Before you visit

We understand that some guests may be unable to participate in every activity we have to offer. We therefore offer a reduced ticket cost of €25 for guests with additional needs.

To avail of this ticket, we require that supporting documentation from the guest with additional needs be produced on arrival. Without this documentation, full price will be charged.

For those little adventurers, Emerald Park operates an ‘Under 3s go free’ policy, so a child with additional needs who is under 3 can avail of the Child 0-2 ticket when booking.

Supporting documentation

Accepted forms of supporting documentation include but are not limited to:

• Named associated membership card for an additional need e.g., AsIAm, JAM card ,NIMBUS card
• GP letter to state an additional need with the name of the guest or hospital consultant letter
• Photo ID from a recognised additional needs association etc.
• Any other ID or documentation from a recognised additional needs association

We require that the supporting documentation reflect the guest with additional needs and not the carer. Carer identification on its own will not be sufficient.

We cannot accept PIP or DLA letters as independent supporting documentation but they can be considered as supplementary supporting documentation.

One accompanying carer (aged 18+) is included free of charge with an additional needs ticket. If more than one carer is required, we are happy to provide all carers with free park access if evidence (a headed letter or card) can be presented on arrival.

Carer requirements

For safety reasons, we ask that accompanying carers be aged 18+ and accompany the guest with additional needs on all rides and attractions.

Carers must be able to assist the guest with additional needs, communicate ride safety information, and assist them with any emergency evacuation procedures, if needed. This may involve transferring the guest to and from the ride.

A carer for a guest with additional needs named on an Emerald Park membership will be admitted free of charge. Suitable supporting documentation as above will be required.

For more information, please visit our membership desk.

We aim to make our attractions as accessible as possible, but we must also adhere to health and safety restrictions. Check out our Ride Access Guide to see which attractions may be suitable for you.

Ride Access Guide

Please enter Emerald Park via the member’s entrance on the left-hand side of the admissions building.

For health and safety reasons, pregnant guests will be unable to make use of the majority of the rides and attractions at Emerald Park. For this reason, pregnant guests can avail of our additional needs ticket (without the free accompanying carer) at a reduced cost of €25. We advise pregnant guests to view our Ride Access Guide prior to visiting to familiarise themselves with any restrictions.

On arrival to admissions, guests may be asked to provide documentation to confirm that they can avail of this rate. Documentation can be anything from a prenatal appointment card to a doctor’s letter.

At Emerald Park we are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our guests. Assistance dogs who are registered with an accredited training provider are welcome onsite. We recognise the importance of assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities and are pleased to accommodate those who rely on the assistance of these trained animals. This policy outlines the guidelines and procedures for guests wishing to bring an assistance dog to Emerald Park.

Definition of assistance dog:

An assistance dog is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. These tasks may include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals who are blind or visually impaired, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, helping individuals with mobility impairments, and assisting individuals with psychiatric or neurological disabilities.

Requirements for bringing an assistance dog to Emerald Park

Identification:

Guests bringing an assistance dog, must have appropriate identification for the dog. This must state the name of the organisation that has trained the assistance dog. Self-trained dogs are not recognised. This can include official registration of assistance or proof of training. You must have a harness, leash, or other gear that clearly identifies the dog as a working assistance animal.

Should identification not be provided, Emerald Park has the right to reuse entry and pre purchased tickets will be fully refunded.

Behaviour:

Assistance dogs must be well-behaved, kept on a lead, and under control at all times. Any disruptive or aggressive behaviour will result in the removal of the dog and its owner from the park premises. Emerald Park reserves the right to ask guests to remove an assistance dog if they believe it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of guests or staff.

Health and hygiene:

All registered assistance dogs must be up to date with their inoculations and vaccinations. Your dog must be fit and healthy when visiting Emerald Park, and not shown any signs of ill health – including diarrhoea and vomiting – in the last 24 hours.

Guests are responsible for the proper care and cleanliness of their assistance dogs, including waste disposal.

Areas of access: rides & attractions

Guests with assistance dogs are generally permitted to access all areas of the theme park that are open to the public. However, in some cases, access may be restricted for safety or operational reasons. These restrictions will be communicated to the guest upon arrival.

When a guest is using a ride or attraction, assistance dogs may accompany their owner as far as the loading point, but please ensure that they are left with another member of the group and not left unattended.

Areas of access: the zoo

Assistance dogs are welcome to visit certain areas of the zoo, however, due to free flying birds we regret that the area from the petting farm to the World of Raptors, and the area surrounding the tiger enclosure are off limits. Assistance dogs are not permitted at our animal demonstrations and talks, in any of our walkthroughs, petting farms, or near our big cat enclosures. Guests with assistance dogs may only transit the zoo using the main access path avoiding theses areas.

Our animals and dogs can react to each other – so we ask that if you notice any behavioural changes of concern, to move to another exhibit. From time to time, certain areas of the zoo may be off limits to assistance dogs. We will endeavor to communicate this on the day of visit.

Please note that we do not allow any assistance dogs in training into the zoo.

Additional information:

Other pets or animals of any nature are expressly prohibited in Emerald Park and , for the avoidance of doubt, should not be left in any vehicle parked in the car park of Emerald Park. Emerald Park reserves the right to contact any relevant authority to make and be responsible for any decision in relation to any animals that are left unsupervised or that are found to be in distress.

Please contact us in advance to talk through the best options for your visit. Where possible, we can adjust based on the individual circumstances to ensure you have the most convenient and accessible visit.

By implementing and following this Assistance Dog Policy, we aim to create a positive and accessible experience for all our guests at Emerald Park. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our guests as we work together to ensure an enjoyable visit for everyone.

If you are visiting as part of a larger group booking, or are organising a group visit, please contact our bookings department by emailing bookings@emeraldpark.ie and they will advise you on your best course of action.