Families Flock To Malls For New And Improved Santa Experience
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The days of taking your kids to the mall, sitting them on St. Nick's lap, paying too much for a picture, and heading right back home are a thing of the past.
Enter the new and improved Santa experience; a high-tech, visual experience that's popping up at malls all over the Tri-State area.
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At the Short Hills Mall in Essex County, an animated electronic voice welcomes "recruits" to Santa's flight academy.
As CBS2's Scott Rapoport reports, kids are transported into an interactive winter wonderland after receiving their badges for a one way flight to the North Pole.
Kids are immediately put to work, stuffing toys into Santa's toy bag before transforming into their flight suits to prepare for their gift-giving journey.
One awe-struck parent says they've never seen anything like it.
"It's amazing," she exclaimed.
Next up for the Christmastime cadets is a dance party in a life-sized snow globe, complete with fake snow.
Finally, the newly promoted elves get their chance to have some selfie filled face-time with Kris Kringle himself.
In Yonkers, the Ridge Hill Mall offers a Santa house with an LED animation on the outside and Kung Fu Panda themed games on the inside, along with a rocket powered sleigh ride that shuttles kids to the North Pole for their date with Santa.
Mall managers say it's a win-win for both retailers and consumers.
Ridge Hill Mall's Meaghann Mirgalia tells CBS2 it's all about bringing people the joy of the holidays and giving them a reason to visit the mall.