Why I Love to Visit Dutch Wonderland at Christmas

Thank you to Dutch Wonderland for helping us provide this sneak preview. Our family received free entry to Dutch Winter Wonderland in exchange for our honest review of this event! To offset the costs of running FunFitnessFamily.com, you’ll find affiliate links throughout our site. If you choose to make a purchase, I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. To find out more visit our disclosure page.

Dutch Wonderland is an award-winning kids amusement park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is just under a 2-hour drive from Philadelphia and Baltimore. Their seasonal holiday event, Dutch Winter Wonderland, offers visits with Santa, meet and greets with Dutch Wonderland characters, over twenty rides, festive shows, holiday treats, and beautiful lights throughout the land! It’s a fun time that small children will enjoy!

Reasons to Visit Dutch Wonderland Winter Wonderland

Top-Rated Amusement Park

Dutch Wonderland is a top-rated Pennsylvania attraction. It has been named one of the top 10 Very Best Small Amusement Parks in America. On top of that, it has been consistently recognized by TripAdvisor annually with a Certificate of Excellence.

Perfect Theme Park for Little Kids

As mentioned above, this is a smaller theme park situated on 48 acres, so it is just the right size for smaller children. There are over twenty rides operating during the holiday season. Of those, 9 rides that can accommodate handheld infants. Plus, Dutch Wonderland Christmas tickets are very affordable and kids under 2 years old are free.

**TIP: there are six size ratings for the rides in 6” increments from under 30” tall to 54” and above. So, smaller siblings don’t get left behind in the fun!

Convenient Family Day Trip

Dutch Wonderland is a fantastic day trip from the Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Wilmington, Delaware areas. It is also a fun stop en route to Hershey Park’s Christmas Candylane.

How to Get Free Admission to Dutch Winter Wonderland

Dutch Wonderland will hold a Toys for Tots toy drive to benefit children in the Lancaster area on Saturday, November 19th. Guests who bring a new, unwrapped present will get a complimentary child’s admission ticket to Dutch Winter Wonderland. The ticket can either be used that day or any operating day until the end of the year for a child ages 12 and under.

Fun Weekend Excursion

Dutch Wonderland is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is an excellent place for a weekend family trip!

Places to Stay Near Dutch Wonderland

There are several nearby hotels and resorts to choose from if you decide to stay all weekend. There is also an on-site campground open all year long with tent, RV, and cabin options! There is also an on-site campground open all year long with tent, RV, and cabin options!

**TIP: Guests that stay on-site at the Old Mill Stream Campground at Dutch Wonderland can get discounted park tickets!

Lancaster Weekend Trips

If you decide to make your visit to Dutch Wonderland a weekend trip in Lancaster, there are plenty of other things to do in the area. The Strasburg Railroad offers Santa-themed train rides. Kitchen Kettle Village is another cute place to stop offering over 40 shops and restaurants, plus holiday events on-site.

Another alternative is that you can hit the outlets and get some holiday shopping done. The Tanger Outlets and Rockvale Outlets are two big outlet malls within two miles of Dutch Wonderland.

Discover Lancaster is a great website for planning a fun weekend itinerary and finding the latest events happening around the town.

Exploring Dutch Winter Wonderland

One of the coolest parts of the park is the grand castle entrance. Make sure you stop and get a picture next to the wooden soldiers!

Once you walk into the castle, you enter Castle Gift Shop that has a lot of cute stuff – everything from park character merchandise to Pennsylvania Dutch treats.

Visit with Dutch Winter Wonderland’s Duke, Merlin & Santa

When we first walked in through the admission gates, we ran into Duke the Dragon and Merlin. There was no line and our kids enjoyed interacting with the dragon.

Next, we headed over to Santa Claus! He was sitting in Merlin’s Buffett, right next to the main entrance. There was no wait and our kids got to spend a while talking with Santa. No personal pictures are allowed, but you can buy professional photos and digital images at a reasonable price.

Next Take the Dutch Wonderland Special

Next, we jumped on the train, which is right beyond the entrance. I recommend doing this first because it gives you a nice lay of the wonderland! Don’t forget to hop on again once it gets dark to rest your feet for a bit and appreciate the view of all the twinkling lights.

Onward to the Amusement Rides

After we disembarked from the Wonderland Special, we headed clockwise around the park to the rides. Our favorite rides were the Wonder Whip (my daughter rode that twice), the Sky Fighter, the Panda Party, and the classic Merry-Go-Round.

Play in the Polar Playground

While we were on the train, we spotted a cute little play area that my son couldn’t wait to get to! Situated towards the back of the park, the Polar Playground is a fun, partially enclosed stop that has “ice” blocks that kids can use to build igloos and forts.

Warm Up with a Snack

After building an igloo, the kids were ready for some food! We headed clockwise further towards the back of the park to the Mill Stream Eatery for some snacks. Mill Stream Eatery is right near the bumper cars.

Mill Stream Eatery is a great stop if you have picky eaters because it offers everything from pizza and hamburgers to healthier options such as salads and chicken It has spacious seating if you decide to go during peak dinner time.

**TIP: The Miniature Train Display is located at the back of the Mill Stream Eatery. It is not pointed out that way on the map and we were initially a little confused in trying to find it.

The Holiday Lights Displays

Dutch Wonderland Christmas lights sparkle throughout the park. There is also a Royal Light Show set to festive holiday music. The light show takes place in Celebration Theater to the right of the park entrance as you are walking towards the castle. Shows are every 15 minutes starting at 5 p.m.

Dutch Wonderland Entertainment

NOTES BELOW ARE FROM 2021 SEASON.SHOW SCHEDULE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET FOR 2022.

There are two shows that little ones will enjoy. Both shows are pretty short in duration so kids can get a little rest from walking around, but not get too antsy!

Storytime with the Princess takes place in Storytime Corner situated in the back of the park close to Mill Stream Eatery. Storytime is at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekends and 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays.

Toy Time Fun is a holiday favorite that takes place in the Amphitheater near the back of the park by That Panini Place. It features Raggedy Ann and Andy singing and dancing to holiday favorites.

**TIP: Stick around afterward to take pictures with the characters.

Cookies with Santa

Skip the Santa Claus pictures at the mall! You can add on a special Cookies with Santa meet and greet right at Dutch Winter Wonderland. A photo with Santa is included with each package. Two sessions will be offered on select Saturdays. This popular event sells out, so be sure to book online in advance!

When to Visit Dutch Winter Wonderland

Dutch Winter Wonderland is a beautiful place to visit during the holiday season! It is open weekends and select weekdays through January 1st. After Dutch Winter Wonderland ends, the park will close for the season and re-open in late spring. Here are two other great times to visit:

Summer at Dutch Wonderland

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Duke’s Lagoon is open, with a huge water play, along with a lounge area that allows parents to relax while keeping an eye on their kids.  Plus, there is also the Pipeline Plunge water slide with options for all ages too!

Fall at Dutch Wonderland

Starting in mid-October, Dutch Wonderland Happy Hauntings offers a safe way to trick or treat throughout the park. This fun event for the whole family also offers Halloween-themed entertainment and themed rides.