Christmas At The Fairmont Princess (Scottsdale) Experience - Momillennial
It’s no secret that “Christmas at the Princess” is a local favorite here in Scottsdale, Arizona for good reason. For the last decade, it’s been a premier destination for kid-friendly entertainment and seasonal celebrations. Every winter, the AAA Five Diamond resort magically transforms into a holiday wonderland and opens its grounds to the public (for a price of admission) - not just resort guests.
Known for hosting epic events that are family-friendly on its beautiful resort grounds, their “Superhero Summer” event was one of our highlights this summer, so it was a no-brainer for us to experience “Christmas at the Princess” for the first time this year. Here’s a quick re-cap of our night and some recommendations you may want to keep in mind for your visit!
S’Mores Land at The Princess
With four adults and one 4 year old, S’mores Land was naturally our first stop. This area includes “Polar Glide” (a 4-lane tube slide made of ice), a Christmas Carousel, Frosty’s Ferris Wheel, and of course, s’more stations (17 of them)! All rides are included in the price of admission so you can choose to ride all of them, or find a favorite and ride it over and over again. Keep in mind that there are VIP lines that get an express way to the front of the line, but our wait time was about 20 minutes for the Ferris Wheel.
The Ferris Wheel was a great choice for our party as each of the 15 gondola seated 6 passengers and lasted about 10 minutes. The view from the top was both lovely and exciting, especially for toddlers. You can see across Scottsdale and get a sneak peek of the resort’s layout too.
There is a concession stand conveniently located in S’mores Land called “Graham’s S’more Store” where you can purchase hot chocolate, coffee, and s’mores kit. Each s’more kit comes with marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers and roasting sticks, neatly packaged in a metal lunchbox that’s yours to take home... for $25. Now if you’re a mom or millennial on a budget, like the many people I saw who left the line when they were uncomfortable paying the price for cuteness, here’s a pro-tip. (Disclaimer: This is not endorsed by The Fairmont Princess Scottsdale. I’m honestly not even sure if this is allowed or frowned upon or maybe they turn a blind eye on it. So please follow at your own risk.)
Christmas at the Princess Pro-Tip: Bring Your Own S’more Supplies!
You read right. This is an insider tip passed on to locals who have done this for many years and frequently stay at The Princess. While there are people standing at the entrance and exit of S’more Land to ensure you have wristbands on, they aren’t checking your belongings for smuggling s’mores. So bring a bag of marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, and sticks for you and your loved ones to enjoy and start roasting! Feel a little guilty? Okay, well so did we after we followed this pro-tip ourselves. So we made sure to purchase a cup of hot chocolate for everyone in our party… at $7.50 a cup. We can sleep easy at night now!
After we left S’more Land we ventured on to the rest of the party. The Enchanted Plaza displays a four-story Christmas Tree that syncs with music. Of course, Grayson and I danced and sand along to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” when it came on! Okay, I danced and sang, he looked at me with confusion and concern.
If you weren’t already in the Christmas spirit, take a walk through Lagoon Lights for instant gratification. It’s a journey into Christmas decor galore along the pathway and lagoon, illuminated by over 4.5 million lights! If you’re still being a Grinch as you walk through, there’s some lights there for you too Mister.
If you weren’t already in the Christmas spirit, take a walk through Lagoon Lights for instant gratification. It’s a journey into Christmas decor galore along the pathway and lagoon, illuminated by over 4.5 million lights! If you’re still being a Grinch as you walk through, there’s some lights there for you too Mister.
Source: https://www.scottsdaleprincess.com/
If you’re unable to or prefer a scenic ride, hop on board the Princess Express Trains to drive through Lagoon Lights. There are two trains constantly running throughout the night.
Source: https://www.scottsdaleprincess.com/
Still want to add a little something extra to the experience? Desert Ice Skating is exactly what it sounds like. Imagine ice skating, surrounded by picturesque saguaros, as snow falls underneath a clear, star-filled Arizona sky! All yours for $20/skater and $7/skate rental.
There is a of course a VIP option for added rink-side luxury. More fire pit tables to roast some more s’mores and blankets are available for night sessions and include valet parking! The Desert Ice Skating option is a whole experience in and of itself.
Holiday Offers for Room Packages
Family Memories Package
The more the merrier! Celebrate Christmas at The Princess by staying overnight with the entire family and all your friends. Guests who book the Family Memories Package received 50% off the second room booked. Call 1.800.344.4758 to learn more.
Trees of Hope Package
’Tis the Season for giving back - and the Fairmont’s annual Tress of Hope charitable initiative makes it easy. Portions of proceeds from the purchase of the Trees of Hope Package directly benefits the #LoveUp Foundation. This package also includes a 15% Daily Rate discount, $25 resort credit, VIP passes for Christmas at the Princess attractions and more.
Sip, Savor, & Celebrate Package
If you wanna do the Princess “right”, this package is for you! The Sip, Savor, and Celebrate Package includes VIP entrance to Christmas as the Princess festivities, $75 resort credit, and so much more. Warning: this experience may turn Christmas at the Princess into an annual tradition!
Groupons
If you’re looking for a quick trip to and the Fairmont Specials aren’t what you’re looking for, be sure to check Groupon for discounts for Christmas at The Princess.