Slowest time to visit Santa at the mall?

[laurajetter]

My son is almost 4 months old and got his picture with Santa at a local church bazarre. It was just a polaroid taken by middle-school aged kids and it's really not that good; too far away, santa has his eyes closed, etc.

I figured I would just settle for that one, but I bet I'll be kicking myself later. I'd like to take him to the mall Santa for a better picture, but I can't imagine waiting in horrendous lines with a young infant.

Since I don't have experience with this yet, can any of you tell me which days and times of the day generally tend to be the least crowded?

Thanks.

Laura

 

[DisneyArk]

Oops, I think you missed your big chance to the avoid the crowds. My experience has been that the week before Christmas the lines are always LONG to see Santa. And I know because every year I wait until the last minute to get that picture taken! The day after Thanksgiving just seems too early and then before I know it Christmas is here.

My best advice (what I'm going to do tomorrow) is to be there before Santa is there. For next year, earlier in December there is usually not a line during the day (while kids are at school) and late in the evening.

 

[barkley]

do you have any small malls within a reasonable drive? we have a terrible mall (loads of vacant stores, lousy selection) a couple of towns away that we only go to for santa. there is never a line of more than a couple of kids cuz noone wants to shop there.

you could also call some nearby department stores that are not in a mall to see if they have a santa (several of our local ones have them on a limited availability basis but you can get the time sched. by calling)-even if they don't have a photo set up you could take your own camera and probably get some better photos.

 

[ItsonlyExperiment626]

Call the mall you are thinking of going to and find out what time does Santa appear first thing in the morning and get there then. Wait gets longer towards the afternoon when preschooler are out and evening when parents are out of work and kids out of school. If you are ready now, I would go and take a look to see how the line is. Wouldn't wait any longer than tomorrow morning.

 

[laurajetter]

Oops, I think you missed your big chance to the avoid the crowds. My experience has been that the week before Christmas the lines are always LONG to see Santa.

Now see, that proves I'm inexperienced at this... I would've thought the closer it gets to Christmas the slower it would be, since you would need to give Santa "time" to make all the toys, thus asking for them earlier! Apparently, that's not the case!


I work at home from 9 to 5 with no car (thanks to my DH who hasn't fixed the second car yet) so I don't have time during the day to take him there.

 

[Pembo]

Santa was bored out of his mind when DD talked to him, 2 weeks BEFORE Thanksgiving!

 

[Spinning]

Here is my santa advice...
too late for this year but go right before Thanksgiving.
SCoop out all the Santa's in your area, find the best one and then go every year to that one! That will be your real Santa!
As for pictures now...go when you baby has been fed and ready for a nap...you will have a wait.
I would say go no later than tomorrow (THur)
and Go right before lunch!
Good luck

 

[mickeyboat]

We had a great Santa this year, and the kids took the best picture they ever have. I keep each year's pictures packed away in our Christmas stuff, and it's a lot of fun to look at how the kids have changed over the years. We have several years of little girls crying while on Santa's lap. Oh the memories!

Anyway, we took this year's picture on a Sunday afternoon, the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Good advice for next year!

Denae

 

[Aidensmom]

We went the day before Thanksgiving this year, about 3:00 in the afternoon, only had to wait for two children ahead of us. This is going to be my yearly plan from now on.

 

[golfgal]

I would call the mall and ask when Santa hours are and then go toward the end of the time under the assumption that most of the Santa seeing kids will be home getting ready for bed (at least in our area, the kids are still in school).

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Anytime during the afternoon - not on a weekend.

 

[inaminute]

Around here, apparently, Wednesday around 11:00 a.m. is a good time. There were two kids with Santa and NO ONE in line! The mall was pretty empty, too! The longest line was at Sears--there were two people ahead of me. The grocery store was even line free! All in all a very successful day. AND my shopping is done! YAY!

 

[the kabuki]

Try going at the same time that the schools let out for the day in your area, although they may be already out for vacation, around 3pm or so.

Very end of the day right before Santa goes home for the night or maybe dinner time about 5pm, but I think more parents are catching on to this one, long lines this year at this time.

Very first thing in the morning, as soon as Santa arrives.

 

[GillieRose]

We just went last Thursday and it wasn't bad then. But they also had a new Santa this year because the one they had the last 22 years decide to retire because of Health reasons. So I don't thing the new one is a big hit. I for one was really sad to see the old Santa leave he was the best one around.