Well now I'm home I'll express my opinions of the experience. Basically we took our three boys aged 4, 5 and 14 to see santa. We have been to many attractions over the years to see santa and have had various experiences but myself and my partner can say without a doubt this was the worst for seeing santa. We waited for 45 mins to get to the door where we were greeted but some guy in a Christmas jumper and it felt as though he was very uncomfortable and not very good at making conversation. The first thing we noticed was the heater, at this point it was nice. After waiting for the first group to go through, about another 5 mins we moved into the first room, the elves room where some woman who was dressed as an elf attempted to talk to the 15 people in our group. We were all crammed in like sardines. Ok, she tried but how was she ever meant to make it a personal experience with that amount of people. My boys seemed very unconvinced.
Next we were ushered into Mrs Christmas's kitchen where the other group was already waiting so that made for about 30 people in a very small area. Please note, by now there had been a heater in each room and this room had 2 so it was getting unbearably hot, I mean really hot ! The guy that was in there who kept telling all the kids not to touch things, stank, but I'm not surprised in that heat. I found it amazing they put aunaments around and didn't want anyone touching them. Anyway finally we got to the curtain. Two groups went in, that was 10 and the guy asked if there was any 2's. There's wasn't so turned to us and said how many in your group, there was 5. He said Ok that should be fine. That meant there was 15 in the room with santa. It had to be the most impersonal experience we had ever had. The boys finally made it to santa, he said a few words to them, god knows what as we couldn't hear him from all the others in the room, then gave them a tiny chocolate and had a picture taken. We were then ushered out and expected to pay £10 for the photo. Of course we felt obliged for the kids sake.
All in all it was the worst santa experience we have ever had. I understand it was the first day but the teething troubles should have been thought about before opening, not during the experience.
Please be aware it can get incredibly hot and very claustrophobic.
We will never do this again, my boys were very upset that they were never even giving the chance to ask santa for what they wanted. I've never seen my boys actually in tears before after leaving a santa experience !
