The North Pole Experience | Review

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Last week, we flew in the grandparents, loaded up the kids and headed up to Greer, AZ for the North Pole Experience.  As we made our way up to the pine trees we were greeted by a winter wonderland of snow!

Snow is one thing that we don’t get to enjoy for Christmas here in the Valley of the Sun. (Which is just fine by me.) But I do love being able to make the drive North and enjoy the novelty of bundling up, sledding and snow angels.

We got the “All-inclusive Cabin, Meals and Experience” and stayed at the Molly Butler Lodge cabins, which we highly recommend there in Greer. (And we would even consider heading back there in the Summer to beat the heat!) We roasted marshmallows by the fire, drank hot cocoa and enjoyed some wonderful time with family! The snow was up to our knees and we were able to play and enjoy a snow-covered view!

We stayed in "Parson's Green". It sleeps 12!
We spent lots of time by that fire!

With the North Pole Experience, we had dinner at the Molly Butler Lodge and waited for the Trolley to take us “through the portal” to the North Pole where Santa and his elves waited for us!

Dinner at Molly Butler Lodge was just delicious.  We ordered four different main dishes and all agree that the award-winning Prime Rib is worth the 4.5 hour drive to Greer! The Prime Rib deserves two sentences because it was better than any I’ve had in the Valley, de-LISH!

After dinner, we boarded the Trolley complete with elves and red velveteen-covered seats, wood-paneled ceiling and brass guard-rail.  The attention to detail made every part of the experience feel authentic.

When we arrived to the North Pole, we passed by the stable where Rudolph and team were sleeping (you could tell it was Rudolph by the red light coming from the stable from his red nose.)

We entered Santa’s workshop complete with the Toy Hall-of-Fame, pot-belly stove, mail-shoot through a pair of beautifully detailed doors. There was plenty to look at and explore for my two and a half-year-old and I enjoyed watching the older children stand amazed at all the events that unfolded. Reagan’s very favorite things about the workshop were the choo-choo-train and the rocking elephant. The train ran on an elevated track that ran throughout both the “original” and “new” workshops.  The train even had “North Pole Experience” embossed in gold lettering on two of the cars. The rocking elephant was very sturdy carousel quality and had a saddle horn, easy for a little one to hold on.  Everything was within limits for the kids to look at and even touch. The elves were very hospitable and showed the children how to dress the teddy bears and put together ram-rockets.

Me and Reagan looking at the train above saying "Choo-Choo"

After the toys were put together and ready to be loaded up in the sleigh, the children sat around a large table and ate cookies and hot cocoa (snowman soup) and sang a few Christmas Carols.

Reagan is in the pink snow hat being served her cookies and hot cocoa.

We moved into “Elf University” where older children wrote letters to Santa and my little one enjoyed sitting next to some big kids and exploring the workshop some more.

Then we were ushered into Santa’s Office complete with the elves locker room, pictures of Santa with Mrs. Claus, an old typewriter, personalized office chair and maps of the world. Then one family at a time entered the photo studio where one family at a time where able to meet Santa and have a picture with him.

Isn’t he handsome?

If you are interested in taking your family to enjoy this little piece of Christmas right here in Arizona, check out the North Pole Experience.

Here’s the pricing for the experience itself:

ADULT “EXPERIENCE” TICKETS: $55.00* (18 years and older)

CHILD “EXPERIENCE” TICKETS: $49.00* (18 months to 17 years)

INFANTS: FREE (17 months or younger)

10% DISCOUNT FOR PARTIES OF 24 OR MORE:
Discount for tickets only, not applicable to cabin packages.

This post has not been sponsored, but the experience itself was part of a trade agreement between SMB and NPX. I wrote this review because we had such a lovely time and want to be sure that you all know about this amazing little family getaway.  (Also something to be noted, even though all the maps say it’s about 4.5 hours to Greer, with two children and four adults including stops along the way it took us about 6 hours to get there and about 5 hours coming home.)