Fairytale Farm to open Journey to Alice’s Wonderland on 16th May

Fairytale Farm is set to open a major new attraction on 16th May 2026, as the Oxfordshire visitor attraction launches its first ever ride, Journey to Alice’s Wonderland.

The brand-new immersive family dark ride has been inspired by Lewis Carroll’s original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and will take visitors on a gentle journey through the curious and colourful world of this much-loved literary classic.

Gliding through a series of richly themed scenes, riders will encounter Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts and more, all brought to life through detailed animatronic characters, atmospheric lighting and an enchanting soundscape.

The launch is especially significant because of the attraction’s location. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was written by Lewis Carroll, who had strong links to Oxford, meaning Journey to Alice’s Wonderland will be the first permanent Alice in Wonderland ride in Oxfordshire — bringing the story home to the county that inspired it.

There is no extra charge for the ride. It is included in admission, and visitors can enjoy it as many times as they wish during their visit.

Behind the scenes, the attraction also represents a remarkable feat of reinvention. The ride system originally operated as the much-loved Snail Trail at Watermouth Castle Theme Park in Devon, before being extensively modified and upgraded for its new life at Fairytale Farm, with a new control system, upgraded sensors, motors and other major technical improvements.

Nick Laister, owner of Fairytale Farm, said:
“Journey to Alice’s Wonderland is a hugely exciting milestone for Fairytale Farm, because it is the first ride we have ever created here. From the start, we wanted to create something magical, immersive and true to the spirit of Lewis Carroll’s original story. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is such an enduring classic, full of imagination, character and playful eccentricity, and because of its strong Oxford connection it felt the perfect choice for this project.”

He added:
“We are incredibly proud to be opening what we believe is the first permanent Alice in Wonderland ride in Oxfordshire. This is a major new chapter for Fairytale Farm and a very exciting moment for us.”

Andy Blake, designer of the indoor theming, said:
“The creative aim was to capture the spirit of the original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the distinctive charm of its classic storybook world. We wanted the scenes to feel playful, curious and richly detailed, while reflecting the much-loved traditional interpretation of these characters. It has been a wonderful project to work on, and very rewarding to help create a version of Wonderland that families can step into and experience together.”

Guy Laister of IP Pro Limited, designer and builder of the ride system, said:
“The ride system has undergone very substantial work for its new life at Fairytale Farm. Although it began as the Snail Trail ride at Watermouth Castle Theme Park, it has been heavily upgraded and re-engineered, with a new control system, upgraded sensors, motors and other improvements. The goal was to create a smooth, gentle and reliable family journey that fully supports the storytelling experience we wanted to achieve.”

Journey to Alice’s Wonderland opens at Fairytale Farm on 16th May 2026.

For more information and to book, visit Fairytale Farm’s website.