The last amusement park I visited in 2021 is the North Pole, historically called Santa’s Workshop. A Disney animator designed the original concept in the 1940s for a Santa’s Workshop built in Wilmington, New York, near Lake Placid. In 1956, this copy opened at the base of Pikes Peak in Colorado.
Santa’s Workshop is a place to meet Santa Claus, post letters from the North Pole, and ride some rides from mid-May to Christmas. Almost all 28 rides here are aimed at children aged 2-12. But there are a few that are also fun for adults. But on the whole, this is not the place to find the most thrilling thrills.
The North Pole
Just to walk around the village is nice. And for most of the year, you can do it for free. All the buildings are gingerbread-cookie cute. You can meet Santa in his workshop, visit the North Pole post office, shop in the Christmas store, or the toy or candy shops. There’s a glassblower, a magic show, and a couple of gift shops, including a place that will personalize items. A pretty chapel accepts change for charity.
Restored band organs play peppy tunes at regular intervals in several locations around the park. Elmer the Elf puts on an animatronic banjo show in the shopping village. At the center of the park is a platform with photo opportunities like a big sleigh. On the park map and the Wikipedia page, it refers to a pole that is permanently frozen over in ice, a literal north pole even in the middle of summer. I don’t remember seeing any ice during my visit – maybe they turned it off for Covid.
Note that there is a great deal of elevation change throughout the park. There are lots of stairs and steep inclines to navigate as you move from one section to another. And this is in a park that stays open until Christmas Eve in Colorado! If it snows or ices over, they may open later to clear all the paths.
Santa’s Workshop Rides
Family Rides
There are 20 rides that you can ride as an adult or with your kids. An Antique Car Ride putts next to the gift-shop entrance and even goes through a short tunnel. The Candy Cane Coaster is the only official coaster in the park and takes an undulating track around an oval. A bare-bones Carousel is a 1919 antique featuring original horses and newer reindeer – including a red-nosed Rudulph. The Christmas Tree Ride is a spinner where you sit inside a Christmas ornament to spin around a tall white Christmas tree. Dive Bombers is an adjustable-wing swings ride. The Giant Wheel is a bench-style Ferris wheel at the highest point of the park with fantastic views from the top!
A Granny Bug ride is basically “bugs in a circle,” similar to the Kiddie Combo with different vehicles to choose from. A Mini-Himalaya is an open version in a little valley. A standard Paratrooper sits next to the red-and-white spiral Peppermint Slide. The rockets in Rocket Ride (rockets in a circle) are painted pretty colors. Santa’s Sleigh Ride is the newest attraction, a two-seater zip ride like the Soaring Eagle at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Then there’s a Scrambler, a Tilt-A-Whirl, and a short Sky Ride to nowhere in particular. (I think they missed an opportunity to make it into a legitimate transportation option to the upper hillside where the Giant Wheel, Scrambler, and Dive Bombers live!) The Space Shuttle* is a swinging starship – like a looping starship, but I don’t think it goes all the way around.
The Train is a shortish ride – basically, a straight line on a ridge with loops at the ends. But you get a fun canned narration about the history of Pikes Peak and Santa’s Workshop while you ride. Tubs of Fun is like a small teacup ride where you can spin yourself. And a kid’s Whip Ride goes mostly in a circle.
Children-Only Rides
Attractions just for the smaller kids include the “boats in a circle” Boat Ride*, “cars in a circle” Midge-O Racers*, “motorcycles in a circle” Motorcycles*, “horses in a circle” Pony Carts*, and “planes in a circle” Star Fighters*. A dumbo-like Kiddie Commander allows riders to control their height. A Kiddie Wheel Ferris wheel ride features six enclosed cages. And the Rodeo Rider is a frog hopper ride with saddles for seats!
(*All rides marked with an asterisk are labeled with a “closed temporarily” tag on the website, so they might be on their way out?)
Not all rides (in either category) are open at all times – the whole back section of the park is closed between 11:25 and noon. Kid’s rides have a height restriction of 34-54 inches, though some are only 42″ or 48″. The Rodeo Rider can hold riders up to 56″ under the ride’s oversized cowboy hats.
Loose Articles, Food, & Parking
Any loose articles you may have can either come with you on the rides or be put aside next to the ride. There isn’t any official policy, per se. But even on the roller coaster, I kept my purse with me.
There are two main places to get food in Santa’s Workshop. Down in the village is Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard serving sandwiches, burgers and fries, chicken fingers, and hot dogs. And up the hill past the train station is an Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe which I imagine serves similar food. Miss Muffet’s closer to the roller coaster has snacks like popcorn and funnel cakes (I think – I didn’t get anything there to notice!)
Parking is free in a lot right at the base of the entrance to Pikes Peak. A photo-ready gate is clearly situated for drivers to see as they come down the mountain.
Hours and Tickets
The North Pole, home of Santa’s Workshop, reopens for the season in mid-May and remains open until Christmas Eve. For most of the season, gate admission (no rides) is free, but during “holiday” hours (I imagine from Thanksgiving to Christmas), you’ll have to make a reservation online and purchase a full $25 ticket.
Last year, ticket prices were $25 to ride everything or $15 to only ride the Train, Skyride, Giant Wheel, Scrambler, and Carousel. (So, if you want to ride the zip line, you’ll have to pay the full $25.) I confess that I skipped out on the Scrambler and Carousel and rode the Candy Cane Coaster instead, and no one seemed to care. (Wristbands for the two tiers are different colors.) The park hasn’t released 2022 ticket prices yet, so it may change from last year. You can currently purchase a $45 pass for the whole season. Infants 2 and under are always free.
Hours are 10 am-5 pm Thursday-Monday, closed on Tuesday & Wednesday.
Be First to Comment