Last Saturday we were thrilled to be invited to Hatton to visit their Enchanted Christmas Kingdom.
The day was bright but cold and when we first arrived Hatton Village was in full swing with singers. It certainly felt like Christmas had arrived.
We had some to time to spare before visiting Santa in his grotto so we started by feeding the animals in the barn. The sheep were particularly hungry.
Then, we just had to go and cuddle the guinea pigs. Each Christmas the enormous guinea pig village is decorated in Christmas splendour and the kids love it. It’s so lovely to get to hold a guinea pig too and we all had a turn.
We had a little more time to look around the other animals and play on the tractors. The Little Man always makes a bee line for the tractors. They also had a turn on the fairground rides. There is so much to do at Hatton Adventure World, in the summer we spend all day, but this time we were here to see the Enchanted Christmas Kingdom and it was finally our time slot. There is also a big marquee where you can write your letter to Father Christmas and make Christmas decorations. (It’s also a chance to warm up a little)
The kids loved the grotto, there is so much to see. I made a little visit of our journey, being in a wheelchair I guess I have a child height view.
Here are a few photos from the grotto.
When the children finally get to see Father Christmas it’s like visiting an old relative, he’s a chatty, friendly man that made the children feel at ease as they told him what they wanted for Christmas. Thankfully this year they didn’t come out with gifts that gave me palpitations.
After a chat, good old Father Christmas opens his book to see if they are on the good or the naughty list. Then he presents them with gold keys to take to the toy shop where they can pick a toy from the many on display. We had at least five minutes with old fella, which was really enjoyable for the kids. Then Father Christmas pulled out a magic button to take a photo of himself with the kids. The Little Man was most interested in the photo machine! The photos can then be purchased on the way out. I bought two for £12 (one for Grandma.)
The kids were excited to reach the toy shop and the selection of toys is really good. Boo picked a nail varnish parlour, The Little Man chose a ball air blaster (Think Nerf type gun that fires soft balls) and Star was thrilled with her bath bomb and soap making set.
Before we left there was time to play in the park and the sand pit with diggers. I was shivering by now so I made my way to get a hot coffee and a sit by the open log burner to warm up a little. Then we had a little walk around the Christmas Market in the village where the kids had even more gifts, but useful ones as I bought Star and the Little Man woolly hats and Boo a new purse for school.
We had a magical day out but if there was one thing I would change it would be the steep entrance to the Enchanted Kingdom grotto, it was so difficult for me to climb in my wheelchair and terrifying coming back down again.
I’d advise you to wrap up warm and don’t forget your gloves like I did!
The Enchanted Christmas Kingdom is open every weekend from November 25th to December 24th, plus Friday 8th December evening and weekdays from 18th to 22nd December. It’s advisable to book your tickets to the grotto in advance and you are given a time slot so the queues are smaller.
Also at Hatton you can see Zoobee’s Christmas Cracker Magic Show, Zoobee’s Festive Friends Puppet Show, Cool Colin’s Show, Reindeer Quest, Festive Scales and Tales and indoor soft play. There are also plenty of places to eat and drink.
Hatton Adventure World can be found in Hatton, Warwick, literally minutes away from the M40.
Disclosure: We were given free entry into Hatton and tickets for the Enchanted Christmas Kingdom in return for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ah, we do enjoy Hatton, there's so much to do there. Sounds like you all had a fabulous time with a lovely Father Christmas visit.
Hi Anne, that looks like a lovely Christmas grotto! Being given time slots sounds nice and organised too, I remember the days when I was young (well, I vaguely remember them) and it felt like we waited all day to see Father Christmas. It's great that there other things to do too, I'd have been in there petting the guinea pigs too. Did you get to hold one? I bet you sneaked it out in your wheelchair ( I know I probably would have tried). It is a sad sign of the times when they have to electronically tag animals at petting zoos! I do love the noise that guinea pigs make too, we had one for years and it was probably more interactive and vocal than my little dog.
xx
I’m feeling all Christmassy now.mlooks fun x
Hatton always looks like a great day out for the family, with their Christmas Wonderland it looks even better! That grotto looks so welcoming and fun I bet the kids had a blast exploring it, it's wonderful you had a good amount of time with Santa as well, it's so common to be rushed through. Picking their own presents from the toy shop is fab too, then they're more likely to get something they like!
Thanks for sharing with me on #CountryKids.
What a lovely event. Santa certainly gets about in the lead up to Christmas doesn't he? #mmbc
Shame about the access for you but sounds like a great event for the kids #CountryKids
We've not been to Hatton at Christmas for a couple of years now. It does get chilly up there doesn't it #countrykids
This looks like a really lovely Christmassy day out, the grotto looks fantastic #countrykids