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9 months ago
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The top of South Street Seaport's The Rooftop Pier 17 in New York City's claims to be a dream winter wonderland tied to Disney's Santa Claus movies, complete with skating 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 about her visit to the experience with boyfriend Mike Beringer, 32.
Typical tickets run up to $65 for the House of Mouse-inspired experience dubbed 'New York City’s most magical holiday attraction of the season. But some parents and families are turning to social media to lament the condition of the attractions and lack of cleanliness at the park.
'It felt like no one was working there. It was dirty. There were hot chocolate cups all over the place,' Cestaro said. 'The hot chocolate was horrible. How can you mess up hot chocolate? We took one sip and threw ours out.'
Disney's The Santa Clauses' Winter Wonderland in NYC is billed a top holiday attraction, but some visitors say it was a disappointment
Large black marks can be seen on the slide at the NYC park as some have labeled the rides 'dangerous'
Christina Cestaro, 27, (left), and Mike Beringer, 32, (right) a party planner from Long Island, was trying to skate on the synthetic ice-skating rink but all she was able to do was 'stomp,' she said
Disney's The Santa Clauses' Winter Wonderland opened on Nov. 22 and runs through January 7, according to the ticketing website.
'Experience the magic of the North Pole without leaving the city! A dedicated team of elves has been working tirelessly to transform The Rooftop at Pier 17, into Santa’s enchanting headquarters, inspired by Disney’s The Santa Clause,' the website reads.
Tickets are as low as $15 for general admission, but that is only for a couple of days this holiday season. Most ticket times run between $19 and $65 for the experience, but skating pass can cost $20 on top.
There are also VIP experiences that include skating and a Santa had among other giveaways.
The experience boosts a Hot Cocoa-inspired cafe, Santa's living room, a visit from the jolly man himself (but only on the weekends) skating, a mini slide and a place to write letters to Santa.
But, some visitors say the experience was hastily thrown together and disappointing.
The experience at Pier 17 boosts a Hot Cocoa-inspired cafe, Santa's living room, a visit from the jolly man himself (but only on the weekends) skating, a mini slide and a place to write letters to Santa
Promotional photos show a happy, festive winter wonderland. But, some visitors say it doesn't live up to the hype
A mini-slide is one of the main attractions at the wonderland. Promotional photos show a clean area, but videos on social media display large marks on the ride
'It’s a waste in my opinion. Did it last year: cute photo ops but that’s it. I even went on a slow night so I can imagine when it’s busy how long the lines for them are. We did the whole thing in like 20 minutes,' wrote one Facebook user who went last year.
Another woman who went over the weekend used the experience to start his family's holiday season.
'Opened Christmas season by visiting Disney's The Santa Clauses' Winter Wonderland at Pier 17,' she stated. 'Do not recommend going there. Waste of money and time.'
One woman admitted to spending too much to make the expierence 'special' for the children in her family.
'We got there, and my stomach sank. It was not magical or even organized. It was cheap and hurried, busy and inauthentic. Multiple of us cried,' the woman posted on Facebook.
'The Santa there was very kind, and Luca smiled for him, but the whole experience left a bad taste in our mouths.'
Photos posted online show shedding trees and a lack of scenery - and few Disney icons - along the rooftop event
Rides down the slide say its marked up and staff tells people to avoid some parts
'The hot chocolate was horrible. How can you mess up hot chocolate? We took one sip and threw ours out,' Cestaro said
Cestaro said she decided to attend after seeing ads on social media and believed it would be a fun way to get in the holiday spirit.
When they went to the faux ice-skating rink, she said the ice skates were 'smelly and falling apart.' Once she got onto the rink that she described as a 'little' (rink) the drama escalated.
'I was aware that it wasn't real ice, but we couldn't even slide on it, instead we were stomping,'Cestaro recalled. 'We were trying to make the best out of the situation but everyone else - kids with their families- looked miserable.'
When it was time to go to the slide, she noticed sneaker marks or what looked like black tar in the middle of the ride. A guard told her to slide towards the side of the slide to avoid the middle since it may slow her down.
'I didn't expect to be comfortable but it wasn't a smooth ride. I can see how someone can get hurt.'
Cestaro knew that it was after 9pm and Santa would not be 'ho..ho..ho...ing since visiting hours were over when she arrived, but what she did see was an area children go to - to write letters to Santa that was in complete disarray.
'There was no more paper and pens,' she said. 'And all the letters to Santa were sprawled all over the floor and table.'
The temperatures on Friday night were close to freezing near the water so when she and her boyfriend decided to stop in the VIP lounge to warm up, they suddenly had a change of heart.
'When we saw how unhappy people inside looked ... we left.'
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