When it comes to Christmas light trails, Waddesdon Manor and Blenheim Palace are closely matched, but which is better value for money? Well this year I was invited to the press events for both of them, so it gave me a great opportunity to review both of them within 24 hours of each other and do a direct comparison. First up, I’m a huge fan of both properties. I’m a regular visitor to Waddesdon Manor and Blenheim Palace when they haven’t got their Christmas events taking place.
This year I was gifted admission to the Christmas trails at both properties. I pay for my own memberships to both though. I am also an affiliate for the National Trust. Neither property saw my reviews before I published them and had no input into their contents. I’ve included the prices for both 2021 and 2019 because that is the last time both properties had the houses open. That way I think it makes it a bit easier to compare which Christmas light trail is better value for money, the one at Waddesdon Manor, or the one at Blenheim Palace.
Quick summary of Waddesdon Manor
They have two trails at Waddesdon. One is the “main” light trail that starts and ends at the aviary. This takes about 20/30 minutes to complete. There’s a large market with plenty of stalls, and you can easily spend a lot of time (and a fair amount of cash) browsing here. I’ve got a couple of personal favourites. The second trail is decorated by local children and took a similar amount of time. I’m usually on-site for about 3-4 hours. You can read my full review of the 2021 display here.
When the house is decorated it’s usually about half of the rooms that are open during the normal season. In most rooms the decorations tend to be mainly just a spectacular tree with a few other bits. The dining room and staircase typically have the most decoration internally.
Price-wise, it’s the cheaper of the two, although it’s gone up significantly over recent years. In 2021 a family of four will pay £64.50 for grounds admission only (peak prices, including the optional bus). In 2019 this was £27.50. The house wasn’t open in 2021. A grounds and house ticket cost £72.25 in 2019. I can only imagine what it would have been! Members pay a substantially discounted rate for admission to the house and grounds. For the latest availability and to pre-book visit their website.
Quick summary of Blenheim Palace
There is only one Christmas light trail at Blenheim Palace, which took us about one hour and 15 minutes to do. The house is decorated and all of the rooms that are normally open are decorated. It took us about 30 minutes to visit. There’s a Christmas market which was quite small and, well, disappointing really. You can read my full review of the 2021 display here.
Other than doing the trail and visiting the palace there really isn’t much to see without shelling out a lot of cash. There’s a courtyard with various fairground rides but theses are £2.50 each and that very quickly adds up if you have multiple children. It’s the biggest disadvantage of Blenheim.
Price-wise, it is more expensive BUT you get a LOT more for your money. For the trail it’s £84 (including parking) for a family ticket. To visit the palace as well it’s £150 BUT that includes an annual pass which will give you admission to next year’s Christmas palace decorations (if you go late this year and early next year). An annual pass is normally £69. In 2019 a family ticket to both the palace and trail cost £112 apparently. I don’t have a price for just the trail. For the latest availability, and to book visit their website.
Is the Waddesdon Manor or Blenheim Palace Christmas light trail better value for money?
Free Time with the Kids is all about good value days out, so when it comes to something as expensive as splashing out on a treat event like this, I want the best possible value for money. So I’ve broken it down;
- Christmas Market – Waddesdon by far. It’s bigger and better.
- Time on site – Waddesdon. Mainly because you’ll spend a lot of time walking between the different parts of the trail, and at the market. There’s more potential to just hang around and soak up the atmosphere.
- Quality of house / palace decorations – Blenheim. There’s more rooms, each room has much more to see.
- Quality of outdoor trail – Blenheim. Blenheim. Oh, Blenheim. In 2021 the two trails at Waddesdon tended to rely heavily on lighting up trees and work from local school children (that sounds more flippant than it’s supposed to). Blenheim’s trail is longer, more spectacular, more festive, makes better use of music, just better.
- Most festive – Blenheim. Someone posted that Waddesdon didn’t feel very Christmasy. I commented to Hubby that, other than on a Christmas tree or by looking like Oxford Street, how Christmasy could it look. Up stepped Blenheim! I shut up.
- Price – Waddesdon is cheaper (particularly if you’re a National Trust member), and you’re there for longer but….
oh man, it is so hard for me to decide if the Waddesdon Manor or Blenheim Palace Christmas light trail is the better value. If you’re not a National Trust member, and you just want the outdoor lights then go for Blenheim. Spend the extra £20 and thank yourselves later! If you ARE a member of the NT then it gets more complicated – it’s a third of the price, but not a third of the quality. The market is soooo much better, and that in itself adds a lot of value. I do really like Waddesdon, I’ve gone every year for the past 5/6 years and enjoyed myself each time. It was a bit less spectacular this year, but I’d forgiven them for that. Then, 24 hours later I was in Oxfordshire and had been spoilt forever!
…and the houses?
When it comes to which Christmas house event is better value for money, Waddesdon Manor or Blenheim Palace then I think Blenheim has to win again. Buying palace tickets means you get a free annual pass so actually, your £150 gets you the Christmas trail, Christmas in the palace, jousting, school holiday events, and admission to the palace and grounds for 12 months (including free entry to the palace before 4pm next Christmas if you time your tickets right this year!) That is one hell of a bargain!
So Blenheim then?
Yes. I think so. And it makes me sad. I’m probably of their Christmas card list forever now, and I am sorry Waddesdon. But, is the Waddesdon Manor or Blenheim Palace Christmas light trail better value for money? Although it’s a lot more money, unless you’re a National Trust member, it’s Blenheim every time. And if you are a National Trust member then I cannot possibly make the decision for you!
But I’ll still go to Waddesdon as well. Because I am a member and I love it there, and it’s our family tradition. On top of what might be our new family tradition of Blenheim. Damn it!
If you’re looking for Christmas events across Bucks, Beds, Oxon & Herts have a look at the Free Time with the Kids Christmas pages. For lots of reviews of other free and cheap family days out, plus some treat days thrown in for good measure, you can search the FTwtK map here.