Facilities and Accessibility

As the Dungeon is very dark and the floor is often uneven, guests with visual impairments, blind and partially sighted visitors may have difficulty navigating around the facility.

The experience is largely delivered by actors and voiceover audio, often in low light levels. Therefore guests with low vision, a visual impairment or hearing difficulties, may struggle to experience the attraction fully; however you are able to bring a carer, personal assistant, support worker or interpreter to assist.

Assistance dogs are welcome in the York Dungeon. There are loud noises, mist effects and smells (good and nasty) that may be confusing to assistance animals.

Please email yorkguests@merlinentertainments.biz for more specific information.

Deaf visitors, guests with hearing impairments and users of BSL can bring an assistant free of charge.

The York Dungeon experience is largely delivered by actors and voiceover audio often in low lighting, so some deaf visitors, guests with hearing impairments and BSL users may not fully experience some elements of the attraction.

We also provide an 'Impaired Hearing Guide'; we advise contacting us prior to your visit to arrange the use of a guide.

Assistance dogs are welcome in the York Dungeon. There are loud noises, mist effects and smells (good and nasty) that may be confusing to assistance animals.

Please contact: yorkguests@merlinentertainments.biz to arrange.

The York Dungeon is not a scare attraction, nor is it a horror maze, it is an interactive theatrical experience.

Inside The York Dungeon, it is very dark, with loud noises and bangs, flashing lights, jump scares and areas which intentionally smell quite pungent, so the experience is intentionally a very sensory one.

Guests with some neuro-diverse conditions, including autism, may feel that the experience is an overwhelming one.

Please note we are trained to recognise the Hidden Disabilities sunflower lanyard here at the York Dungeon and we have ear defenders should you or your fellow guests need them. Please talk to a member of staff at any point during the tour should you require any assistance.

Should you wish to enter The York Dungeon but later feel that you need to leave, please just speak to a member of staff or an Actor and they will assist – you are welcome to take some time backstage and re-join the tour when you are ready, or you are able to leave, and a manager will be called to facilitate your exit.

The York Dungeon is not a scare attraction, nor is it a horror maze, it is an interactive theatrical experience. It is very dark, with loud noises, bangs and sound effects. Actors often perform ‘jump scares’ which may shock and surprise you, however they will not touch you or chase you.

Some areas may feel ‘claustrophobic’, as though you are enclosed.

There are areas within the attraction which intentionally smell quite distinctly. There are also lots of lighting effects, flashing lights, and one instance of strobe lighting.

With your group, you move from to room through the tour. You will not be in any particular room for longer than a maximum of 6 minutes, unless there is a technical difficulty which is unlikely but possible.

Should you wish to enter The York Dungeon but later feel that you need to leave, please just speak to a member of staff or an Actor and they will assist – you are welcome to take some time backstage and re-join the tour when you are ready, or you are able to leave, and a manager will be called to facilitate your exit.

Pregnant guests are welcome to visit The York Dungeon at any time during their pregnancy and can take part in all of the shows on our tour.

Please note that we do have 2 shows where the actor will ask if any guests are pregnant before the show begins:

• In Vengeance of the Vikings, there is a sudden drop floor effect. The ground beneath your feet will slightly - but suddenly - drop down and return to its original position twice. Pregnant guests are required to stand on a section of the floor that does not drop at the start of this show.
• The Dick’s Back ride at the end of the tour has benches that drop slightly. Pregnant guests are directed to benches to sit on that do not drop at the start of this show.

The York Dungeon tour is a 75 minute walking experience and guests will be required to stand in the majority of shows as there is only seating available 3 of the show areas.

The York Dungeon is very dark, with loud noises, bangs and sound effects. Some areas may feel ‘claustrophobic’, as though you are enclosed. There will be other members of the general public in your tour group, and please note that during peak periods, the attraction can get very busy.

Actors often perform ‘jump scares’ which may shock you, however they will not touch you or chase you. There are areas within the attraction which intentionally smell quite pungent.

The York Dungeon is not a scare attraction, nor is it a horror maze, it is an interactive theatrical experience.

However, inside, it is very dark, with lots of loud noises, and some actors perform ‘jump scares’ however they will not touch or chase you.

We recommend that The York Dungeon is suitable for children aged 8 and above, however, entry is at the discretion of the parent/guardian.* The experience is subjective, and in the past we have welcomed very young children who have loved their experience and older children (and adults!) who were terrified, so it really does depend on the individual child.

If your child is of a nervous disposition, gets scared easily, and is very afraid of the dark, you may wish to check whether they are confident that they want to enter The York Dungeon.

However, if they do enter and wish to leave, they can do so at any time.

Just ask an actor or a team member! However, your ticket(s) will be non-refundable.

Please note, anyone under the age of 16 has to be accompanied by someone over the age of 18. Please bear this in mind if you choose to leave but wish to leave other guests to continue the tour.

*Children under 5 years old will not be permitted to enter

The tour of The York Dungeon is an English language tour. The York Dungeon is not a scare attraction, nor is it a horror maze, it is an interactive theatrical experience.

• Some cultural references are not directly translatable, so for consistency and as we welcome many international guests, English language caters for the vast majority of our visitors.
• Many of our non-English speaking guests still enjoy the sights, sounds (and smells!) of York’s gruesome history, however may not experience the attraction in the same way as those proficient in the English language.
• If someone in your party wishes to translate, they are of course welcome to, however please be mindful of other guests.
• Unfortunately at this time, audio guides are not available

Unfortunately, the Dungeon does not have any designated parking for blue badge holders.

The nearest car parks to the York Dungeon are the Castle Car Park (Post code: YO1 9SA) and Piccadilly Car Park (Post code: YO1 9NX) which

both have parking bays for blue badge holders. Please note that these car parks are not operated by the York Dungeon and that use of these parking bays are subject to the terms and conditions of the car park operator.

Assistance dogs are welcome in the York Dungeon. There are loud noises, mist effects and smells (good and nasty) that may be confusing to assistance animals. For more detailed information please email:  yorkguests@merlinentertainments.biz

The main guest toilets are located next to the main building entrance (to the left when facing the front doors) and are accessed via a separate entrance. Please try to arrive 10 minutes before your tour start time to use these as they are not nearby once your tour starts.  If you are unsure please ask a member of the team and they can assist you.

The York Dungeon also has an accessible toilet located at the very end of the tour, just before the gift shop.

If you are unsure, please inform one of the actors that you require the use of the facilities and they will show you the route.