Santa's Village (Dundee, IL)?

[sallysmom]

Anyone remember this place from their childhood? It closed a few years ago but my memories are from the late 60s/early 70s when my mom took my two brothers & I. Lots of fond memories of that place.

 

[sallysmom]

No one???
Please... I need to live vicariously thru others memories

 

[KiminChicago]

We live just down the road from Santa's Village -- it's such a shame to see the land just sitting there now.

I grew up around here and we used to go there every summer. My sister's first job was working there. I'm just glad it stayed open long enough that my kids got to go a few times, so they also have memories of Santa's Village.

 

[sallysmom]

Yeah. Someone who remembers. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but here are my most outstanding memories and I'm hoping I didn't dream them up. It's been a long time since I was there.
-riding in a Cinderella pumpkin coach
-chickens that could play a toy piano
-feeding actual reindeer

Where these real?

 

[LuvOrlando]

Oh, I remember seeing pictures of me there when I was very young.

I would so love to visit something like that again, are there still any places like that set up anywhere in the country?

 

[sunlver]

Ive been there!!!I grew up in the Chicago suburbs..I can rememeber going there as a child,and once when young teenager.

 

[KiminChicago]

I remember the reindeer and the pumpkin coach. I don't remember the piano playing chicken, but that could just be a "senior moment" on my part.

I used to love the snowball ride (like the Tea Cup Ride), and the Christmas tree with the ornaments (Dumbo like ride). And do you remember the Fire Truck with all the "hoses" to put out the fire?

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

I remember Santa's Village!!! We went once back in the early 80's.

I remember the "north" pole covered in ice! We'd stand against it when it was really hot. And the roller coaster!

 

[sallysmom]

I definitely remember the snowball ornaments spinning around and my mother refusing to ride them. Now I understand that feeling! Also remember the Christmas tree but no, I can't recall the firetruck. sounds cool.

The chickens I think were in tiny little cages (poor things) inside this little house/coop. You put money in a slot and somehow they knew to "perform." Can't imagine the SPCA allowed this to go on much past the 60s tho.

 

[Jeafl]

Although Santa's Village closed down several years ago, the Polar Dome (the ice rink there) stayed open until about 2 years ago. My son's hockey team practiced there occasionally and it was a SCARY place to be at night. You had to walk in total darkness under the old abandoned roller coaster just to get in the place. They finally dismantled the Polar Dome because it was in pretty bad shape in recent years.

I do remember them weighing adults before they got on the sky tram ride though! LOL I think you had to be under 200 lbs to go on it.

Does anyone remember the Santa's sleigh ride pulled by real reindeer? Someone got killed on that when my older daughter was a toddler. I can't remember the actual circumstances, but I do remember they discontinued that ride after it happened.

 

[geffric]

I remember the reindeer and the pumpkin coach. I don't remember the piano playing chicken, but that could just be a "senior moment" on my part.

I used to love the snowball ride (like the Tea Cup Ride), and the Christmas tree with the ornaments (Dumbo like ride). And do you remember the Fire Truck with all the "hoses" to put out the fire?

my kids loved the firetruck.. I would take them to Santa's Village once or twice a summer for years.. I was sad when drove passed it the other week and it was gone.. even raging rapids was gone..

 

[of the seas]

We loved the fire truck too! Remember that little dragon roller coaster that did the little loop? When my kids were really small, they loved that! We also liked the hot air balloon type ride wher eyou got into balloon looking things and it spun you around. i think they had a petting zoo there also.

 

[heimlichfan]

I remember! Not too specifically, but I remember the theme of the place....

Does anyone remember Kiddie Kingdom by Oakbrook?????

 

[KiminChicago]

Do you mean Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom?

I know one of the Dispensa children -- he and his family live in our neighborhood and his sons are in the same Boy Scout troop as my DS. They have one of the horses from their carousel -- the Dispensa siblings take turns having in their house.

But now I'm really going to let you know how old I am -- does anyone else remember Riverview?

 

[heimlichfan]

Do you mean Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom?

I know one of the Dispensa children -- he and his family live in our neighborhood and his sons are in the same Boy Scout troop as my DS. They have one of the horses from their carousel -- the Dispensa siblings take turns having in their house.

But now I'm really going to let you know how old I am -- does anyone else remember Riverview?

That's it!!! I loved that place: http://lisawebworld1.tripod.com/kiddiekingdom.html

 

[heimlichfan]

Another site!

http://www.dispensaskiddiekingdom.com/

 

[KiminChicago]

Another site!

http://www.dispensaskiddiekingdom.com/

Wow, he told me he had started to build a website -- looks like you found it!

 

[mickeysgal]

We used to take the kids to Santa's Village when they were younger. I loved seeing Santa in his house and didn't he have a real made of ice "north pole"?

It's sad to hear that it's been closed.

Riverview....yes, I remember that one as well. Very, very fuzzy memories, but I do remember a few things. My parents remember more of it than I do (I was extremely young). Shoot the chutes? A mirror maze fun house?

I also remember Kiddie Land, Play Land (Stickney area?), and Old Chicago (Bowlingbrook indoor park). We used to go to Playland every year.

 

[KiminChicago]

Unfortunately Kiddieland was the only one left and this is its last year too.

 

[nuke]

Yes I remember Santa's Village. We took my son when he was a toddler and it was dirty and nasty. I think it closed a year or two later.

KiddieLand is also closing. I think that is the last one of it's kind in the area.

The one in Stickney/Lyons was Fairyland. I loved their peddlecars. I remember going the last weekend it was open with my girlfriend and her sister. We were about 10-12 years old.

Playland Park was in the Palos area. Loved that place too! I'm pretty sure they had the swinging cages.

Does anyone remember Enchanted Forest in Indiana? WE went there for our 8th grade trip.

I'm too young for Riverview but my parents have fond memories of the place.