'Magical Drive Thru' wonderland hits back as organisers blast 'unfair' parents who slammed children's festive event for being the 'stuff of nightmares' after string of opening night mishaps
- Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure in Hull slammed as 'stuff of nightmares'
- Organisers condemned parents who were 'very quick to judge' on opening day
- Holland Leisure said it has enrolled all new actors for 'new and improved' eventOrganisers of a drive-thru Christmas wonderland today hit back at parents who slammed the event for being the 'stuff of nightmares' following a string of mishaps.
Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure in East Park, Hull, was advertised as a Covid-secure 'much-needed treat' for families this festive season.
However, the company behind the event was struck by a barrage of complaints from parents after opening on December 5 - with some frustrated guests condemning it as 'nothing like the description.'Organisers of a drive-thru Christmas wonderland today hit back at parents who slammed the event for being the 'stuff of nightmares' following a string of mishaps.
Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure in East Park, Hull, was advertised as a Covid-secure 'much-needed treat' for families this festive season.
However, the company behind the event was struck by a barrage of complaints from parents after opening on December 5 - with some frustrated guests condemning it as 'nothing like the description.'Holland Leisure has since admitted they played it 'too safe' in terms of social distancing, which is why characters did not interact much with visiting children.
But organisers today slammed parents who left harsh reviews as 'very quick to judge and post all over social media very unfairly after just our first day and before we had time to address the improvements we already knew we needed to make.'
They added: 'This event had only been created with good intentions and we feel the situation escalated far too quickly from 11am on Saturday due to the complexities of social media and before we even had chance to make the needed improvements to the event.'
Furious parents blasted a drive-thru Christmas wonderland with some calling it 'the stuff of nightmares' after a series of mishaps on opening night. One parent called the Grinch at the drive-thru (pictured) the 'stuff of nightmares'
Organisers today slammed parents who left harsh reviews as 'very quick to judge and post all over social media very unfairly after just our first day and before we had time to address the improvements we already knew we needed to make'
Holland Leisure revealed they have enrolled all new actors for future shows, while inviting those who visited on Saturday back for a 'new and improved experience.'
They added those on Sunday had a '100 per cent better experience' than Saturday, with lots of 'happy children on Sunday smiling on entry and leaving our event very happy.'
Those who criticised the event include blogger Hollie Hutchinson, who said her sons, three and five, were 'disappointed' there was no 'smile, eye contact or proactive wave' from Santa or his elves. In her review, she told other parents to 'save their money', adding she hoped her thoughts would help Holland Leisure realise 'some adjustments' were needed.
Ms Hutchinson visited on the opening night of Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure, when there were some 'teething problems' at the £12.99 per child attraction.
Mrs Claus was late because she 'missed her bus' while Elsa 'got her timing wrong' according to organiser Martin Holland - who insisted 'lessons were learnt' and any issues have now been ironed out.
A mother, 34, who asked not to be named, paid £38 for her three children to go take part in the event - which she said was 'faster than a McDonald's drive-thru'.
Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure in East Park, Hull, was advertised as a Covid-secure 'much-needed treat' for families this festive season. Pictured: A sad-looking Christmas tree at the drive-thru
Pictured: The Grinch, which one guest described as like 'one of those horror show walkthroughs'
Pictured: An inflatable snow globe with images from Frozen, though the characters were reportedly nowhere to be seen on Saturday
She said it was like 'one of those horror show walkthroughs' after being greeted by a terrifying Grinch.
She said: 'We paid £38 and the experience lasted no longer than a minute.
'I wasn't expecting Disney Land magic but after the year we have had it was disappointing.
'It was nothing like the description. Half the characters were missing.
'We drove in and were greeted by The Grinch who, to be honest, was like the stuff of nightmares and at that point it felt like we were in one of those horror walk through things.'
The drive-thru's online advert describes a 'journey through an enchanted forest' followed by a 'wonderful light show'.
It also describes a 'Christmas fright from The Grinch' followed by an appearance from Princess Elsa and then Mrs Claus who will ask the children if they have been good or bad this year.
All children will receive a gift from Santa.
A mother, 34, who asked not to be named, paid £38 to for her three children to take part in the event - which she said was 'faster than a McDonald's drive-thru'. She said it was like 'one of those horror show walkthroughs' after being greeted by a terrifying Grinch (pictured)
Pictured: Gifts given to adults who attended Santa's Magical Drive Thru Adventure with their children
Mr Holland previously admitted that there were a number of problems on the opening day.
He said: 'We organised this months ago with the council but we had to stop it and refund the money.
'Obviously, the government allowed drive-thru grottoes to go ahead and we had six days to put it together.
'We didn't get it 100 per cent right. Lessons were learnt and the problems have been sorted out today.'
Holland Leisure today offered a free second visit to those who attended the first night of the event, writing: 'We would just like to say that all bookings from Saturday, December 5 can drive back to "Santa's Magical Drive Thru" at a time that suits the individual booking.
'Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you back to our improved experience and to hopefully bring a smile to your children's faces.
'We can appreciate that this will not please all but if we please a majority then we are happy with that response.
'Please take this as a gesture of good will and to make amends.'
The event experienced 'teething problems' on its opening night on Saturday with parents slamming it as 'nothing like the description'. Pictured: Santa at the drive-thru
One guest spotted an open packet of Walker's crisps and a Lucozade Sport bottle near Santa
Marie Embling, who took her two children to the drive-thru on Saturday, said that it looked more like an 'abandoned fair'.
The 47-year-old from Brigg, North Lincolnshire, said: 'Don't get me wrong for £12.99 each I was not expecting the North Pole but I must admit we were left totally disappointed.
'We drove up to the first part that looked nothing less than an abandoned fair.
'Not sure what was meant to be happening in the inflatable grotto but nothing was there.
'In the globe there was certainly no snowstorm, never mind Elsa as promised.
'We briefly saw the Grinch but it was raining so he didn't come out of his house.'
Princess Elsa was nowhere to be seen for the first few hours of the day which Ms Embling said left her daughter 'heartbroken'.
She continued: 'The Grinch sort of stalks your car for a bit and then you drive to Santa and get your gift bags then go.
'Honestly, the whole thing was faster than a McDonald's drive-thru.
'That is literally it. The snow globe was not switched on and there was no Elsa as promised which my daughter was excited about. Nothing was as described.'
The drive-thru's online advert describes a 'journey through an enchanted forest' followed by a 'wonderful light show'. Pictured: The Grinch at the eventMr Holland says he was 'let down' on the day after a number of characters failed to turn up on Saturday.
He said: 'Mrs Claus didn't turn up as she missed her bus and rang to say she couldn't get here and I had to get someone else into the costume.
'Same with Elsa. She got her timing wrong and came after 3pm. It should have been earlier but apparently one of her kids was ill.
'It is the first day. I don't like these comments but I know from everything I have done in the past that you are not going to please everyone.
'But I take on board everything and I am tweaking it. You are always going to get complaints but I think we are on top of it now. We are back on track.
'There are smiling faces going out and today was one hundred per cent better than yesterday.'
Parents also complained that some of the gifts turned out to be faulty.
A letter from Santa inside the bags was 'a nice touch' but Ms Embling said the whole experience was a 'waste of money'.
She said: 'It is sold as a magical experience and after the year everyone has had it sounded like the perfect way to have a bit of normality.
'For £12 it is not exactly cheap. A lot of families have been hit hard financially by Covid. I'd hate for anyone else to have the experience we had.
'The last thing anyone needs is to waste money on this experience.'
Ms Embling said that her children did not experience any of the magic that was promised: 'We travelled an hour to see this and I totally get about the magic being for the kids but mine did not experience any magic at all.'
Maybe for Christmas we can tell our children why they can't do anything they enjoy because of a flu with a 98+% survival rate?
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