Santa land - Earls Court London in December

black-saturn

purplepurple wrote:

It's more the fact that it is advertised as follows.....

"Welcome to the biggest Christmas experience this side of Lapland! For the first time ever Santa has brought a part of his village with him to share with you and your children.
With a captivating interactive story, stunning set design, loveable characters and engaging pantomime, Santa Land gives children the opportunity not only to meet Santa, but to explore his magical land, become one of his little helpers and help save Christmas!
Santa Land will bring to life the true magic of Christmas, it's an experience your children will never forget. The only real question is have your children been good enough?"

which just isn't true! It led us to expect something that would be the next best thing to going to lapland... something like a film set (they have spent £3 million on it after all), not a dingy hall full of fairground rides... it is certainly not stunning set design! The interactive story was hardly captivating, more of a distraction to keep people occupied whilst queuing. I'm not saying that the kids didn't enjoy it, they did, it was just appalling value for money. For £74 I could have taken my two to the garden centre 7 times to see better christmas displays and get better pressies from FC.

"Santa Land will bring to life the true magic of Christmas, it's an experience your children will never forget." To be honest, I think my two will have forgotten most of it in a couple of weeks time... I on the other hand, won't forget the experience for ages! :snow_laug

I will be contacting the organisers... not to ask for a refund, no-one forced me to book tickets to go there and it's just one of those things I'll put down to experience, but they need to know that people are feeling ripped off. They need to know they provided a sub-standard service and charged a lot of money to people (generally with young children, not all, but generally I would think) who need every penny at this time of year.
Just as I have written letters of praise to organisers of events we have loved, I will write to this one to let them know of my experience.

Thanks for that. Sorry I didnt see the advertising. I can see what you mean now.

purplepurple

ooh hope you didn't think I was having a go at you black-saturn :snow_laug just having a bad day :snow_laug (boiler packed up etc etc etc)

shykins

i went yesterday to and was dismayed.... the grotto ?? well it wasnt a grotto really was it .. the story of the ribbons was so badly sequenced the kids had no idea what it was all about

it could of been so much better if they had at least organised the story a little...at the end we handed in the ribbons and the kids are like "well does that mean santa will get them"... there was no fanfare nothing

i too will be writing to express my disappointment.. i went to the one at wembley a couple years ago and it was out of this world compared to this

such a shame for the kids who have all been looking forward to going

shykins

many thanks paul i have already had a reply promising a refund in full..

and i didnt even have to get rude lol i always find the unfailingly polite route works best

one assumes the amount they have had to refund will certainly make them think again about putting on such a shoddy show

good luck to the others seeking recompense
xx

Striker

Sent email of complaint to all of the people on Pauls list and got one reply with a refund claim form attached. Sent that back via email and all I have to do now is wait for the cheque I assume.

purplepurple

Do you have to have the ticket numbers or any reference numbers when you contact the people connected to the event?

matt_stretch

We visited Santaland Monday 19th December to and we had so many disappointments.

We were expecting an organised trip that would follow a route as shown on the website; go through the mine, down the snow slide, go on the train, enter the grotto and meet Santa and along the way find the magic ribbons. It was not like that at all!

The point of the ribbons is still a mystery, when you don’t have to find ribbons but instead ask anybody in costume or even stewards for ribbons from their pockets, this seemed pointless.

We were directed from the mine straight into Santa’s house, where we were expecting interaction and involvement in the ‘Naughty Gnome’ story. When we eventually got into see Santa, which was the point of the biggest disappointment, he appeared to be no more than a young man with no build, no padding and no resemblance to any Santa Claus that has ever been represented. The suit appeared cheap and unauthentic as if it had been hired from a fancy dress shop. When you go to such extremes to create the best Santa experience why do you cut back on the most fundamental person!!

We have never seen such disappointment on our son’s face! He understands that the real Santa can’t be everywhere as he is so busy – but this was going to be the exception!
His gift was a Thomas the tank engine activity book (worth under 2 pound), which is not suited to a 7 year old. After seeing Santa we were charged another 5 for a photo – EXTORTIONATE! Especially after you have paid so much to be at Santaland anyway!

We then went back around to the main arena, to queue for an hour and a half to go on the snowslide… and then went on the train ride which is when you get to collect more ribbons – why, as you have already been to see Santa? And you meet Naughty Gnome – fundamental to the story of the magic ribbons. We went to the ‘Gnome Theatre’ also to find about the ‘Naughty Gnome’, yet another fundamental part of the story which you don’t get until too late!
It was so disjointed and so disappointing, I would not recommend this experience and we would certainly not do it again.
As for the food… appalling selection unless you want a hot dog your options are slim!
The Christmas market was a farce! It was a bunch of traders that looked like they had no interest in Christmas and their stock certainly represented that! Fish tanks, gardening gadgets, alcoholic toffee drink just to name but a few of the pointless traders that had no relation to a Christmas market!
The website states “Santa Land will take every child on a journey that will excite, entertain, engage and amaze.” This is nowhere near the truth.
I have to give full credit for a great inflatable post box idea though! But on it's own in successes at that event!
I have emailed me them all and hope for some acknowledgment of this failure on their part.

scope

I went on the day it opened and agree with most of the comments made; it was rubbish to say the least.. Our local funfair has more to offer, and certainly less queues. I have written to complain, and although had an apology, not yet been sent a refund form. I do hope to get one, coz the event was a complete ripoff and not "an experience" at all.

kiwichick

When I emailed the people listed on one of the previous posts in relation to refunding I hadaresponse asking me whose name the tickets were purchased in. They said if I had the booking ref it would help but was NOT neccessary.

Pavanne

Well, I went today! TOTALLY agree with all said above, particularly:

Crap market - I mean, what has signing up to study for a degree got to do with Christmas?

Crap food - not a single option for a vegetarian! Oh, sorry, there were cheese and tomato childrens rolls! And 3.50 for a sandwich which tasted like washing up liquid!

Crap Santa - rushed past all Santa's helpers on the way in. The kids wanted to stop and look but the ushers were hurrying us all along. Santa was a young skinny guy who posed briefly with baby for a photo and then we were hurried out to buy the print.

Crap facilities - nowhere to breastfeed, ended up sitting on the floor most of the time!

Crap attractions - nothing to see, barely anything to do.

Crap festivities - barely anything Christmas related. Only saw a mince pie just as we were leaving.

Crap staff - they all looked fed up and glad it was the penultimate Santaland day.

Crap tshirt - didn't want one but was it was forced at me. When I got outside we realised all the t-shirts were the same size - around age 8. My baby is 6 months.

All in all crap crap crap. Will definately be complaining!