Reviewed by The Magic Hatter
As The Magic Hatter, I’m no stranger to Piglets Adventure Farm in York – performing shows there over Easter, Summer and Halloween. However, I don’t work there over Christmas so feel I can leave an unbiased review of their Magical Sleigh Rides Santa visits, following my annual trip with Mrs Hatter and the Junior Hatters!
WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD!
During the holiday months, Piglets is transformed into a festive setting worthy of Santa himself! Much of the main park is closed, and appointments to see Father Christmas are all timed slots booked online (with many dates selling out early)
The experience begins with the presentation of your personalised boarding passes at Elf Airlines check-in; one of the little touches that builds the excitement for your magical tractor-led sleigh ride through the forest. But first visitors must pass through elf security, a Naughty and Nice scanner, then sit down for an in-flight Elf and Safety presentation (much more entertaining that real airline safety videos!)
The elves deserve a mention here; this year they are all trained performers and generally the quality shines through. Each time we met one of Santa’s helpers they were friendly and fun, encouraging interaction along the way. We do miss the sillier elf names from previous years though, Russell Sprout included!
The sleigh itself is always a real ‘wow’ moment, a bright-red hydraulic sleigh that guides guests through a winter wonderland; especially magical if visiting early evening amongst the twinkling lights! The environment is littered with Christmas trees, giant candy canes and plenty of other festive things to spot.
Mrs Claus sets the scene on arrival to Santa’s log cabin, with a cosy chat around the fire and, again, plenty of interaction.
But of course, any trip to see Santa hinges on the quality of Santa himself. He’s the big guy, the head honcho, jolly old St. Nick…and I’m pleased to say ours ticked many boxes. A good quality costume and – crucially – he played the part well. Groups visit Santa together but the experience isn’t diminished; Santa was engaging, charming and took time to find out about each and every child. He was also good at gently encouraging those younger, less confident children to get involved.
Each time we’ve seen Santa here, the visit has been unique – sometimes featuring a singalong, a little storytelling, some seasonal magic and interaction with the grown-ups too. Of course, visitors can each have a photograph with Father Christmas before being presented with their own magic key.
Second to meeting Santa, this was a real highlight – giving every child a golden key to choose their own toy from Santa’s Toy Shop is an inspired idea. We’ve found other Santa experiences have copped out with the gifts, giving identical presents to every aged or gender of child…usually yet another soft toy! But at Piglets, the children are like kids in a candy shop. Well, er, a toy shop! They really can have their pick of any toy, from a vast array of better-than-usual quality toys, games and gadgets. Imagine my pride when my eldest Junior Hatter chose a magic set last year!
But the fun doesn’t stop there! Visitors then have free time to explore the woodland village, featuring an adorable Rabbit and Guinea Pig Nativity, a Magic Wishing Tree, reindeer food to make, cosy and inviting teepees, elves to interact with and a free mince pie and mulled wine for the grown-ups.
For the first time this year, delicious wood-fired pizza from Dough Eyed Pizza was on sale here too. Our only gripe here is that is now sold by the slice, handy for a snack but offering less value than a full pizza at other times of the year. However, the slices are a good size and still a tasty treat, hot and fresh!
Other food is available too along with hot chocolate, various teas, coffees and hot and cold snacks as well as the festive fare. A BBQ grill returns for this season too, offering Bratwurst style hot dogs. Staff throughout were all friendly and happy to chat, despite the winter chill in the air!
New for 2018 is the Elves Storytelling, another nice addition to the park’s offering. We were beckoned in to the storytelling tent by a friendly elf, and watched a short presentation by two other elves. Rather than storytelling, this turned out to be a musical singalong to the Twelve Days of Christmas with lots of silly props and audience participation. Good festive fun!
We like how Piglets keep tweaking their seasonal offering, subtle changes here and there to an already impressive programme. We’ve done Santa visits at many different places, but this is more than just meeting Santa. It’s a full festive experience, well thought-out and packed with magical little touches. The attention to detail is excellent, and we never felt rushed or pressured into buying the optional photo souvenirs.
Even when not working, we always enjoy visiting Piglets Adventure Farm as customers, and at Christmas there is extra sparkle and shine! Our verdict? ‘Yule’ love it!
HATTER’S HINTS
- Wrap up warm! Much of the experience takes place outside, and it can be chilly in the marquees too. Dig out those festive jumpers and scarves!
- Join in with your children, it may sound obvious but it’s the perfect outing to do with your little ones – sharing in the magic and activities together!
- As mentioned, it is worth booking well in advance as some dates do fill up fast – especially closer to the big day itself.
MAGIC RATING 
VALUE FOR MONEY 
OVERALL 
Highly recommended!
Review Wizard 