Waking up early to freezing cold weather and rain is never the best start to a festive day out. Unfortunately, it’s the risk you take when you attend any outdoor event in the UK, and when it’s pouring down with rain when you’re driving to a theme park in late-November, it’s easy to feel like your Christmas spirit has been severely dampened.

Heading to Chessington’s Winter Trail, I must admit that a combination of heavy traffic and cold had me in quite a Grinchy mood. But once I arrived at the park and saw the (fake) snow covered trees and giant Christmas decorations, I instantly started to feel more festive.

It’s difficult not to get into the Christmas mood with dozens of the cheeriest elves you’ve ever seen greeting you on every corner. Even in the rain and with a sparse audience, we saw some elves putting on a pantomime on stage, seemingly undeterred by the freezing cold.

The first part of the winter trail saw us writing letters to Santa, and there were again some lovely elves on hand to help us out. They even handed out some cookies baked by Mrs Claus, which the kids much appreciated. 

Next, we decided to join the big queue for Santa, but luckily, there was entertainment along the way. We were handed headphones so we could enjoy a silent disco during our wait, with stations playing Christmas music and one with an audiobook of a Christmas story. This was a great way to pass the time and made waiting with children so much easier.

As someone with two kids, one of  primary and one of secondary school age, I’ve seen my fair share of Santas over the years. Some have been grouchy, some haven’t really engaged with the kids, while others have been a bit over the top and verging on scary. But I have to admit, the Santa we saw at Chessington was one of the best we’ve come across.

When we got to the front of the queue, an elf guided us through a wintery forest to a cosy log cabin where Santa was waiting. I noticed there were a few log cabins hidden away, so multiple Santas to keep the lines moving, but it was well set up so children wouldn’t notice. 

Once inside, the kids sat next to Santa in his beautifully decorated grotto which was warmed by a fireplace. Our Santa was incredibly patient with the kids, and despite being busy, we didn’t feel like we were rushed through. Despite my two being of an age where they’re not quite as interested in Santa, they left excited. We then wandered through Santa’s toy workshop, guided by yet more cheery elves, and the kids were given a cuddly toy as a souvenir of their visit.

During the Christmas season, a few rides are also open in the park. We enjoyed some kid-friendly attractions such as the vintage-style carousel and the Gruffalo River Ride, which even my eldest found exciting despite losing enthusiasm for the Gruffalo many years ago. Tickets also include entry to the SEA LIFE centre and zoo, so although we didn’t have time to visit them, you could easily spend a whole day in the park.

For lunch, we headed to the BBQ Smokehouse, which was serving its usual barbecue menu as well as some festive specials. Unfortunately, this was one area of the park that didn’t feel as well run, and we had a 45-minute wait for food with the staff apologetic about the delay. Once they arrived, the adult meals were good.

I had festive loaded chips which came with turkey, stuffing, and other Christmas dinner toppings, while my husband had brisket which was tender and melted in the mouth. Sadly, the kids’ meals weren’t as good. £8 for two fish fingers and a small jacket potato felt pricey, even by theme park standards, and no drink was included.But I was grateful to be sitting down somewhere warm for a while.

Overall, Chessington’s Christmas experience was a fun family day out, and was well set up to cater to different age groups. It was great to have a day at a theme park without long queues for every activity, and it felt well-organised thanks to Santa’s team of hardworking elves. 

Chessington’s Winter Trail is available on selected dates until December 31 with tickets for the Winter Trail and Christmas Village from £34 per person. Find out more and book tickets here. 

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