local flavor: dreamworks’ “north pole adventure” at ridge hill!

November 14, 2014/

Noah and I had a blast last week previewing DreamWork’s “Dream Place North Pole Adventure”, smack in the center of Ridge Hill.

One of only eight in the country (and the only one in the New York Metro area), DreamPlace is a 2,000 square foot holiday cottage, decked out to the max. You are greeted by a special North Pole “guide”, who brings you inside for a meet-and-greet with Santa himself.

ridge hill dreamworks north pole adventure

Problem is, Santa’s missing! And so your adventure begins. With the help of Shrek and Donkey, you’re led into a super secret “sleigh design room”, where – using an iPad – your child can custom design his very own sleigh.

You’re now on your way! Seated in your sleigh in front of a large video screen, you embark on an interactive ride to the North Pole – complete with wind and snow (just a little!) in your face. This was definitely Noah’s favorite part.

Once at your destination, your child is invited by some elves to gather up “Nice Points” from a “Naughty and Nice “machine”, while Santa gets ready. And then the moment arrives.

I have to admit I was totally charmed by Santa and his workshop. The room was cluttered and cozy and Noah snuggled right into Santa’s lap.

You finish up in a small gift shop, where you have the option to purchase photos and/or videos of your child’s visit.

I know – you’re probably saying at this point, “Wait – isn’t Sheri Jewish?”.

Yes I am – and this was Noah’s first (and probably last) visit with Santa. But I couldn’t resist the invitation, and knew that Noah would get a kick out of it – which he did, as you can see.

A few things to keep in mind:

* As part of the media invited to the preview, I was permitted to take pictures – picture taking is otherwise prohibited.
* The experience takes about 15 minutes and is totally free (not including photos/videos, should you choose to purchase).
* You can book a reservation here – which is highly recommended, as we all know how much fun it is to wait with your child on a long line…..
* The North Pole Adventure is going on right now and runs through Christmas Eve.

While you’re there, be sure to check out a very cool mural by the talented New York artist Kindo Harper – it’s his depiction of the history of transportation in Yonkers, and would appeal to kids of any age. It’s located along the walkway between Fountain Plaza and the parking lot behind REI and Dick’s Sporting Goods. This hastily snapped photo doesn’t do it near justice.

Thank you so much to Ridge Hill and DreamWorks for a really fun evening!

Note: I was not compensated for this post. I was invited to preview the experience on the eve of its opening; all comments and opinions are – as always – completely my own.