For us, it was a big drive to Caulfield which elicited a variety of different responses from each member of the family and I was wonder whether or not it would “jingle our bells”!! About 1.5 hours into the drive (to make matters worse we got stuck in peak hour traffic) Isaac declared it was time to go “home”, I was eyeing off a hotel and wanted to just pull in there and go to sleep, Tim wanted to smack his own head against the steering wheel and when Alegría paused between her 1000th and 1001st question of the journey our little girl (who only had her eyes on the prize) said “I WANT TO GO TO SANTA’S MAGICAL KINGDOM!”

There is so much to see and do in each three-hour session, so there was never a lull in the entertainment. With the limited number of tickets sold in each session it meant that the flow of people was effortless, minimal to no lines for each ride with plenty of space to move around in.

Inside the undercover dome, most activities were free. There are 6 amusement rides, the McCormick gingerbread man decorating area, Aeroplane Jelly craft area where the kids coloured in a Christmas bauble, letter writing with Mrs. Claus, a spectacular walk through snowland where the Snow Princess and Snow Maiden from Hans Christian Anderson are happy to pose for photographs.

Of course, you can visit Santa in his special room (there is actually 4 Santa’s) and photo packages range in price from $25 upwards. You don’t have to get a photo though, you can visit him and he will give the kids a present – for free! Families can request to see the same Santa for continuity! The Santa we saw was fantastic although Alegría wanted to know what was in the other rooms ….

For a small fee ($5) you could play the carnival game or buy a gift from the merchandise stand.

Outside, was the HUGE euro slide, an older kid swinging ride and a partially enclosed ferris wheel.

 

If this wasn’t enough to fill your 3 hours, then a Christmas themed circus show (which is also included in the entry price) will have you entertained (or if you only want to watch a bit of it, all of the rides are still operational in this time!).

• Bring your real camera – the lighting is dim (so the lights twinkle) so the camera on your phone will struggle and there are plenty of photo opportunities!
• Either bring your snacks with you or schedule your booking around eating times! There is a restaurant just outside Gate 23 (you will enter at Gate 22) so you could go there before or after your session. There is food available but it’s chips / popcorn / hotdogs etc.
• There are ATM’s onsite but they have service fees so bring a small amount of cash with you.
• If you chose to book the 6-9pm timeslot consider traffic and bedtimes! You want to enjoy it and not be stressed before you arrive!

We have been asked if it was worth the entry price (between $35-$40 per tickets for everyone over 2 years old) and whilst that’s hard to define, since our visit Alegría has asked to go back to Santa’s Magical Kingdom probably every second day! She clearly had a great time and Isaac enjoyed it, so for us it would be worth it as a special Christmas treat and is something you could budget for throughout the year.

MORE INFORMATION

Website: http://www.santasmagicalkingdom.com.au/

We were given tickets to Santa’s Magical Kingdom for the purpose of this review. As always, our opinion is honest and unbiased.

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.