Charlotte from our UK Department recently attended the preview night of the spectacular show that is Kynren! She spent three days visiting various hotels and attractions around the North East, in order to further our existing relationships and hopefully start some new ones.
From Roman battles to wartime Britain, the 90-minute outdoor spectacle brought 2,000 years of history to life with jaw-dropping choreography, live animals, stunning effects, and a cast of over 1,000 dedicated volunteers. It’s more than just a performance — Kynren is a celebration of community, heritage, and the power of storytelling on a truly grand scale.
If you’re anywhere near the North East this summer, go and see it. You won’t forget it!
Halle (Disney Ops) and Claire (Sales) are just back from a magical few days as Events Managers for one of our International dance groups who got to perform at Disneyland® Paris.
Travelling by air to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, they stayed the first night at The Jangle Hotel, with its own shuttle bus from Terminal 2. They used this service back so they could take the train into Paris for the evening. Strolling from Notre-Dame de Paris to the Eiffel Tower to see the city light up and sparkle along the way.
The next day after meeting the group at the airport, they boarded two mini-vans and drove the scenic route to Dream Castle hotel, where the group would be staying for their vacation. Letting the group settle in, Halle and Claire were taken on show-arounds of the Fabulous Hotels starting at Dream Castle Hotel, then onto the Explorers Hotel ending at the Grand Magic Hotel, all near to each other and sharing the shuttle bus to Disneyland® Paris. Each hotel has something different to offer our groups, with each having their own swimming pools, ideal to cool down after a day at the Parks.
Enjoying dinner at Annette’s in Disney® Village, they also managed to squeeze in time to take a peek at the new shops in the village including Deco by Disney & Disney Style, before checking into Staycity Paris Marne La Vallée for two nights.
With an early start the next day, the group met their Disney Performing Arts coordinator’s going ‘backstage’ for their Disney Performing Arts Dance Workshop, what an experience it was for them all, watched by Halle and Claire. With free time before the next hotel visit, Halle and Claire went to see The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands at the Frontierland Theatre with a quick lunch at Casa del Coco. Although staying at Staycity, they had a show-around including the spacious villas, swimming pool and local village of Bailly-Romainvilliers with a local supermarket. Later they took the free hotel shuttle bus to the Parks to try a few rides, dinner at The Hollywood Gardens Restaurant in the newly refurbished World Premiere Plaza under the twinkling lights, before staying to watch the dazzling finale of fireworks and magical effects from Main Street U.S.A.
Performance Day arrives, after months of planning the group are ready to take to the stage. First they have to meet the DPA coordinator’s and go through the stage and blocking, before the final preparations for hair and make-up, then its curtain up for their 20-minute performance on the Videopolis Theatre. Their dance routines were stunning bringing a tear to both Halle and Claire, still on a high, the group had a photo with Donald Duck to end an amazing morning.
With a lunch stop at Casey’s Corner for their famous hotdogs, they managed to fit in the new Disney Music Hits Concert and Mickey’s PhilharMagic show before heading to the train station for the high-speed train back to the airport.
Comments Off on Disney Music Festival Experience Fam Trip
In June 2025 our Disney department manager, Megan, was invited by Disney to attend the Disney Music Festival Experience Fam Trip at Disneyland® Paris. Along with around 40 other UK travel professionals, Megan travelled from London on the Eurostar and stayed at Disney Hotel Cheyenne – one of the most popular hotels for our groups.
Megan attended business sessions during the trip where the latest Disneyland® Paris news and updates were shared, along with training on all aspects of selling the magic! The exciting construction at Walt Disney Studios Park® continues and we got glimpses of the new World of Frozen which we can’t wait to open in 2026.
There were also meetings and show-arounds at both onsite and offsite hotels, including the recently re-imagined Disneyland Hotel which offers the ultimate 5-star royal experience with an unbeatable location right at the entrance of the Disneyland® Park. It truly is beautiful but there are hotels to suit all budgets, including offsite options nearby like the self-catering studio apartments at Staycity Paris Marne La Vallée which we have found to be an excellent choice for our groups.
Megan had the opportunity to enjoy the Disney Music Festival which has taken over the Disneyland® Park for the summer, and also saw the new nighttime spectacular Disney Tales of Magic which is not to be missed. Character Breakfast at Plaza Gardens on the final morning was the perfect ending and is definitely something to recommend to all of our groups.
Based on previous feedback this was the first time Disney have hosted a three-night/four-day fam trip, giving more time to explore and savour the delights of the magical Disney® Parks and Hotels.
Megan might have visited Disneyland® Paris over 20 times, but there is always something new to see and learn!
A very special and proud day as we celebrated 40 years!!! Great to see John Beaumont (88), company founder and Greatdays’ chairman, at the office seen here alongside Paul and Andy holding a copy of our first brochure from 1985.
Then followed a highly entertaining evening where 40th festivities continued with a ‘Captains and Pirates’ dinner party canal cruise from Manchester to Salford Quays. A great night spent together, with the best music hits from that very first year!
Comments Off on Austrian Adventures and Tyrolean Treats
Guy (Sales Team) and Rachael (European Operations) spent a week exploring the Tyrol region of Austria from St Anton to St Georgen, reconnecting with our hotel and attraction partners and shaping many enticing itineraries for 2026 and beyond.
Fabulous lake and mountain scenery combined with warm hospitality, glorious sunshine and many memorable highlights including river cruises and rail journeys, glass blowing and folk dancing, breathtaking cable car rides and the crystal magnificence of Swarovski – a sparkling visit in all senses and thoroughly recommended.
Celebrating our 40th Anniversary this year, Greatdays has established strong supplier relationships and provided many successful group tours to the Tyrol and across Austria with plenty more planned. Bring your tour alive with a Sound of Music theme, make Boats and Trains your preference or encompass the region’s scenic beauty with a Lakes & Mountains itinerary. So much to choose from, so why not let us help tailor-make your perfect Austrian experience.
Claire (Sales) and Sarah (UK Operations) have recently returned from a very busy couple of days in Belfast as event managers for an Annual Meeting.
Working between the Europa, Ramada and Hilton hotels and with the fantastic Giles Coaches, they helped members in the hotels, getting to and from the ICC for their AM and excursions to Titanic Belfast with a panoramic city tour, Troubles, Law and order, Royal Hillsborough and Lorne Estate.
The last day was airport transfers from the hotels to Belfast International airport, whilst some members continued onto Armagh and the Fermanagh Lakes for a four day tour.
With some free time, Claire also visited Belfast City Hall for a guided tour and Victoria Square to enjoy the Dome with 360° views of Belfast.
Comments Off on Legenderry, Causeway Chronicle’s and the wonderful city of Belfast
Last month, Sarah from our UK and Ireland team, was fortunate enough to tour manage a group over to Northern Ireland which she had arranged for them. This was a great opportunity for the group to visit Derry, Belfast and cover a small amount of County Donegal over 6 days with some stunning scenery in between. We were blessed with great weather, fantastic hospitality, great food and accommodation plus superb coach hire.
After a short flight, we were met by the very efficient McComb’s coaches who provided coach hire throughout the tour. Visits included the world-famous Giants Causeway, Titanic Experience, Museum of Free Derry and the Derry Guildhall along with a very informative walking tour of Derry. We also had the opportunity of visiting both the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum which were very interesting. There is so much history connected to this area of Northern Ireland. And the friendly people tell the stories of times gone by with the bonus of pretty scenery around every corner.
We had a change one day and ventured into County Donegal to spend time at the Inishowen Maritime Museum, after a scenic tour following the shores of Lough Foyle. This museum was so interesting and once again we had such a warm welcome from the staff. We were fortunate enough to have a guided tour of Stormont and Hillsborough Castle which all added to a really interesting and informative tour covering this part of Northern Ireland.
If you are thinking of adding this destination to your programme or would like assistance in planning a tour to this area please contact our sales team at sales@greatdays.co.uk
or visit www.greatdays.co.uk/uk-group-travel/ireland-group-travel/
Comments Off on WOW – Greatdays raise £9,104 for Guide Dogs
Each year we are privileged to be able to contribute to many good causes by organising a charity raffle at each of our annual entertainment events. This brings our total charity fund raising to £82,470 over the past 10 years.
Thank you to all our customers for supporting our many charity raffles, we hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
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Tricia, Sam and Rachael (European Team) recently returned from a delightful springtime visit to the Netherlands, taking in the iconic Keukenhof Gardens and the historic Royal Delft pottery museum.
Just a short hop from the UK, year-round the Netherlands delivers a rewarding travel experience, this is especially so over the spring time when the world-renowned tulips are in bloom. The gardens are not home to only tulips, but hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises to name a few. The colours, smells and atmosphere are a spectacle.
Keukenhof, often called the “Garden of Europe”, was a feast for the senses. With over 7 million bulbs in bloom, it’s a colourful display like no other, with a sweet smell in the air that pulls you around the gardens. There are vibrant tulip displays, peaceful water features, and artistic garden designs around every corner, not to mention the towering windmill that allows you to overlook the beautiful gardens at height. Whether it’s your first visit, or your tenth, Keukenhof always impresses.
Our trip also took us to Royal Delft. It was fascinating to watch the craftsmanship and patience behind the hand-painted pieces and learn about the rich history of this iconic Dutch tradition. A perfect contrast to the floral explosion of Keukenhof, Royal Delft offers a quiet and peaceful experience that leaves a lasting impression.
From the locals greeting you with a smile, to the stunning fields of tulips that paint a million pictures, and the picturesque towns that radiate history and charm, a short break over to The Netherlands has something for everyone.
If you’re interested in adding Keukenhof or Royal Delft to your tour package, or would like help planning your next group trip to the Netherlands, get in touch with our team at sales@greatdays.co.uk
Paul, Tricia and Dawn have just returned from a wonderful five nights in the Wallonia region of Belgium, hosted by visit Wallonia. South of Brussels, enveloped by Luxembourg and France. Official website for tourism in Wallonia | VISITWallonia.be
Wallonia has such natural beauty, steeped in history with unique places of interest and just an hour and half from Manchester by air, easily accessible by Eurostar to Brussels and just over two hours from Calais by coach. It has something for everyone! Wellness packages, castles and gardens, boats and trains, and plentiful family adventure playgrounds.
Belgium is renowned for beer and chocolates (we have probably sampled all there is to offer on our travels). There are micro breweries/brasseries on nearly every street corner in Wallonia, the opportunities are endless in the offerings.
Christmas Markets, Flower & Garden Shows, Bathtub Race, Tanks in Town and Steam Festival… Definitely a hidden gem to add to your to do list of places to visit
Be the first to register for our new and improved itineraries coming soon for Wonderful Wallonia!
Lisa and Charlotte (UK Operations) visited the Meitheal trade show on Ireland’s West Coast this week. The weather was very kind and the scenery in Killarney, county Kerry was breathtaking. Across two days of networking, Lisa and Charlotte had a total of 82 appointments, where they met with new and existing suppliers to discuss exciting new developments within the Irish tourism industry.
We are looking forward to showcasing new and improved products in our Ireland section over the coming months after this wonderful trip to County Kerry.
Recently Sam (Europe Operations) and Guy (Sales Team) joined an excellent Flanders Fields Fam Trip professionally organised by www.visitflanders.com. Covering key battle sites, cemeteries and both mainstream and ‘alternative’ highlights, including a very moving attendance at the Last Post at Menin Gate, this was a wonderful introduction to the wide appeal of this region. Ypres is charming and the people so welcoming…even before tackling the amazing chocolate and beer.
Being so close to the UK it is a rewarding and affordable place to visit. Lots of inspiration and insight gained for new and exciting tour itineraries, so do contact us at sales@greatdays.co.uk if you are looking for a refreshing tour package to Belgium.
Lisa, the UK & Ireland Operations Manager and Claire, our Private Groups Sales Manager, had the briefest of visits to Belfast to visit hotels that we offer to our groups. They stayed at the Hilton Hotel adjacent to the ICC. The Hotel has the Riverside Restaurant and No 4 bar, all of the bedrooms have either a city or river view.
Taking a short walk from the Hilton through the City they visited the Grand Central Hotel, proudly the owner of Ireland’s tallest bar; The Observatory, which has 360-degree skyline views of Belfast and beyond. With a luxury yet modern feel throughout, the Hotel was beautiful.
The next stop was the world-famous Europa Hotel, the four-star hotel of choice, located in the heart of the city.
Ramada by Wyndham Belfast located in the Cathedral Quarter Belfast, was the final visit of the day. This Hotel offers stylish bedrooms with walk-in wet-rooms.
Lisa and Claire also managed to jump onto the City Sightseeing Belfast bus to enjoy local tales from the live commentary as they passed highlights within the City including Titanic Belfast, Peace Wall and Crumlin Road, before ending the day in an historic pub for local cuisine and drink.
Claire from Sales and Sam from the European Operations team enjoyed the itinerary of dreams arranged by Hauts-de-France tourism last week 19-24 January 2025.
Flying from Manchester to Paris Charles de Gaulle, the first stop on the tour was Senlis, a real hidden gem described as a true open-air museum, and a magnet for film directors looking for the perfect set.
With their first overnight in Chantilly, the next morning began with a visit to the stunning Chateau de Chantilly including the great stables and a Chantilly cream workshop all before lunch at Le Craft, a show round Le Grand Pavillion, followed by short drive to Chateau Montvillargene, a Greatdays favourite, to see the new refurbished rooms before the second overnight in Amiens.
An amazing tour of the largest cathedral in France located in Amiens, was followed by a short tour of the city, before lunch at O’jardin to warm them up before they boarded their boat for the first sail around the Hortilonnages, whilst the second sailing showed the art installations. Their next overnight stop was Arras.
The morning began with a drive to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission just outside Arras, to see the workshops and how the CWGC work. An interesting tour of Arras followed from the Town Hall around the squares to see how the city was rebuilt after the war. En-route to their next stop, they managed to see the Vimy Memorial and Ring of Remembrance. Lunch followed at l’Atelier du Cerisier with a guided tour of Louvre Lens museum. Continuing onto Lille, home for the next two nights.
Lille has something to offer everyone from shopping, art, history and beer. They tried it all from visiting the Palais des Beaux Arts, a beer themed walking tour, tea at chez Meert, to ending the evening with a typically Welsh dinner at Les Moules.
The final day of this wonderful trip was to La Piscine de Roubaix museum, an Art Deco masterpiece.
Claire from our Sales Team has had a very busy 48 hours with The New Meridian members in Manchester, staying at the beautiful Malmaison Piccadilly Hotel, ideally located from the main railway station Piccadilly and near the tram network. The group took the tram to their first visit, the Coronation Street Experience. How things have changed from Hilda Ogden’s time, Weatherfield is now a town not just a street; they even took a stroll down the cobbles and a peek at the exhibition with its own Rovers Return. The first day ended in a lovely meal at the hotel and a presentation from Emily about the other Malmaison and Du Vin hotels.
The second day started at the RHS Bridgewater gardens with a guided tour by volunteer guides, learning how the garden started, is progressing and working with the community. Members easily walked around this transformed heritage landscape. With a short transfer to the other side of Manchester by coach seeing the changing skyline of the city, they arrived at the Etihad Stadium for a behind the scenes tour of the reigning Premiership Champions Manchester City. The guides showed them the home dressing room, the tunnel club and they got the chance ask the groundsman how they kept the pitch in perfect condition. Taking a rest in the Managers Corner they enjoyed a scrumptious afternoon tea.
The evening started with a short walk from the hotel to the Northern Quarter to the Abel Heywood award winning unique pub, for an Abel’s pie and a fascinating talk from local guide Emma Fox on the history of Manchester Music.
Comments Off on Discovering The Wirral the other side of the River Mersey
Claire from the Sales Team, was intrigued when an offer from Steve Reed came along to join The Wirral Showcase. Looking at the itinerary it brought childhood memories flooding back of school holidays taking the ferry to New Brighton, so off she went to find out what the Wirral had to offer.
She was not disappointed – starting with her first visit to Ness Botanic Gardens. The autumn colours were stunning and the views of North Wales and the River Dee beautiful.
The following day started with the local Wirral Tourism Industry holding a networking show and presentation with all the plans they have to make the Wirral a place to visit.
Taking the coach to New Brighton with a local guide, the group heard lots of stories of the local area both past and present before arriving at Floral Pavilion Theatre for a tour and lunch with a view (the Mersey). With a quick visit to the Escape the Fort at Fort Perch Rock with a Squadron Leader, she made sure she didn’t get locked in before it was time to join the coach for the final stop at Port Sunlight Village, for a walking tour where the Port Sunlight Museum and Lady Lever Gallery are.
With some great plans ahead, the Wirral offers history, art, heritage and a warm welcome.
Comments Off on Lucy’s trip to watch groups perform onstage at Disneyland® Paris
Lucy ate at Walt’s restaurant (serving sophisticated and contemporary American cuisine with European influences, this is a Victorian-style tribute to the life and work of Walt Disney) within the Disneyland® Park. She also did a day in Paris and went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. She watched the nighttime drone (Disney Electrical Sky Parade) & firework show (Disney Illuminations – dazzling finale full of breathtaking beauty in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle!) as well as the parade (Disney Stars on Parade – Admire Disney Characters on their colourful floats against a backdrop of upbeat music) at Disney.
There was over 100 passengers in the group which attended to watch their friends and family perform onstage in the Disneyland® Park, showcasing their dance skills to an international audience.
Disneyland® Paris says:
“The Disney Performing Arts OnStage programme provides performance opportunities to amateur groups, with the aim of giving them a glimpse into Disney’s world of entertainment, by offering them the unique once in a lifetime experience of becoming a ‘Disney performer’ for the day.”
Sarah enjoyed a great fam trip to the West Coast of Ireland hosted by Tourism Ireland. Sarah met with business partners at Limerick and Westport, obtaining new contacts at great new attractions and had a lovely catch up with our established partners to refresh ideas. Highlights during the event was visiting Kylemore Abbey, an evening at Trad on the Prom and of course seeing the local sheep in the heart of the Connemara mountains. Certainly a very beneficial few days spending time with great people offering superb Irish hospitality which was second to none, as always.
Guy, Claire and Dawn enjoyed a successful day at the Group Leisure & Travel Show 2024, at Marshall Arena Milton Keynes.
Lots of exciting enquiries and stimulating conversations with many GTO and Coach clients, and we received a lot of positive feedback. Guest speakers included Simon Calder, Paul Martin from TV’s Flog It and Britain’s Hidden Heritage, and Jilly Goolden from BBC’s Food & Drink Programme. There was a good atmosphere, enthusiasm among the visitors, and even free ice creams!
Claire, our Sales Manager for Private Groups, travelled to her second favourite city London to attend the London for Groups Live, held at the Actor’s Church in Covent Garden.
With an overnight stay at the St Giles Hotel, she also visited the Tavistock Hotel that is used for our Sleek London Art Dec Tour ( https://www.greatdays.co.uk/tour/london-art-deco/ )
With a visit to the Garden Museum in Lambeth, the morning of the show, she climbed the 131 tower steps to be greeted with fabulous London views.
Greatdays’ Stand at the Show
View of London from the tower at the Garden Museum
Greatdays offer a trade only booking service for coach and tour operators or professional group travel organisers and we can provide single or multiple elements of a holiday.
Greatdays are able to offer a complete tailor-made booking service for group travel organisers with the help of one of our friendly consultants to assist you through the booking process.
