are not permitted inside the experience. 

    The Christmas Portal recommends you not leave valuable items unattended in the pram parking zone. The Christmas Portal accepts no responsibility for lost or stolen belongings in the pram parking zone. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Entry. 

  • A café area will be available at The Christmas Portal with regular, vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options as well as an assortment of light snacks and substantial items. Specialty drinks in take home souvenir cups will also be available.

  • A menu will be posted closer to the event. You can also reach out to us at hello@thechristmasportal.com.au to discuss any special dietary needs. 

  • Unfortunately our venue licence does not permit external food and drink.

  • 2 - 3 hours

accessibility & inclusion

  • At The Christmas Portal, we celebrate the uniqueness of every Elf and recognise that the individuality of every visitor to The Christmas Portal adds to the experience for all. We warmly welcome elves of all ages, sizes, cultures, abilities, faiths, and genders to join us at the North Pole.

    The Venue Alexandria is a stair-free accessible venue with no internal gradients. Entry from the Doody Street Carpark is via an internal lift with an accessible rideshare drop off area on Level 1. We have Male, Female and Unisex bathrooms.


    If you have unique accessibility and inclusion needs, please contact us at hello@thechristmasportal.com.au to be put in touch with one of our friendly elves. 

  • Wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs are permitted in all areas of The Christmas Portal except in our Snow Play Zone as the artificial snow may damage your expensive equipment. 

  • An accessible Pram and Mobility Aid parking area is available in the entrance area. Visitors can access these items at any time for the duration of their stay. Prams and Mobility aids are not permitted inside the experience.

  • With prior notification, accredited service animals are very welcome. Notification is required as we wish to ensure we are prepared with a little extra customer service elves, water for the animal and bathroom assistance. Unfortunately for sanitary reasons, animals are not permitted in our snow play area however our team will gladly assist anyone who needs extra support in this area of the event. Please contact our elves to discuss your situation further, they'd be tail wagging happy to help! Contact Us

  • The Christmas Portal supports all guests to use the bathroom most applicable to their gender identity. Male, Female and Unisex bathrooms will be available. The Christmas Portal has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying or antisocial behaviour. If you experience harassment, please contact our security team. The contact number to be provided 10 December 2024.

  • Unfortunately The Venue Alexandria does not include these facilities. We hope to include them in future years.

  • The Venue Alexandria does not have a dedicated parents room. However 3 x baby change facilities are provided throughout the venue restrooms.

  • The Christmas Portal acknowledges that our ability to deliver extraordinary events is enhanced by diverse people. We encourage all visitors, crew and cast members to bring their whole Elf self to The Christmas Portal. 

    We recognise that when people bring different knowledge, skills, backgrounds, and perspectives gained from differences in age, ethnicity, beliefs, sexual orientation, social background and many other factors to our events it adds to the vibrant colours and fun of The North Pole and our collective success.

    The Christmas Portal is 100% female managed and owned.

sponsorship & exclusive use

  • Please contact our Elf Team at hello@thechristmasportal.com.au and one of our Elves will get back to you with exciting opportunities. Be sure to add Sponsor Enquiry in the subject line for a quick response. 

  • Abso-jingle-lutely! Please contact our Elf team at hello@thechristmasportal.com.au to discuss exclusive hire options and pricing. Be sure to add Exclusive Hire Enquiry in the subject line for a quick response. 

health & safety

  • The Christmas Portal cares about the health and safety of our community. Please join us in this effort by continuing to monitor your health in the lead up to and on the day of your visit. We recommend adding ticket protection to your purchase. In addition:
    * We encourage everyone to be up to date with COVID-19 and annual flu vaccinations.
    * If you or your child is experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms please do not attend the event.
    * Should you begin to feel seriously unwell while at The Christmas Portal, please advise our staff, we will assist you in finding a nearby medical facility. 

  • Enhanced cleaning and sanitation measures will be in place. Hand sanitizer will be available in key locations and easily accessible. Face masks and ear plugs will be available on request at Check In and at Kringle’s Elf Store.  

  • Except in extenuating circumstances, we will communicate any changes or updates via our website, and inform ticket holders via email no later than two weeks prior to the event. 

  • We recommend purchasing ticket protection. In addition, please visit your flicket.io account page for ticket resale information.

Step through The Christmas Portal to a magical winter wonderland and take your family on a storytelling adventure 14 - 23 December 2024 at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney.