This past week my boys and I went to visit Santa at his Headquarters at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Getting to meet with Santa and talk to him one-on-one is probably one of the most exciting days in a kid’s life. But when you get to visit Santa’s HQ and check out the Naughty or Nice List and attend the Elf Academy…well, does it get any better than that?
The List – We each took a turn at the Naughty-or-Nice ‘O Meter and we are very pleased to report that we all made it to the Nice List. Phew!
Elf Academy – The kids got to make their own custom Elf ID cards (with some help by Mom) by taking a selfie and having their faces put on an elf body. They also got to see themselves as an elf chilling out in the North Pole, suited up for for Santa, and jamming in their jammies thanks to the the Magic Mirror. There’s even an option to receive photos from the Magic Mirror & the Elf ID cards by entering either a mobile number and/or email address.
Control Center – Definitely the most exciting thing to do before seeing Santa Claus for my two boys was to check out all the features in the command center. They could run diagnostics on the sleigh, check the weather and more. There were levers to pull and buttons to press and sounds to make. They were super into it.
Santa – Our visit with Santa was awesome! Santa was so excited to see them and of course he remembered them from years past and commented on how much they’ve grown since he saw them last. He let them know he was proud of them for being such good boys. When my 7 year old asked Santa for a motorized dirt bike, Santa gave him a good talk about safety. He reminded me how blessed I was to have such wonderful children and my whole heart burst open with pride and joy. Luckily we were there at a time when there weren’t very many others waiting to see Santa, so we really got to spend a lot of time with him. It was very special.
Fast Pass – As I mentioned, we were there at a pretty slow time (around 2pm on a weekday) and we just showed up. If you’re planning on going on a weekend or much closer to Christmas, I would definitely recommend using the Fast Pass option. It’s so great that you can make a reservation online and spend less time in line. Keep in mind that in order to secure a reservation, a photo package must be purchased and paid for with a credit card at the time of booking.
Find out more details about Santa HQ presented by HGTV on their website.
HGTV’s Santa HQ revolutionizes the traditional Santa Claus visit by guiding visitors through an immersive, interactive holiday experience with the use of state-of-the-art digital technology. Today’s families are always connected, and the innovative Santa HQ incorporates special mobile apps, social-media-ready opportunities, and even augmented reality. The magic of the holidays goes hand-in-hand with the home. HGTV has created perfect setting for this meaningful holiday experience.
Watch the video highlighting all of the fun things to do during your visit to Santa at Santa HQ!
Visiting Santa at the HQ was truly a fun experience that our family will look forward to each year!
