Pumpkin Picking at Old MacDonald's Farm

The pumpkins at Old MacDonald's are homegrown, and every child's entry to the Halloween Festival includes one to take home, so the patch is part of the ticket rather than a stall at the end of it. Children choose their own from the field.

What sets the farm apart the rest of the year carries into October. Everything is included in the entrance fee, so the animals, the rides and the playgrounds are all covered once you are through the gate. There is nothing to feed tokens into and no wristband to upgrade halfway through the afternoon.

Old Mac's Pumpkin Nights is a different event entirely, running in the evening from 24 October to 1 November between 5pm and 7.30pm, on its own separate ticket. A daytime booking does not cover it, so anyone wanting the after-dark version needs to book that date on its own.

One more thing to factor into the day: individual attractions keep their own timings. Most run through the middle of the day, though a few do not open until later in the morning, the indoor soft play closes at 4.45pm and the Doggy Dog Roller Coaster stops at 4pm. Daytime hours also change part way through the festival, so it is worth confirming the day you have chosen.

Booking in advance saves up to twenty-five per cent against the gate price, and the saving is at its biggest a week or more ahead. Children under two go free, and accessibility and carer tickets are priced separately.