Santa's Land Fun Park & Zoo Reviews

Our son loved this park. He was able to ride most for the rides. Staff was very attentive to the children's needs and if a child cried or wanted off the employee would stop the ride. Our son was also shocked to see Santa in his house! The negative is the price for admission 24 per person and food in the park was pricey.

As a child, I visited Santa's Land many times. So, I have a lot of awesome memories. Last summer, my children and I went. It was the first time that I had been since I was a child. I was a little let down, but had to consider that sometimes memories seem way better than they actually were/are. However, my husband and kids had a blast!! So, we went again this past week. Of course my kids (10 and 7) LOVE to spend their money in the arcade/game area and feed all of the animals..(I recommend bringing lots of ones or quarters). I also want to point out that $21.00 per person isn't that much for a full day of fun. It is a little dated but I believe that as a society, we new to get back to the simpler times and this park does that..plus you don't have to wait in line all day:)

Excellent place to take kids to. They have rides and entertainment for kids of all ages. Beautiful Christmas decorations. Not hard to find.

So decided to take my children to Santa land thinking of having a "Christmas in July" type outing. The fee was not too bad at a little over $25 per person age 2 or older. First let me say that the staff were very nice. When we first went through the gate a nice older gentleman made my son a "reindeer ring" which was very special. That was probably where the magic ended. Everything is quite run down and just plain old. You go through a "petting zoo" but it is a bit sad. The cages aren't that big. They have lemurs, a bear, deer, llama, etc. There are also these little houses, one being an elf house, as an adult it was creepy so to be honest we didn't even go in them. The aumusement park side was ok. My 2 year old really liked the reindeer roller coaster and merry go round. There is also a really creepy giant snowman and a bunny. The playgound looked nice but the problem was all the smoke in the park. They allow smoking in the park (not sure Santa would approve) and everyone there seemed to be smoking. I really don't like the idea of subjecting my kids to the secondhand smoke at a kiddie park. There was no real magical feeling in this park. I really wanted to love it but really just couldn't wait to leave.

My husband, 7 year old daughter recently returned to Santa's Land for a second visit. We are from Orlando and have been to all the theme parks but this park is definitely worth a visit for younger children probably 9 and younger. No crowds and our daughter especially loved the Rudicoaster!

My husband visited as a child and had wonderful memories of this place and was excited to bring our 2 children to experience it. We were extremely disappointed. The place was not cheap to get in and then looked like a ghost town. It all seemed so outdated. The rides, the cosmetics, just everything. Not a whole lot to do. We did go and visit Santa which ended up being the only good thing to speak of. Like I said it was like a ghost town so the kids had extra time to talk to Santa one on one. Even my husband talked with Santa about fishing. LOL We did the whole place, grabbed something quick to snack on and was out within 45 minutes.

We stopped by and entered. very good zoo animals with vending machines for feeding. Rode the train but it was a little tight fitting. Topped off our visit with a visit to the magic show. That was fun and enjoyed watching the kids enjoying the show as well.

We have taken our 2 year old daughter here three times this summer, and she loves it every time! She can ride all of the rides including the roller coaster. We like that it isn't super crowded and we don't have to wait in long lines for the rides. Our daughter also really loves the animals in the zoo part of the park. We enjoyed the pedal boats as a family and had a great time feeding the fish! There is plenty of shaded areas to sit and watch your children have a blast! Yes, the park could use some updating, but we love it anyway! We just hope that the park can continue to stay open so that more young kids can enjoy it! If you haven't taken your young children to Santa's Land, you really need to! Admission is only $25 and a season pass is only $45. We went with the season pass, and it has already paid for itself!

Which is both a good and a bad thing. Some of the places could use some serious updating. But the people were all nice and my boys loved riding the rides. I loved getting carried immediately back to my childhood.

Has been years since we were there, the kids really enjoyed it. I'm sure a lot has changed but again in the mountains, and makes a neat little day trip for the entire family

Don't waste your time. Gift shop is all that we visited. You are better off shopping at Dollar General or a yard sale. Very low quality merchandise...we bought nothing and regretted the 10 minutes that we spend in the building.

Took my 2 granddaughters there and we all had a fun and enjoyable visit was impressed with how the staff interacted with my granddaughters in making their visit as fun as possible the park it self is a little out dated but its mainly for smaller visitors and not a six flags type of park if that's whats your expecting then don't stop I wont hesitate to take my granddaughters back for another visit was a very good time.

Our 5 year old had a blast here! We were in town in August, and spent the morning here. Definitely glad we were there in the morning and not the afternoon - the sun would have been too hot. We stayed about 2 hours and 45 minutes, leaving before 1 when the sun had just recently gotten uncomfortable. Our daughter enjoyed all the rides, but in 2 more years she probably will have outgrown them. All the rides were open except one - a helicopter ride that was under maintenance. Tickets were $23 per person (young or old), and we were fine with that as she had such a great time (plus I knew to expect it to be expensive). One negative - they didn't have a convenient place to wash hands around the petting zoo. You'll need to just get your kid to a bathroom after they go through.

I grew up in WNC but as a child I never got to visit this, I had GhostTown but now that I have grandbabies, we my cousin and I had an opportunity to take my grandkids and her grandbaby .....it will now become an annual adventure! My 2.5 year old and 1 year old so loved the park! The people from getting food to riding the rides were all so welcoming and nice!!! Santa and Mrs Calus were wonderful ❤️ I can't wait to incorporate this to our holiday traditions, thank you for making our visit so memorable and nice!!!!

It is small in size but it has things for everybody. One end has the rides, a Ferris Wheel, Rudy Coaster, Train that goes around most of the place. Those are good for adults. There are snack shops on that end, and restrooms. There are cars and boats that just go around in a circle, Merry Go Round, cars that go around but you can guide them a little bit. There is a gift shop. There is a game room and some buildings that have robotic elves doing things. In the middle they have the zoo part which includes an informative show with baby bears. For those that want to complain about the bears there, they go by what they are required to by the USDA. They have monkeys on the islands where the paddle boats are and you can feed them as well as the Coy fish. There are goats, Kangaroos, Llamas, Deer, as well as other animals. You can also feed them. On the other end is the second train station, Santa's shop where you can get pictures with Santa, they have a magic show, you can get a horseshoe nail ring made, They have a gift shop and snack shop there. There are things like an igloo, kangaroo, sleigh and reindeer that you can get pictures with. Just right if you have little kids. They do have rental wagons if you need one for your kids. You can carry in cooler of food and drinks. They do have a birthday special where you can get Santa to make an appearance. I am not sure what all it includes. They used to have October Fest. I am not sure if they still do.

my family and I visited here thinking it would be a fun place for the kids ,WRONG! rides are a hazard, accident waiting to happen. when we were leaving we were in the gift shop picking up trinkets to take home, when one of the employees, I'm guessing manager started yelling at one of the other employees so loud that everyone stopped to look, we than put our things down and left. So sad that this place is such a dump, maybe 50 years ago this was a nice place but not now. because of low staffing several things were closed, but after seeing how staff are treated I am far from surprised.

Run down, but that's expected for this part of Americana. However, staff could feel empowered to give a darn. Animals could be better tested with an inactive (apparently, non-existent staff) to educate the younger ones.

The thing that ruined the trip was a problem with their smoking policy. They basically put the kid's rides in the middle of a smoke pit.

Mentioned that this was the reason for cutting our day short to Liz. The response I got was that "the is North Carolina" and the owner "believes in smokers rights, too." This is why we won't be returning.

We've been to multiple attractions in NC that has balanced this tension. None have sacrificed our kid's lungs for that cause.

Given the accessibility of options that are friendlier, better kept, and balances everyone's "rights," we'll be going elsewhere.

The park s great for kids ages 8 and under but the grounds and facilities need maintenance! The bathrooms were not in good shape, no soap and 2 toilets were out of order. Soap or hand sanitize is greatly need for amusement park for kids. At time of purchase clerk report transmitted was not running today but the train has not run in a long time as evident by the rusty tracks and order grown weeds on the tracks! Our kids had a fantastic time with rides but grounds and facilities need maintenance.

We had free passes that we won and decided to take our 3 children ages 9,6, and 3. I went when I was a child and really enjoyed it. Well now as an adult I think that the $21/person they charge is a complete rip off! I would have been mad if I would have had to spend $100 on that place. There is literally only 8 rides for the kids. There are animals but not many. The entire park can easily be completed within 2 hours and that is taking your time.

The kids loved it though. There were no lines for anything which was a plus. The kids could ride the rides over and over again without getting off.

Also, the entire park needs to be re painted. I think that may help it some. Food is very reasonably priced and staff is very friendly.

We discovered this gem almost a year ago and fell in love. Tickets are $23.95 for all ages, so it is not cheap, but not expensive in comparison to many other venues. My 3 year old loves every ride and was able to ride as long and as often as he loves led on every ride.

On the morning of our second day there (season pass) he ran to the operator at his favorite ride and hugged her! All the staff we have interacted with have been wonderful.

It is an older park with old charm. Not the flashy, wild rides and such you see at newer parks. Older kids would likely not enjoy it as much but for the 18 month - 5 year range it is a perfect place.

There is a small zoo, paddle boats, train, a small roller coaster, large Ferris wheel and carousel that are appropriate for all ages. Also smaller riders for young kids and a playground area. Magic shows are offered a few times each day and Santa is always waiting in his house to visit with kids.

Onsite food is decent. Be prepared however as credit cards are not accepted other than in the gift shop. If you want to be able to go in and out of the venue of anticipate visiting multiple days, a season pass is a good idea.

Great little theme park. Definitely great for kids under 10. The zoo was clean and tidy and the amusement park rides are great for small kids.

My wife and I took our 2 1/2 year old grandaughter here on a Sunday and had a great time. We spent 3 hours in there and could have spent more time. Great for children. Lots of animals to see and feed and plenty of rides designed for children. Lots of exhibits to go in and see and lots of old school type playground equipment. Santa was also there sitting in his house for a photograph or conversation. Lots of people there(Labor Day weekend) but not crowded. Makes you think of the old style road side attractions you used to see when traveling. There are gift shops and a couple of different places inside to get something to eat. Definitely recommend.

WOW its a great place to bring the kids that still believes in Santa, see the live small zoo, and then ride on a few rides and you can also meet Santa him self.

We have visited Santa's Land regularly each year. It is nothing like a Six Flags or any of the big amusement parks. It is a place to make fun memories in a much smaller family park. The park has been open for many years, so you can imagine it shows the age - but it is still nice. The Rudicoaster is a fun little roller coaster for all to ride. There is a ferris wheel, train and paddle boats that all can ride. The rest of the rides are more for smaller children. The food seems to be priced well and is good. The Magic Show was entertaining and included the children in some of the show. The gift shop has shirts and other things at decent prices. We love to spend the day at Santa's Land. Just remember that it is a small family amusement park in a mountain town that will not have the big thrills of a big park.....but it is a great place to spend the day having fun as a family at a much slower pace than the big parks! :)

Took my daughter there today and was a little disappointed. I had been there in the early 90's and really didn't remember anything about it other than the huge bunny I had my picture taken with. The park was very overgrown, dated, and just plain "run down". There is an interesting assortment of animals there and they seem to be well cared for. The playgrounds had some fun equipment. I was a little disturbed by a huge rusty nail that was sticking out of some wood in the playground area. The most enjoyable part of our day was the paddle boat ride. The fish were pretty amazing! Overall, the place just seems kind of sketchy and is in need of some TLC. My 3 year old daughter did enjoy it though...

A little costly for what it offers. Granddaughter 5 years old liked it but was just ok with12 year old grandson

I am a grandmother of 4 ranging in ages 1-11. I brought my son here when he was elementary age and he is now 32 and the father of my grandkids. The first time I brought the grandkids there was only 2 of them and that was 4 years ago. The grands love this park as much as their father did. The park is small enough that the grandparents don't walk themselves to death. There is a good mix of rides and zoo animals. We were there on Labor Day and the grands didn't want to leave! My 11 year old will have outgrown it after this visit but being 11 didn't deter him from riding the RudiCoaster over 30 times! We had a fabulous time and made great memories! One of the things I like most is that 95% of the attractions are operated by Senior citizens. They cared for and looked after our grands as if they were their own. Labor Day was a great time to visit because the temperature was 75 degrees and there was no crowd. We didn't wait at any attraction and had the rides all to ourselves most of the day. My grands have been to Disney World and Six Flags over TX yet they enjoyed Santa's Land just as much. Happy 50th anniversary Santa's Land! I hope you are open for my great grand kids too!!

Santa's Land may seem a little worn around the edges, but for our 5 and 8-year-old granddaughters, it was a really fun experience. I've lived in NC all of my life and never been to this attraction. We took the girls this past weekend and were very pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was and how much there was for them to do. Be sure to catch the magic show. The magician is good at his craft, he's pretty funny, and he engages well with the kids. The Rudicoaster and paddle boats were also a lot of fun. The park is a good value for the money. Santa looked great and took on the challenge of trying to talk to our somewhat reluctant girls.

Great time with me grands. They loved it! Good for small kids. I dont think bigger kids would not like it.

I was very disappointed that we had to pay full price for a 2 year old to get in. The animals were in horrible shape. I felt so sorry for all of them. They do not look like they're being taken care of properly. The safety bar popped open on me mid ride and I had to hurry and close it back. That could have been bad if it had happened to one of the kids. The best thing I can say was the Santa was spot on! He took time to give my grandkid a great experience talking to him.

Our family decided to visit this park instead of the crowded Dollywood this year. It was like a step back in time. Although they could put a little more effort into the upkeep of the park, the kids never noticed. They had a great time riding all the rides with no line. The animals were fun to feed too. Everyone was super nice and we all had a great time

$24 is not a lot to pay. Even a game of putt putt is over $10. Here, there are animals, a magic show, some amusement rides (helicopters, Ferris wheel, Rudicoaster kids coaster, carousel, little cars, kiddie boats and kiddie motorcycle/school bus ride), Santa’s house where you can visit with him, paddle boats where you can feed fish, playgrounds, a few other misc exhibits, candy/fudge shop, gift shops and more. It’s definitely old-fashioned, but that’s part of the charm. The staff is really nice and helpful and the kids had a great time. My kids are six and nine and both really enjoyed it.

My review is based on the two places that I visited.
A stop at Santa’s Land on the way to Cherokee, NC of a family day trip. I’ve seen the signs for this place, but had never visited. We didn’t go to in the park itself, but we did check out the gift shop, and Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen. The gift shop was decorated with Christmas trees, and had every kind of ornament that you could imagine. The lady working check out was so friendly, and she told us about the different animals that she sees in her yard. Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen was a stop for more fudge. It was a fun visit, Christmas in July.

Not ADA accessible. Rude customer service. Disregards ADA laws. No one resonance to talk to. Does not care.

Great time with my 3 children, ages 8(special needs) 3, and 3 (twins). The park is dated but we still fun. Rides include a small train, roller coaster, ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and 3 smaller carousels with boats, race cars, and motorcycles, fire trucks, taxis, buses. We also enjoyed the paddle boats on a small pond filled with catfish. The catfish are accustomed to being fed from the paddle boats, so they aggressively chase the boats waiting on food. A highlight was sitting on Santa's lap in his very own cottage - he was a great Santa who interacted well with my children. There are several "statues" in the park for photo ops - sleigh with reindeer, kangaroo, igloo, Easter bunny, nativity scene. Many of the elf cottages have scenes inside that may have been animated years ago but no longer work.

This place is just so cute! The park is nice and a must see if you are in the area with small children. As a child, this was a fantastic and as an adult still fun to take my niece.

Loved Santa's Land!!! Hidden gem for younger kids. Paddle boats were so fun! There are fish to feed while out on paddle boats! Petting zoo animals that you can feed including beautiful deer! The rides were amazing to the 7 year old. We rode the Ferris wheel and she loved it. Rudolph rollercoaster was so cute & fun! Magician included all kids in his show! There are several statues & photo areas, even a large Nativity scene. And last but not least we met Santa!!!

This place is so old...needs so much work! At one time it was a fun place to go to...but now the whole place is old and needs much attention. The animals are fun and younger children would enjoy the rides.

We drove 40 minutes on November 26th because website stated open only to find it closed for the season.....very disappointed!! Please keep your website current!!

Literally only two miles from home. Took our 2 yr old granddaughter to do some fun as she would say. A bit overpriced and no local discount. The park is very dated and could use a coat of paint but in a way that's what made me appreciate the place. The granddaughter had fun and points it out when we drive by now so at the end of the day it was well worth it for the memories generated

We went there several times over the years. It was always super clean, and the staff was always nice. Santa is always on duty in his little house along with Mrs. Clause sometimes of his helper elves. You can even purchase a picture of your child with Santa. They have a nice little train the runs around the park, and the Merry Go 'Round, Childrens rides, a Ferris Wheel and the famous Rudy Coaster, with Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer out front to lead the way. There are live Reindeer that you can feed, and a Baby Black Bear showing and feeding several times a day. There are exoctic birds, Goats, and paddle boats on a small pond with an island in the middle of the pond with monkey's on it. Craft shows, and certain times of the year you can watch Molassas being made the old fashion way. It is one great small childrens park that will give them memories of a life time.

I grow up going and loved it, and I have a son with autism and he can't go to crowed places without getting upset. We took him for the 1st time when he was two and we go 3-4 times a year and he loves it there. There's no long lines and there aren't a lot of people there which is perfect for a person with autism. Yes it is over priced and old looking, but its the 1st place my son could go and have fun.

Depending on your family situation this park can either be very disappointing or one of the most fun things you did in the mountains. I have small children and they absolutely love the carnival rides (including the Rudi Coaster). It is very fun for small kids. It has four or five carnival rides for kids, a ferris wheel for the whole family, and a kids roller coaster. Lots of animals that you can feed with your hands as well as complimentary paddle boat rides around the lemur islands. If you don't have small kids in your party I would not recommend paying to visit the park as the magic of the place is when you experience it through the eyes of young kids. We have visited the park about 5 times over the years with our children. It is always a highlight of their time here in the mountains.

I used to go to this place every summer as a kid. Now that I have a kid of my own I try to go at least once a year, but would like to start going more. A lot of people complain about the price, but it's a lot cheaper than most places. People also complain that it's fun for kids, but not so much if you're an adult. Apparently my definition of fun and theirs are two completely different things. Adults these days have become spoiled with the bigger amusement parks that have rides for kids and adults of all ages. Santa's Land isn't that. There are a few rides that adults can ride, but it's mostly just for kids. Which is absolutely fine with me. I have the time of my life just watching my son enjoy the same things I did as a kid. My son means the world to me, and as long as he's having fun, then so am I. He's making memories that he'll carry with him for the rest of his life, and that's well worth the price of admission in my book.

This is a fun place for children, lots of rides for them. I was very concerned about the animals although their cages seemed clean enough. Very 1960's old school amusement park.

I went to Santa's land as a child and I am really glad I could take my son. We had a great time. Fun fun fun

The only reason we stopped in was because I wanted to see bears. So glad we did. The kids 10 & 9 loved all the rides and how close we were to the animals. The magic show was a added plus and all employees were extremely nice. Kids were excited about setting Santa in the summer! Extremely glad we found this hidden treasure!

This is a relaxing little fun park for the family. One price per person gets you in the park and includes the rides (roller coaster, ferris wheel, carousel, etc), paddle boats, zoo animals, and magic show. Other stuff (food, treats for the animals and fish, etc.) is reasonably priced. The magician was very good and friendly. We talked with him for about 20 minutes after the show. My only complaint was that the $0.25 coin operated fish food machines gave very little for a quarter, sometimes only about 8-10 pieces.

I wish I'd read the Trip Advisor reviews to take advantage of an auto club admission discount! Park shows its age, but kids can really enjoy. Special mention for the Magic Show--the magician is experienced and leaves the audience wanting more--he just might inspire the budding young magician in your family!

My daughter, now 8, and I have been going there for years. Overall we have a nice time- and even though it is a small park, it is a good time to spend with your children. I will say, however, I am disappointed that many of the "regulars" are not there this year. Not sure if they cut a bunch to save money, but some of the new staff needs some help and training. They do not seem to care about the customers like the ones in years past. Anyway, it is still good- just kind of lost a bit of that "spirit". PS- if you plan on going more than once, yearly passes are key!

This old place is a tried and true fun time for small children. Our grandson got to visit with Santa, ride the train, see and feed the animals and ride a helicopter, motorcycle, horse and a boat and he had a ball. He also got to help the magician perform some magic in stage.
A bit on the expensive side for what was available with some rides not operating and others short staffed, but all in all a pretty good day and a happy boy at the end of the day.

It was a cute Christmas themed amusement park for small children. There are a few rides (Ferris Wheel, small roller coaster, boats, cars, carousel, train ) suitable for preschoolers
-early elementary age children. They had several animals, however they were not kept in the best of conditions which was upsetting to me. The magic show was cute. Children can also meet Santa, but there is a $6 charge for a photo with him. The food and drinks were reasonably priced and the employees were friendly.

Great little stop. Little kids love it. Awesome animals, generic carnival rides. Over priced... But the animals are probably expensive to manage year round

Please avoid this sad tourist trap. The facility is a dilapidated rickety dump. They have dozens of animals kept in bad conditions: small enclosures with nothing in them except scared and anxious animals with dirty water bowls. Please stay away.

This place is wonderful and perfect for all ages. I have a one n two year old we got to ride all rides but one n even got to see Santa the prices and gifts are very cheap wonderful place for family vacation.

Super cute park and zoo! My kids loved the rides, feeding the animals and of course visiting with Santa! The prices were super reasonable too!

Our boy is adventurous at 14 months and loves to ride amusement park rides, but cannot ride a lot at the bigger Parks. This park however he can ride and do everything and had a blast! Even rode the rudicoaster which is a little more intense than it looks and so fun. Park was very clean and all the employees were so friendly and helpful. The amazing gene magic show was a plus and a good break. The park is in a wooded setting and that keeps it cool. The price is $19.99 and by today's standards that is not bad at all. There are coupons for $2 off in the Gatlinburg Best Read Guide. The zoo area is an added bonus and you can feed most animals for a .25. They even have baby bears you can feed. Be sure to do the paddle boats free and see the animals back by there as well. Train ride around park was cool. Research before you go and you will not be disappointed.

We enjoy the area, from the national park to downtown Cherokee, there is plenty to do and see. We also enjoyed Bryce City, and Maggie's Valley.

My family has visited Santa's Land on many occasions, and have enjoyed the fun experience when our son was younger. It is a great place for young children to visit, enjoy the kiddie rides, and view the various animals.

This is a good family venue. There are a few rides and some good animals with feeding opportunities. They have a paddle boat pond. There is a children's magic show. Not bad for under $30. We went on Monday, which seems to be a good day, not too busy.

Santa land is a fun place to take your little ones for a day out. It's nowhere near as nice as a park like dollywood or kings dominion, but for us, it was a stress free nice day for our family of 3. My 5 year old daughter really loved all the play ground areas, rides and santa visit. The magic show was great! The man who did the show was filling in for another gentleman that was supposed to work that Saturday as he was the worker during the week. He was extremely friendly and great with children. Even had some of the children come up on stage to help with the magic tricks. My daughter was one of them and absolutely loved it. The rides were great. A bit old and worn but all still fun for our 5 year old daughter. The rudi coaster was the best. The ferris wheel goes fast in comparison to others so if you're like this mama and afraid of heights... may want to skip that one 😅 I highly recommend the little train ride and the koi pond. So relaxing and fun with family.

There are downsides to the park though. The life jackets for the koi pond have mildew. For the koi pond to be included at no extra cost though we can't complain. Would suggest updating those though. There are also 2 empty cages in the pond. There are a fee areas like the candy mountain slide area that are worn and falling apart. Those could be fixed and help to make the place more inviting. There were also a few workers who were grumpy looking. We spoke with them and they were nice though but they definitely looked like they weren't thrilled to be there lol. Most who worked there were on the older side. No one was all that friendly except the gentleman running the car driving ride and the magician. Both friendly and struck up a conversation with us. Most food wasn't available so that was a bummer. The nachos were really good though and funnel cake was amazing!

Overall was a good visit. The food was great, the rides were fun and the koi pond so relaxing. If you are ok with things being a bit old, but functional, I'd say give this place a go. I do recommend they try to invest in fixing thie place up just a bit. Maybe a donation box on the way out of the gift shop to help them make the place look as nice as it used to. I had been when I was 5 and have fond memories here. I hope it will be fixed up one day for many more generations to enjoy!

So the entire place looks like it did 50 years ago when it open. It is pure nasty! Life preservers for the paddleboat have black mold. When I complain to the attendant she said yes we know we told them many times with no action taken. Idk how they can pass public inspection. What a waste of money! There’s not a zero rating or that’s what they would’ve gotten.

This place is amazing, YES I BELIEVE I see Santa every time I go there. Live feeding the Bear shows, magic tricks, carnival rides. Fresh made crackling pork skins. The Koa Goldfish with the paddle boats to see the fish come up to your boat millions is so amazing. There is a Rudolph the Reindeer roller coaster and a Giant Ferris wheel. The BBQ is so delicious. And it had everything for gifts to give for someone special at Christmas... Tell them the expert of fun sent you Debbie

the kids big and small love this place. just a fun little park to visit. kids love to feed the animals and ride the rides. staff is friendly and happy.

We have been going to Santa's Land for as long as I can remember. I went there as a child, now my mom and I take my girls. They love it! Highly recommended for families with smaller children.

It's not a bad place but over priced , but I'm guessing cause they aren't very busy .. magic show was great , no lines to wait for rides , everyone was friendly ..good for little kids

I went here as a child and I loved it so I decided to take my children.... Big mistake!!! Too over priced. The whole park is rundown, overgrown, dirty and the rides look like they're ready to fall apart. The animals were pitiful! They were dirty and the cages were wayyyy too small. the staff are very rude! when my niece leaned up one of the bars fell and hit her in the head they were not helpful at all! She was bleeding everywhere and they didn't even offer her a paper towel! They just yelled at her to get off (she was 3) they didnt want her bleeding all over it. The manager was no help. Overall this place is a sad sorry excuse for a theme park and they should either close it down or fire every rude worker there hire younger people and do a complete overhaul... We will never go back!!

I went as a child, now I have taken my kids twice and planning a return trip. This is a great place for kids. This is a child's dream.

Hidden gem, we took our two year old here, and she had a blast, because she was able to ride on the rides here, unlike the rides on local fairs or carnivals. She had so much fun feeding the animals and riding on the paddle boats too.

Its a wonder place,my grandkids love it. They get to see santa all summer, also very friendly and clean,

My grandson had a wonderful time at this attraction park. He love it in fact. He had a better time than visiting Dollywood, the animals and the rides are for young children. It was a fun day for the family. Got a AAA discount too......

I have always wanted to stop at SantaLand. When I was a child we would travel to Cherokee often, but my parents would never stop. I finally got to take my family, ages 15, 10 , 39 and 38! IT was everything I had hoped. You cant go in expecting Disney or Dollywood, but it is great for what it is!! My only issue is the animals they keep in a "zoo" there! Terrible conditions!!!

We had heard a lot about this adorable family park but had never been, so we decided to take my son there for a special getaway. This park is wonderful and such a step back in time to more simple pleasures. The rides and attractions were perfect for young children (my son is 4) and even parents could enjoy several of the rides! They had a wide variety of animals in Zoo Land, which you could feed if you wanted, and they all were very friendly, especially the deer! The rides consisted of some general amusement rides and several different playgrounds, all which were clean and in great shape. Of course we all loved the Rudicoaster - definitely a must ride in the park! I personally just loved the vintage flair to it all - the little houses with dioramas in the viewing windows depicting Christmas and winter stories, the simple playground equipment that I remembered as a child. We even got to stop in Santa's House for a visit and picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus! We have a 4-year old and thought we would only spend a couple hours there, but four hours later he was still having a blast! I am so thankful that places like Santa's Land exist, these are the type of parks that allow children simple pleasures that encourage them to use their imagination to enjoy. We will definitely come back!

grandkids had good time and enjoyed the animals they rode the rollercoaster used the paddle boat, enjoyed the animals

I finally had the opportunity to bring my kids (6&10). I remember visiting when I was young, about 30 years ago. Not much has changed. The blacksmith still makes the little nail rings and they still have the magic show and Santa. The rides they have are mostly catered to the under 7/8 crowd but my 10 year old had fun anyway. At the end of the day, we caught the 5:15 magic show. Sometime during the show, my husband's wallet fell out of his pocket and he didn't realize it until we got to the gift shop about 10 minutes later. We he returned, the magician had locked up the "show" building and left. When we inquired with the staff in the gift shop, they stated they couldn't do anything because they didn't have a key and couldn't get a key and we could return in the morning. Finally, whom I assume was a manger, heard our plight and drove in the pouring rain to the magician's location and got a key. It was after hours at this point. Fun family day!

We took our kids to Santa Land many years ago and they loved it--even when they went back as teens. Now we took our six year-old grandson and he loved it just as much. He was a little disappointed that there weren't more rides, but he especially enjoyed the ferris wheel. He enjoyed feeding the animals, talking to Santa, the magic show, and riding the train. It hasn't changed much in 20+ years and I found that a good thing!

If your children like petting, zoos, and seeing animals, a decent magic show and riding a Ferris wheel and a child roller coaster this place is for you! The guy doing the magic show was super nice and sweet and spent a lot of time in the magic shop with a 10 year old boy!

A great park for anyone under 10. The rides are mostly for young kids my five year old loved it! There are animals (even reindeer) you can watch and some you can feed. The magic show was good and the magician was good with the kids. And lastly Santa was probably the best Santa I have seen. He had a real beard, he was very friendly, patient and awesome with the kids.

We really enjoyed our trip. My granddaughters that are 1 and 3 years old love the roller coaster and the viewing of the goats.

I will preface this by saying that if you prefer a Disney-like experience with multitudes of rides and lots of stimulation then you may be disappointed. However, if you have small children, love Christmas, enjoy a small, quaint park then you will be happy. My parents first took me to this park when I was 3 and this was back in the late 70s. The park has stayed very true to it's original form with most of the original decor still in place. When I first stepped through the gate, it took my breath away ~ it was like being a kid again. It is a lovely, small park with several "retro-style" rides that small kids will absolutely love. My 3 year old daughter loved them and wasn't afraid to be on them by herself. We rode the train around the park on two separate occasions - the seats were kind of crampy for long legs but I was there for my child and she was loving every minute. The animal exhibits were very clean and the animals seem well cared for. I'm very particular about any zoo type exhibit and this one didn't raise any red flags for me. Naturally, we saw Santa and he was the real deal and very sweet to my child. We even saw him later at the lunch counter and he took time to visit with my family and chat while we waited for our food. Food selections are somewhat limited and along the sandwich and chips line but I loved, loved, loved my fried bologna sandwich (don't knock it till you try it!). Portions were generous and we didn't go hungry. We will definitely make this a yearly trip and I am so grateful that the park owners have kept Santa's Land true to it's original roots so that everyone can enjoy a wholesome experience and have wonderful memories!

Wonderful little amusement park.. My children loved it.. especially getting to meet Santa... and the roudolph coster.. Only problem was when we went to ride the paddle boats a monkey escaped and jumped on a little girl and bit her finger!! Blood everywhere.. needless to say that was the only ride my kids DID NOT go on...

This is by far my children's favorite place to go each year. It is one of the nicest and cleanest play parks for little children. Don't expect something out of Disney world, but that is why we love it. It is perfect for kids under 9 years old, but older kids will like it too and we saw plenty there that day. Everything is geared towards Santa Claus and his elves, plus there are rides, games, playgrounds, animals, paddle boats, and of course you get visiting time with Santa! This place is a must for all kids who love Christmas! The season runs from May to the end of October.

Time travel to the past. Founded in 1966, the statues, buildings, playground equipmen, and laid back vibe is still the same. We dragged our 19 and 15 year old in, and they enjoyed it all. It is a piece of Americana that has been replaced by standardized monotony. Go visit today.

We took our two year old twins and they LOVED it here! Lots to do for little ones. The park was very clean, in very good order. We noticed the snack bar had gotten a rating of 99.5 from the Health Department. We spent about 4 hours there and will be back with them. Lots of shade in the park so the heat wasn't unbearable.

Overpriced tired Santa theme park with lots of animals in little dusty enclosures. Animals weren't cared for. Baby bears in a cage without their parents--wrong, wrong, wrong! Employee fed baby bears fruit juice and dog chow. They don't know anything about caring for animals. Don't waste your money or time here.

This park is about 2 hours from our home, but we have gone 3 times over the past year and a half to take all of our grandkids. Santa's Land has been around for quite a while, but has been well maintained. It is ideal for kids 2 - 10 years. Many rides and things to do geared for the kids, but Paw Paw always enjoys the ferris wheel and the Rudicoaster. Seeing the smile on the kids faces is what i enjoy most. There are animals, playground areas, paddle boats and other things to see and do. If you have AAA membership be sure to get your two dollars off admission.

We found the park clean, the employees happy and helpful. Our grandchildren are 3 and 6 and they enjoyed the 3 hours we were there! No long lines, no older kids, no loud voices, no obscene language, just fun on an elementary level. Sure the park is dated. Sure the park is limited on resources. But all the young children I observed were having fun and so were the parents and grandparents. We will go again.

This is a wonderful "North Pole" experience. It is a small but entertaining amusement park. It is a definate must see for the young or young at heart. Our sons loved the rides and entertainment. They have cute displays throughout the park. The big event though was seeing "Santa" in July! You are able to fill out an envelope and just before Christmas your children will receive a letter from Santa. I think I was just as excited as they were when it arrived.

I have the best memories of Santa's Land as a child. I did not take my children and not really sure why as I thought of it often - whether it be we were always so busy or life just got in the way or always heading to Georgia to see my parents, but I wish I had taken my kids to Santa's Land. Well, my parents are gone now and I have grandchildren so we do not go to Georgia much, so we can go North :) more. I could not get Santa's Land out of my mind, so a couple of years ago my daughter and I took my 2 grandchildren to Santa's Land and they absolutely loved it and so did I! They could ride everything!

We missed last year but we should have made time. They are growing up so fast. We are planning a trip back soon and I know we will not be disappointed. I have read many reviews about how outdated and in need of updating Santa's Land is. Maybe we could all get involved and make this possible for this lovely place for children, grandchildren, and adults like me as well who have fond memories here with my parents and now making more memories with my grandchildren. It is a small park atmosphere without the overcrowded feeling of bigger parks, and I enjoyed the fact that we could ride the rides over and over without standing in line for 2 hours - my grandchildren are very active and always running and we were able to keep up with them, and the staff were very caring regarding my grandchildren and also the animals were like pets to the staff. Get involved and make a difference! make a change! bring it back to life! Volunteer your time or donate money for improvements if you do not have time! so that future generations can enjoy Santa's Land too! and it is right here in the Great Smoky Mountains. Help make a difference so that we do not have another "Ghost Town In The Sky" which I also have very fond memories of going to with my parents.
Theresa

Fun place for kids 10 and under. Have rides and train. Gift shop is pretty cheap. Loved the animal zoo. Santa is always there.

With my AAA discount, we paid $160 for four adults and three children. What a waste. There were about three families in the park, and it was still understaffed. One young kid running the cafe; food took forever. Kids enjoyed the five or so rides that were there. The whole place looked like it hadn't been updated in about 15 years. Just very sad.

We visited Santa's Land this past weekend and I have to say it is exactly as I remembered it 35 years ago when I visited as a child. The park was not very busy the day we visited. Our son enjoyed the kiddie rides that were open. Unfortunately the Rudi-Coaster was down for repairs that day so we didn't get to enjoy it. The small train was fun way to see the park and also took a turn in the paddle boats.
The downside to the park was the staff. The younger staff members we encountered seemed that we were more of an annoyance and not very friendly. The older staff members we're great and helpful. While in their restaurant which wasn't very busy at the time, we had an accident. They had a very wobbly table. We bumped it and two of our drinks spilled to the floor. We didn't expect free refills but would have been nice for someone to check on us or at least offer napkins or paper towels to help clean up mess. Which we did all ourselves. No one ever acknowledged us although in plain site of counter.
We did meet some good "cast members" our son loved their magician Brian LaPalma. He was very kind and showed our son a magic trick that he has been showing everyone since he has been home. Would have say we would probably not go back.

I use to love Santa land as a child, however... it looks like it has 30 coats of paint that has flaked every layer. STOP AND CLEAN/UPDATE YOUR PARK or lower your price. Nasty and very dated

We came here to go to the gift shop. They have some really good items. Plus if you have kids, they'll really enjoy visiting!!!!!

Let me start by saying that as we entered the park we were greeted by the Village Black Smith,Roger he was the hit of our trip here Our Daughter who is very shy did not want to see what he was doing. He explained in very KID friendly way that he was Santa's black Smith and that he w as in charge of the reindeer. He further engaged our Daughter got her talking and very into the Whole ring making thing We truly appricate Roger as long as you have people like him we will return. Santa was very pleasent as was the lady in the shirt shop . The baby bears were sweet. The lake was closed. We asked a couple of people questions and they had no idea what was going on in the park But all in all it was a great day till the rain. My wife says the t shirt lady was Karen? Wish there was more covered areas in case of rain like today.

Simple, sweet, old fashioned kid fun. My boys ate it up. The magic show, meeting Santa (and I mean this man was Santa), the rides for little kids, playgrounds.

The place has been owned by the same people for 48 years and it reflects this in it's approach to simple, sweet fun for kids.

Note*** If you want fancy or high-tech, go elsewhere. If you like Americana and just plain pleasantness...don't miss it.

Neat little place to take the little ones. It wasn't too crowded and the local atmosphere was quaint.

Santa's Land in Cherokee NC is a terrific place to visit. My family came here when I was a child. I am 40 years old and now have been bringing my son for 14 years to visit twice a year. We visit in the spring when they open and then again in the fall. The look of the place changes some with the season. The rides are great. They have a roller coaster which is small but powerful. They also have a ferris wheel. The other rides are on the smaller side but still a lot of fun to ride. They only have two rides that only small children can ride. The paddle boats are a must. You get followed by a WHOLE bunch of gold fish- big gold fish. The animals are well taken care of and fun to see- especially the baby bears that get brought out three times a day to climb up a tree and drink milk or juice from a bottle depending on how old they are at the time. They get other food, of course, but this is a time for them to tell you about them, and you can ask questions. The magic show is great and some of the kids get to participate. They have two Santa's in Santa's house. One is there during week days, and the other on the weekends. The place is beautiful. Don't go if you are expecting a huge amusement park like Carowinds, but if you want a great place to visit- go visit Santa's Land. We took our little 3 year old cousin for the first time and she was thrilled with everything and still weeks later is talking about Santa's Land.

Excellent, excellent place to take your young ones. We take our 3 yr old grand kid and he loves it, especially, feeding the deer. The rides are designed for all. They have animals a camel, wild cats, bears (watch the feeding), feed the fish, all types of birds, and, of course, deer. The magic show is something to see as well.

So much fun for little kids. Plenty of rides, great animals and a Koi pond with Paddle boats that is so much fun. There are tons of hungry fish to feed from you boat. Santa and Mrs. Clause are always around to make the children smile....We wouldn't go to this part of the mountains without visiting Santa's Land! The prices are good and the park is very nice.

Santa's Land is split up into three sections pretty much. The one end has some shops and a small snack bar (candy, ice cream, pizza, etc), Santa's house with Santa, and a playground area. The Train that goes around Santa's Land has a station down at that end and one at the other end where the rides are. The middle of Santa's Land has animals you can pet and feed. There is a bear show with two baby bears. There is a paddle boat lake that you can get food to feed the fish and monkeys on the monkey islands. There is a game room located in the zoo area. There is an area that has all the rides, merry go round, ferris wheel, little cars, boats, assorted cars, motorcycles, etc. The Rudy Coaster. There is a small restaurant there, restrooms, the other train depot. You can have birthday parties there, you can also take your own food in. They have funnel cakes and pork rines and some other things there. That end also has a picnic area. The kids like the baby goats and monkeys the most I think.

I will give two stars to this place simply because my daughter did have fun. However, it is truly lacking. The animals' living conditions are inadequate. It's very outdated. The rides are really old, and we noticed several safety concerns. If you've been to a large theme park where safety is valued, you will be a ball of nerves at Santa's Land. All in all, the workers were nice, but there are very few of them. Some of the workers were actually operating two rides. The bathrooms had NO soap at all!

Santa's Land in Cherokee, NC was so much fun! We met my sister and her boyfriend for lunch and then headed into Santa Land. I have lived in NC for 40 years and somehow missed this fun place. It is mostly kiddie rides but we enjoyed riding Rudie the roller coaster, the merry go round, and the train. It is a very old place so don't expect a lot of new modern fixtures. But, it will be fun for the little kids. The animal petting area was good as well however, there were a couple of animals that we felt did not have enough room to live in. And, Santa Claus was in a nice air conditioned room greeting all of us children. It was a good time and i would recommend it if you have young children, 7 & under.

Our two 3 year olds loved this place... especially the Rudicoaster and Ferris Wheel. The rides are perfect for the under 10 crowd. Both of our babies even got to be a part of the magic show. Well worth the money for a fun few hours of memory making... one fee and you can do everything as much as you want... and no lines! (Just wish they'd update the place a bit.)

We have visited Santa's Land several times before and we have always loved it. We have a Special Needs Daughter who begs to go there. She is now 14 years old.

We took her to Santa's Land yesterday but the visit wasn't as good as previous ones. One of the exhibit had nothing in it. Another exhibit remained locked the whole time we were there. The appearance of some of the animals at their zoo looked to be suffering. One of the bears had patches of hair loss.

The grass was tall, evening obstructing our view of some of their displays. No paint touch ups had been done during the off season.

It just had the appearance that they are in survival mode.

With the cost of tickets, not much to do, a few rides for the kids and a few animals you would think they could afford a happy Santa. We had a large group 6 kids and 6 adults, over $200.00 and the Santa could not even give us a HOHOHO nope nothing, not even a smile. We had to ask the kids what they wanted for Christmas and he said nothing. The photos we took he never smiled. He acted like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Very DISAPPOINTED, save your money and take the kids somewhere fun.

Oh my goodness! I cannot believe the number of folks I know who have stayed in the area and never visited Santa’s Land. It’s a really special piece of 60’s Americana and the reviews just did not prepare me for how wonderful it was going to be from the oversized characters: an Easter bunny, a snow man, a kangaroo with a pouch you can climb into, an igloo, and Santa’s sleigh, to the old school metal playground equipment my husband and I grew up with, to the charming animatronic elf scene. Believe me when I tell you you MUST check this place out if you are in the area. My kids loved riding the train from one part of the park to the other, meeting a really great Santa Claus who is always present to greet kids, watching the awesome magician, and see all the animals. Feeding deer was very special for my 3 year old who loves watching the deer in our yard and has always wanted to pet them. The rides are geared toward smaller children but we all had fun, including my 10 year old. Definitley head back to the paddle boats and buy a bag of food for the koi. They were enormous and very entertaining. We were fully unprepared for the amount of time we ended up spending at Santa’s Land. We didn’t have to wait in line for anything but we couldn’t get enough and wanted to explore every inch. The park is quite clean and in great shape and really it’s a great value for the fun your family will have. It is just so charming. You do not want to miss this!

Santa Land is a bit dated but it has the feel of being family owned and operated. Everyone was very friendly and caring. We have a 10 year old daughter who is a special needs child. She talks about Christmas every single day of her life. This was her second visit to Santa Land and she loved it!

We were going to go for an hour or 2 and spent all day here. My 5 and 8 year old LOVED it. Food, rides, games, paddle boats, train, and animals were great! The gift shop is pretty too! It's a fantastic place! Awesome memories!!!

Really enjoyed the trip with our 6-year-old son on August 13, 2016. Since the last time there, they have done a lot of maintenance work to the park and the rides, and the park has a lot of charm. Our son also enjoyed the new magician, "El Bobbino!" He had a great way with the crowd!

Let's be honest. This is no Disney World or Universal! However, for what and where it is, it is perfect! This is a small, slow-paced carnival/zoo park. I found it to be very clean and quaint. There is plenty of shade, and many places to sit. In addition, the staff was quite friendly, and even offered advice on the most shaded benches to sit on, and where to find air conditioning! We had a five-year-old with us. The simple rides were perfect for him! Even the roller coaster was cute, with just enough excitement to keep elementary-aged kids entertained without being scared. We had lunch while in the park and found the food to be good. In fact, my husband was thrilled that his hamburger was made to order, just the way he likes it! We were privileged to get to see the first ever set of grizzly bear cubs Santa's Land has kept; however, they will only be there until November 30th, so act fast if you want to see them.

Spent several hours here with my three year old granddaughter. She loved riding the rides over and over. No long lines here. It was busy but not over busy. Small staff but very friendly and good with the kids. Train ride included with admission. Your child can even set up front on the engine with the conductor. Park was clean, flowers planted. We were here about 1 1/2 yrs ago, things were a bit rundown, but now it is looking much better. New paint in many places. Small zoo like setting, with many opportunities to feed the fish, deer, goats, donkeys, etc. Santa on sight, and looks very much the part with a real beard. Best Santa I have ever seen. Very nice and patient with the children.
The rides are similar to those you find at a county fair. Merry go round, small roller coaster, boats, ferris wheel, helicopters, motorcycle go around. Paddle boats at the lake with opportunity to feed fish and monkeys.

We absolutely loved Santa's Land. I was skeptical since so many people said they were done in just an hour or two. We spent 5 hours there and could have stayed til close if we hadn't been short on time that day. My 3 year old daughter kept asking to go back before we even got out of the parking lot! Brought back some great memories from our childhood as well. The playground equipment and rides were just as we had as children and so glad our daughter got to experience that too. The employees were extremely nice. We went on a weekday and it wasn't crowded at all. Such a pleasant experience all around! The koi pond is an amazing experience! The park was kept very nice and was extremely clean. Feeding all of the animals was wonderful too. This is geared toward younger kids. Can't forget the rudi-coaster! We rode no less than 30 times!

Parents will really enjoy seeing their children having so much fun. Everything is freshly painted and beautifully landscaped. There is a live real bearded Santa in his house everyday for the children to visit and have their picture taken. The rides a great for 2yrs and up but there is a merry go round, Ferris wheel and the famous Rudi coaster for adults also! There is a zoo and also very cute baby bears. The paddle boats were fun with sooo many fish to feed! We really enjoyed the magic show. It was funny and plenty of audience participation. The park is 50 years old and just a wonderful bit of nostalgia!

A little pricey and outdated but my 2 year old had a great time! We saw Santa in the summer of July 2013! I thought it would be a lot of fun while the grown ups went water rafting. She road the Rudolph roller coaster all by herself and loved the cars and animals. There was not a ton of stuff to do and we did it all in about 2 hours including standing in a very short line to see Santa. We even had ice cream! Good time and fun memories!

Great place for the Little Ones! Loved seeing Santa and the Magic show was fantastic! The assortment of animals was fabulous and the rides are lots of fun. they are working on renovations (mostly painting, not construction) to update the park and it is looking amazing. The fudge was very tasty, the gifts available were very cute, the staff is very friendly and wonderful. I highly recommend everyone visit at least once if not more! Loved it.

My dad is in a wheel chair and we couldn't go in due to the gravel paths. I was not strong enough to push him on this type of walk way .He was very disappointed

The grands enjoyed the rides and enjoyed the visit. Compared to other parks in the area, it was more expensive. As a grandparent, I had to pay almost the same amount to not ride any ride.

This place was old and run down and over priced. The poor animals were miserable. Don't waste your time or your.money.

My parents took me here as a kid and now I take my child and niece. Yes, it is an aging place, but they do well in trying to keep it fresh and pretty each season. There are just enough animals in the zoo area for the kids to have fun petting them. The magic show is really cool for the young ones too. My child loves amusement rides and fairground rides are way to expensive and less safe. All the rides at Santa's Land are terrific for those under 10 years old and at the end of the day, I spend less here than at any state fair rides or other amusement parks. However, as an adult I personally LOVE the Rudicoaster! It is the best little roller coaster for any age! To top it all off, there is no wait or hardly any wait on anything there! I'll be sad when my child out grows this size of amusement park. It is always a fun day for both of us! If I lived closer, I would purchase a season pass.

My family (6 adults and 5 children ages 5 to 12) took a day trip Santa's Land over Labor day weekend. My parents took my brother and I as children and now wanted to take all the grandkids. The whole group enjoyed the day. Arrived at 10 am opening time expecting to spend 2 to 3 hours. The kids were having so much fun, we stayed almost until closing time. The park has nostalgic scenes including a nativity, train, animals, paddleboats, small rides including the Rudiocoaster, arcade, playground, food and of course Santa. Be sure to have a reindeer shoe nail ring made before you leave. They make great souvenirs and they are no charge. While the park is geared to smaller children, I was pleased to see that all the kids in our group thoroughly enjoyed themselves. My two boys (8 and 9 years old) talked about how much fun they had the entire 2 hour ride back home! My only negative was that after paying $25 per person for admission, I felt they could have been lower on their food prices.

This was a perfect choice for an easy outing with our 2 granddaughters. A little pricey but it is a touristy area. The staff was nice and the rides were good for the 4 year old. The toddler loved the animals. There is food available as well. We were fortunate to have perfect weather.

I love this place! I went here as a child and rode the Rhudy Coaster now my kids ride it ! They love the petting zoo and paddle boats! There are some rides and a train that goes around the property. A restaurant and gift shop are also onsite. The children can go and see Santa and have a picture made with him.

I wished there was actually a way of posting a no star. We took our 3 and 5 year old grand girls there and this place has gone down hill. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!! There is rat crap everywhere in the little crappy houses /attractions things the kids can go in. The places where they don’t want rats, the smell of moth balls almost knocks you out. There is a rinky dink arcade in the middle of this place and the old bats that were running that will holler at your kids for even walking in and looking., all while sitting on their lazy butts not even bothering to get up and ask if they can help you. None of the staff is friendly and they act like you are inconveniencing them. I felt like a total idiot for paying for the tickets. I could go on and on. The other thing that is sad is the animals that they have in these small cages. Someone really needs to rescue these animals. If they treat their paying guests the way we were treated I can only imagine how they treat these animals!!!

Our 4 year old grandson just loves the rides, especially the roller coaster and the interaction with the well kept zoo. The magic show is free but the not same with their new magician. The 2 new baby bears was a huge hit.

This was a fun place for the kids. Even though it is not open until near summer, it presented a fun experience for the smaller kids in our group. Little pricey, but fun.

Whether you have young children or have the grandkids for a visit - this is so much fun for everyone! Even though this is an old favorite of locals, there are lots of visitors there from out of state. The staff is well-trained, the rides and clean and safe, the size of the park is perfect for little legs, and the setting is well-maintained.

We brought our two granddaughters to Santa's Land July 21, 2015. They loved it. It is a cute park to take young children. I was very impressed with all the employees there. The girls loved the Rudicoaster and the paddle boats. I am sure we will return with the girls next year. We enjoyed it as much as the girls did.

When our daughter was a little girl we took her & her brother to Santa's Land. Now we felt we had to take her children, our grandsons 6 & 9 to see it also. Wasn't sure if the 9 year old would like it, but he got into the spirit very quickly. Most of the staff was very nice & helpful. Not crowded so the boys could ride the rides with very little wait as many times as they wanted. The petting zoo was fun and the animals very friendly. The only mild disappointment was the monkey display. Paddleboat ride to the exhibit was nice. It was quite exciting being chased by huge numbers of carp. The monkey cages were on an island that you can't get very close to. It was hard to feed them with food we bought at the park for this exhibit. It was a good thing Granddaddy had a good pitching arm or we would have been stuck with a lot of 'monkey food.' Overall a great day and the final review of the attraction is really from the boys, they want to go back.

My experience with this small park extends over 30 years in the past. It's low-key, charming, cool in the shade and uncrowded, and I'll return as long as I have young children to enjoy. It's located away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Cherokee and the casino. Don't expect Disney here, but you will appreciate the old-fashioned ambiance. As the blacksmith explained as he chatted us up, the workers are expected to be friendly and we found this to be true. The blacksmith, upon entry, fashions a nail ring to fit at no charge, but a donation box to a charity is prominent. The park contains a small roller coaster that would make older children smile, but my eight-year-old grandson rode it over and over. There's also a Ferris wheel and an assortment of kiddie rides, plus a miniature train ride through the park. Some kiddie rides may be briefly unattended as attendants do double duty with the rides. Whether this relates to the financial condition of the park is unknown. I did note that the park is looking a bit shabby, with a great need for paint. There are also a few games of skill that were mostly unattended. However, there is so much to do that these games paled by comparison.

Santa is always top notch, both in appearance and attitude. A picture with Santa is $5.00, or you can take your own. The magic show is also top notch, performed by a gentleman with a longtime association with the park. There are two small playground areas for young children. Picture taking opportunities abound. Animals are a highlight of the park, with opportunities to feed the deer and to watch baby bears being fed. Other animals housed in a small zoo area, including a camel, seem a bit sad in their enclosures. I'm not sure whether the treatment of these animals has been criticized by PETA, as PETA has done with other entities in Cherokee.

The park includes a small lake with two islands containing lemurs in cages. Paddleboats are available at no extra charge and are followed by thousands of koi expecting to be fed. Food choices in the park are somewhat limited. There is an excellent gift shop through which exit is made. We obtained a small discount through AAA, and there are also military and senior discounts. Children under two are free. The $21.16 plus tax entry fee is somewhat odd but is a very fair price for what the park offers.

This small amusement park has been there forever, now some parents who went as children are now bringing there children, love the continuity. I would say it's geared more for 2-9 year olds, not much for older children, which you would expect from a place called Santaland. Santa's helper who visits with the children in a separate building is very nice, he even calms the children who aren't too sure about seeing Santa, and you can make your own picture. There are numerous rides, our Grandkids favorite was the helicopters. The older kids loved the Rudicoaster, perfect as a first roller coaster. There are several spots where you can picnic so bring your lunch or snacks and enjoy a fun visit the kids will always remember. It's pricey but you can ride each ride as many times as you like.

We took our four year old granddaughter to Santa's on memorial day. It is great for kids. There is no waiting for the rides, there is a zoo, a pond with paddle boats, a train, magic show, and more. Small kids need to experience this place and ride the one of a kind Rudycoaster. I know of no other place like this and there is no telling how long it will be around as the bigger parks seem to get most of the business.

Very nice and clean park to take your children. Santa was very impressive and took time with children. Employees were very helpful with the kids. Several rides for the smaller kids and did not have to wait in any lines. A special note-buy your tickets at BearMeats Den when you come across the mountain from Maggie Valley and you will save $2.00 off each ticket but you must pay in cash/no debit or credit cards.

We had a lot of fun at this small older amusement park. Park was clean, everything was in good working order, and the Christmas theme was great. My children enjoyed there time here.

Relaxing park with no long lines, reasonable priced, and the food was great too.

We took our younger two kids, age 8&3 and they really enjoyed this park. There are a few little fun rides, a lot of friendly animals. The staff seemed very nice and the park was very clean. There is an arcade as well and all in all it is a great place to kill a few hours or stop and let the kids burn off extra energy! Our girls loved it and they even got to see Santa in July!

Came here with 2 small kids and they had a blast. We went on a week day so there were no lines which was awesome! There were a lot of opportunities to feed animals which the kids loved.
This place also has GREAT funnel cake!

Cherokee is in a very remote area of NC and close to TN so it's best to be in that area and recommend looking at their web video plus reading the reviews too.
It's hard to go wrong with an amusement / fun park especially with Santa and animal zoo and our grandson loved it. It is small (could cover most of it one-time in 2 hours) and somewhat dated but the animals were great and the rides for him were perfect, seeing how he rode the rudi-roller coaster 12 times. We went on a Friday and there were NO lines for rides at all and just kept riding them. They also had train ride that circled the park, a large ferris wheel and small circular rides for kids, I'd say for ages 3- 7 like boats, cards, helicopters, and merry-go-round. In the back part there were paddle boats and all rides were no charge and included in the $23/ticket (AAA discounted and included tax!) so we spent hours for $69 for 3 of us so a great value too. In addition to these was an arcade with carnival-type & electronic games, a magic show and of course seeing Santa.
Only downsides could have been due to beginning of the year start-up or post-Covid where not all foods / ice cream was available and many games in the arcade were out of order. Food was available in 2 areas and was reasonably priced. In all I (and he) were glad we made the drive from Knoxville through the windy mountain roads which had gorgeous views and were there from like 11 until 4.

If near Cherokee, NC you should check out Santa Land. Just a few miles past the Casino.Children love it as well as adults. There are unusual animals there that you have probably never seen as well as the popular ones like the baby bears and monkeys. Get in some exercise by spending time in the paddle boats.The playground is also liked by the children. Take a rest and get lunch there as you ride their train to the other side of the park. Don't forget the "Roodicoaster" for a thrilling ride!

This is one of the nicest little family places around. The teenagers even enjoyed it. The price was reasonable also.

Expensive. No military discount, staff are rude. Not many inside places. No discount if some of the rides arent working. It's worth a visit if it was cheaper.

I have taken my girls here twice and they love it. Most theme park type places have maybe 1-2 rides for toddlers. This has a majority of the rides are aimed for toddlers to use. There is a ferris wheel, paddle boats, and even a zoo with 2 baby bears. And how nice is it to be able to meet and talk with Santa and not wait in a long line. Very shady places and the staff is very nice.

My experience at Santa's Land was bad. Their many animals are kept in horrible conditions. Most animals looked scared and lived in barren, mostly chain enclosures. No food visible, dirty water, screaming baby bear cubs, who appeared to be starving prior to one of their feeding "shows". It was clear to me that the employees could not care less about taking proper care of these animals. PLEASE do not support this cruelty and financial exploitation of these animals.

Great place to take the family for a day of fun and adventure. I like that it is local and small enough that you're not pushed around everywhere by large crowds.

My family and I came here to kill some time before my husband went to the casino and that’s definitely what we did!!! We were here for 5 hours before we realized it!!!! Our son had a blast and we had fun watching him have fun. He saw “the real” Santa 🎅🏻 in my son’s words. The magic show was cute. The employees were nice. The animals were cute and you can feed just about all of them. By the way the bunny still looks demonic 😂😂😂

We stopped by as something to do on our last day at the Cherokee Casino/hotel. And much to our surprise we absolutely loved it. This park brought me back to the 70's and 80's as a kid where the park had old school charm, just the right amount of exhibits and well maintained. It definitely gave you the family feel and what we thought would be just a 30 minute visit turned out to be over 3 hours for us and we loved it there.

This attraction is very small, and VERY expensive. It is 21.16 plus tax, per person for anyone over the age of 2. If your child is 2 years old, you still pay the 21.16.

There are about 9 rides, some animals, and some structures to play on. The whole area was immaculately clean, which is good. The gift shop and food concession are extremely expensive. While my husband and I were waiting for our family to come out, I got us ice cream. 9.00 for 2 cones with Butterfingers chips in them.

We tried to tell our niece that she should take her 3 year old to things that they would not see, or be able to do at home (Massachusetts). She insisted on going here and ended up very disappointed. There is a similar attraction an hour away from them in N.H. that they had just gone to and was much, much larger. Her daughter had a good time, but 3 year olds pretty much always have a good time.

If it was 10.00 to get in, it would be a more realistic price.

Nice little amusement park in the mountains. The kids had a great time and it was reasonably priced. My kids rode the Rudicoaster over and over again and enjoyed paddle boating. Everyone in the family had a great tine

We all had a great day at Santa's land!!! Kids had a blast !! All the employees were super nice and Santa was great, he really took lotsa time with the kids!! They will send a letter to them from Santa before Christmas 😄! I would recommend this place to anyone who has kids!!

While this place shows its age it is still a wonderful treat for children. We took our children there when they were small and will soon be taking our grandson there, no doubt he will enjoy it just as much as his Dad did. Tip-if you plan on making a full day of it pack a lunch, the food is way over priced.

Took the family and my four year old daughter to celebrate Christmas in July at Santa Land. First of all come early, park opens at 10, it gets busy later in the day. If you bring your AAA card you get $2 off a ticket. The rides are a blast and the baby bear feeding is a treat. The paddle boards are included and a must! The best part is that Santa is soo friendly and interactive with the children.

The kids had a great time here. However the magician was not very friendly. He was rather rude to the crowd. Everything was clean and rides were well maintained.

We read the reviews and were prepared for an old slightly worn out attraction. We took our 3 year old anyway and she had a decent time. She enjoyed the rides and the little playground with slides. The people working there are friendly and will open a ride for just one rider. However, you do have to wait quite a while as most workers are staffing two or three rides at a time. Our daughter was amazed by the blacksmith that made her a ring out of a nail. We also watched the magic show and it was entertaining.

However, the place really is overpriced for what you get. We paid $68 for two adults and one child. By comparison, the three of us can get in to the #1 ranked zoo in the US in our hometown for only $36. They do not let you leave and re-enter on the same day without paying again so you are limited to eating at their concession stand. They had burgers, hot dogs, or chicken nuggets. The animals are in small cages and look pretty miserable. When we first arrived we swore the camel was dead...it was lying on it's side and not moving. When you enter, the place looks pretty run down and we immediately began questioning our decision to visit.

Definitely geared towards little kids. I would not recommend for anyone over the age of 6 or so. It was entertaining enough to fill an afternoon for a 3 year old. However, you really aren't missing much if you skip it. There are other activities in the Western Carolina area that are much cheaper and still fun for young kids.

This was our first time here. We took our two year old grandson and he had a blast. There was plenty of rides for him and he loved the zoo. We had free passes not sure I would pay a lot to get in here.

I had as much fun as my son had! Pics with Santa, riding the train and best of all riding Rudy the Rollercoaster! What a great place! The animals are so funny, the goats especially made us laugh! The have 2 macaws that can talk and love for you to feed them peanuts. We really enjoyed our visit; it's just big enough without being overwhelming!

On our way home from Harrah's we stopped, thought we would stay 30 minutes...spent two hours...I left feeling like a kid again. What a cute place. Told Santa what we wanted for Christmas...A bar in Myrtle Beach. He said he would rent a large trailer to pull behind his sled. Hahahaha. Place does look a bit run down and dirty...but we still had a blast.

Visited today with a group of elementary students. I visited this place with my parents when I was about 6-7... and nothing has really changed. While everything is a bit outdated... it’s got that vintage charm. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating! The kids all had so much fun. Santa was great, and took lots of time with each child. I was concerned with some of the animals as they looked a little sickly... but I’m hoping they were just sleepy. The magician was adorable. The kids laughed and enjoyed the show, one of them even got a card signed afterwards. I love that the children were able to get free rings because most of her children can not afford to bring cash.
My only complaint is the gift shop is SOOOOO EXPENSIVE. I bought a few items and dropped 30 on 2 plushes. The fudge is worth it though!
Overall great trip. I don’t think it would be worth the $25 admission, thankfully it was free for school staff!

I love Christmas and so we decided to stop in and see what it was all about. The zoo was just okay and the store was very expensive!

We took our Grandson. We do not go on rides, but went on the Rudy Coaster with him. Walked around to look at some animals, and were done in an hour. We paid way to much for the tie we spent there.

The 2 main attractions of the park are Santa and Gene, the Magician. Along with the 2 train operators and other seasoned elves, the staff make the park. The rides are older. The broom shop and other artisan stalls have been closed for years. The food is kinda sorry. But, it's the people that bring you back for return visits. Big Rock Candy Mountain needs a little love.

Not ADA friendly. Staff needs training. Customer service needs training in listening and not talking.

Me, my mom, and my 4 1/2 year old daughter went to Santa's Land in Cherokee, NC on July 25th and we loved this little place. This place is great for kids. Adults can enjoy it as well. There are some of the rides that adults can ride such as the Rudicoaster, Ferris Wheel, paddle boats, carousel, and the train that takes you around the park. There are several other little rides that are just for kids. It wasn't crowed when we went and the weather was great. There are lots of animals to feed such as deer, fish, etc. There was a set of twin bear cubs and we got to watch them get fed. We also got to watch a magic show and my daughter got to visit with Santa. The food there was good as well. Staff was friendly! The parking lot lines are even painted with holly. I would definitely recommend this place and would go back! The admission price is only $21.16 per person that includes kids over 2. Also if you are using a GPS the only was we got it to come up is it is 571 Hwy 19 N Cherokee, NC

Great for younger children, friendly staff! The magician is funny and it was a nice visit with santa. The train rude us a nice respite from walking everywhere. The paddle boats were a lot if fun!

After reading the reviews, we were not expecting too much. This park was better than we expected for sure. It really is more for little kids. There are several animals to look at-- yes the cages are not large :( Also, there are several rides. We had 2 little kids-- 13 months & 9 months, they were too young to really know what was going on, but they had a great time looking around and could actually ride a lot of the rides. I wouldn't count on being able to eat a meal at the park, there isn't much there, just snacks. And really, I'd go after 3… it's 1/2 price and the park closes at 6, and you can definitely do it all in 3 hours. The people that work there were really nice! I'm not sure we would have driven far just for this destination, however we were in the area anyways (at Harrah's-- couple of miles from there), so it worked out well.

Definately add this one to your "nice" list! We had a wonderful time enjoying Santa's Land with our grandsons! We had been here over 30 years ago with our own children as it is just a precious this time around. Our grands age 4 and 8 had a blast on the kid rides, feeding the animals, viewing the exhibits, and just enjoying the park with all the lovely Christmas themed items. We enjoyed riding the Rudicoaster and beautiful carousel. Santa was amazing! He was the most authentic one I have ever seen. He took his time with each child and interacted with each of them even posing for as many photos as you wanted to take. All the staff were friendly and helpful. The Christmas spirit is in full swing here.
Experiencing Christmas in July at Santa's Land was magical and we will definately be back with our other set of grands real soon. I would highly recommend it for a fun day in Christmas wonderland!

I used to go to Santa's land when I was a kid back in the 70's...and it has hardly changed a bit since then so it is kinda like stepping back in time for me...to relive my childhood memories. I take my kids once most years, and they always enjoy it.

It is more of a young kids' attraction the rides, are all geared towards pre-teen age kids....heavy on the 2 to 8 year old range(there is a Ferris wheel and small roller coaster but the other rides are for small kids)....but older kids and parents can enjoy it, if they just kinda 'go with it' and get into the childish mood.

The petting zoo is really a blast from the past, as you can still pet and hand-feed most of the animals. (They stopped a few years back allowing visitors to hod the baby bear's bottles during the feeding shows for them.) They have deer, goats, and such that you can still hand feed through little slots in their enclosures....as well as some animals you can feed thru long tubes such as Kangaroos, Camels, bears, and big cats.

The train that runs all around the park is my and my kids favorite 'ride', there is also a paddle boat 'ride' in "WhiteBeard's Lake" where huge god fish follow the boats around to be fed, and there is 2 islands of monkeys you can also toss food to...the magic show is also fun, we avoid the arcade as that costs extra and is just some carnival type games though older kids might enjoy that.

There are several playground areas, a couple of restaurants, small shops and such to give you more to do and see in your trip. On our last trip in Oct 2012 we arrived at opening time 10am and didn't leave til closing at 6pm (There hours are a bit longer during the busy summer season, but they close after oct until the following spring.) But we likely stay longer than most. My kids were begging to stay the night, LOL even after that 8 straight hours.

The entrance fee of $20 seems a bit high for the lack of major rides, but small kids will get their money's worth as that includes endless rides, the train, boats, and zoo usage.

Of course, Santa is there, he mostly stays in his house where you can visit him to sit on his lap and tell him what you want for Xmas...but it's a great treat when ya catch him out in the front yard of his house with the huge Kangaroo or Rabbit or Snowman play equipment.

The gift shops on the way out have some great 'smokey mountain' type items we always get Apple Butter, and Fudge...but they have lots of candy, ornaments, and such.

This is not the idea you want to impart to your little one of what Santa's magic domain is like, it smacks all the ma if out of a see ones head. It is seedy and not the least bit magical.

If you have small children Santas land is a must-see place our kids had a blast absolutely loved it.

Our smaller children loved this park - we stayed all day! It was so clean, everyone was very nice. We loved the man playing Santa - he was so nice and answered all the kids questions (and there were a lot of them). We would absolutely return if in the area.

I visited Santa's Land as an adult with interest in roadside attractions. This attraction has long been a fixture in Cherokee and continues to chug along. At a little over $20, this is on the upper range for what it is worth, but it is still about right. There is enough to do to justify that cost. A AAA card will save you $2 per ticket. The park is made up of 3 sections. In the back, you will find Fun Land with a handful of rides. The Rudicoaster is a surprisingly fun little powered coaster and worth a few rides. The ferris wheel is a nice, classic model that gives a long ride. The train is also worth riding as an adult and zips pretty quickly around the park. There are two spots to board/disembark if you want to use it as transportation. There are a small amount (around 5?) of additional kids only rides. The middle section of the park is Zoo Land. There are a good amount of animals like deer, a camel, siberian huskies (?), monkeys, and two baby black bears. Some of the habitats aren't really great, but it is a zoo and that's what happens with zoos. The black bears are cute and rowdy but you hope something good happens to them after they aren't babies. Mixed into this section, you will find small shacks with animatronics and music playing. These are absolutely great and slightly creepy. Make sure you poke around in all of these shacks from the original years of the park. This section also includes paddleboats for free. The front section of the park is Santa's Land. This section includes a house to visit Santa, food/drink, playground, gift shop, large and bizarre statues to get your picture with (that rabbit), and a magic show. I can't say the magic show is exactly a dazzling display, but there are a couple good tricks and the kids will enjoy it. Overall, this is a charming roadside attraction. Even as an adult I could find enough to do for 2-3 hours. This is worth going to if you have kids and are passing through or if you like classic roadside attractions. I wouldn't make a huge detour to visit it.

I've been going to this attraction since I was a kid which is at least the past 30 years. This park should definitely be a hit with kids 10 and under. I believe the admission price was $25.00 a head which includes unlimited rides on the roller coaster, ferris wheel, mini train, paddle boats and carousel. They have multiple animals on display including deer, bears, turkeys, parrots, goats and more. That was the good, unfortunately this park had several attractions that were out of order or down for repairs and the park itself is in need of everything from general upkeep to poison ivy removal in the shrubs, and updating. The walkways are almost all gravel which isn't stroller or wheelchair friendly, most of the animal enclosures seem dated and small and a lot of the attractions are also dated and in need of repair. All in all this is a classic park not as crowded as larger parks that offers younger kids a great time as long as you're not expecting the greatest, newest rides or newest technology.

I have been coming to Santas land for years! Animals are great for kids! Rides are just right, old but reliable to ease children's summer boredom! The staff is amazing!!

I have read a lot of different reviews and I have to say, I have been wanting to visit this park for a number of years and we finally made a very long trip. I am not disappointed, we had a great time. I can't say why other people report such bad experiences but I found the park to be clean, freshly painted, the staff very pleasant, the animals overall in excellent condition and stalls clean. This is not Disney or Dollywood so if that's what you want, don't come here. This is a classic amusement park and zoo, a slow down day. We didn't eat there but I did see people who had coolers, not sure if you can bring food in or what but perhaps next time I will call and ask. I found many inexpensive items in the gift shops, they had a wide variety of things with all sorts of prices. They do offer discounts at the gate, such as AAA. Before we left we visited Santa and he was great, we even got a diploma from seeing him. I thought this was a wonderful place and we plan to go back anytime we are near the area when the park is open, mid May to October. We spent 5 hours there, I took tons of photos, saw the magic show which was nice, perfect for the target audience this park is for yet perfectly entertaining for adults too. Had a blast. It's not a huge place, but sometimes it is so nice to have time to sit down in the shade and just look at the fish and ducks.

Yes it is a bit old but still so much fun. My parents carried me when I was a kid and we carried my kid when she was little and loved it as much as I did. My parents went with us and they had so much fun seeing my daughter enjoying it as much as I did I think it brought back some wonderful memories for all of us and we made new ones too.

Perhaps very small children would be excited about this. We found it to be just a touristy place selling a bunch of cheaply made stuff. when we tried to buy some fudge, the woman running the register seemed very confused as to how to operate the register but with patience I could see where a very young child could see the magic.

This is a small, old-fashion amusement park, not a mega-park a la Orlando. It was great for my two grandchildren, my daughter and I.

We have been taking the kids here every year for about 4 yrs. now. They are always excited about this place as if it was their 1st. time. They love the roller coaster and the paddle boats with all the fish in the pond. Visiting and having a picture made with Santa is a big thrill for them. You can spent a relaxing time here watching your kids ride the rides, feed the animal in the zoo and visiting the many other attractions on site. The price includes everything except the food available. This place is well worth the money and great time you'll spend here. Hope you visit & enjoy it.

Went today with my husband and two daughters (ages 6 & 8). It was so much fun!!! Rides, paddle boats, animals, random cool statues and photo ops, playgrounds, a train, great magic show, baby bears eating out of bottles and funnel cakes. We will definitely go back and will recommend our friends go when they visit the Maggie Valley cabin. Small town festive fun!!!! Oh, and Santa was SUPER awesome!!! (Bring quarters to buy food for the kids to feed the animals).

We found the Unicorn of amusement parks in Cherokee, NC. First visit to Santa's Land on their opening day of the season; a day of childlike wonderment and old-school freedom for kids. No lines. Hand-written receipts and $3 meals. $1 toys. Lions monkeys and bears, lots of rides, paddle boating, magic shows, a train manned by an "elf" that circles the entire perimeter all day, with real Santa and a bad-a roller coaster that they rode 20 times in a row. Free stuff all day everywhere. Impossibly friendly staff and zero stress, said its the same as it was 30 years ago. More fun and things to to do than we could possibly fit into 6 hours. "Better than Disney-World" was the consensus. Can't wait to go back! #SantasLand #BlastfromThePast

How awful. The rides were "okay," but the petting zoo was awful. They had animals that should not have been there and were clearly misearble. Of particular concern were the llamas, the camel, and the TIGER. A Bengal tiger. In a 20 x 30 cage. Looks absolutely awful. The llamas were literaly leaning against a wall and shaking.

The kids, who had enjoyed the rather lame rides, were very upset at seeing these animals. Their afternoon of fun was not what they will remember.

Very old and new small place ..I mean small ! You can't leave park unless you're willing to pay full price to go back in . ridiculous !!

This place was built 50 years ago and I do not believe they
Have done any updates. The people are so nice and no body was there so getting on the six rides made just for children was easy. Animals are in very confined fenced in cages.

I remember going here as a child and it was wonderful to take my granddaughter(P) to a place I so enjoyed in my youth. The Santa was great! She just chatted and chatted with him and he was so patient. When we left P said, "Grandma, Santa is really real! I can't wait to take her again!

This is a cute little amusement park for the kids, boys ages 3, 4 and 6. They always love the Rudycoaster. Kids didn't want to leave.

The first thing you'll notice pulling in here is that there's a creepy poster of Santa and children in the parking lot. The entry fee is very pricy for the content of the park. The park has rides good for kids under ten and not much more. There are really creepy animatronic elves in these display houses and a weird Easter bunny statue. Also, the animals are in cages, not habitats. They look sad and uncomfortable.

Visited Santa land with our 3 year old granddaughter, it was perfect for her and us! The staff was so friendly and outgoing, Santa was awesome, my granddaughter is usually scared of Santa, but not this one. A great place for the younger children and not overly crowded

Santa's Land is a great way to spend time with the little ones. It is not a Dollywood , it is a cozy simple fun place. Where you can take your time and enter act with your kids. Spend time on the paddle boats feeding the thousands of carp or riding on the train around the park and of course talking with Santa , he is there everyday. There are baby bear cubs that you can watch them feed and many more animals thru out the park. It is a quiet serene park where you can let the little ones run about without worrying that they will get lost in the crowds . Everything is at a slower pace so you have time to relax and enjoy your family.

We went a few years ago when my son was 7 .The parks been there a long time , I am 48 and I remember going with my parents.Foods what you would expect at an amusement park and rides are great for young kids . I gave it an average rating because it's only open in the summer which makes no sense at all.After all it's called Santa's Land , go figure.

lots to do for the younger kids, park is clean and staff were all great. mr and mrs claus were the best!!

Our family enjoyed our visit to Santa's Land. It is definitely more quaint than other amusement parks. It was perfect for our 4 children under 6. The highlight of trip was kids meeting Santa. Santa was able to talk and get to know my kids. They are generally terrified or not willing to talk to him at other places. The kids also loved the Rudolph roller coaster as well. It was perfect for us.

My grandson (3) loved this park! He liked the rides except for the roller coaster. We all loved feeding the animals. He enjoyed visiting Santa and sitting on his lap. The price seemed a bit high until we got into the park and everything was included in the charge. We robe pedal boats out to monkey island, fed the fish and animals, and loved all the playgrounds and slides available. Great for younger kids but probably wouldn't hold the attention of teens or adults without children.

This place will literally make you feel like you are back in your own childhood existence. My daughter is the 5th generation in my family to have visited the park and she was absolutely in love with it. We truly had a family fun experience. This place means a lot to me.

This is a wonderful amusement park for parents or grandparents with small children. It has been in business for many, many years. It is family owned and operated. It is a beautiful park.

We took my 2 year old. This is a perfect place for young kids. Anyone 2- elementary school age will love this place. All the animals and rides make for a fun filled day. The price was reasonable and the staff was friendly. The place was not very crowded so we has no lines to wait in. We will definitely go back. Plus, homemade fudge makes the trip alone. Also, for the pork loves, they make their own pork rinds in the park. It is definitely worth the $25 to get in

great place to go to with younger kids. If your kid is to young to ride alone you can ride with them. They have a ferris wheel, carousel, mini boat ride, mini helicopter ride, rudy coasters, playgrounds, paddle boats, magic show, all types over wild life (like a mini zoo)train ride around the whole park and last but not least. the best part of all. the baby bear feeding time. the baby bears are always in the park to see. they also have a wonderful older gentleman that makes rings for free (with tip basket) out of reindeer shoe nails. It's a pretty neat place to take the younger ones. teenagers would not like it here. Hope my post helped. :)

We drove two hours to take our 2-year old son to this park. About thirty minutes from the park, it started pouring. Of course when we got there, no one was there and the rides were closed. So we went and ate lunch to see what happened with the weather. By the time we finished lunch, the rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. We went back to the park and were petty much the only guests there, which was awesome because we basically had the place to ourselves. The staff was great. The roller coaster was a little intense for a 2-year old, but a child who is a little older would really enjoy it. They also have paddle boats and a small zoo, which I did not expect. Our son loved it and we had a great time. We plan on going back again!

Great place to take family, in a slower way of life, few lines, and time to look at many different things, animals, rides, pedal boats and people. Rides are for younger kids by my kids who are now 10 and 12 love going because they went when they were small. The Ferris Wheel is fun, Rudicoaster has some good jolts to it, the small train that rings the park if fun to ride to just watch life go by. The magic show is nice, as are the bear feeding times. Kids love to pedal boat around feeding the fish that trail the boat in expectation of food. It is not Disney, but it is a "mom and pop" operation that is over 50 years old, that has pleased generations of people. If you can handle a location without the newest and wildest, then you might be able to appreciate this place. Also, Santa is very nice to all the children, it is refreshing to see such a place dedicated to the youthful wonder of our children.

I went to this park as a toddler in 1972. I recalled the big slide. I also recall the igloo that you could go into. I am amazed that the park is vintage with these items still there and in mint condition. My girls enjoyed talking with Santa and riding the rides with no wait. The small animals on display and to pet or feed were a treat for the kids. The never saw a black bear and enjoyed feeding it with the help of the food tube. Rides include: ferris wheel, carousel, small cars, roller coaster (for big kids), little boats with bells, a small train that circles the park, etc. The park was very clean and the workers were attentive.

Our family stopped here for an afternoon to entertain our 6 year old. We have 4 teenagers as well. Though not intended for teens, mine enjoyed a few of the activities such as the Ferriswheel, the paddle boats, and the small roller coaster. Maybe it made them feel little again. It is true to its theme of Christmas. This is a good place for smaller kids. It is very dated but well maintained. The staff were almost entirely elderly people dressed as elves which we found charming.

Two wild grandkids heaven! One reasonable price, and an all day trip. All the fun of a theme park & a zoo. A lake with paddle boats & a TRAIN! Great places to sit and rest while still being able to watch your kids. Great place!

We went one evening on family vacation. I haven't been in probably 20 years! I had just as much of a great time as my kids. They loved it and it brought the kid out in us as much as my little ones. It's not a big theme park, but the staff was amazing! They are very interactive and you won't go broke on the little things in the park such as food, souvenirs and other activities. There were no long lines for the rides. You can spend a day in the place and not lose interest. Teenagers may not enjoy as much as the younger ones, but there is definitely fun for all ages! We will DEFINITELY be back! Thanks to the staff for a great day!

Why should parents or adults have to pay when there is nothing they can do? We went to the park at 4pm and was told that we would get the next day free. I ask the rude lady if it rained if we could get a refund and was told we could. NOT TRUE they will give you a 30 day rain check. Their is very little to do and I feel Santa needs to pay his elves more because they are grumpy and not friendly! This park is on the naughty list!

We went there today with out 3 (nearly 4) year old who was singing Christmas songs all the way back to the hotel.

Fab rides for kids, she loved feeding the animals and the staff were amazing. And we met a great Santa.

We had a very special family day.

I will say the price to get in was surprising, little steep, but for the low crowds its worth it. There are many rides geared to smaller children. The people were friendly. My daughters favorite was the paddle boat ride to feed the fish and monkeys. There is no wait on any ride and they can ride them unlimited till closing. You need to stay most of the day to make it worth he cost. They also have many animals. The park is clean and family friendly.

We can't explain all the emotions when we visit this park. It's awesome Santa, ohh, the best part. My kidd loves Santa, we have great time and good memories, we visited from FL.

Christmas is usually a special time for most people so why not enjoy it year round. This is one place to do that in fine style. I've enjoyed it each time I've been there.

This was horrible! Keeping a tiger in such a tiny cage is beyond animal abuse! 😭 also all of annals are beyond misstated

The rudicoaster, a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer themed roller coaster was the first roller coaster I had ever gone on about 25 years ago. Well I got to bring my family to the park during a visit to the Smoky Mountains, to capture some of that nostalgic magic. It was a great day, easy to navigate, plenty of rides, shows all for decent price. The staff was very friendly and it wasn’t busy in the least. I could tell the workers put a lot of care into maintance and we enjoyed all of it. The main gift shop and certain buildings are a little older and hodgepodge, I hope they get some modern updates by the next time I visit. Good place for our four year old, could be a little small for any families with kids much older. Enjoy your visit.

We LOVE Santa's Land! Our kids are 9, 4, and 8 months and they had a great time, as did me and my husband. The employees are super friendly and helpful. It is not too expensive and you can stay all day. We love the animals and the rides. My only complaint is the magician, he is not very friendly and kind of comes across rude sometimes. But I still give Santa's Land a 5!

Loved coming here as a child and bringing my daughter here when she was small. Just took my 2 year old Nefertiti and it was just as great as I remembered it!

We took my 2yr old grandson on quick trip and decided to stop here. He had time of his life!! Went on weekday and had no lines. They had rides that were perfect for him. He had to ride boats 3 times and the roller coaster too. They also had animals to feed and pet...all were clean and healthy looking!! And he got to see Santa...awe struck!! We will definitely go again with all the grand kids.

We visited Santa Land with our two grandchildren ages 4 and 5 and their mother and it was so much fun. They were thrilled by the rides (just the right size for them (I even rode in the helicopter and the merry go round) but skipped the ferris wheel and roller coaster as "scary." We saw all the animals, rode the paddle boats, watched the magic show, chatted with big eyes with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and ate hot dogs (the elf's meal includes a coloring book, etc). Had a picture made and they will mail a letter at Christmas! This park is the perfect size for the little ones and we recommend it highly. The price is right also (I think about $23/person). We were there about 1 1/2 hours (that's about their attention span) but you could spend a lot longer. The park was not crowded because a lot of schools were still in session.

It cost 4 of us $100 to ride7 rides and see some animals. Most of the rides are the same as those that can be ridden at any carnival and adults are not permitted on them. The exceptions are the Rudi-coaster (roller coaster which was the nicest ride) and the ferris wheel. The Rudi-coaster was fast and small so it didn't take long but was fun.
There were some unique animals to see in cages such as a kangaroo, white deer and bear.
I just don't feel like it is worth $25 per person.

Ok, so it is a little dated. And it is definitely a silly theme. And no it doesn't have state of the art anything. But it is FUN for small children. My 3 year old thought it was the best thing ever. She loved all the rides because she could do them all by herself (sans the "rudi-coaster). It reminds me of the state fair but better because it is more spread out and not quite so sketchy.
It is a little pricey, which is why I gave it the 4 stars.
We are going back this summer and taking our, now, 4 year old and her little brother who will be almost 2.

While it was closed when we were through - it appeared run down and in need of repairs. While it advertised animals - I wondered what happened to all the animals while the park for "closed for the season" Is December not Santa Season?

Nice and easy park. No crowds. Our 18 year old daughter had a blast and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the old fashioned park

My four year old absolutely loved Santas Land. He rode the Rudicoaster 12 times. He would have ridden it 50 time if we had let him. He spent over an hour riding the paddle boats and feeding the fish. I enjoyed the park as well. It was like a trip back to my childhood. The park is well maintained but all the attractions are vintage. We bought season passes and I am sure we will return several times this season for a day of fun.

I was a bit creeped out about a place that celebrates Christmas all year long. The kids loved it along with the rides. We took a train ride around the park. It was bigger than it appears outside. Several animals that were on display. Mostly small or baby animals. Cute for small children, I felt bad for the bigger animals in the cages. Not much space to walk around. They seemed to be getting fed very well. We arrived during the feeding hours. Not sure what they do at night.

I took my daughter there almost 30 years ago and we drove up to take pictures when we were in Cherokee on a recent visit. It has been maintained well and is a charming little theme park. Older children may not enjoy but younger ones will feel the magic.

Very old but kids don't see that. Have visited here since I was a child. I'm 47 years old. Did feel sorry for the animals. Magic show was fun. Just needs a little updating. Staff was very kind and friendly.

What makes this place good 1. real animals 2. water fun 3. train 4. short lines for kiddy rides.

Would be great if it wasn't so run down.

We visited the park on 7/14/14. It has been several years since we visited so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was not disappointed! Everything was very clean. The entire staff was very friendly. It was perfect for my 2 yr old little boy. We will be visiting again very soon!

The employees here are exemplary! The are the nicest, sweetest people around this area. The park is ideal for small children. We went there with a 5 and 2 yr old and had a hard time getting them to go home. The rides are meant for this age and so is the playgrounds. They had fun feeding the animals. One of the older gentleman gave my grandson a nail ring and he lost it on the roller coaster. He said he would be happy to replace it because it was still under warranty.
For all the attractions in the area that is for big kids and adults, here is one for the little ones that you shouldn’t miss!

Took our 4 year old who has been wanting to go for awhile. The park is just the right size for him. He enjoyed the variety of activities. Park needs some updating. With what they charge they should be able to afford it. Food was expensive for microwave food. Worst of all was the horribly mannered magician. Very rude and park staff took up for him despite several complaints the day we were there. Staff do not seem to have any interest in if you are happy or not once you pay. The deli/sweet shop at the entrance was good!

It was an okay experience. Most of the things were closed. Only 2 ride operators so they had to go back and forth. Game room was pathetic. Gift shop was expensive. I think my toddler had fun though. I personally don't think it's worth almost $30 a person.

My kids (4 and 19 months) had a BLAST! I loved that this place was the opposite of the mega-size, mega price amusement parks that we've become accustomed to. This kind of thing was fantastic for me when I was a kid, and clearly my kids love it too. Great rides for little kids, Santa was terrific, the magic show was really wonderful. There was lots of interesting animals for the kids to enjoy.
I think $20 per ticket was a great deal. I spent twice this much at the travelling fair, for half the fun and half the rides just last month. Kids under 2 were free.
My only criticism is that the concession food was very unappetizing. Burgers, corn dogs, sugary drinks - bleh.
We had a terrific day!

This is a park mainly for the little ones. Adults can do some of the rides but mainly for the kiddo's. Personally I think they're in need of an update. We've been here three times over the years and all I see as improvements is maybe some paint job. A little on the expensive side especially for what you get. The kids do have a good time and I guess that's what it's all about.

Great place for small children. My four year old had a blast. Friendly staff, no waiting for rides .lots of animals. A little pricey but worth the money. She wont soon forget Santa land.

This is great for younger children, I myself wasn't amused, but my kiddos loved it. Pricy to say the least, but worth the price for no wait time on rides, or kids being able to ride same ride numerous times without getting off ride. Trust me you will drop some money in food as well, but they do offer military discount, so I suppose that's a plus on the price of entry.

What a cute little park. Our 5 year old really enjoyed it. The staff was VERY friendly and the rides were perfect for small kids. I especially enjoyed all the outer buildings that were themed. It was reminiscent of parks from my childhood in the 70s. The petting zoo was nice as well. I think kids these days are not so easily impressed by non eletronic activites which is a shame for parks like this. There were very few people there but it was also Father's Day which may have impacted crowd size. The admission is reasonable but the food and drink prices were way too high. Overall, we did enjoy this very much. Worth a visit if you have small children.

Drove 30 minutes to get here and it was closed. Said open on website. Once we got there we saw a sign that says closed for season. Uh it's spring. Very disappointed kids.

The sight of those two four month old bear cubs without there mother bothered me. I couldn't sleep. Ripping those babies from there mother just after birth. That is wrong. And the man that fed them seemed mean. No compassion! And the bears seemed so hungry! The bottles were as small as an infants bottle And no toys to play with. Poor babies had to stay in that cage day in and day out. Not right!!!

It was a rainy day and the park was open but I didn't want to enter because of the potential of bad weather. We did go into the candy store and buy some very good fudge. We also stopped in the gift shop and they had some very nice items. All the employees we encountered were very friendly.

Going to Cherokee NC and always stop at Santa Land, always a good place to take the children but it is not open yet. It is to early. It is only March. Maybe will open end of Month or April did not say on sign.

my grandson loves this place take him up there every year .its worth the money . some might not like it but is meant for little ones .

We took our kids here about twenty years ago and yesterday we returned with our six year old grandson. It was much as we remembered it and he had just as much fun there as our kids did. This is a delightful, quaint, cute, clean, friendly, little amusement park designed for young children. If you children are nine or older, they have probably outgrown this and will think it is lame and boring. But the little ones will adore it. It is Christmas themed throughout, with soft Christmas music playing in the background. There is a small zoo area with a camel, mountain goats, reindeer, sheep, birds, baby bears, and more. There are some rides including a carousel, roller coaster (for many kids, their first one!), Ferris wheel, and the little cars, boats, and helicopters that go around in a circle. There is a train that goes around the perimeter of the park. There is a small lake that you can take a paddle boat out on and huge schools of very big Koi fish who will follow you looking for food. There are monkeys and lemurs on little islands there. There is a magic show in a theater, shops, playgrounds, picnic tables, places to eat, and Santa to visit. The park is very clean, well-summer, and neat but dated (it is 52 years old and much as it was when it opened). The staff are very friendly, good with the kids, and helpful. The entrance fee is much like any other amusement park, around $24, and that includes everything except for food and purchases in the shop. So come out for the afternoon, relax, enjoy the day, and you will probably find it is well worth it. We had a wonderful time and my grandson will always remember it.

THere is really nothing going on at Santa land , We went with our kids not really worth the price , a few deer and goats a really old roller coaster for little ones , dirty and a very very expensive gift shop . There are cheaper and better things to do in Cherokee

I went twice in October to take my Grandkids, they are both 2 1/2. We had a blast! It was just enough that we didn't get wore out but enjoyed every minute of it. I recommend this place to everyone with small children.

Reasonably priced family theme park mostly for younger children. Not a whole lot of rides but you can ride as many times as you like. The magic show was entertaining especially the dove trick at the end. Enjoyed feeding the fish while relaxing on the back of the paddle boat. There is a small petting zoo where you can purchase some food and feed the animals. The baby bear feeding was nice to watch. Comfortable because it isn't a large park and there are sunny and shady areas throughout. This turned out to be nicer than I expected.

Santa's Land is one of our family's favorite places to visit. This visit was no exception. We took our 4 grandkids ages 2-12 and all had great fun including the grandparents!

The price was high for a small attraction. Each staff member was genuine, very nice and helpful, especially the lady in the candy shop. It is an older park (my grandfather helped with the construction 50 years) but is well maintained. There were people of all ages there and everyone appeared to be having a great time. The park was not crowded like bigger parks so Addy didn't have to wait in line to ride. The rides were clean and well maintained. The Rudicoaster is fun for older children and adults but a little to rough for a small 3 year old. Feeding the deer and fish was especially fun for 3 year old Addy, however, there were no hand sanitizer dispensers available which is a health hazard. "Santa" was great! Very good with children and their parents! We were limited on the time we could spent there and didn't get to visit several of the exhibits/shows but it was a fun time for Addy and that's what's important!

My kids absolutely loved it (6 & 7 yo boys). We had a 10-day vacation in Bryson City area, and it was hands down their favorite thing we did. We went in early August, and the weather was quite nice.

As other reviewers have commented there were no lines whatsoever. My kids were able to go up to the rides and one of the park attendants would walk over and start up the ride. The food inside the park is 'ok' -- standard park fare. The prices are reasonable for food and drink as well.

The worst part about the park is that it seems quite dated. There was never a point where I thought the park was putting kids at danger, but most things could certainly use a fresh coat of paint. The rides were all functioning and seemed sound -- I'm no mechanical engineer though :)

The animals were a fun addition to the park. The kids fed most of them, and there were even shows around some of the animals -- the baby bear feeding for example.

Overall, we spent about 5 hours at the park, and thought the price was quite worth it.

We visited Santa Land on July 9th, 2013. We arrived around 10:30am and stayed until the park closed at 6pm! Our children, ages 8, 6, 5 and 2 had a blast. Our 8 year old mostly rode the roller coaster (about 30 times) and the younger children enjoyed all of the other rides. The paddle boats were fun (and free), the food was reasonably priced (paid $5.50 for hamburger and hot dog combos with drinks), and there were plenty of things to do. We spent hours in the area with the rides, also a lot of time in the zoo with the animals. There are playground areas scattered around the park that the children enjoyed, as well as the train ride around the park. Also, lots of small buildings like a chapel, a "school house" and buildings to view Christmas-themed scenes. And their Santa Claus was wonderful - very nice and not scary to my kids at all. Oh, and there is also a cute magic show. It was not too crowded and we also weren't afraid of losing our children in a crowd. They had free reign to run around and we were still able to keep an eye on them. I would say that if you have children older than maybe 10 years old, it may not be as entertaining for them. But, we had a blast!!

My parents use to take me back in the 80s and 90s as a child to this place, and I had fond memories so when we were leaving out of pigeon forge/gatlinburg heading home to South Carolina my dad decided he needed to start making those memories with my son so we all opted for a night in Cherokee with a day of Santa Land, while it isn't the most luxurious theme park it's simple, short lines, toddler pleasing rides, and pocketbook friendly prices! my two year old rode every single ride choosing to ride the roller coaster twice, he made some great memories with my dad and we enjoyed our trip! We definitely plan to come back next summer for more fun! We live close to Carowinds, but in all honesty I'd rather drive back to cherokee than wait in Carowinds lines! The rides may need a little paint, but to my toddler that really didn't matter! Loved our trip! so happy you're still open after all of these years!!

Santa's Land is small but nice, especially for families with younger kids. Some teens might find the park babyish, but the park could be enjoyed by some couples. Plan to spend half a day here. Be sure to make sure that park will be open before you plan a visit here. Has a small but nice roller coaster for the kids and their parents called the Rudicoaster. There is a small zoo that could have baby bears, and some flat rides. Park is older but mostly nice, somewhat dated but almost in a charming way. Staff is better than average for an amusement park, way better staff than Six Flags Over Georgia.

I have taken my grand daughter here several times. The last visit was during the summer of 2017. I was disappointed during this particular visit because the area was not clean and the price had increased . I felt it was definitely not worth it on this visit. The prior 2 years, it was fantastic, staff were friendly unlike the last visit, staff did not show an interest in the children or to the adults that were there. Sorry Santa Land but I think this summer I will avoid visiting you and find something new for my grand daughter.

We camp in Cherokee quite often and have been going there for years. We’ve gone after we were in our twenties, after our daughter was born, etc. etc. The latest generation are four grandsons, ages 8 to 4. It is definitely a young children’s site, but I’m still 6 years old mentally, so I still enjoy the experience. To my knowledge, there has never been abuse to any animal in their care. And they strive to educate as well. Magic shows, Cherokee history of food product, animal husbandry, enjoyable rides, and, of course, Santa! Many sophisticated travelers may find this site quaint. However, my wife and I have travelled the world, and I can say, there is nothing moreheart warning than your grandsons wanting to return to Santa’s Land. Costly, yes. Innocent fun, yes. Family bonding, priceless.

been taking our daughter here since she was in elementary school,she's now married and still loves to go. we love the animals the little magic theater(make sure to take part),and of course make sure to go see santa before you leave.the have old style fair ground rides too.just find your inner child and you'll have a great time.not too expensive either.

Santa's Land is great for kids 8 and under. My 4 year old had a blast. Most of the rides have weight limits so your child has to be able to ride alone, except for the Rudicoaster and Ferris Wheels. There a lots of animals to see and feed. The paddle boats were lots of fun. My only complaint is that I wish the no smoking rule was enforced and/or present throughout the entire park. There were too many people smoking all around the kids.

great for the kids. They enjoyed themselves. couldnt get enough of the rudicoaster. they enjoyed the paddle boats,feeding the fish and the magic show. They were picked to help in the show and they loved it. Every one should go at least one time.So much to see and do.

The attraction is smaller than expected, but the kids will love it. They do have live animals and bear cub feedings at certain times, A treat for kids to watch feeding.

Visited Santa’s Land and had a great time. Beautiful place, neat and well kept. Staff were nice and friendly. Our 4 year old daughter had a wonderful time on rides and seeing the animals.

Oh how this place brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. I took my nephew & he had a great time; he loved it. Which made me feel good because it made me happy to share some of my childhood all over again with my nephew. This is a must do while in Cherokee folks!!!!!

Took my 3 kids here and they had a blast! They are already begging to come back! Park is clean and the employees are very friendly. I will always remember the smiles on my kids faces from their day here.

Our experience was meh at best. The biggest attraction for my 2yr old was the playground. You can visit a playground without having to pay $60

We took my 5 yr old grandson to this old established theme park to find some children's rides. That we found along with some very nice and probably retired gentlemen who operate those rides.Everyone was friendly. We had a good time. The park is in need of a lot of updates such as painting,carpenter repairs,pressure washing.However,the quickest improvement would be to kill the poison ivy and weeds around the existing attractions.I hope these fixes can be put in place soon as this fine park is in a state of disrepair. To the owner(s),please help.

I have been coming here for several years! We always have a great time and everyone is very friendly. The food was reasonable. $5.50 for a cheeseburger, fries, and drink. Loved the paddle boats and the view from the Farris wheel is amazing!

We visit the park each yr.My granddaughter loves it she is 4.Ive been coming for yrs not been disappointed yet.

This is a family oriented place, we enjoyed the rides, animals, and atmosphere. The kids had a great time.

This was a delightful surprise. It's not for older children as is not a thrill rides but for little kids this is a perfect trip. We went on the 4th of July and was fully staffed and not to bad crowded. Our 5 year old loved it. From seeing the animals at the zoo part to riding the rudolph coaster and the other rides as well. She also enjoyed the play grounds and train. She just told me this morning that she would like to go back and ride the paddle boats with the fish in the water. Definitely plan to go back again. It was clean with nice eating places inside the park. We even saw Santa.

Just wow! We were just astounded at every turn. It was like we stepped back in time and were kids again! We had our children (ages 4-12) and they all had a blast too. It was really fun to have a roller coaster and Ferris wheel that we could all ride together. The staff was friendly and attentive. The magic show was outstanding (we are still talking about it a week later). Santa was the most realistic Santa we have ever seen and he took so much time with our kids. The vintage playground equipment was so much fun to see agains. We love santa’s Land and can not wait to go back!

We took our 5 year old granddaughter and she was the perfect age to enjoy the rides and see Santa! Her first roller coaster and ferris wheel and we rode several times! Great park for that age- she also enjoyed the animals!

Santa would be nonplussed by this place. It takes a special kind of chutzpah for the admission ticket dispensers to look you in the eye and charge you $20 a head for anyone older than the third trimester. Once you recover from that sticker shock, you enter upon a landscape that is perhaps 2-3 acres of mixed media, zoo, and carnival. Various playscapes are blended in and around with Santa and Xmas themes and many look like maintainance has been deferrred since they were built in, say, 1958. There is a Santa shop, a gift shop, other shops and arcade games designed to seperate you from your money.

But don't worry too much about that stuff if you have little boys almost 5 and almost 3. They were happy enough with the playscapes. My older guy was greatly entertained my the 20 minute magician show and the blacksmith who makes nail rings for the kids. Both the boys liked the collection of animals in the "zoo" who can be fed through tubes with vending machine generic food. You can get your photo taken with a pretty good Santa. At the far end of the place, there are a number of carnival rides, most of them some variation of merry-go-rounds with boats, cars/trucks/motorcycles and smallish ferris wheel and an elevated rocket ride. The latter two were too scary for my little guys, but would be perfect for, say, 7 years or older. You can go on these rides as many times as you wish and the operators are all kindly and avuncular types. We spent the better part of an hour on these rides and neither of the boys was put off by their monotony.There is also a little kiddie train that travels the perimeter. No extra charge for these rides and attractions.

And so I would have to conclude that this is a fun kind of experience for the 7 and under set and, even though the tarriff will make you gag,remember Rule No. 1: when your little kids are happy, you are happy.

Has not changed since I went here in 1982, if that tells you anything. My two year old had a blast because ofcourse, she's two and has no idea how run down and creepy this place is. The bear cubs in the cage really made me sick. I had a ball as a child and my little one did too. The staff was beyond great, but this place is just scary old. AND WAY OVERPRICED.....25 bucks a person is just insane.

I remember visiting as I child and love celebrating Christmas in the summer. It was just a reminder that Santa was around the corner. As an adult this place holds a special place in my heart because I get to share a child hood memory with my little girl. For the last 3 years we have had Christmas in July. A few small family oriented theme park / zoo. Yes, it doesn't have all the flash of Carowinds or Dollywood but there's very little for the young ones to do there. Santa's Land is perfect for kids under 8 and still believe in the magic. Ohhh BTW... the Ruducoster is AWESOME!. As long as you can squeeze into the seats all ages can ride. Very fast ride for the little ones but they all have a blast.

My wife and I took our grand daughters 6 and 2 to the park and they loved it. There were no waiting to ride any of the rides. I would recommend the coaster to kids 5 and over only, it goes quite fast. All of the staff were very nice and helpful to answer questions. The girls also enjoyed all of the animals at the park, The park is old but very clean. This park is great for children but I am not sure teens would enjoy it.

25 person is crazy for this place. There are 4 tiny kiddie rides and that's about it. Young kids enjoyed it for a short period of time. Adults should be free or discounted since there is nothing there for them. The food is TERRIBLE. Don't waste your money.

This was my favorite part of the vacation. As a small child I went and I think I was the last person in my age group to quit believing in santa. Everyone working ther is extremely friendly. My cousin and I even rode the kiddy rides and enjoyed them. We were the only 3 at the magic show and it was still a wonderful .We enjoyed all the animals and they all looked healthy and well taken care of (that ment alot to me. I cant stand for animals not too be happy) The paddleboats and feeding the fish was my dads favorite part (of course my cousin and I paddled)

I was so impressed with this place! It’s a wonderful petite park that is slow paced with tons of stuff to do. It started storming on us and we still managed to spend 5 hours there with our 5 year old. Rudolph’s roller coaster is actually pretty fast so be prepared! Santa was a pleasant surprise. They also have paddle boats, a train, a good size walk through zoo, fair-type games and more. There were also several play areas and even an old fashioned metal merry go round. This place screams nostalgia! We loved it!

I have three small children under 5. We had so much fun. Our children enjoyed the rides the most. The paddle boats, train, and carousel were their favorites. We ordered rudiburgers. They were okay. The funnel cake was amazing though! I plan to go back every year!

Even though our kids are a little older than what this theme park is geared toward, we really enjoyed our visit to Santa's Land during fall break. The lines for everything were very short with little or no waiting. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The animals looked very well taken care and seemed to love the attention of all the visitors. The only downside to our visit was the cost of entry into the park. At around $20 per person 2 and over, I expected a few more rides, but we will be making a return trip next year.

Entry fee with taxes was $25.00 for adults. Zoo animals all seemed to be in good health, all required viewing through one or more fences which makes it hard to get a good picture. On the day I was there the grounds badly needed mowing and touch-up painting was needed on several displays in the park. Tacky plastic flowers were in all the flower boxes. Multiple rides provided for small children who don't care about these things, but I was there to take pictures for Christmas cards and was disappointed with the visuals. Not sure why Santa's Land would have a still in the back portion of the park - it seems out of place.

I was here the first week in July with my 6 and 4 yr old granddaughters. We arrived right when the park opened and stayed almost to closing. We did not get to see or do everything because my granddaughters went on every ride there over and over. The carnival rides are for younger kids although I saw a fair amount of middle school and a few high school kids there going on the ferris wheel and roller coaster. There are 4 or 5 other rides to go also. We had no problems getting on the rides. The staff was very nice. Mr and Mrs Santa Claus were great. They took lots of time for each child. I was impressed with them. The train that went around the park was relaxing. I only saw one statue that needed paint. Everything else looked fine. The only complaint I had was the service in the restaurant was very slow. If you are looking for a Disney park this is not the place for you. I liked the quaintness of this place. It did have a playground and a very small zoo which we did not see because all my grand kids did was go on every ride over and over. For a family with young children I think this is a great place to go.

all kinds of animals, really precious, rides are for the young. Great hours and easy access, a fun outing for your family

If you love old-school amusement parks, you'll love this one. It has been there for 50 years. Never crowded when we have been there. It's easy to keep an eye on the kids here. I would say that it appeals to kids up to 8 or 9. There are animals to feed, rides, shady play areas, places to eat and there's also Santa. Mr. and Mrs. Claus have a little cottage where he lets the kids visit and take photos. Best Santa we've ever seen. You won't find a lot of modern/updated attractions here and that's just fine with us. The newest thing they have is a small rollercoaster called the Rudicoaster. Our granddaughter loves it (she's 4). There's plenty of shade and places to sit and relax while the kids enjoy the park. The pace is slow and laid back. We were attending a bluegrass festival nearby and took some time out for Santa's Land. We camped nearby at Happy Holiday RV Park.

It was a great adventure for our not yet 2 year old. The park kept her busy for hours. Her favorite was the carousel and the zoo.

Oh my! What an amazing step back in time. I fondly remember Santa Land from my childhood in the early 70’s. When my children were young I took them. This weekend I couldn’t wait to take my grandchildren! They loved it. I was able to take photos of them standing in front of the same iconic statues from my childhood and my children’s childhood. I can’t wait to go through my old albums to show them! The staff was friendly. Santa was phenomenal. I seriously can’t say enough about the time he took with my grands. If I had one complaint it would be that the grounds are made of pebbles/gravel. Walkers and strollers are pretty hard to push. I’d take them again in a heartbeat!

Ok. It's not Dollywood or Disneyworld. It's an entirely different experience, and our daughter can't wait to go back. We went intending to stay a half an hour, and ended up spending the day there. It's kind of a Clark-Griswald's-Walley-World-meets-the-State-Fair-in-an-enchanted-forest-in-the-70's kind of place.

There's a magic show with in small theatre where the corny old magician gets the kids involved and has everybody laughing. The live animals are cool...even a chance to see the some bear cubs get fed. Take some extra quarters for the feed machines to hand feed the deer, goats, and other creatures.

The rides and the train were probably our favorites. Again, it's no space mountain, but the RudiCoaster...a fair sized roller coaster with Antlers and a red nose, provided great laughter for both daughter and Mom and Dad. We probably road it a dozen times, since the lines were small to non-existent. There's a great carousel, boats, cars, spinning rides, and cool vintage ferris wheel. All perfect speed for a four or five year old...perhaps older, too.

The train goes around the perimeter of the park and stops at each end. It's a fun ride that goes between narrow rows of tree trunks and gives you a big picture view of the park. The conductor even let our little girl "drive" the train and blow the whistle.

The other thing worth mentioning is "monkey island". You can drive paddle boats out to the two islands that are homes to monkeys. Be sure to pick up a bag of fish feed to throw off the back to the hundreds of huge goldfish looking fish that will stalk you most of your ride. It's hilarious. Almost something out a Stephen King type movie...coming soon..."THE FISH".

This is a small scale family amusement park. When we were through riding the carousel, the operator shut it down and moved over to operate the next ride! The crowds and lines were very small, but there were enough people there to let you know it was an event. Very charming and endearing.

If you are on leisurely trip anywhere near Cherokee and have small kids, it's worth the extra few minutes to get there. Step back into a time before iPads and enjoy this mom and pop old school amusement park. You won't regret it. Even if only to stretch your legs and break up a long trip. I'm only sorry we passed it by some many years.

This place is a little older but we absolutely loved it. They have rides like the ruder coaster which was more thrilling than it looked and the Ferris wheel, The paddle boats are awesome too but watch your self when getting on--I fell in the water with all the koi fish and lost my glasses. Lol. By the grace of God I found them in the water and all the monkeys were laughing from their cages. They have animals to see too and some gift shops, Santas house, beautiful nativity scene and lots more.

My kids LOVE visiting Santa's land. This is the perfect place to bring your younger children, my 6 year old and 3 year old had a blast here. We fed deer, enjoyed a magic show and met Santa. Santa was very friendly with the children and definitely played the part with a real beard. There is a train that circles the park and kiddie rides (little boats, race cars, another car ride, airplanes, a merry go round, roller coaster and a ferris wheel). Also brought our own lunch in and ate it at the picnic area where there is also a play ground for the kids. There are concession stands and a small food venue there if you choose to purchase food inside the park. Another highlight was riding the paddle boats in the little pond they have. This pond has some huge fish who love to be fed and the kids loved feeding them :) My kids cannot wait to return again!

First you need to know that this is not Disney so if you are expecting that save your time. It is a older theme park that's been in Cherokee for a long time. It is also mostly directed to younger children, thereby the name "SantaLand". That said adults can enjoy it as well but probably even more if you have a child/grandchild. They can ride a little train, there's a magic show, carnival rides, a roller coaster that's fun and not intimidating for younger kids, and of course they can see/talk to Santa Clause even in July! There's a couple of places for food and the cheeseburger was really good. Fudge shop (the rocky road was the best I have ever had). Gift shop is rather large and there's something for all ages there, toys, gifts, Christmas decorations etc........ Price is reasonable.

I went to Santa Land as a young girl. My husband and I took out daughters when they were little. This time we went back with our daughter and young grandsons. It was so much fun. The boys visited Santa when we arrived. They rode all the rides many times. The Rudi Coaster was by far the favorite. They loved all the animals at the zoo and we fed them all. Memories were made!

My two kids (2 and 4) loved this place. The rides were fun and they were so excited about the animals. I loved it, too cause of the kitschy, retro vibe. I definitely want to go back.

A well preserved/restored classic!!!

We loved SantasLand. Our party consisted of 6. 14 year old twins, a 9 yr old, parents & a grandmother. The park was clean, everyone was friendly. The crowd was light & the kids got extra long rides. Everything within the park was affordable. The bear show was really cool, & informative!!! That was grandmothers favorite. The little zoo was nice, clean & maintained. We loved the paddle boats & the rudicoaster the best. Santa was kind & took plenty of time with the little guy, & made sure he knew the REAL meaning of Christmas. It was better than I remember as a kid, & we'll be back for sure!!

We spent the day at Santa’s Land with our 6 and 9 year old. They had a great time riding the Rudicoaster, Ferris wheel and other rides. Our big guy was little big for some of the rides, but was always allowed to ride. There is a small train, petting zoo and magic show. It was a fun and affordable day out for smaller children. Santa was great!

I first visited Santa's Land as a child. Most recently, I took my nephew. At first, he had no interest in going inside the park. I was able to get him to agree to go inside the store area. He had fun looking around and picking out a wrapped "present" from the tree. (Side note- This part was disappointing. He picked a "boy" gift and was excited to wait until he got home to open it. It was a stuffed doll.) While picking out his gift, he said, "Um, Auntie, do you maybe want to go to the park and play?" I said, "of course" and we put his "present" in the car and headed to the ticket counter.

The prices were reasonable. There was hardly any crowd. We had fun walking around, feeding animals (the goats were a hit), and riding a few rides. My nephew wouldn't ride the bigger rides so we stuck to the train and paddle boat. Feeding the fish was also a hit! I had some personal compassion issues with the animals. However, they all looked well fed and healthy. We also played in the arcade area as well. The Magic Show may have been his favorite activity. Meeting Santa was ok but not his favorite. Overall, it was a good experience. I am thankful I got to share it with my nephew!

My kids aged 14 and 4 both loved SantaLand. Both could ride the rides over and over without waiting in line. Every worker I encountered was friendly. The train operator even let the young one sit beside him and blow the whistle. The place is not a big fancy amusement filled with thrill rides, but it is a part of Americana that is sadly slowly dissapearing. Coupons for $3 off can be found at local tourist stops. Good for about 3 hours. As far as people crying about the price, I spent $80 to get in, left with two happy kids and a happy wife. What more could I ask for ?

This place needs to redo everything, It was not worth the money. The rides are old and not takin care of

Price is not worth what you get. We paid $77 for my husband, myself and our 3 year old. We were there less than 2 hours. The rides were nice for our son but there’s only a few. We fed some animals which you have to purchase food to feed them. Afterwards there aren’t any hand sanitizer stations or sinks near by to wash your hands after the animals licked the food from them so bring your own. Santa wasn’t there during the time we were. At most I would have happily paid a total of $30 for what they have there. $25 a person is way too much money.

$25.00 a person including children all ages My daughter is 3 going on 4 paid full price for her as well.
Park is filthy, zoo is disgusting,animals are nasty looking and not well maintained pretty sad to see them in this environment, employee in restaurant by children rides is very RUDE. a couple of men at children rides were very nice, however no way on earth is this place worth the money they charge, save your money.

My first visit to Santa's Land and it was great!!! Friendly staff, clean, and lots of activities for small children. My son is 1.5 years and usually has to "watch". He LOVED being able to ride the rides and have mom or grandma with him. Will be back!!

It was a neat little place to spend a few hours. Could definitely use some upgrades and the safety bar on the Rudolph rollercoaster popped open mid ride so that was very unnerving and dangerous.

This park is very good for kids. We have an 8 year old that wants to go back next summer. Last summer we got to see a fawn being born. It may be a little high in price 21.00 dollars a person, but they have alot of animals that need fed. over all I think it's great, no it's not dollywood but it always don't have the long lines to stand in to ride a ride..It's a quiet family park..

Children of all ages love the atmosphere of visiting Santa at his home! Fun little rides,exhibits,zoo, paddle boats and Santa himself! Excellent staff and wonderful Santa!

We spent about three and a half hours here with my two grandchildren, ages three and six. For the money I couldn't recommend it enough. I echo many of the comments already made in these reviews. There were so many animals. The paddle boat rides were so much fun - koi fish swimming all around, with $1.50 bags of food to feed them. $2.50 sno cones too! There was so much shade, and even a huge playground on the back of the park. Between the rides, the animals, and the boats we most definitely got our money's worth. I wished that employees were easier to come by. The animal section could really benefit from someone to educate guests and just keep an eye out. There was one family that was aggravating the cheetah just to hear it hiss and growl and then laughed about it. And another family feeding COOKIES to the huskies. Just ignorance I suppose. Also.. Santa Land... Please don't make your employees wear those goofy elf hats. They are so hot and really look ridiculous. Good time was had by all though. You should definitely go visit! There were never any lines and my kids got to Ride again and again.

My husband and I and our 4 month old went over Labor Day Weekend in September. I read the reviews so I knew what to expect. I love anything chintzy and fun and different and this park is all those things. We spent about 4 hours there including (our long wait) eating lunch.

THE GOOD
The employees. Everyone we met was so friendly. We loved Santa and bought a picture. He was so nice. The gentleman who was turning the nails into rings was funny and great. And we had a great interaction with the lady that was working at the little shop in the back. She was so nice and helped to make our visit pleasant. I think she was in the tee shirt shop.

We loved the train and rode it twice around the park.

I enjoyed the paddle boats and thought that was really fun. We had snow cones there and they were fabulous as it was a warm day.
I like a petting zoo and enjoyed the animals. The white deer was beautiful. I hope the animals have the opportunity to run and play and be on grass somewhere as a lot of the enclosures were really small.

We didn't ride the Rudicoaster or Ferris Wheel but both looked like a lot of fun. And all the children were having a great time on the fair type rides. We had some cotton candy in this area and it was good.

THE OKAY
The food. There is a place to eat. To eat inside you have to go out of the park or you can sit on benches in the park but in the heat. Either way the wait was looooong. There were only 2 women working the restaurant. We left and went inside to sit and wait. We had BBQ and chips and drink and a club and chips and drinks. A little expensive but they were really good. The only okay part was we sit there at least 30 min. waiting for the ladies to make it. The employees seemed to be working as hard as possible but they were just busy. They needed help. They also had to leave their counter and go to the other side of the room to run our credit card. That slows things down as well. Right after we got our food a lady came to the outside window and was very upset that her family had been waiting 45 min. So, they must deal with a lot of complaining customers. Food GOOD...Wait BAD so just okay.

THE BAD
It is expensive. Around $25 each seemed like a lot but for me it was worth it so this isn't really bad just something to note. They do offer discounts for AAA etc which I forgot to ask about.

Yes, the park could use some updates. Mainly a lot of paint. Paint would help a lot. But, I loved the way it looked overall.

Oh, and the bathrooms. They still have the air drying machines and those are terrible for spreading germs. I would have loved to see some paper towel holders. They would have been great to open the door after as well b/c I hate to touch the handle to get out after washing my hands.

All in all, a fun day and I would go again...even basically just us adults. I felt it was easy to social distance and in the stores everyone wore masks. Even Santa had one on! lol

My husband and I took three of our grandchildren, all boys, to Santa Land. It was very nice and all the workers were extremely helpful. The rides were fun,especially for our 2 1/5 year old and our 5 year old. The 11 year old was a little too old for some of the rides, but overall he enjoyed it.

This is an older park that shows its age. It has about 6-7 kid rides. The roller coaster is pretty good. The food was not bad. It's about $20 per person. The zoo is nice as well. Baby bears, camels, lots of goats. The playground is pretty sketchy. The nativity scenes are very large, nice and life like. We would go back again

We spent a weekend camping up in Cherokee, NC and decided on a last minute visit to Santa's Land. Our children were 3 and 6 years old- they had a blast. The park is not very large compared to any single Disney park or Carowinds, but it was much easier to keep up with everyone and ride every ride multiple times (you pay an admission price which covers all rides). The food was pretty pricey - and what's with the food called a "Rudi Burger"? Sounds like you're eating the reindeer which most kids wouldn't be too happy about. But we ended up staying about 3.5 hours. We covered all rides and petted/fed all the animals. The zoo area is rather small, but cute enough and seemed as clean as petting zoos can be. The rides are all geared toward younger children - I'd guess max age of about 8, but it fits the theme of Santa and Christmas which younger ones love. If we're back in the area, we'd probably go again, but not make a separate trip up to Cherokee specifically for this park.

After driving for 2 hours & sitting in traffic to come here,we arrived at 4:50 pm. I had called & they told me they closed at 6pm. NEVER said they stopped selling tickets at 5pm. We arrive where we approach a woman who was so rude. She told us they stopped selling tickets at 5pm. It was 4:50 pm. After telling her we just drove over 2 hours out of our way (we were leaving tennessee) to come here & our 2 year old daughter is crying because she was upset we couldnt get in,she looks at us with the most rudest face & said sorry. I then told her i thought it was complete bs because it was not even 5 pm yet & the internet nor when i called said that & she just stared at me. I take my daughter to the car & she is so upset. My husband goes & tries to talk to the manager & who was also very rude. Said she would let us in but they we had to pay full price for less than an hour at this point. It was $60 for the 3 of us for about 45 minutes. We only agreed at that point to pay it because of our daughter. At about 5:45 we go to see santa & the manager was like well i think he is gone but im not sure & would not even let us go check so our daughter could see santa. I have never been treated that way & i will NEVER go back to this place. They were so rude.

Great place for kids under 12, Clean with lots to do, They have paddle boats where you can feed alot of koi fish, also quite a few rides ferris wheel, merry go round, roller coaster as well as small buildings you can see different things related to Christmas, They have a nice size zoo with animals that seem to be well cared for. I liked the restaurant where you can get hamburgers and hot dogs as well as ice cream and snacks. I truly enjoyed this amusement and upon leaving they have a building where the kids get to sit with Santa, Overall this place was adorable and the price was reasonable for all the things they have there..