Wales Millennium Centre
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Cardiff
What it’s like
A working theatre in Cardiff Bay where kids catch big touring musicals, opera or family shows, with a buggy park laid on for children's performances.
What you're actually doing here is going to see a show, so the day out hinges entirely on what's booked in. Touring musicals, opera, dance, comedy, and family productions all pass through, and once a year the Llais festival fills the building with free and ticketed events. There's no soft play or exhibits to wander round waiting for a performance, so this only works if there's something on your kids actually want to see.
Arrive with half an hour spare. Doors tend to open 20 to 30 minutes before curtain, the bars open an hour before that, and you'll want the time anyway if you're finding the buggy park for a children's show. Booster cushions are free but limited, so if you've got a smaller child who needs the height, it's safer to bring your own rather than hope one's left.
The cloakroom is shut at the moment, which is a bit of a faff if you're used to dumping coats and bags. They do random bag checks too, and anything bigger than 42 x 23 x 30cm won't get past the door, so leave the big changing bag in the car. Food and drink are fine to bring in, just not to eat mid-performance if you don't want dagger looks from the row behind.
Getting there without a car is easy enough: the train from Queen Street to Cardiff Bay takes under five minutes, or there's the AquaBus running 11 till 5 if you fancy making the journey part of the outing. Driving in, the Q-Park opposite is open all hours and worth pre-booking online, with disabled bays bookable in advance too.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No set age range given, so it's really about matching the show to your child
- Parking
- Q-Park Cardiff Bay opposite on Pierhead Street, open 24/7
- Pushchairs
- Children's buggies can be kept at cloakroom
- Wheelchairs
- Accessible toilets on every level
- Getting there by bus or train
- Train from Cardiff Queen St station to Cardiff Bay (every 12 minutes, under 5 minutes)
- The cloakroom's closed for now, so plan on carrying coats and bags yourself
- Pre-order interval drinks by SMS up to 5 minutes before the show starts
- Accessible performances run alongside the regular schedule
- Non-performance days the building closes at 5pm, so check what's on before turning up late afternoon
Plan your visit
Do we need to book tickets in advance?
There's no walk-up booking link, so you'd sort tickets ahead through whatever's showing. Tickets come through as e-tickets on your phone, or by text if you'd rather.
How early should we get there?
Aim for 30 minutes before the show starts. Doors usually open 20 to 30 minutes beforehand and the bars open an hour early if you want a drink first.
Is there anywhere to leave a buggy?
There's a buggy park set up specifically for children's shows. The cloakroom would normally take buggies too but it's closed at the moment.
Can we bring bags in?
Keep it small. Anything over 42 x 23 x 30cm isn't allowed in, and they do random bag searches on the door.
What if my child needs a booster seat?
They keep a limited number of free booster cushions, but they can run out for popular family shows. Bring your own if you want to be certain.
Is there parking nearby?
Q-Park Cardiff Bay sits right opposite on Pierhead Street and is open 24 hours. It's worth pre-booking online, and there are 17 disabled spaces you can reserve ahead too.
Can we eat during the performance?
You can bring some food and drink in, but eating during the show itself tends to annoy your neighbours. Best to have it before or in the interval.
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