The Grotto at Mall of the Emirates 2026: meet Santa in Candyland (expected 6–25 December)
The Grotto at Mall of the Emirates is the other Santa in the mall – the one without snow. Inside the New Covent Garden Theatre, next to VOX Cinemas, a walk-through Christmas world opens every December: a Candyland of oversized sweets, an Enchanted Forest with elves, festive challenges along the way, and at the end a private ten minutes with Santa himself, not a queue-and-photo conveyor belt. Last season it ran from 6 to 25 December 2025; for 2026 we expect the same dates, to be confirmed by the organisers in the autumn.
Looking for Santa on real snow? That is Winter Wonderland at Ski Dubai, in the same mall. Many families do both – The Grotto in the morning, the Snow Park in the afternoon. Everything else about the mall is on our Mall of the Emirates page.
Dates, times and tickets (2025 edition, expected similar)
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 6–25 December (expected for 2026) |
| Hours | 10:00–19:00 daily; timed entry slots |
| Adults | AED 120 |
| Children | AED 165, including a gift from Santa |
| Extras | Professional photos for purchase; you may also take your own |
| Where | New Covent Garden Theatre, level 2, Mall of the Emirates |
| Booking | thegrotto.me – slots in the last week before Christmas sell out first |
What to expect
The experience is built as a story. You enter Candyland – lollipop trees, gingerbread walls, sweet-themed games – then move into the Enchanted Forest, where elves run small challenges to check whether you have been good enough for the Nice List. The finale is Santa’s room: each family gets a full ten minutes, Santa knows the children’s names from the booking, and the gift is chosen by age. Allow 45 minutes to an hour in total. The organisers run sensory-friendly sessions for children on the autism spectrum, with lower lighting and sound and smaller groups – ask when booking.
Make a day of it at Mall of the Emirates
The theatre is on the same floor as Magic Planet, so the usual plan is Grotto first, rides after. If the children can take the cold, the Ski Dubai Snow Park is the afternoon – tickets below, free cancellation until the day before. The après-ski café windows are where parents recover with a coffee while watching the slope. For lunch, the restaurants along the ski-slope glass wall beat the food court.
Getting there
Mall of the Emirates station on the red metro line connects to the mall by a covered walkway. Parking is free at weekends and validated four hours on weekdays. Staying next door makes an early slot easy: the Kempinski and Sheraton are inside the mall complex, and our Al Barsha hotel picks list cheaper options within walking distance.
Good to know
In 2025: AED 120 for adults and AED 165 for children, the child ticket including a gift from Santa. Similar prices are expected for 2026.
No. The Grotto is a theatre-based walk-through experience on level 2; Winter Wonderland is Santa’s grotto on the snow inside Ski Dubai. Both are in Mall of the Emirates and need separate tickets.
About 45 minutes to an hour, including the ten-minute private meeting with Santa.
Yes. Professional photos are also available for purchase at the end.
Yes – it is aimed at children from about two to ten. Sensory-friendly sessions are available for children who find lights and noise difficult.
Do you know of an exciting event happening in Dubai this winter? We’d love to hear from you! Share your tips with our editorial team at info@winterindubai.com.
