Case Study: Sunway Holidays x Discovery Playtime
Project Overview
Discovery Playtime partners annually with Sunway Holidays, Ireland’s leading Lapland holiday provider, to bring the magic of Christmas to life through immersive storytelling, connection, and play.
Since 2018, Mireia, Founder of Discovery Playtime and Head Elf for the Sunway Lapland Experience, has been part of the core team delivering unforgettable experiences for families travelling to meet Santa in Lapland.
In 2022, she launched Elf School, a creative training and recruitment initiative designed to elevate the quality, consistency, and emotional impact of the entire entertainment programme. Today, Mireia leads a team of 25 trained Irish elves and collaborates with Finnish teams to ensure every detail reflects Sunway’s mission: to deliver a magical, meaningful, and seamless family experience from take-off to the final goodbye.
“It’s not just about entertainment. It’s about creating memories, connection, and joy that families will carry with them for life”
- Mireia, Founder of Discovery Playtime and Head Elf for Sunway Lapland Experience
Objectives
✔️ Recruit, prepare, and lead a professional team of 25 Irish elves for Lapland experiences
✔️ Create a consistent, high-quality guest journey across flights, hotels, and activities
✔️ Strengthen collaboration between Irish and Finnish teams for seamless delivery
✔️ Inspire elves to embody connection, kindness, and playful communication
✔️ Maintain the highest standards of professionalism and magic throughout the experience
Our Approach
The Elf School programme was created to merge professionalism with imagination, bringing together performance, emotional intelligence, and playful leadership.
Each year, Mireia personally recruits and trains every elf, setting clear expectations and nurturing confidence, teamwork, and purpose. The focus is on connection: understanding children’s behaviour as communication, engaging families with empathy and humour, and creating authentic moments of joy.
Beyond performance skills, the training builds shared values, clarity of vision, and emotional connection, so that every elf contributes to the same mission of making each family’s visit truly unforgettable.
“Professional standards and playfulness go hand in hand. When our team feels inspired, confident, and connected, the magic naturally follows."
- Mireia
This year, Mireia also travelled to Finland to work directly with local teams, aligning processes, expectations, and communication to strengthen the international collaboration that makes the Lapland experience so exceptional.
The Result
🎯 A unified and inspired team delivering a seamless, emotionally rich guest experience
🎯 A consistent standard of excellence across all touchpoints, from flights to lodges
🎯 Stronger cross-country collaboration between Irish and Finnish teams
🎯 A clear structure and shared vision that enhances every family’s magical journey
🎯 A proven model of creative team leadership and guest experience design
“Every smile, every laugh, every shared moment matters. That’s what turns a good trip into a lifelong memory.”
Why Work With Discovery Playtime
Discovery Playtime brings a unique blend of creative leadership, professional training, and emotional intelligence to every project.
Through years of experience designing, leading, and training teams in high-impact environments, Mireia helps organisations build connection-driven experiences that delight families, strengthen teams, and enhance brand value.
Whether it’s a hotel, resort, family attraction, or travel company, Discovery Playtime helps you:
🌟 Create meaningful experiences that engage families emotionally
🎭 Build confident, inspired teams who embody your brand values
🧩 Strengthen communication and collaboration across departments
🎯 Design structured, memorable programmes that deliver measurable impact
“Mireia doesn’t just train teams. She transforms the culture behind the experience.”
Let's Build Something Brilliant
If you’re ready to bring more magic, connection, and professionalism to your family experiences or hospitality programmes, we’d love to work with you.
Let’s make every experience truly unforgettable.
