Theme Parks Open in Winter in Europe: 2026/27 Dates and What Runs

<p>Most European theme parks close for a long stretch of winter, but a good number run a winter season, usually built around Christmas. This guide lists the dates we could confirm for 2026/27, the closed days, and parks you might expect to be open that aren't.</p>

Last checked: November 2026, against each park’s official website and the facts on our attraction pages. Winter calendars change at short notice, especially in bad weather, so check the park’s calendar for your date.

Most theme parks in Europe close for a long stretch of winter, but a good number run a winter season, usually built around Christmas. These seasons differ from summer. Dates are short, some days are closed, and rides can stop in ice, snow or wind. This guide lists the parks we could confirm for winter 2026/27, in date order, and notes parks you might expect to be open that aren’t. It isn’t a ranking.

Quick answer

• Longest season here: Efteling, which says it’s open 365 days a year, with its Winter Efteling season from 16 November 2026 to 31 January 2027.
• Into late January: Phantasialand‘s Wintertraum runs until 24 January 2027.
• Closed on Christmas Day: Europa-Park and Phantasialand, among others. Check the calendar if you’re travelling that week.
• Not open this winter: Parc Astérix lists its next opening as 26 March 2027, and Walibi Holland stays closed during the Christmas holidays.

Winter dates for 2026/27

Partial openings

• Duinrell, Netherlands: from 9 November 2026 to 19 March 2027, only winter attractions open, on weekends and holidays, and all are closed from 4 January to 12 February 2027.
• Pleasure Beach Resort, UK: through winter, the main Pleasure Beach rests, and the rides that keep running are in Nickelodeon Land.
• Wurstelprater, Austria: the winter season runs 1 November to 14 March, and most operators are closed in January.

Warm options that open all year

If your children would rather swim, these are on our site as open all year:

• Siam Park, Tenerife: the park says it’s open 365 days a year.
• Therme Erding, Germany: the baths are open year round.
• Jardin d’Acclimatation, Paris: open 365 days a year, holidays included. It’s an outdoor garden, so dress for the weather.

Parks that close for winter

• Parc Astérix: the park’s website shows it closed, opening on 26 March 2027.
• Walibi Holland: the park has ended its Bright Nights winter event, and its press page says it now concentrates on the summer season and stays closed during the Christmas holidays.

We couldn’t confirm winter dates from an official source for Liseberg at the time of checking. Liseberg’s site has a Christmas page, so check it directly.

What’s different about a winter visit

• Rides can close. Europa-Park warns that ice, snow, strong wind or unusually high or low temperatures can bring further closures or changes at short notice. Efteling’s outdoor coasters open weather permitting.
• Days are shorter. Phantasialand runs 11:00 to 20:00 in Wintertraum, compared with an opening from 09:00 before the season starts.
• Tickets may need a date. Europa-Park says that if tickets aren’t dated at the admissions check, entry can’t be guaranteed, and a service fee of €10 per ticket applies to on-site dating.
• Height limits still apply. See our charts for Disneyland Paris and Efteling and Europa-Park.
• Dress for it. Our cold-weather packing list for toddlers covers layers for small children.

Next steps

Going for the festivities? Read Christmas at theme parks 2026. Or head north with Christmas in Lapland with kids. Taking a toddler? Our theme parks with a toddler guide can help.