Santa’s Chill Factore review

I long for some snow at this time of year to really get me in the festive mood. In fact, I’d do anything to try and make myself feel more like a Christmas fairy rather than the Grinch. It seems that age and cynicism has gradually sucked away the childish eagerness for the festive season. Perhaps it’s the endless queues that suddenly form in the shops, the infuriating DFS adverts in October or the raucous office parties taking up every available seat in the bars and restaurants. Or perhaps I really am the Grinch?

This year, to try and counteract these feelings, I’m making an effort to be less of a misery and partake in some festive activities. I’d like to go to Lapland but unless I can be sure old Father Christmas brings me a rather large cheque for my prezzie, it’s not going to happen. So where does one go to capture a little piece of Christmas close to home? The Chill Factore, Trafford of course. Snow - check. Christmas trees - check. Father Christmas - check. Reindeers - check, check (albeit plastic ones).

The Chill Factore might not be the first place you think of going when looking for Santa’s Grotto and if I’m perfectly honest, it wasn’t mine either. Indeed, you’re more likely visit the Trafford Centre next door. But a suggestion from a family member (who happens to be a keen snowboarder) was all it took for me to take my little one on our trek in that direction.

It was quiet when we arrived at around 11am. We bought our tickets from the main reception area. It’s a good idea to pre-book online or by phone as your visit is allocated a time slot. We had to wait for around an hour which went surprisingly fast once we had had the essential coffee and double chocolate muffin at the coffee shop chain on site.

The grotto was still being set up when we arrived 10 minutes early and Santa wasn’t in, unless that was him putting the tree lights up? We wandered off to look at the ski slope and children’s snow play area whilst Santa’s little helpers brushed the floor and made finishing touches.

When we returned, Santa wasn’t in, but we were greeted by a lovely member of his elves team who assured us that he wouldn’t be long. Perhaps he was throwing a hissy fit out the back because the grotto wasn’t up to his usual standards? ‘I can’t work under these conditions...’ A few minutes passed and his arrival was announced. I have never taken my toddler to a grotto before so this was a case of trial and error.

The grotto was as you would expect; a Christmas tree, a few bags of presents and the big man himself. The little one didn’t shriek in horror as I had anticipated might happen but just looked at the bearded chap with complete confusion and then decided that the Christmas tree was actually what he had come to see. Only the appearance of a festive present changed his mind; suddenly this unusually dressed man was interesting. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take our own photo in the grotto so had one taken of us. Of course, Father Christmas isn’t as daft as he looks and cashed in on this obvious money spinner. We obliged and on leaving the grotto ordered our picture as a fridge magnet for £5.

Our ticket was for two adults and a child and included half an hour in the children’s snow play area (£16). This was entered from behind the grotto, through a line of potted pine trees. It felt like we were about to walk into the magical world of Narnia. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to its expectation, which was a shame. What should have been a winter wonderland was more like a walk in refrigerator. There was a wooden hut with a small slide, some padded snowmen, tree shapes and inflatable rings that the kids sit in to get dragged around by their parents. The latter were really great fun, if not a little exhausting for the unfit adults.

Although we did have a good laugh playing in the snow, I’m not sure that it would be the case for parents with kids older than two or three. Even my little one lost enthusiasm after about 15 minutes and became more interested in what was going on beyond the boundaries of the snow play area. It might have helped if there had been other children around, but we were on our own unfortuantely.

I can’t help but think that the Chill Factore is missing a trick here. They have after all the one thing that other grottos in department stores and centres everywhere don’t have -snow. This is the essential ingredient into making a grotto feel like it has been taken straight from Lapland. If the grotto was located in this snow play area, instead of behind the reception and there was a bit more effort on the entertainment front, I think this would have made a huge difference. Our visit could have been much more magical rather than unfortunately losing its tinsel along the way. That said, when I asked my little one what he enjoyed the most about his outing, he said: “The snow and the red man” so I guess job done?

Chill Factore
Trafford Way
Trafford Quays Leisure Village
Manchester
M41 7JA

For bookings, prices and more information please visit www.chillfactore.co.uk