Any ideas of where to visit Santa in the Midlands please

[kateecass]

Want to meet up with my sister to take our kids to see Father Christmas together. Somewhere half way between Manchester and a Reading. Any ideas please?

Severn Valley Railway
Gloucester Warwickshire Railway
The Black Country Living Museum (the best Santa trip we've ever done)
Webbs of Wychbold Garden Centre (they will have an ice rink)
Cadbury World

The steam train ones are good

There's a Winter Wonderland place in Telford. There's a Groupon voucher for it at the moment.

We are going to hawkstone park follies in Shrewsbury this year, can't wait.
We went on the churnet valley Santa steam train last year which was nice and the dc had decent presents, the only bit that let it down was that the dc had to stand in the carriage doorway to have a photo with Santa and it felt a bit rushed. Trentham gardens is nice too. There is also a winter wonderland being set up in Newcastle under Lyme which we'll be going to.

Don't bother with twinlakes in Melton Leicestershire wasn't impressed last year.

Thank you!!! Lots of ideas there. We do like a nice steam train. I will have a proper Google of those on the laptop later and see how long the journey times are. I love Trentham but it'd be too far for my sister.

We've booked Becketts Farm Magical Christmas Adventure after many recommendations.

New this year is magical journey at belfry. Looks amazing but a lil pricey!
www.magicaljourney.co.uk

We are going to hawkstone follies as well this year and also the magical journey thing.

Previously we have done:

Webbs
West Midlands safari park
Several valley
Hartlebury museum
Snow dome
Wonderland at Telford

We didn't like the severn valley that much, but it was freezing and chucking it down which may be why. It felt a bit impersonal and the santa wasn't great.

The santa at wonderland was the best we've seen but it chucked it down then too which made it miserable and we didn't enjoy it very much.

The best overall experience was the snowdome. You don't see santa individually but you go to a santa show and all the children get a chocolate lollipop. You play in the snow / sledge for about 45 mins and then see the show. Ds has loved it both times we have been.

Santa safari at West Midlands safari park was ok but santa was a skinny 20 year old which wasn't great.

Webbs is ok too but not really a full day out, maybe half an hour? And you tend to have to queue even when booked in at a time slot, although in the week it isn't as bad.

The only one we've done more than once is the snowdome.

Hawkestone is lovely!
DD went to Wonderland with school and enjoyed that.

Thank you again for all the ideas. I've got a lot of investigating to do! I get grumpy in the cold and rain as much as the DC and DS thinks Xmas should involve snow so that might help narrow it down!!

Yes that's the trouble. If it's outside and a cold crisp dry day then it's lovely, if it throws it down not so much! Womderland was very very muddy too. Very. Santa was lovely though, if it had been a dry day we would have really I enjoyed it I expect.

We liked the snow play bit at the snowdome, they decorate it all with Christmas lights and Christmas displays. Then there's the show which ds enjoyed and still talks about now and then they go through to santa's village to meet the reindeer. You can post a letter to Santa there too. There are other animals as well, bizarrely including ducks last year!

Sundown Adventureland, near Retford. Very good. Have to prebook your Santa time, but that means no queuing. And it's part of a ride.

Oh we've done drayton manor Thomasland as well. We quite liked that - although it rained - can you see a theme here!
But at least you could shelter places so it wasn't so bad. It was FREEZING though and ds was only 2 at the time so we didn't stop all that long, it was just too cold and when we got wet as well that finished us off.