Oh yes it is, panto season is nearly here. Every year, schools, Cubs and Brownies, social clubs and pensioner groups across Featherstone, Pontefract, Castleford and Wakefield book a block of seats for the Christmas pantomime. The tickets are usually the easy part. Getting forty excited children, or forty friends from the luncheon club, there and back safely is where good pantomime coach hire earns its keep.

At Ross Travel Group, we’ve been running group trips out of Featherstone since 1968. Here’s how to plan a panto outing that runs smoothly from the school gate to the final bow.

What’s On: Pantomimes Within Easy Reach This Christmas

West Yorkshire is spoilt for panto. A few of this season’s big shows:

• Theatre Royal Wakefield, Beauty and the Beast: Tuesday 24 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Wakefield’s own panto, with plenty of local jokes and familiar faces returning to the cast. It’s the closest to us and a favourite with local schools.
• Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan: Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 17 January 2027, with Yorkshire panto favourite Billy Pearce as Smee.
• City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds, Rapunzel: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto. Live music, loud and lively. The theatre itself doesn’t recommend it for children under four, so it suits older children and adult groups best.

Many theatres offer school and group rates. Theatre Royal Wakefield, for example, has dedicated school and group booking discounts, so it’s worth asking the box office before you buy.

Why Pantomime Coach Hire Beats Making Your Own Way

For one family, a car and a multistorey will do. For a group, a private coach makes far more sense:

• Everyone arrives together. No one stuck in traffic, no one hunting for a space while the overture starts.
• Collection from your door. With private hire, you choose where we pick up, whether that’s the school gate, the church hall or the community centre.
• No parking costs or designated drivers. City centre parking in December is expensive and hard to find, especially for evening shows.
• Safer for children. All our drivers are DBS checked, and our coaches have three point seat belts.
• One simple cost. Split across the group, the coach is often a small part of the price of the trip.

Planning Your Panto Trip: A Simple Checklist

1. Book seats first, then the coach

Once your tickets are confirmed, call us with the show date and start time. School matinees and weekend performances in December are busy for coaches too, so the earlier you book, the more choice you’ll have.

2. Count heads, including the adults

Tell us the total number travelling, including teachers, leaders and helpers. We’ll match you to the right vehicle, from a 16 seat minibus to a full size executive coach, so you’re not paying for empty seats.

3. Plan around the curtain times

Let us know when the show starts and roughly when it finishes. For a school matinee, we’ll work back from curtain up so the children are seated in good time and back before home time. For an evening show, we’ll be waiting at the end, however long the encores run.

4. Mention access needs early

If anyone in your group uses a wheelchair, tell us when you book. Our wheelchair accessible coach hire uses coaches fitted with wheelchair lifts, so the whole group can travel together. Many theatres also run relaxed and signed performances, which are worth asking about.

5. Straight to the theatre door

Because every panto trip is booked privately for your group, we drop you off at the venue itself and collect you from there after the show. No long walk from a car park, and no one left behind.

Panto Trips for Every Kind of Group

Schools and nurseries: matinees in term time, straight from the school gate, with DBS checked drivers.

Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and youth clubs: smaller groups often fit our minibus hire, which keeps the cost per head down.

Community and pensioner groups: a coach from your door takes the worry out of a winter evening out, with no buses to catch in the cold.

Workplaces and family groups: a panto makes a great alternative Christmas do. If you’re weighing up options, our guide to private coach hire in Wakefield covers how booking works.

Prefer markets to matinees? Our Christmas Markets Day Trips 2026 run every weekend from mid November, with pickups across the Five Towns and Wakefield.

Pantomime Coach Hire FAQs

How far in advance should we book a coach for a panto trip?

As soon as your theatre tickets are confirmed. December is one of our busiest times of the year, so early booking gives you the widest choice of vehicles.

Can you provide a wheelchair accessible coach for a theatre trip?

Yes. We operate coaches with wheelchair lifts, so wheelchair users and the rest of the group travel together. Please mention it when you book so we can allocate the right vehicle.

Do you do coach hire for evening performances?

Yes. We’ll collect your group, drop you at the theatre and be ready to bring everyone home when the show ends.

How much does coach hire for a panto trip cost?

It depends on group size, distance and timings, so every quote is tailored. Call us with your details for a clear price with no obligation.

Book Your Panto Coach

Whether it’s a class of thirty or a whole school trip, our team will help you choose the right vehicle and timings. Call 01977 791738, request a quote through our contact page, or read our complete guide to coach hire to see everything we offer. You can also browse our full coach and minibus hire services, or head back to the Ross Travel Group homepage.

Show dates are set by each theatre and were correct at the time of writing. Please check with the theatre before booking.