2024 Santa’s Wonderland | Kids in Adelaide Review

2024 Santa’s Wonderland tickets are available for purchase now!

If Santa had a bucket list…
Santa’s Wonderland would be right at the top. Back for another spectacular year, this festive favourite has been sprinkling Christmas cheer across Adelaide since 2016, and 2024 is no exception. Set in the Jubilee Pavilion at the Adelaide Showground, it’s 8,000 square metres of pure joy wrapped in fairy lights, tinsel, and just the right amount of sparkle to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Ticket Info
Tickets are priced at $50 per person for weekday sessions and $55 for weekend sessions. Kids under 2 get in for free! Each session runs for 3 hours, and there are sessions per day, right up until December 24. While most of the fun is included in your ticket, there are a few extra things to note: food and drinks, gifts and merchandise from Santa’s gift stores, gingerbread decorating, face painting, carnival games, and official Santa photos are not included and must be purchased separately. So while your ticket covers a ton of festive fun, keep in mind those extras if you’re planning to treat yourself or the kids!

Activities That Sleigh (Pun Intended)
The Christmas Activity Trail is back with 10 fun-filled stops for kids to enjoy. With a showbag and a passport to stamp at each station, the excitement starts as soon as you arrive. Our top pick? The Magic Reindeer Food & Christmas Snacks station by Pick a Local! Pick SA!, where the kids made reindeer food to sprinkle on our lawn for Christmas Eve. The NEW Spin to Win Wheel by FruChocs was a hit too—two of our kids won game play vouchers, while the others grabbed FruChocs. Safe to say, everyone was happy!

Rides, rides and more rides
While tobogganing isn’t on the lineup this year (cue the tiny tear), Santa’s Wonderland has added a fresh dose of fun. The NEW Taxi Jet Ride is perfect for younger kids. My 5 and 7-year-olds LOVE the fast paced Wave Rider and the fun twists and turns of the Dragon Wagon Coaster. And the best part? All the rides are included in your ticket, so you can go for as many spins, bumps, and zooms as you like. I think by memory we did a couple of rides three or four times over.

More Magical Moments
It’s not just the rides and activities that make Santa’s Wonderland so special though.The venue is filled with fun selfie stops and photo ops that are perfect for capturing those Christmas memories. From the giant Christmas tree to the sparkling light displays, there’s a picture-perfect moment around every corner.

The roving characters bring an extra dose of magic as they wander through the event, surprising kids with impromptu interactions. And don’t forget the stage shows. These high-energy performances are a hit with families, offering the perfect chance to take a breather and have a snack. Speaking of snacks… it’s handy to know you can take your own food and drink in the venue or, there is a good selection available at the food stalls. It’s mostly carnival food, along with much-needed coffee and rainbow slushies in fun sipper cups for the kids (and kids at heart).

A Pram-Friendly, Holiday-Approved Experience
Got a baby or a pram? Don’t worry, this event’s got you covered. Santa’s Wonderland is roomy enough for everyone to have a good time. And with limited session sizes, you won’t feel like you’re packed in like sardines (nothing kills the Christmas spirit faster, right?). If you want to avoid the crowds, mid-week sessions are a great option, but if weekends are your jam, you’ll still have a blast. Just don’t wait too long – weekend sessions sell out quicker than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve!

Maximising Your Three Hours of Fun
Three hours might sound like a lot, but trust us, it flies by! A little planning goes a long way. We usually kick things off with the Christmas Activity Trail, then head straight to the rides, and end with ice skating. This way, if the kids end up soaked from the snow or ice, it’s right before the event ends.

The KiA team’s top tips

1. Easy shoes, thick socks: Make sure the kids are wearing shoes they can easily slip on and off for the inflatables. And if you plan to hit the ice rink, don’t forget to pack some thick socks! If you forget, you can always buy some there, but I usually toss a couple of pairs in my handbag just in case.
2. Arrive early (the magic starts as soon as you arrive): Get there at least 20 minutes before your session. This gives you time to get your tickets scanned, enjoy some pre-show entertainment (even Santa makes an appearance!), and get settled in for when the curtain lifts and the magical snow starts to fall.
3. Snack break during the stage show: If you’re planning to sit down and eat, I recommend doing it while the stage show is on. The kids will be entertained, and you’ll get a much-needed breather!

So, Is Santa’s Wonderland Worth It? We Think So!
While some people might say it’s a bit pricey, we think the value is totally worth it. With everything included – rides, entertainment, and that magical Christmas atmosphere, it’s a family experience like no other. After all, kids are only little for so long, and we want that Christmas magic to last as long as possible, and Santa’s Wonderland delivers on that account!

ENTRY TICKETS:
• All adults and children aged 2 years & above require an ENTRY ticket (children under 2 years old are FREE and do not require an entry ticket).

UNLIMITED FREE RIDES

• Wave Rider (Family Ride)
• Taxi Jet Ride – NEW (Children’s Ride)
• Dodgem Cars (Family Ride)
• Tea Cups (Family Ride)
• Dragon Wagon Coaster (Children’s Ride)
• Ride on Motor Bikes (Children’s Ride)
• Convoy Trucks (Children’s Ride)
• Super Planes (Family Ride)
• Elephant Train Ride (Family Ride)
• Santa Fe Train (Children’s Ride)
• Christmas Inflatable Jumping Castle Zone (Children’s Activity)
• Ice Wonderland Ball Crawl (Children’s Activity)
• Candy Land Bouncy Castles (Children’s Activity)
• Ride on Reindeers (Children’s Ride)

TRADITIONAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS LAND 

• Christmas Story Telling with Mrs Christmas
• Write a Personal Letter to Santa & Mail It
• Santa’s Giant Red Sleigh Photo Opportunity with FREE take home Christmas selfie props
• Magic Reindeer Food Stables – FREE take-home carrot thanks to Nicol Carrots!
• Little Picassos with FREE colouring crayons
• Ride on Reindeer’s Coral with Rudolf & Friends
• Christmas Inflatable Jumping Castle Zone
• Amusement Rides
• Santa’s Wonderland Giant Christmas Tree
• Light up bauble selfie opportunity
• Light up giant walk through present selfie opportunity

ICE WONDERLAND

• Unlimited Ice Skating
• Ice Wonderland’s Ball Crawl
• Snow Queen Winter Wonderland White Sleigh Family Photo Stop with FREE mini milk!
• Giant Ice Lights Christmas Tree
• Light-up Walk through Christmas Baubles
• Polar Bears, Penguins & Arctic Foxes

CANDYLAND

• Candyland Inflatable Maze
• Personalise a Christmas BAUBLE Stop
• Candyland’s Giant CANDYLAND tree
• Candy Cane and Gingerbread Men Selfie Stop
• Free Take Home Candy Cane
• Amusement Rides
• Main stage entertainment

2024 CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY TRAIL

Stop 1: Little Picasso’s proudly presented by NOVA 919 – Collect your FREE colouring crayons!

Stop 2: Santa’s Mailbox proudly presented by NOVA 919 

Stop 3: Santa’s Sleigh

Stop 4: Bauble Zone proudly presented by Goodstart Early Learning

Stop 5: Spin to Win proudly presented by FruChocs

Stop 6: Magic Reindeer Food & Christmas Snacks proudly presented by Pick A Local! Pick SA! – Collect your FREE take-home carrot thanks to Nicol Carrots!

Stop 7: Storytelling with Mrs Claus proudly presented by SACARE

Stop 8: Candy Cane & Gingerbread Man Selfie Station

Stop 9: Interactive Colour Play

Stop 10: Snow Queen Selfie Station proudly presented by Fleurieu Milk Company –  Collect your FREE mini milk!

Meet your favourite Christmas characters including:

• Frosty the Snowman
• Chrissy the Christmas Fairy
• Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer
• Santa’s Elves
• The North Pole Christmas Penguin and of course…SANTA CLAUS!