Drusillas Opens After-Hours for Magical Dreamnight
PUBLISHED 05/06/25
No Judgement, Just Joy: Drusillas Opens After-Hours for Families Who Needed It Most
Usually, as evening draws in at Drusillas, the rides are still, the animals fall quiet, and the Park settles into a gentle hush. But last Thursday night, the air was filled with laughter, joy, and a touch of magic. For one unforgettable evening, the Sussex zoo opened its gates after hours to host Dreamnight - a very special, free-of-charge event, exclusively for children with life-limiting illnesses and disabilities.
Over the past few months, Drusillas has been working hard with over 50 Sussex charities, including Chestnut Tree House, Amaze Sussex, Children with Cancer Fund, and Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, to allocate free tickets for Dreamnight to hundreds of families who would ordinarily find a day out impossible.
Last Thursday, the big night arrived and over 700 VIP guests, who might not usually be able to visit the Park, streamed through the gates to explore, play, and enjoy everything Drusillas has to offer.
The zoo was filled with smiling faces and shouts of excitement as guests spotted some of the 80 species of animals, with keepers on hand to answer all those ‘why?’ questions. And there were squeals of delight as everyone made the most of the unlimited rides and play areas, which were open throughout the evening, thanks to hundreds of the Drusillas team volunteering their own time.
But that wasn’t all! Thanks to a host of kind suppliers, Drusillas was able offer plenty of extra feel-good fun for the very special guests. Including character meet and greets, donated by One Stop Party Shop, where children could share a hug or a ‘high five’ with Marshall from Paw Patrol, Bluey, Stitch, and Snow White.
There were also dozens of adorable four-legged friends that all the guests loved petting and playing with from Pets as Therapy Dogs, accessible sports workshops organised by the lovely Defiant Sports, and the extremely popular Toy Tombola - where everyone was a winner thanks to prizes donated by PetJes, Deluxebase, Keel, Puckator, Ark Toys, and Kayes of Cardiff.
Delicious BBQ food, tasty treats, and yummy brownies kept all the guests’ tummies full - courtesy of Rollover, Bidfood, Wholesome Foods, STR Refrigeration, Consort, Fountain & Sons; and no-one went thirsty thanks to Ninju donating refreshing drinks.
Drusillas Managing Director, Cassie Poland said: “This is our third Dreamnight since we resurrected the event back in 2023, and it did not disappoint; the atmosphere was very special. It means so much to everyone on the Drusillas team to be able to share some of the Park’s magic with children and families who are unable to visit us usually.”
She continued, “One of our priorities is to make Drusillas as accessible to all as possible. We understand that for some families a visit during our usual operating hours is impossible. So, to be able to welcome them to a dedicated night, designed just for them, is something we’re thrilled to be able to offer.
It’s such a wonderful night which all our staff really love. So much so, that we even had past staff who came back and volunteered specifically for the event! We might have had grey skies, but all our special guests definitely brought the sunshine with them and made it a truly unforgettable evening.”
Dreamnight was ‘dreamt up’ by a zookeeper from Rotterdam Zoo back in 1996. He wanted to make zoos more accessible for children who need special care, or can’t be exposed to large crowds. Since then, it’s become a worldwide and hugely successful event that means the world to the families invited.
One Dreamnight guest said, “I really wish I could find the right words to say how special my daughter felt and for us as a family to leave the worries at the door for a couple of hours. Last night made her feel special and we saw a little spark come back (the cuddles with the therapy dogs were a huge highlight!) Not to be judged when my child has a meltdown, just to be able to relax and enjoy the day, thank you for the best evening! If only it could have been longer.”
Aimee Bradley who attended with her children, added, “There was something so special in the air… More than anything, I’ll remember the feeling: a space where no one stared, no one judged, and no one needed us to explain.”
Drusillas is celebrating their 100th anniversary throughout 2025, with a number of special centenary events planned.