We’re Answering It All Here

Christmas at the Princess is open nightly from November 17, 2023 through January 6, 2024.

• Enjoy the festive holiday fun Monday - Thursday 5-10PM and Friday - Sunday 4-11PM
• (Extended hours starting December 15th – January 6th 4-11pm daily)

Depending on when a guest visits throughout the holiday season, it is certainly possible to experience all of the activities and attractions in the same evening. That said, with so much holiday cheer spread out throughout our 65-acre property, to fully enjoy the festival and not feel rushed, we recommend joining us for two evenings, or booking an overnight stay at the Princess to receive VIP Express Wristbands that cut down wait time for all attractions.

Yes, Christmas at the Princess is open to the public, and we’d love to invite you and all your family enjoy the Christmas magic. However, this is a ticketed event, and we recommend purchasing before you arrive to ensure availability.

No. After delivering presents on Christmas Eve, Santa and his reindeer fly home to the North Pole to begin preparing for the next Christmas!

To maximize your experience we recommend arriving to the event as soon as the event opens. This will allow you to embrace all activities with no rush to get everything in. You will need the full night to not miss any of the fun!

• Monday - Thursday 5-10PM and Friday - Sunday 4-11PM
• (Extended hours starting December 15th – January 6th 4-11pm daily)

Each ride has its own minimum height requirement ranging from 36 inches to 54 inches. See the attractions page for specific details. For ice skating at Desert Ice and the Alpine Skate Trail, the only requirement is that they must be able to stand and skate on their own (skating walkers or skating assistance not available).

Sizes start at Junior Size 8 – Adult Size 15. We also offer adjustable double-bladed skates that attach over children’s shoes.

All characters are out in the park nightly. Once you’ve arrived on property, visit one of our information booths and they will happily provide you with a map showing the exact location of all characters. Don’t miss the signature character dance performance 5 and 9PM nightly in the enchanted plaza!

Yes! Shopping at all of the resort’s retail stores will be available daily from 9AM-9PM.

While we love your furry friends, they will only be allowed on property during the event if they are a service dog.

Overnight guests are welcome to bring your posh pooch. Learn more about our Pet Policy.

Access to all event venues during Christmas at the Princess is available. See bell staff upon arrival for tips and directions to maximize your event experience. Rides and attractions may have some limitations to help protect the health of those with disabilities.

Photos with Santa does require a ticket, but this also includes the Elf Academy, Mrs. Claus Christmas Carols as well as additional photo ops, and one digital photo with Santa. Personal photos encouraged with the use of phones.

Yes, personal photos encouraged with the use of phones.

Overnight resort guests receive complimentary nightly admission to the festival and are provided VIP wristbands to use the express lane at the attractions.

Our VIP Express Lane is available for overnight resort guests to reduce wait times at our rides and attractions (excluding ice skating or photos with Santa). We treat our overnight guests as true VIPs!

They are only included with hotel stays and are not available for purchase.

Children 3 years of age or younger will receive entry into Christmas at the Princess without a fee.

All igloo and fire pits packages are priced the same for overnight and visiting guests.

Yes! You can dine at any of our signature restaurants:

• Bourbon Steak Serving butter-poached steaks
• La Hacienda Top-rated Mexican in Arizona
• Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar Asian fusion
• Ironwood American Kitchen Farm to table (walkups welcome)
• The Plaza Bar Light bites (walkups welcome)

For our walkup seasonal options, we have:

• The Lodge A pop-up restaurant, which is a quick service style restaurant
• Comet’s Caboose Toasty drinks before you take a ride on Princess Express
• Twinkle's Takeout Light bites and drinks at Twinkle Town
• Copper Canyon Kettle Corn Sweet and salty popcorn in La Hacienda Plaza
• Mrs. Claus’ Cookies Your favorite holiday cookies in La Hacienda Plaza
• The Princess Nut Roasting Co. Almonds, pecans and cashews in La Hacienda Plaza
• Churro Cart Freshly made churros in La Hacienda
• Kringle’s Kup Festive hot chocolate, coffee drinks, and more throughout Christmas at the Princess
• Desert Dough Co. Warm, fresh donuts in Winterland

Discover more!

No, however we do have additional food and beverage options offered at each venue. We are also excited to offer custom cakes for special celebrations. Please call 480.585.2694 to learn more and place an order.

Dining at the Princess is a must on the elf list! Reservations are recommended for dining at Bourbon Steak, La Hacienda and Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar, as outlets do reach capacity during the holiday season. Ironwood American Kitchen is walk-in only and no advance reservations are needed. To make a reservation, call 480.585.2694.

S’mores kits can be purchased for enjoyment at the pop-up shops and concession stands near S’mores Land in the Village, Twinkle Town and Winterland and roasted at any first-come, first-serve fire pit. By reserving a VIP fire pit or igloo, however, Santa will provide a s’mores board to enjoy with your private experience.

Unfortunately, we do not offer gluten-free s’mores kits.

Our restaurants experience high demand throughout the entire holiday season, we recommend making all reservations at least one month prior to your visit. To make a reservation, call 480.585.2694.

Yes! Notify the valet staff who provide you with a different-colored wristband for those who wish to dine for the evening.

Call 480.585.2694 to make a reservation.

We do not recommend waiting to purchase tickets onsite. Christmas at the Princess is a ticketed event with limited availability and often sells out. Tickets can be purchased on our website. We recommend also purchasing parking ahead of time to avoid a surcharge for purchased at the gate.

Once purchased, a confirmation email will be sent with unique QR codes for each ticket. Upon arrival to the property, for all self-parking admission tickets, follow the self-parking signs onto Cottage Terrace. A parking lot attendant will scan QR code(s) and give the appropriate number of wristbands. For rideshare admission tickets, follow signs to the designated ride share drop off in the Enchanted Plaza. The welcome elf will scan QRs code(s) and hand out wristbands.

Visit our ticketing page and select "help links" at the top of the page to resend the confirmation email to yourself. Upon clicking, it will prompt you to re-enter your email.

Admission and parking are separate. It is $120 to valet park at Christmas at the Princess if you purchase before you arrive, and self parking is $35 if you purchase before you arrive. Please note, parking will be charged at a premium if you purchase on property. For the best value, purchase parking when you purchase your admission tickets ahead of time! Christmas at the Princess is a ticketed event with limited availability and often sells out.

You are able to purchase an extra wristband online here.

Ice skate rental and unlimited skating for the evening at the Desert Ice Skating Rink and Alpine Ice Trail. Valid in blocks of one hour skate session, based on capacity and availability.

Children 3 years of age or younger will receive entry into Christmas at the Princess without a fee.

You may reserve a VIP fire pit or igloo by visiting our ticketing website and selecting your fire pit, igloo and other experiences of your choice.

No, as the resort event tickets are perishable (once the date is past the date cannot be re-sold), we will not be able to refund tickets after purchase. There is limited capacity each evening and once a guest purchases and removes a ticket from our inventory to sell, the ticket is not refundable.

Just as we do at the North Pole, please check the weather before you get in your sleigh! Scottsdale nights are known for being beautiful, but if wintery weather does come our way, the festival will continue. Please plan accordingly. A $20 fee will apply for all date changes (subject to availability). The resort will be hosting Christmas at the Princess, rain or shine. There may be some disruption of ride schedule due to inclement weather, but the resort makes every effort to keep all rides and attractions open each night event scheduled, rain or shine.

Visit our ticketing page and expand the red drop down menu at the very top of the page to access "Change My Ticket Date". You can also utilize the chat feature on our website or email us to contact one of Santa's helpers and reschedule your visit. Please note, if we are unable to switch the date of your ticket to the newly selected date, that date is sold out.

For visitors self-parking, please follow all self-parking signs onto Cottage Terrace Dr. If you wish to valet park, please make way to the front drive of the hotel.

Overnight and restaurant guests should follow the signs to the front drive near the lobby and main entrance to valet. As a Christmas at the Princess evening visitor, either follow self-parking signage onto Cottage Terrace Dr., or navigate to the front drive to valet.

There are designated ride share locations, but make sure to purchase your general admission wristband in advance at for access to the event and activities.

No, a Self-Parking ticket or valeting your vehicle is required to park on our facilities.

They each have a unique wintery location that offer a different festive feel!

- Fire Pits at Fire & Ice are located steps away from the Desert ice skating rink.

- Fire Pits at the Lodge are very centrally located to all the Christmas Festivities and nestled together at the Lodge pop up restaurant.

-The Igloos are located in our The Village near the Alpine ice trail and ice slide, inside S’mores land

- Chateau Champagne, our most luxurious fire pit option, is to the west of our Winterland and overlooks the twinkling Lagoon Lights and TPC Stadium course.

We will do our best to accommodate your request, but requests are subject to business levels and availability. We invite you to call Restaurant Reservations at 480.585.2694 to add the note to your reservation.

Fire & Ice

- Reservations for the Fire Pits for 4 comfortably seat up to 5 persons

- Reservations for the Fire Pits for 8 comfortable seat up to 10 persons

*Admission for additional persons sold separately

The Lodge

- Reservations for the Fire Pits for 6 comfortably seat up to 8 persons      

*Admission for additional persons sold separately                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Igloos & Fire Pits at the Village

- Reservations for 8 comfortable seat up to 10 persons

Chateau Champagne

- All reservations seat the quoted allotment of people (2, 4, or 6 persons)

At this time, we do not offer delivery from our signature outlets. However, your server will gladly you provide you with our select seasonal menu to enjoy food & beverage from.

Each fire pit includes a designated server to purchase additional food and beverage options off a select specialty menu.

You are more than welcome to request a specific location, but due to business levels we may not be able to grant your Chirstmas wish. We will do our best to accommodate, but requests are not guaranteed.

We do not offer promo codes at this time for any of our fire pits or igloos.

Please call Restaurant reservations at 480.585.2694 for more information and to be connected with the Group Sales department.

All igloo and fire pits packages are priced the same for overnight and visiting guests.

We would be happy to move your date, subject to availability. There will be a $20 fee for changing your date. Visit our website and opt to "Change My Ticket Date" from the red bar at the very top of the page. Upon clicking, it will prompt you through the process. You can also utilize the chat feature on the homepage or email us to reschedule your visit. If you have any further questions, please reach out to Restaurant Reservations at 480.585.2694 and we will be happy to assist.

Each Fire pit location will have a designated host stand. Please see our friendly host to be checked in and directed to your fire pit.

The ticketing website is updated in real-time. If we do not show any availability, unfortunately we do not have any fire pits to offer. We recommend going online periodically to check for any updates, as cancellations do happen. At this time, we do not keep a cancellation list.

We do not allow any outside food or beverage that was not purchased on property. You may periodically be asked for proof of payment (receipt from property). If you are worried about any allergies or dietary restrictions, please alert our staff right away so we can ensure you have a wonderful night with us! Rest assured, our kitchen is fully equipped to accommodate any dietary need.

Absolutely - the more the merrier! Each reservation includes a set number of tickets to Christmas at the Princess, but if you have a joiner make sure you purchase their admission ahead of time! If you have a group larger than the maximum table capacity please purchase an additional firepit. If your invitees would like to enjoy Christmas at the Princess, without the access to the firepit, and VIP wristbands, they are more than welcome to purchase general admission wristbands & parking.

We require check in by 6pm. If you do not check-in at or before this time, we have the right to release the fire pits back into inventory to be resold to other guests as these experiences are in high demand!

Christmas at the Princess is a rain or shine event. If there is inclement weather, we will put umbrellas over the fire pits and keep you and your party as dry and comfortable as possible. The only reason we would dismiss some activities is due to extreme weather like lightning storms. If you would like to move your date due to a weather-related concern, please note it is subject to availability, and a $20 fee would be incurred. To change your ticket and reservation dates, visit our website and opt to "Change My Ticket Date" from the red bar at the very top of the page. Upon clicking, it will prompt you through the process. You can also utilize the chat feature on the homepage or email us to reschedule your visit.

Children 3 and under do not require a ticket, but the young and young at heart older than 3 require admission to be purchased.

Unfortunately, we do not offer any refunds. Please contact restaurant reservations at 480.585.2694 for any questions.

No, this Christmas at the Princess is a cashless event.

Just as with any promotions, there will be blackout dates. The dates show unavailable are either sold our or are the blackout dates for the Early bird Sale. However, if not sold out, we are offering our standard ticketing on blackout days and would be happy to host you for some holiday cheer!

Yes! Your fire pit includes VIP Express wristbands.

Yes! Your fire pit reservation includes valet parking. Please visit our website for more detail.

Of course! You are more than welcome to bring blankets to keep cozy and warm. If you'd like a take-home memento to mark this year's annual tradition, custom Christmas at the Princess blankets will be available for purchase at $30 each.

No, we do not offer discounts for dining on property, but we still encourage you to enjoy Christmas at the Princess to the fullest!

Please let us know as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that we do not offer refunds for Christmas at the Princess. However, we do offer date changes for your reservation (subject to availability, and a $20 fee). If you would like to speak with a member of our team, please visit our website to utilize the chat feature or email us for assistance. We can also be reached at Restaurant Reservations at 480.585.2694.

We can adjust your reservation (subject to availability). Please note, there will be a $20 fee for the ticket change. Please call restaurant reservations at 480.585.2694 to discuss in more detail.

Absolutely! Please inform your server you will be stepping away, but will return and we will hold the fire pit for you.

Of course! Please call us at 480.585.2694 ahead of time so our team can do our best to make arrangements and ensure you and your party are situated at the location that is the most accessible.

Yes! However, we suggest you keep them with you at your fire pit, as they will not be monitored by staff.

We are now offering Early Bird Sales in leu of TravelZoo. Enjoy the best values of the season on a variety of signature Christmas at the Princess experiences from September 5 - October 31.

Most of our outlets offer a birthday dessert, or bubbles to celebrate the festivities.

No there is not. Although we encourage you to dress with the Christmas spirit in mind, and always be prepared for weather.

You are more than welcome to arrive on property early to get the most our of your Christmas at the Princess Experience.  However, you are not guaranteed access to your firepit prior to the designated start time. Please check-in with the staff at our host stands to see if they can accommodate you prior to your reservation.

Of course, depending on availability and business levels. Please drop off all decorations prior to your reservation. If you require drop off and assistance with set up, please contact Restaurant Reservations at 480.585.2694.

Per Maricopa liquor laws we do not allow outside alcohol on property and cannot open any bottles we do not sell. However, your server will be happy to find something you may enjoy off our extensive wine & spirits menu.