The top of Pier 17 at New York City’s South Street Seaport claims to be a dream winter wonderland tied to Disney’s Santa Claus films, complete with ice rink, large slide and treats.
Some visitors say it’s a nightmare.
“I wanted to like it, but I didn’t,” Christina Cestaro, 27, told DailyMail.com of her visit to the experience with boyfriend Mike Berinter, 32.
Typical tickets cost $65 for the House of Mouse-inspired experience that’s been called “New York City’s most magical holiday attraction of the season.” But some parents and families are taking to social media to lament the condition of the rides and the lack of cleanliness in the park.
‘It felt like no one worked there. It was dirty. There were hot chocolate cups everywhere,” Cestaro said. ‘The hot chocolate was terrible. How can you ruin hot chocolate? We took a sip and tossed it our way.”
Disney’s The Santa Clauses’ Winter Wonderland in NYC is heralded as a top holiday attraction, but some visitors say it was a disappointment
Large black spots are seen on the slide at the NYC park as some have labeled the rides ‘dangerous’
Christina Cestaro, 27, (left), and Mike Berinter, 32, (right), a party planner from Long Island, tried to skate on the synthetic rink, but all they could do was “stomp,” they said
Disney’s The Santa Clauses’ Winter Wonderland opens Nov. 22 and runs through Jan. 7, according to the ticket website.
‘Experience the magic of the North Pole without leaving the city! A dedicated team of elves worked tirelessly to transform The Rooftop at Pier 17 into Santa’s enchanting headquarters, inspired by Disney’s The Santa Clause,” the website said.
Tickets are just $15 for general admission, but that’s only for a few days this holiday season. Most ticket times are between $19 and $65 for the experience, but a skate pass can cost $20 on top of that.
There are also VIP experiences like ice skating and a Santa Claus, among other giveaways.
The experience includes a Hot Cocoa-inspired cafe, Santa’s living room, a visit from the jolly man himself (but only on weekends), ice skating, a mini slide, and a place to write letters to Santa.
But some visitors say the experience was hastily put together and disappointing.
The Pier 17 experience includes a Hot Cocoa-inspired cafe, Santa’s living room, a visit from the jolly man himself (but only on weekends), ice skating, a mini slide, and a place to write letters to Santa
Promotional photos show a cheerful, festive winter wonderland. But some visitors say it doesn’t live up to the hype
A mini slide is one of the main attractions in the wonderland. Promotional photos show a clean area, but videos on social media show major traces of the ride
‘As far as I’m concerned it’s a shame. Done last year: nice pictures, but that’s all. I even had a slow night so I can imagine if it’s busy how long the lines are for them. We did the whole thing in about 20 minutes,” wrote one Facebook user who went last year.
Another woman who spent the weekend used the experience to kick off the holidays for his family.
“The holiday season opened by visiting Disney’s The Santa Clauses’ Winter Wonderland at Pier 17,” she stated. ‘It is not advisable to go there. Waste of money and time.’
One woman admitted to spending too much to make the experience “special” for the children in her family.
“We got there and my stomach dropped. It wasn’t magical or even organized. It was cheap and rushed, crowded and not authentic. Several of us were crying,” the woman posted on Facebook.
“Santa there was very nice and Luca smiled at him, but the whole experience left a bad taste in our mouths.”
Photos posted online show tree shedding and little landscaping – and few Disney icons – along the rooftop event
Rides along the slide say it is marked and staff tell people to avoid some parts
‘The hot chocolate was terrible. How can you ruin hot chocolate? We took a sip and tossed it our way,” Cestaro said
Cestaro said she decided to attend after seeing ads on social media and believed it would be a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.
When they went to the skating rink, she said the skates “smelled and were falling apart.” Once she got to the rink, which she described as a “small” (skating rink), the drama escalated.
“I was aware it wasn’t real ice, but we couldn’t even slide on it, but we were stomping,” Cestaro recalls. “We tried to make the best of the situation, but everyone else – children with their families – looked miserable.”
When it was time to go to the slide, she noticed traces of sneakers or what looked like black tar in the middle of the ride. A security guard told her to slide to the side of the slide to avoid the middle as this could slow her down.
“I didn’t expect to feel comfortable, but it wasn’t a smooth ride. I understand how someone could get hurt.”
Cestaro knew it was after 9pm and that Santa wouldn’t be ‘ho..ho..ho…en, as visiting hours were over when she arrived, but what she did see was an area where children go – to write letters to Santa Claus. that was complete disorder.
“There was no more paper and pens,” she said. “And all the letters to Santa were scattered on the floor and table.”
Temperatures on Friday evening were close to freezing at the water’s edge, so when she and her boyfriend decided to stop in the VIP lounge to warm up, they suddenly changed their minds.
“When we saw how unhappy the people in there looked… we left.”