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© 2023 North Pole Experience
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Click a question to get answers about the North Pole Experience, and what to expect.
Voted “Best Holiday Experience for Children” by Arizona Foothills Magazine readers in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 the North Pole Experience™ is the critically acclaimed Santa Experience located in the idyllic and breath-taking resort ski/summer destination of Flagstaff, AZ.
A Christmas Adventure of a Lifetime, the North Pole Experience starts by taking families on a trolley ride through the magic portal to Santa’s massive workshop in the middle of the forest. Once you arrive, Santa’s Workshop is a complete, hands-on experience for children and parents. Families work side-by-side with the elves, building toys and learning Santa’s Workshop secrets. They receive access to Santa’s main factory floor, attend Elf University, visit with Mrs. Claus, and enjoy cookies and snowman soup in the bakery. Don’t forget Santa’s mailroom and his top-secret “Area 47” Sleigh Hangar, featuring his famous sleigh, mission control center, radar systems, and more. End the 1 hour 40 minute (approx.) experience with a private family visit with Santa himself.
Arizona has two (2) popular Christmas attractions, The North Pole Experience™ home of Santa’s Workshop located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the Polar Express train ride in Williams, AZ.
The North Pole Experience is a 1 hour and 35 minutes adventure INSIDE Santa’s Magical Workshop. Voted Arizona’s “Best Holiday Experience for Children” in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, & 2022 by Arizona Foothills magazine, the entire experience is a magical hands-on interactive adventure with Santa, Mrs. Claus and all his elves. The North Pole Experience includes private family time with Santa, cocoa and a special treat in Mrs. Claus’s bakery, a complimentary digital photograph with Santa, and each child* receives a Commemorative Teddy Bear from Santa himself. (*1 bear per each paid Child’s ticket)
The Polar Express(TM) is a separate attraction in Williams, Arizona where you experience a train ride on The Polar Express™, where the children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg is read. The train travels to the North Pole village, where Santa boards the train and walks through each train car to say hello to the children. The Polar Express includes cocoa, a cookie and a bell from Santa. You stay on the train for the entire trip. (Photos with Santa may be taken and purchased separately at the depot station)
The North Pole Experience lasts approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes (100 minutes) from the time of departure from Little America to your arrival back at the hotel. Times may vary depending on weather, and/or unforeseen circumstances.
Little America Hotel, The North Pole Experience Trolley Departure Station, has over a million Christmas lights on display allowing night-time guests to enjoy the ambiance of the stunning hotel lights. Booking a day ticket? Don’t worry! The magic happens inside Santa’s Workshop and the experience is the same whether day or night. Please see the Buy Tickets page on our website to view a Checklist of everything included in your ticket..
Small strollers and small personal items are permitted and will be stored underneath the trolley buses during your travel to the North Pole and Santa’s Workshop. Upon arrival, your trolley driver will retrieve your stroller for you to take inside the workshop and will stow it away for you again on your ride back to the hotel. No personal items or strollers may be left on the trolley throughout your tour. Large strollers or wagon-style strollers are not permitted. If you have a non-ticketed infant, they are considered a lap child for the bus ride to and from Santa’s Workshop and must ride on an adult’s lap.
Be prepared for winter conditions and colder weather! Children and parents are encouraged to dress in pajamas or a Christmas outfit with boots or shoes, and a jacket! PJs are a tradition for many families!
Remember, these are memories that last a lifetime on those cameras! The trolleys and workshop are heated and families will be outside for a few minutes to board and depart the trolley. Once inside Santa’s Workshop, children can roll up their pajama sleeves and work side-by-side with Santa’s elves to build toys! After your visit with Santa, you will be outside for a few minutes around our large fire pit as you wait for your trolley to arrive.
In Mrs. Claus’ Bakery, all guests are served Snowman Soup and Yetti-O’s. Our treats are not gluten, dairy, or nut-free; however, an allergy-friendly treat is available upon entering the bakery. Just let an elf know of your allergy and they will be happy to accommodate you!
Absolutely! While North Pole Experience tickets are non-refundable upon purchase, if modifications or exchanges need to be made you can do so online through the Attendee Account Center. An account has been automatically created for you using the email associated with your ticket order. You can find a link to the Attendee Account Center at the bottom of your ticket order confirmation email. If you are having trouble finding your confirmation email, please visit the “Buy Tickets” page and click “Resend Confirmation” at the top of the page.
To claim your account, please use the email associated with your ticket order to log in to the Attendee Account Center. Once you have created a password and logged in, you can add tickets, change your reservation date/time, and transfer your tickets to another person. Please Note: If you choose to downgrade your tickets, you will NOT receive a refund for the price difference. If you have an existing order with ADA accommodations and need to make an edit to your order, please email us at reservations@northpoleexperience.com.
For additional help navigating the Attendee Account Center and editing your tickets, please visit:
Tickets are non-refundable upon purchase.
NPX Guest Stand-By: Our trolleys leave ON your scheduled departure time, similar to an airline flight. Please arrive at least 45 min prior to your tour time to allow parking and check-in. If you are late to arrive for your scheduled departure time, NPX then operates on a Stand-By system, we will do our best to accommodate you on a later trolley but cannot guarantee a new departure time.
Once you have booked your tickets, you can opt to receive your confirmation by email or mobile delivery (text). Mobile delivery allows you to add your tickets to your Apple Wallet.
Our NPX LAYAWAY 2-PAYMENT OPTION WILL BE LIVE AT 7AM ON SATURDAY, JULY 15TH.
We know a Family Christmas Adventure of a lifetime takes planning and saving – which is why we are so excited to announce our payment plan for 2023 which allows guests to reserve the best tickets NOW with a split 50/50 payment option. This includes a “60 Day time window” for guests before your next payment due (if you book by July 17th), before the 2nd payment is automatically drafted on September 15th. There is no need to set an alarm or remember to login in September, the payment will be automatically schedueld for the remaining half.
The earlier you book, the more time you have to save before September 15th! BOOKING WITH LAYAWAY ENDS: SEPT. 1ST, 2023
As promised, with this new announcement, NPX will be releasing additional ticket times set aside for our Layaway Guests for dates/times released during our ticket launch. But don’t wait, the best dates and times fill up quickly.
Can I book with the layaway payment plan anytime between now and September 1?
Yes! You may utilize our layaway platform at anytime between July 15-September 1! Your first payment (half of payment due) will be paid at the time of booking. Your second payment can be made at anytime during the allotted 60 days. If not paid by September 14, the 2nd half will be automatically deducted on September 15 with no other action needed. Tickets will be released at the time the second payment is received.
Can I make the second payment at anytime during the timeframe?
Yes! Your first payment (half of payment due) will be paid at the time of booking. Your second payment can be made at anytime during the allotted 60 days. If not paid by September, 14, the 2nd half will be automatically deducted on September 15 with no other action needed. Tickets will be released at the time the second payment is received.
Can you pre-set the date/time of a payment other than payment deadline date?
At this time the only payment date that can be set in advance is September 15, 2023.
Does this apply to NPX tickets ONLY?
Yes, the North Pole Experience is a separate entity than The Little America Flagstaff and this option is only available for NPX ticket purchases. All other hotel/meal/Breakfast with Santa purchase are separate.
Will NPX send a reminder text/email after purchasing layaway?
The North Pole Experience will send out a text 2 weeks, on September 1, prior to the final payment deadline is due. At this time, you can choose to make the second payment at anytime over the following 14 days. If the second payment is not paid by September, 14, the 2nd half will be automatically deducted on September 15 with no other action needed. Tickets will be released at the time the second payment is received.
What if I’m unable to make the second half of the payment?
If 2nd payment is not received within the 60 day timeframe or unable to be processed on September 15th of the NPX Layaway deadline, tickets will be released. The first payment will be forfeited as all ticket sales are final and non-refundable. If you feel like you will not be able to make the 2nd payment in the payment timeframe, we suggest waiting until all funds are saved and tickets can be purchased at one time to prevent any loss in monies.
Each trolley holds an intimate group of up to 55 people. This will be the group you are with the entire experience, so please plan ahead if you are traveling with friends or family, and be sure to book all your tickets at the same time and date.
To ensure you are in the same group as another family, it is essential that you book the EXACT SAME TIME and EXACT SAME DATE to be on the same trolley. Every departure time is a completely separate trolley of 55 people. If you have booked tickets 10 minutes apart, you will not be in the same group.
If there are not enough tickets to book your families on the same trolley, you will need to find a trolley time available with enough spaces. It is highly recommended that one person from your group books all the tickets together to ensure you will all be on the same trolley. PLEASE NOTE: We cannot combine families who have booked different time slots once you arrive.
Want a Private Trolley? Private trolley’s can be reserved for your group upon availability, with a minimum of 55 tickets purchased. Private trolleys are booked at a “Private Trolley Rate” please email us at reservations@northpoleexperience.com for more information.
Absolutely! Some of Santa’s magical trolleys are equipped with wheelchair/ADA Bus lifts and the entire Workshop is ADA-accessible. To ensure that your visit to the North Pole is memorable, we do ask that our guests with disability accommodation needs please note the following:
We love to support our troops! We offer a 10% off discount for military families. To receive your unique single-use discount code, please utilize the chat box feature on our Buy Tickets page or email our reservation team at reservations@northpoleexperience.com .
*Proper Military ID, and Driver’s License are required at check- in.
The North Pole Experience works with many area hotels to ensure your stay is the best of the best. Our host hotel and Trolley Departure Station is the Little America Hotel which offers special rates to our guests. Other hotel partners can be found on the buy ticket page underneath the NPX calendar at http://northpoleexperience.com/locations/flagstaff-az/
Yes, of course! Many guests and families choose to stay the night in Flagstaff for their North Pole Experience, but many families also make a Day Trip up to Flagstaff for the experience, and then return home before bedtime or continue on their travels. It’s all up to you.
Please plan ahead and arrive at the Little America Hotel 45 minutes prior to your scheduled trip to the North Pole.
ROAD CONDITIONS: http://www.az511.com
Safety is our #1 priority for a fun experience. That includes our guests arriving safely in Flagstaff…PLEASE PLAN AHEAD! Road conditions can vary by weather conditions. We encourage our guests to check road conditions prior to their departure via 511 and the National Weather Service. Please make sure you adjust your trip timing if winter weather is present! When snow is present, front-wheel drive is highly recommended and four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. Flagstaff is a designated ski resort city at 7,200 feet in altitude.
NOTE: I-17 and I-40 are the major highways that intersect on the outskirts of Flagstaff, making Flagstaff one of the best driving conditioned roads with the State of Arizona highway department doing what they do best.
While Santa really loves snow for landing his sleigh, weather conditions can vary in the Flagstaff. We are nestled at 7,200′ feet which provides potential for a winter experience! If snow conditions are light, heavy, or non-existent on your experience date, rest assured the magic of Santa’s Workshop will be a treat to your family no matter what!
Glossary:
There is an on-site North Pole Experience gift shop where guests can purchase light up snowflake wands, necklaces, NPX merchandise and the popular ornaments for Santa and the elves to sign at the workshop. It is highly suggested to visit the gift shop prior to attending Santa’s Workshop. Please check in for your trolley tour first and then feel free to visit the gift shop prior to boarding the trolley.
(Please note only paid children tickets receive a bear at Santa’s Workshop.)
However, guests can buy a bear wristband in the gift shop for $18 prior to their experience so that they get a bear from Santa vs. buying a child ticket.
Children 0-17 months old are free. (Please note only paid children tickets receive a bear.)
However, they can buy a bear wristband in the gift shop for $18 prior to their experience so that they get a bear from Santa vs. buying a child ticket.
Children 18 months and older through 17 years old qualify for Child pricing.
All paid children guests will receive a commemorative teddy bear from Santa himself at the end of the experience. If your child is 0-17 months old, or there is an adult in your party which you would like for them to receive a bear from Santa, guests can buy a bear wristband in the gift shop for $18 + tax PRIOR to their experience so that they get a bear from Santa vs. buying a child ticket.
No, there is nothing to purchase at the workshop so the on-site North Pole Experience gift shop at Little America is the only spot where guests can purchase light up snowflake wands, necklaces, NPX merchandise and the popular ornaments for Santa and the elves to sign at the workshop. It is highly suggested to visit the gift shop prior to attending Santa’s Workshop. Please check in for your trolley tour first and then feel free to visit the gift shop prior to boarding the trolley.
The North Pole Gift shop will be open 30 minutes prior to the first departure of the day and close after last trolley departs. Please check calendar posted on gift shop red door for daily start and end times.
Please contact our photo department directly at photos@northpoleexperience.com for further assistance. Please make sure to include as many details as possible you might have to help us identify your family.
Time and date attended
Number of adults and children in your party
Identifying photos / clothing descriptions
© 2023 North Pole Experience