The holiday blitz continues! We took Julian to The Santa Experience at Mall of America. This is less of an experience than an encounter β a photo op, basically. The breakdown….
PROS
π You pre-book a time slot, so you donβt have to wait in a long line to see Santa. With a baby that could start fussing at any moment β not to mention RSV and Covid swirling around β we were grateful to get in and out. (You can also book a virtual visit if youβre not comfortable going in-person.)
π There are six Santas to choose from β the most diverse mix the mall has ever hosted. Santa Pat, pictured here, has a great smile. Julian only cried when one of the βelvesβ rattled a toy that scared him.
π You can submit a short message for Santa to relay to your child, which is fun (though not guaranteed). Julian likes octopuses, so Santa Pat told him that if he was a good boy, his parents might surprise him with a trip to the Osaka Aquarium next year!
π No kids? No problem. Adults can schedule meet βnβ greets with Santa, too, and there was a designated pet night earlier this week.
CONS
π The wham-bam-thank-you-Santa nature of the encounter can feel transactional. The photo shoot itself is three to five minutes, which we expected, but choosing the images you want to buy feels a bit rushed.
π The pop-up is located in an empty storefront. While the photo backdrops are festive, the check-in area has all the charm of the DMV.
π Package prices arenβt posted online, which is annoying; you have to decide what you want on the spot. We paid a $35.18 booking fee and realized only on arrival that a $30.99 credit would go toward the photo package of our choosing. We picked the most basic package for $30.99, which included one pose, plus an a la carte add-on with a second pose for $14.99. The two most affordable packages do not include digital copies of your prints. For that, you have to pay upward of $80. The baller package β with digital photos, prints, and video β costs more than $120. Yeesh!
All that said, we liked Santa Pat and are pretty tickled by our pics. It cost a pretty penny, but can you really put a price on the alternate take below? π
The Santa Experience
Mall of America, 105 South Ave., Bloomington, MN; 612-203-2656.