SANTA
November 18 to December 24
2023
Santa at Billings Bridge Shopping Centre*
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday:10am to 12pm, 12:30pm to 2:30pm and 3pm to 5 pm
Pet Nights: Fridays 4pm to 8pm
Final Day: Sunday, December 24 from 10am to 1pm
Photographs**: Minimum of 10 candid and posed digital photograph files emailed to you after visit for $40 (paid after visit)
*No reservations please be in line 30 minutes before break times and end of hours to avoid potential cut off
** You can take pictures, of your own family members, from outside the Santa set area
FAQ
Is he the same Santa as last year?
Yes, he is the same Santa Claus from 2021 and 2022.
Is he bilingual?
Yes, he is fluent in French, English and Yodelling.
Can we bring our pet(s)?
Yes, Friday nights are Pet Nights. The main stipulation is that they are friendly cats or dogs and that you control and clean up after them. "But we have a _________ as our pet?": please send us a note about other types of pets you may have to see if we can get "special permission".
Why Friday, Saturday and Sunday?
We learned from experience. In 2022 Mean Green Santa was available Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It caused confusion with people wanting to see Santa in the afternoons (when Mean Green Santa was in) and people who wanted to see Mean Green Santa (when Santa was in). Santa is more popular with young families on weekends so we are serving the needs of people with small children.
Why can we no longer reserve appointments?
We continue to learn from experience and sometimes you can't please everyone all of the time. In 2019 we had very long line ups and people complained that they didn't like waiting in line for over 3 hours. In 2020 we introduced appointments (our response to the pandemic) and we created long appointment times to give ourselves a chance to clean between visits and we did the same thing in 2021. In 2022 we made the reservation schedule tighter and because of sell outs the system came close to collapsing when people (who had seen on the website that they could just line up to see him "if space is available") demanded to see him. Due to cancellations we were often able to fit people in but as we got closer to Christmas we faced confused and angry people.
Note: If the line up reaches a certain point we will be "cutting" the line up to a half hour in advance of closing time.
Are we obligated to purchase pictures?
While you can only take your own pictures from outside of the Santa Set Area we will take pictures of each visit and then show them to you, this is when you have the opportunity to purchase and receive your pictures via email with a link to your gallery.
How do we receive our pictures?
Once you have paid and given us your email address your digital photographs will be uploaded to a private online gallery. A link will then be sent to you and you can download them to use as you wish - a gallery link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of your visit.
Why can't we be in the "Santa Set Area" to take our own pictures?
A few reasons. 1. Your electronic device (phone, tablet or camera) emits a signal that interferes with our electronic devices (cameras and computers) this can crash our system and cause delays. 2. When people take their own pictures they are not as fast as our staff and this will cause delays in the the line up of people (including you) getting to see Santa. 3. Billings Bridge Santa is operated independently (by IDEA3 Photography) from the mall operations and staff are paid directly from the proceeds of digital photograph sales. and 4. We have had to stop people from taking pictures of children who are not their own - while we hope it is out of curiousity more than anything else we won't allow it, even from outside the set area.
Where do we go?
Find us at the main (middle-front) entrance on the parking lot level in the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre Centre Court (entrance #5) 2277 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X6