Naughty Santa Goes Nice: Kids Won't Have To Pay To See Him After All

The Cherry Hill Mall has had a change of heart this holiday season.

Following a backlash on social media, the mall has decided to offer free visits with Santa to all children, the mall said in a statement on Monday.

In Grinch-like fashion, the mall had been charging up to $50 to see Santa.

“Our customers and their mall experience is our number one priority. After last year’s wildly successful debut of ‘Adventure to Santa – A DreamWorks DreamPlace,’ at Cherry Hill Mall, we decided to bring back the interactive journey for families to enjoy this holiday season,” mall management said in the statement. “A truly unique Santa experience, Dream Works’ ‘Adventure to Santa’ at Cherry Hill Mall is an immersive, interactive 17-20 minute attraction that takes families on a trip to the North Pole to see Santa –and is one of only 12 locations in the nation.”

When the attraction opened last week, parents were required to purchase picture packages that ranged from $35 to $50. Children couldn’t see Santa for free, and he was inside a castle in the mall’s atrium, completely blocked from outside view.

In short, parents had to pay the fee for their children to see Santa, and they weren’t happy about it, with some suggesting a complete boycott of the mall.

“In the spirit of the holiday season, we want to keep things festive and bright. We have heard and value our loyal customers’ feedback and as a result, have decided to remove the photo package purchase requirements,” officials said. “We appreciate our loyal customers and will continue to incorporate social and compelling experiences into the mall environment throughout the year for all to enjoy. We hope families from around the region check out this must-visit holiday destination at the Cherry Hill Mall and also visit our other traditional Santa experiences at our six sister properties in the Philadelphia region.”

The packages will still be available, at the same price, as an added bonus, but is not required for children to see Santa.

The Cherry Hill Mall is owned by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). Its other locations, including the Moorestown Mall, were offering a scaled down version of the photo packages, and was also offering free visits with Santa.