Adventure to Santa @SouthBayGalleria

Earlier this week, I was invited to South Bay Galleria for a media preview of the new holiday installation, Adventure to Santa – a DreamWorks DreamPlace.

I invited my girlfriend Kim, and her six year old daughter Seina, to attend with me since A) this was an attraction designed specifically for children and B) I didn’t want to be that creepy adult trying to re-capture my childhood.

My co-host Joe Terry and I, had representatives from South Bay Galleria as our guests on The South Bay Show earlier this week to tell us specifically about this holiday offering. We talked about it at length, and while we understood it was produced by Dreamworks and would be an interactive experience, they didn’t want to give too much away, so I really couldn’t imagine it.

I was looking forward to experiencing this first-hand and my littlest friend Seina was very excited since this would be her first chance to chat with Santa this season.

We were escorted to the center of the Galleria to a large castle-like structure decked out for the holiday season with lights and decorations. The exterior was wrapped – it was a giant video screen – and while we waited outside, the view was ever changing. At one point, the structure was completely engulfed in a snow storm. Through the doors and windows, you could see activity inside with characters going from room to room, and a few others wandering outside – I won’t mention names, but everyone will know them.

We were given a boarding pass and upon entering the structure, we found ourselves in a ‘waiting room’ for trips to the North Pole. There was an arrival/departures board and tablets mounted around the room. Our elf escorts explained that in order to get to the North Pole, we’d have to get our pilot’s license first before climbing into a sleigh for the trip. That’s where the tablets come in – guests input their boarding pass number and demonstrate their navigation skills via a video game. There are a couple of other tablet activities which I won’t go into here and my six year old companion operated it like a pro.

After passing our flight test, we entered the hangar where the sleigh is kept and took our seats. I immediately searched for seatbelts and a bar to lock us in, but there were none. On the screen in front of us, several of our character friends led the way to the North Pole and Santa.

The ride was a blast! We soared over rooftops and into the clouds, not just seeing and hearing everything around us, but feeling the change in temperature and the movement of the sleigh. There were a couple of rollercoaster moments that had me hanging onto my seat, and during our final descent onto the ice-covered runway, all you could hear was me screaming, whoa, whoa, WHOA, WHOA, WWWWHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Once we were safely on the ground, it was time to visit with Santa. We were led into another room, one group at a time, for a private audience with the only guy on the planet that can rock a red suit. Seina climbed up on his knee and in great detail explained exactly what she wanted for Christmas while Kim and I took the all-important photos. (There is also a professional photographer in the room for those who purchase a photo package.) BTW, this was a really great Santa. He was wearing a gorgeous brocade vest under the red jacket. A sartorial Santa!

Upon exiting Santa’s castle, we were given our pilot’s license and photos. The entire experience lasted about 10 minutes but the time will vary depending on the child.

If you are interested in a fabulous, completely unique, holiday experience – and want to avoid long lines, cranky kids and crowds – make a reservation for Adventure to Santa NOW. They’ve already sold out this weekend but the event will run through December 23.

Photo packages can be pre-purchased by visiting www.SouthBayGalleria.com and booking a reservation. Prices range from $35 – $75 per family. Guests can also make reservations in person by visiting Adventure to Santa – A DreamWorks DreamPlace at South Bay Galleria.

South Bay Galleria is one of only two hosts in Southern California for the Adventure to Santa – a DreamWorks DreamPlace attraction this year.

Reservations are now being taken for this unique attraction and can be made by visiting www.SouthBayGalleria.com.

South Bay Galleria is located at 1815 Hawthorne Boulevard in Redondo Beach.