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Santa's Wonderland
Santa's Wonderland
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About
Welcome to Santa’s Wonderland, A Texas Christmas Experience! Located in College Station, Texas. Spend an unforgettable evening celebrating the holidays Texas-style with great food, fun, and festivities at the largest outdoor Christmas celebration in the South! New for 2020, we’ve doubled the walkable acres and added even more Texas Christmas attractions giving you more to explore, more space to spread out, and a whole lot more to do! From real snow tubing on Frostbite’s Mountain to ice skating at the new Illuminations Ice Arena, we’ve got more snow and ICE this season at Santa’s Wonderland. While at the park visit Santa’s Farm and explore 10 new acres of farm adventures, frolic in the snow, and be dazzled by millions of Christmas lights! Learn more at www.santas-wonderland.com! Santa's Wonderland will be open nightly November 12th thru December 30th, 2021.
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- SuzannetherealtorBroussard, Louisiana77 contributionsThis place was fabulous for kids of all ages!I LOVE Christmas and this place did not disappoint. Clearly a lot of people love it as well. The line to get in is lengthly but they have it pretty well organized to get into the lots. The place packed up as the night on. Seeing it in daylight and nightime were 2 different experiences. Loved the hayride lights tour.Visited December 2022Written June 29, 2023
- NLGAL41St. John's, Canada3 contributionsLights, hot coco and mulled cider, warm fire, live music.....pure magic!!Absolutely delightful! My sister is visiting me from Canada and we decided Santa's Wonderland would be fun evening out! It was far better than we expected after reading some of these reviews. The park was relatively empty because they just opened for the season a few nights ago so we didn't have long line for waits for most things. We parked at the mall and caught the complimentary shuttle, which I highly recommend doing. The doors opened promptly at 6pm. There is a lot of walking but there are so many things to see! Spend a few moments review the map so you can plan your way around the park. It is a fun and entertaining night out, sure to get you in the mood for Christmas! I really can't understand anyone not giving this 4-5 stars!Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 15, 2023
- Krystal WeissHouston, Texas214 contributionsMagical Christmas ExperienceI’ve been coming to Santa’s Wonderland since it opened as a drive through lights exhibit. I’ve seen it grow and grow as my children have grown and grown. We have loved each visit. Our girls were always convinced that this was the real Santa and for years refused to go to the mall. Santa’s Wonderland is a magical way to celebrate the Christmas season. Pro tip: go during the week or early in the season to avoid the crowds and have a game plan. Also the Rudolph lot is worth every penny, especially if you want to dress up for Santa pics and then change. 🎄🤶🤶❄️Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 21, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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fred d
spring, tx101 contributions
Nov 2022
great way to get into the holiday spirit. live music, good food and plenty of gift selections. lots of attractions for the kids and the whole family. hay ride through the lights is one of the best. ever have a snow ball fight, well have one here. be sure to stop and visit Santa , wear comfortable walking shoes, you will do lots of that. get there early, parking can be a challenge.
Written December 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
esstrojenny
San Antonio, TX139 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
The bad:
1. STRONG smell of sewage, each and every year.
2. EXTRA charge for petting zoo.
3. Can't take phone pics with Santa.
4. 2 hour wait for hayride.
5. 2 hour wait for Santa.
6. 30 minute wait at each restroom.
7. Child train ride is 72 seconds! I couldn't even relax and sip my wine!
I am offering my logistics consulting services for FREE, even though it seems that after 20 years, you would have gotten a clue, already:
1. 5 hot chocolate booths around the entire park.
2. 3 more restrooms built around park.
3. For the love of god, fix the raw sewage seeping.
4. No charge for petting zoo or pony rides.
5. No charge to take your own Santa pics.
6. Child train ride 4 minutes long.
7. Do Disney fastpass for Santa AND hayride, so NOBODY WASTES time.
8. Add more FREE kid friendly activities.
9. Add another large fire near the main entrance.
And last, but not least, STOP responding to each and every negative review with "crowds were unexpectedly large that night"
"we didn't anticipate the crowd size for that evening"
"did you go on our recommended smaller crowd night"
"we are growing faster than expected"
These are POOR excuses for the same problems many years in a row, and the correct response is simply, "we have addressed the problems identified by our customers and made the changes requested to ensure you come back and visit next year.
Your Welcome
1. STRONG smell of sewage, each and every year.
2. EXTRA charge for petting zoo.
3. Can't take phone pics with Santa.
4. 2 hour wait for hayride.
5. 2 hour wait for Santa.
6. 30 minute wait at each restroom.
7. Child train ride is 72 seconds! I couldn't even relax and sip my wine!
I am offering my logistics consulting services for FREE, even though it seems that after 20 years, you would have gotten a clue, already:
1. 5 hot chocolate booths around the entire park.
2. 3 more restrooms built around park.
3. For the love of god, fix the raw sewage seeping.
4. No charge for petting zoo or pony rides.
5. No charge to take your own Santa pics.
6. Child train ride 4 minutes long.
7. Do Disney fastpass for Santa AND hayride, so NOBODY WASTES time.
8. Add more FREE kid friendly activities.
9. Add another large fire near the main entrance.
And last, but not least, STOP responding to each and every negative review with "crowds were unexpectedly large that night"
"we didn't anticipate the crowd size for that evening"
"did you go on our recommended smaller crowd night"
"we are growing faster than expected"
These are POOR excuses for the same problems many years in a row, and the correct response is simply, "we have addressed the problems identified by our customers and made the changes requested to ensure you come back and visit next year.
Your Welcome
Written December 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for coming and for sharing your input. We continue to work to provide the best experience for our guests. There are many moving parts, but we always want our guests to walk away satisfied with their experience, and will continue to strive to make that happen.
Written December 30, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
rhondavacation2010
Mesquite, TX3 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
Visited on Saturday December 9th knowing it would be crowded. But what I didn't know was the parking was limited and you had to shuttled in. Then a 2 hour wait to ride the hay ride, Now I have to say the lights were awesome. Everything they offer has a very long line to see Santa 2 hrs train ride 1 hr for a 3 minutes ride. They only have one CoCo Stand that was 30 minutes and the same with any food stand. So for a family of 5 it cost 500.00 to 600.00 for the evening depending on what you eat and do. And most of the good pictures cost 25.00 30.00 each. We spent 5 hours in lines for events. The place is only open 9 hours. So if you enjoy standing in long lines for everything even restroom and dropping 500.00 for 8 hour event then you might really enjoy Santa Wonderland. But I don't think they offer enough for the price, I wont be returning. I drove 3 hours to get here and spent most of my evening in lines.
Written December 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate you coming and we are sorry that the crowds impacted your experience. Saturdays in December tend to be our busiest days. Regarding parking, we have both on-site and off-site parking available to our guests. If guests wish to utilize paid parking, then they need to purchase their spot in advance online. In addition, each family can decide how much they want to spend, so the expenditure you expressed is one that you have personally come up with and not a requirement. We are sorry that your experience was not up to your expectations. We want our guests to walk away satisfied. Please feel free to reach out to us on the Contact page of our website. We appreciate your input.
Written December 30, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
AggieProf
College Station, TX126 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
We went to see the lights at Santa's Wonderland last night. Based on our experience, I want to share some tips if you and your family go.
1. Go early. Even though it's not getting dark until 5:30 pm now (US Thanksgiving), go early. We left Pebble Creek at 5:45 pm and it's supposedly a 7-minute drive to Santa's Wonderland (SW). It took us 30 minutes to get there. Bumper to bumper all the way on the feeder road. (It's two lanes on the feeder road and regularly cars went by in the left lane and then cut in at SW - a real pain. People should NOT let the cars cut in line this way. Don't encourage cheaters!)
2. Pay for parking online ahead of time. Either lot (Rudolph or Prancer) is fine. The Prancer lot is the first (north) lot. If we had NOT prepaid for parking -- at 6:15 pm -- we would already have been diverted down to the Museum of the GI and bussed back to SW. When we left at 9 pm there were cars parked all along on the side of the road and the parking lot for the Museum of the GI was full.
3. Buy your tickets online. They are MUCH cheaper online and there is no wait. You print them off ahead of time, take them to the kiosk and get a wristband that you wear inside. There's a pre-Xmas special on for specific evenings, which will cut the price considerably also.
4. The wagon is fine. No need to do the horse and carriage unless you are impressing a little girl who loves princesses or on a big date. The H&C holds about 6 people. The wagon about 15. You sit on bales of hay and they can be damp (it had rained earlier and ours were damp.) There are two wagons hooked together and led with a truck. The best place to sit is at the BACK of the FIRST wagon, to avoid exhaust fumes from the truck. Basically, though, every seat is a good seat.
5. When you get in, the first building is a Restroom building. You either have to cut through the Restroom building to get to the Corral for the hayrides or walk around the whole complex and back through the store area.
6. Even at 6:30 pm (the time we got to the hayride Corral - remember we left at 5:45 pm) there was a long lineup that took about 25 minutes to get through. The line moves fast though as each hayride holds 30 people (2 wagons x 15 people). When we got back after the tour - about 30 minutes later -- say 7 pm? -- the whole corral was full of people waiting to get on the ride. Go early and avoid that hour long wait.
7. Take your camera. The lights are beautiful. If you have an SLR putting the settings on TV, very fast with a high ISO. Take a couple of photos and check. The best lens is something like a 17-55 pm lens so you can get wide angle photos.
8. The little train ride next door is great for children. The Petting Zoo and Pony Rides cost extra. There's lots of stuff for sale in the stores. Also lots of food.
Do take the kids and grandkids and go. It's well worth seeing and will definitely put you and your family in the holiday mode. Just pre-pay for parking and your tickets, go early and avoid the lines, and enjoy!
1. Go early. Even though it's not getting dark until 5:30 pm now (US Thanksgiving), go early. We left Pebble Creek at 5:45 pm and it's supposedly a 7-minute drive to Santa's Wonderland (SW). It took us 30 minutes to get there. Bumper to bumper all the way on the feeder road. (It's two lanes on the feeder road and regularly cars went by in the left lane and then cut in at SW - a real pain. People should NOT let the cars cut in line this way. Don't encourage cheaters!)
2. Pay for parking online ahead of time. Either lot (Rudolph or Prancer) is fine. The Prancer lot is the first (north) lot. If we had NOT prepaid for parking -- at 6:15 pm -- we would already have been diverted down to the Museum of the GI and bussed back to SW. When we left at 9 pm there were cars parked all along on the side of the road and the parking lot for the Museum of the GI was full.
3. Buy your tickets online. They are MUCH cheaper online and there is no wait. You print them off ahead of time, take them to the kiosk and get a wristband that you wear inside. There's a pre-Xmas special on for specific evenings, which will cut the price considerably also.
4. The wagon is fine. No need to do the horse and carriage unless you are impressing a little girl who loves princesses or on a big date. The H&C holds about 6 people. The wagon about 15. You sit on bales of hay and they can be damp (it had rained earlier and ours were damp.) There are two wagons hooked together and led with a truck. The best place to sit is at the BACK of the FIRST wagon, to avoid exhaust fumes from the truck. Basically, though, every seat is a good seat.
5. When you get in, the first building is a Restroom building. You either have to cut through the Restroom building to get to the Corral for the hayrides or walk around the whole complex and back through the store area.
6. Even at 6:30 pm (the time we got to the hayride Corral - remember we left at 5:45 pm) there was a long lineup that took about 25 minutes to get through. The line moves fast though as each hayride holds 30 people (2 wagons x 15 people). When we got back after the tour - about 30 minutes later -- say 7 pm? -- the whole corral was full of people waiting to get on the ride. Go early and avoid that hour long wait.
7. Take your camera. The lights are beautiful. If you have an SLR putting the settings on TV, very fast with a high ISO. Take a couple of photos and check. The best lens is something like a 17-55 pm lens so you can get wide angle photos.
8. The little train ride next door is great for children. The Petting Zoo and Pony Rides cost extra. There's lots of stuff for sale in the stores. Also lots of food.
Do take the kids and grandkids and go. It's well worth seeing and will definitely put you and your family in the holiday mode. Just pre-pay for parking and your tickets, go early and avoid the lines, and enjoy!
Written November 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mom2GreatKiddos
Houston, TX19 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
We are totally into Christmas and LOVE seeing good lights....but this place is a let down. We went on Tuesday (later in the night) the week of Thanksgiving. We spent total on admission $200 for four and didn't spend anything inside the gates. My children are older but even with smaller kiddos I don't see it being worth $25-$38 per person admission (I can assure you you'll spend that inside on souvenirs/food as well). We paid the $20 to park close and we were right up front. The entrance is grand and the shops are super cute and impressive but the rest is lacking (especially if you aren't there to shop or eat). We did the horse & carriage ride. We had a group of four and they still squeezed a couple in with us (disappointing because they weren't that busy and we paid $38 per person for the carriage which smelled terrible). Even though it was NOT overly crowded there was still NO where to sit near the live music nor any spot to roast smores. It's neat to look at but we all felt we could've seen the same types of displays in River Oaks or the like....For FREE. Disappointing.
Written December 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Santa's Wonderland! While thousands of families have found tremendous value in Santa's Wonderland year after year, we are very sorry to hear you have not!
Santa's Wonderland continues to improve the value and the "Texas Christmas Experience" year after year! New displays and 3D holiday characters have been added again for 2015 taking the display of lights to over 3 Million LED Christmas lights for this holiday season.
This years admission ticket now includes more than just the fabulous Hayride or Carriage Ride through the dazzling trail of lights. This years admission ticket now includes 2 Kids Trains covered in LED Christmas Lights, the Mechanical Bull, Frostbites Toboggan Shute, The West Pole Mountain Adventure, Frostbites Bouncy, The Giant HD Jumbo-Tron TV with Christmas movies, Christmas Karaoke, Elf Selfy Photo Booth, Legendary Live Music Nightly, Snow machines, The Town mascot Marshall Frostbite, two cozy campfires, a fabulous food court with nostalgic FRESH Texas foods, Tex Kringle's HUGE Synchronized Light Display put to music, Santa & Mrs. Claus and much much more!
For an extra charge, there is the Texan Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Marshmallow & Hot Dog Roasting, The Walk-In GIANT Photo Snow Globe, the Nice List, Shopping and Photos with Santa.
Finding this extraordinary Texas Christmas Experience for FREE is not possible!
Although Santa’s Wonderland has grown and expanded tremendously over past 18 years, the purpose remains the same, which is to preserve and perpetuate the “Spirit of Christmas” and deliver the “Ultimate Texas Christmas Experience” to our guests. Santa's Wonderland is all about lifting people’s spirits by creating a special holiday atmosphere where lasting memories can be made with friends and loved ones during the greatest holiday of the year. We are proud of the good will Santa's Wonderland brings to thousands of our guests, local charities, to this community and to a world that's in need of a positive light. People that know our organization and the incredibly talented people associated with this magnificent endeavor also know that we strive to deliver a fabulous Texas Christmas Experience for our guests!
Merry TEXAS Christmas to you and your family! May you be blessed in the coming New Year!
Tex
Written December 3, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
catapocalypse
Houston, TX44 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
I drove from Houston to visit with my mom and 2 kids (10 and 8 years). We had purchased 2 tickets using Groupon and the other 2 at the Santas Wonderland website (note: don't wait to buy tickets at the gait.. the online discount is significant). We went early and on an off-peak day (which had been recommended) and went straight to the hayride tour of the lights. It was nice and I don't mind paying for that. I really don't understand the high admission fee just to get into "Santa's Wonderland" though. The price of admission doesn't really get you anything other than into the area where you can pay more money at their shops or at stands for overpriced food and drink. Including the hayride we spent 2 hours there. If I had paid standard pricing I would be very disappointed. I expect if they removed the admission fee they would have to expand the facility significantly to accommodate the crowd since they already have a large turnout. I would only considering gong back I could purchase "hayride only" but currently that is not an option.
Written January 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your recent visit to Santa's Wonderland and thank you for your honest feedback!
Santa's Wonderland has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in creating the ultimate Texas Christmas atmosphere. In addition to the magical hayride through the trial of lights featuring over 3 million LED Christmas lights, there are many other things included at no additional charge to see and enjoy. In addition to the magical decor and LED lighting inside the town, each evening there are several live music acts performing from the BIG stage, two large bonfires, Santa and "Prancer" the real life reindeer. There is a giant outdoor movie screen playing classic Christmas movies and several snow machines creating a magical white Christmas for all to enjoy. Don't forget about Marshall Frostbite, the 7 foot tall snowman that dances and appears for "free" photos every hour on the hour. Oh, and don't forget about "Tex" Kringles magical synchronized lighting display featuring 300,000 lights all put to the beat of the Christmas music!
The petting zoo, pony rides, mechanical bull and kids train are an extra cost but are available for purchase by individual choice and preference.
In regards to ticket prices, gate prices for tickets are always the most expensive and there are many many ways to save money on your visit to Santa's Wonderland. Santa's Wonderland partners with several different companies for ticketing and even offers savings incentives up to 45% OFF for those who choose to visit on an off-peak evening.
Although Santa’s Wonderland has grown and expanded tremendously over past 17 years, the dream and purpose remain the same, which is to preserve and perpetuate the “Spirit of Christmas” and deliver the “Ultimate Texas Christmas Experience” to our guests. Santa's Wonderland is all about lifting people’s spirits by creating a special atmosphere where lasting memories can be made with friends and loved ones during the greatest holiday of the year. We are proud of the good will Santa's Wonderland brings to thousands of our guests, local charities, to this community and to a world that's in need of a positive light. People that know our organization and the incredibly talented people associated with this magnificent endeavor also know that we strive for excellence in every way!
May You and your family be Blessed in the coming New Year!
Tex
Written January 4, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JoyKB10
Tomball, TX1 contribution
Nov 2014
We visited 6 years ago when my daughter was small. We wanted to go back so the little brothers could see it. After the sticker shock of the ticket prices on the website we had pretty much nixed the whole idea. But finally laid down the $300 bucks for 11 of us to go (5 adults, 6 kids). We spent the whole night waiting and spending). Waiting for the bus to shuttle us over, waiting for funnel cakes/popcorn $9 bucks for 1 funnel and a 20 oz coke. Then we waited almost 2 hours in line for the hayride (which I don't think had changed much since 6 years ago). Holding a tired toddler for 2 hours in a corral full of people--not fun. Then after the hayride the enticing petting zoo, pony rides and toddler train all cost more money. What was the entrance fee for Santas Town paying for (the crappy Miranda Lambert impersonator in the band?). Save your money and go buy the kids that new Xbox they're wanting!! #notascrooge #ilovechristmas
Written November 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your visit to Santa's Wonderland and thank you for your honest feedback!
As with many other public Texas attractions such as Fiesta Texas, Six Flags, Schlitterbahn Water Park and Aggie Football Games, weekends (Saturdays & Sundays) become far more crowded and delays are difficult to avoid.
While thousands upon thousands of wonderful people, young and old have made Santa's Wonderland their annual Christmas Holiday tradition AND found tremendous value in this wonderful Christmas holiday attraction for over 17 Christmas seasons, we are very sorry you have not.
We sincerely wish you a very Merry Christmas and may you and your family be blessed in the coming New Year!
Tex
Written December 23, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ron T
Katy, TX17 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
High priced and long lines would define this place. (30-45 minute waits to do ANYTHING here). It's a pretty place and maybe worth ONE trip, but I don't know if I'd do it again.
You pay an entrance fee to get access to stores so you can spend more money.
They have eliminated the HUGE movie screen playing Christmas movies and relegated it to a small faux barn with an ancient movie projector in an uncomfortable and off by itself setting. That was a HUGE disappointment.
EVERYTHING there that the kids want to do costs extra....petting zoo, $3, lame train ride $5, ride the bull $5,
The light display is still pretty awesome but hardly worth the money that it's gotten to now...
On top of that, they served hot chocolate (like $4 cup) and it was so hot that even after waiting with the lid off for 15 minutes, my daughter STILL received 2nd degree burns on her tongue....now that's just too stinking HOT to serve a child's drink!
You pay an entrance fee to get access to stores so you can spend more money.
They have eliminated the HUGE movie screen playing Christmas movies and relegated it to a small faux barn with an ancient movie projector in an uncomfortable and off by itself setting. That was a HUGE disappointment.
EVERYTHING there that the kids want to do costs extra....petting zoo, $3, lame train ride $5, ride the bull $5,
The light display is still pretty awesome but hardly worth the money that it's gotten to now...
On top of that, they served hot chocolate (like $4 cup) and it was so hot that even after waiting with the lid off for 15 minutes, my daughter STILL received 2nd degree burns on her tongue....now that's just too stinking HOT to serve a child's drink!
Written November 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hollie
1 contribution
Dec 2019
This was our second time to visit Santa's Wonderland. We visited in 2016, and it was a very pleasant experience. This time was TOTALLY different! It was a MISERABLE trip. It took over an hour just to park and take the shuttle to the entrance. Then another long wait to get inside. It was so crowded you could barely walk through. We waited an hour and 45 minutes to get on the hayride. Then tried 3 different places before finding cold $2.50 bottled water to purchase (the other places were still happy to sell their $2.50 water even though "it might not be cold"). The food prices are outrageous... $7.25 for a slice of pizza. Not sure about the other food because the lines were too long to even get close. Then we made our way to the petting zoo only to find it's an extra $4 a person to enter to see some goats. So we went into Santa's Station. Apparently there wasn't much of an interest to see Santa which we weren't planning to do either, but the girl working talked us into going in to see him since we'd be next. Yes, it is free to see Santa, but then they will only let you buy their pictures starting at $25. Santa didn't even ask the kids what they wanted for Christmas. He was only concerned about posing for the picture. We left after that... everything else had LONG LINES and COST EXTRA. Boo. We will not be back.
Written December 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Howdy! We're so sorry to hear that y'all did not enjoy your visit with us! Please reach out to our customer service team at info@santas-wonderland.com with the details of your visit. They will be able to assist you further!
Written December 21, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JagerFam
Winter Garden, FL52 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
This is THE best place for seeing Christmas lights, Santa, and getting into the Christmas spirit.
I heard about this place a few years after moving to TX. After looking up the website & seeing how much it was, I decided the only thing we'd be able to do was drive through in our car. We had a chance to do that years ago when we were coming back to Houston from out that way. It was actually Christmas Eve & we drove right through. Kids enjoyed it as well as they could piled in the car.
The following year, I found out about the Groupon offered. I jumped on it & got 2 coupons that basically gave us entry to Santa's Town & the hayride for $10 a person. Much more affordable. Yes, there were only certain days we could go. We planned for a Thursday night.
I talked to some people & did some research. The best tip I found out about from a neighbor was to buy the VIP parking pass. She informed me that I could go online, buy a parking pass & get in a lot faster. There are different times you can buy the pass for. She told me to get the 5:30 pass. When I got online, the day BEFORE we were to go, this time was already sold out. So we got a 6:00 pass. They open at 6. She also told me the petting zoo, pony rides, & train were an added expense. I expected the food to cost money - where can anybody go to get free food?
When we reached the exit for Santa's Wonderland we were shocked at how busy one of their off-peak nights were. The car line was humongous. We stayed in the left lane & found a parking attendant who told us the VIP parking was down a couple driveways. Thank goodness! Waiting in that line would have taken an hour at least! We pulled in & the next attendant verified our pass & we parked right in front of the big green Santa's Town store.
I noticed a huge line of people waiting at the ticket counter. We asked where to go since we had groupon tickets & were told the 'Will Call' window. There was nobody else there. We walked right up to the window, claimed our tickets & right into the store at exactly 6pm. There were already people in line at the hayride by the time we made it over there five minutes later. We waited about 20-25 minutes in line. We got on the hayride & all 9 of us were in awe of the lights. So much better than driving through with our car. (I must add it was a warm night - in the 60s). The hayride took about 30 minutes.
We did see the animals when we got off & I told my kids it cost more money & we couldn't afford that. They understood. It wasn't like it was an awesome assortment of animals we had never seen before. No big deal. We headed to Santa's Town to see what else was there. There isn't a ton of stuff to do, but it's a cute place. The kids loved it. There's the main store (let's call it area #1). In this area there is a bonfire & stage surrounded by stores. Santa's Cottage is on the side. His line was pretty long & we had already seen Santa, so I didn't bother with that. There is also a big TX flag made out of lights. You can go up and take pictures in front of it. We did that.
Then we sat near the bonfire & listened to some live music. Fake snow (bubbles) blew out of the store every so often & the kids danced around in it. A man that worked there came up to us & offered us free train ride tickets. The kids were excited. The line was a little long, so we sent grandma to go get funnel cakes & ate them while we waited. The funnel cakes were huge & very good! The train ride was short & definitely not worth $5 a person, but for free, it was awesome. Very bumpy!! LOL!!
Next, we checked out the stores and tasted fudge - DELICIOUS! We then explored the other area (#2). This had a bonfire also, 2 roasting pits for s'mores or hot dogs & the food court. There was also a stage where a snowman came out & danced around & a big movie screen. The movie area was disappointing - no seats right in front of it & it was hard to see the movie. But, it did keep the kids attention while they ate overpriced ice cream ($2.75 for ONE scoop). We got 2 s'mores kits for $6 a piece & the kids enjoyed roasting their marshmallows & eating them. My husband had a cheeseburger & said it was good-not great. I didn't get to try the hot cocoa, I wanted to, but it was pretty warm out.
In the main store was an area where anyone can dip their hands in wax & have a mold of their hand made. Costs money of course, we didn't do it, but it was neat to watch. Lost of cute Christmas decorations in the store. There is a reindeer next to Santa. You don't have to stand in the Santa line to see him. Just walk in back of it and check him out.
We have gone every year since. And each year, it gets better. 2017 was the first time, we waited to see Santa. We rushed there immediately and were the 3rd family in line. Santa was great! The pictures were awesome and expensive. Too good not to get. The kids got nice (or naughty) certificates. I'd say seeing Santa is now a definite on the to do list.
We went right to the hayride after Santa. They add more and more lights and displays and change things up every year. The carriage it still too expensive for our big family. But the we all enjoy the hayride.
In the years since, they have two trains now, both free. I'm not sure if the reindeer is still there. We still skip the animals. The picture spot, snow-globe isn't worth the money. The movie spot has been updated, but we've never watched it. We eat dinner beforehand, but have hot cocoa and fudge.They've added some slides and bouncy type attractions and supposedly this year, there will be "real, fake, TX snow." I already have our tickets for 2018 and can't wait to go.
MY favorite thing is sitting by the bonfire, listening to the music, watching the kids dance. I could easily stay there for hours. The atmosphere is joyful and festive.
My mom, who comes from NY each year, says this place is like none other. TX knows how to do Christmas.
We usually go on a weeknight because it's less crowded, eat on the way there, go early, pay for parking, and enjoy the Christmas spirit!
I heard about this place a few years after moving to TX. After looking up the website & seeing how much it was, I decided the only thing we'd be able to do was drive through in our car. We had a chance to do that years ago when we were coming back to Houston from out that way. It was actually Christmas Eve & we drove right through. Kids enjoyed it as well as they could piled in the car.
The following year, I found out about the Groupon offered. I jumped on it & got 2 coupons that basically gave us entry to Santa's Town & the hayride for $10 a person. Much more affordable. Yes, there were only certain days we could go. We planned for a Thursday night.
I talked to some people & did some research. The best tip I found out about from a neighbor was to buy the VIP parking pass. She informed me that I could go online, buy a parking pass & get in a lot faster. There are different times you can buy the pass for. She told me to get the 5:30 pass. When I got online, the day BEFORE we were to go, this time was already sold out. So we got a 6:00 pass. They open at 6. She also told me the petting zoo, pony rides, & train were an added expense. I expected the food to cost money - where can anybody go to get free food?
When we reached the exit for Santa's Wonderland we were shocked at how busy one of their off-peak nights were. The car line was humongous. We stayed in the left lane & found a parking attendant who told us the VIP parking was down a couple driveways. Thank goodness! Waiting in that line would have taken an hour at least! We pulled in & the next attendant verified our pass & we parked right in front of the big green Santa's Town store.
I noticed a huge line of people waiting at the ticket counter. We asked where to go since we had groupon tickets & were told the 'Will Call' window. There was nobody else there. We walked right up to the window, claimed our tickets & right into the store at exactly 6pm. There were already people in line at the hayride by the time we made it over there five minutes later. We waited about 20-25 minutes in line. We got on the hayride & all 9 of us were in awe of the lights. So much better than driving through with our car. (I must add it was a warm night - in the 60s). The hayride took about 30 minutes.
We did see the animals when we got off & I told my kids it cost more money & we couldn't afford that. They understood. It wasn't like it was an awesome assortment of animals we had never seen before. No big deal. We headed to Santa's Town to see what else was there. There isn't a ton of stuff to do, but it's a cute place. The kids loved it. There's the main store (let's call it area #1). In this area there is a bonfire & stage surrounded by stores. Santa's Cottage is on the side. His line was pretty long & we had already seen Santa, so I didn't bother with that. There is also a big TX flag made out of lights. You can go up and take pictures in front of it. We did that.
Then we sat near the bonfire & listened to some live music. Fake snow (bubbles) blew out of the store every so often & the kids danced around in it. A man that worked there came up to us & offered us free train ride tickets. The kids were excited. The line was a little long, so we sent grandma to go get funnel cakes & ate them while we waited. The funnel cakes were huge & very good! The train ride was short & definitely not worth $5 a person, but for free, it was awesome. Very bumpy!! LOL!!
Next, we checked out the stores and tasted fudge - DELICIOUS! We then explored the other area (#2). This had a bonfire also, 2 roasting pits for s'mores or hot dogs & the food court. There was also a stage where a snowman came out & danced around & a big movie screen. The movie area was disappointing - no seats right in front of it & it was hard to see the movie. But, it did keep the kids attention while they ate overpriced ice cream ($2.75 for ONE scoop). We got 2 s'mores kits for $6 a piece & the kids enjoyed roasting their marshmallows & eating them. My husband had a cheeseburger & said it was good-not great. I didn't get to try the hot cocoa, I wanted to, but it was pretty warm out.
In the main store was an area where anyone can dip their hands in wax & have a mold of their hand made. Costs money of course, we didn't do it, but it was neat to watch. Lost of cute Christmas decorations in the store. There is a reindeer next to Santa. You don't have to stand in the Santa line to see him. Just walk in back of it and check him out.
We have gone every year since. And each year, it gets better. 2017 was the first time, we waited to see Santa. We rushed there immediately and were the 3rd family in line. Santa was great! The pictures were awesome and expensive. Too good not to get. The kids got nice (or naughty) certificates. I'd say seeing Santa is now a definite on the to do list.
We went right to the hayride after Santa. They add more and more lights and displays and change things up every year. The carriage it still too expensive for our big family. But the we all enjoy the hayride.
In the years since, they have two trains now, both free. I'm not sure if the reindeer is still there. We still skip the animals. The picture spot, snow-globe isn't worth the money. The movie spot has been updated, but we've never watched it. We eat dinner beforehand, but have hot cocoa and fudge.They've added some slides and bouncy type attractions and supposedly this year, there will be "real, fake, TX snow." I already have our tickets for 2018 and can't wait to go.
MY favorite thing is sitting by the bonfire, listening to the music, watching the kids dance. I could easily stay there for hours. The atmosphere is joyful and festive.
My mom, who comes from NY each year, says this place is like none other. TX knows how to do Christmas.
We usually go on a weeknight because it's less crowded, eat on the way there, go early, pay for parking, and enjoy the Christmas spirit!
Written November 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Howdy!
We appreciate your thorough review!
We've made a lot of great changes for our 2018 season, and yes! We do have REAL Texas Snow! Frostbite's Mountain is open currently for snow tubing! The mountain is made of ice and snow! We recommend bundling up appropriately for playing on it! Check out our Facebook page for some photo and video to see some of our new attractions!
We look forward to seeing y'all this season and we hope Y'all love the changes we've made for this year!
Written November 12, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What activites are open 4 - 6 PM on early admission days? The website states that only select activites and shopping will be open before 6 PM.
I bought the super saver general admission tickets and they say date restricted. What dates are they restricted to?
Hello good morning! Do you have to have paper tickets this year, or can you have the tickets on your phone?
Christine H
Palestine, TX52 contributions
Tickets on your phone are good
Do you have to have paper tickets or can you have tickets on phone?
Nathan G
Garland, TX27 contributions
You can have tickets on your phone. I did that.
Roam486201
jwpayne39@hotmail.com1 contribution
Would you need a wagon for toddler 4years to go about the grounds after the hayride
LivingCooper
Fort Worth, TX4 contributions
It wouldn’t hurt but you would have to leave it unattended while you did some of the activities (hay ride, snow ball fight, tubing, etc).
diane_mad2003
Houston, TX
I was thinking of taking the family on Dec 24th. is that day super busy?
Thanks
LivingCooper
Fort Worth, TX4 contributions
I would say be prepared for it to be busy. The upside is the 50,000 college kids will be gone (most of them anyway). On their website they have a calendar showing the usually “crowd factor”. Even if it is busy, it is worth it!
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