OC Winter Fest unfortunately wasn't worth the hype or the price. While I appreciate that we attended on a discounted Sunday night (thank you for that), the overall experience still felt underwhelming. Admission gets you inside the gates, which is fine -- but once you're in, everything is à la carte through a mobile app, or you're expected to purchase separate "fun bundles." This felt more like a money grab than a holiday experience. I couldn't help but wonder why some of these activities weren't included with the ticket price to begin with. For example, putt-putt golf was an additional $5.25 per person, and it wasn't even a real mini golf course. It was made from wooden cornhole-style boxes with turf glued on, rebranded as an attraction you pay extra for inside the festival. There were some cute moments -- the Winterland of lights and the bubble suds that imitate snow were adorable, especially for kids. That area was probably the highlight of the event. As for the food... not great. Very greasy, carnival/fair-style food, which may work for some people, but it wasn't what I envisioned for a holiday festival. Nothing really stood out, and I wouldn't recommend coming here for the food alone. I don't write this to be negative -- just honest. For the price, I think your money could be better spent elsewhere this holiday season. OC Winter Fest may appeal to families with very young children who don't mind paying extra for each activity, but for everyone else, I'd skip it. read more

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My son is 10 years old and asked to see snow for Christmas, so I took him to OC Winterfest as an early present. We accidentally showed up an hour early, since it actually opens at five, not four. Parking was easy, but twelve dollars. Tickets for the three of us were a little over eighty dollars, so the night started off on the expensive side. Once inside, the lights were beautiful. There are light tunnels, decorated trees and tons of photo ops. The bubbles at the entrance look like falling snow and made for adorable pictures. His favorite part was the snow play area. He had a blast, even though he was freezing and soaked by the end. We skipped the skating rink and the inflatables since both cost extra. Most things here cost extra, so plan for add-ons. Toward the back there are carnival rides and games. I bought him the cheapest wristband for twenty dollars and he got three rides out of it. I caught a bit of the live singer on stage, which added to the atmosphere. The highlight was my son saying this is going on his list of top memories for a long time. My son loved it. My pockets did not. Helpful tip. I overheard another mom say wagons are not allowed this year, but strollers are. Overall, OC Winterfest feels like a fair dressed in Christmas lights. Go in knowing it is cute, fun and definitely not cheap, and you will enjoy it for what it is. read more

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It is what it is. We came opening day this year of 2025 on black Friday. The event itself was okay, but you can't expect something on the level of winter carnival in Quebec or a colder area. They're trying and they really make do with the warm weather in SoCal. The snow play area is small and disappointing if you're from NYC or Chicago. Everything here was an upcharge except the snow tubing. $6 a person for mini golf or to ride around in the little train. With your basic ticket you only get to walk around a bunch of fake Christmas trees lit up and do the adult snow tubing. There is some snow tubing indoors for the little ones. I don't really think it's worth the full price of $60 at all, but I am glad to have checked it out. It's a one and done for me. There's not much the organizers can do about warm weather in SoCal. They're not going to be able to replicate the snow of NYC or Tahoe. read more

Winter Fest OC - Entrance - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

It is true, Winter Fest is quite expensive.. if you can get past that... then it's a cute place for winter fun for us Southern Californians. The kids love the carnival rides, the tubing ramp and of course ice skating. This year they did upgrade the ice skates-- so no rolled ankles this year! The food is fair food-- so don't expect anything healthy or all that impressive. read more

Ticket Clarification for Future Guests Be aware: the "Flex 2-Day Snow Pass" is not a two-day pass. It is valid for one day only. While it says good for 2 people, both people must attend on the same day. You cannot use the ticket on separate days for different family members. If you attempt to do so, you will be charged again. We learned this the hard way. Read the fine print carefully before purchasing. read more

Winter Fest OC - Ticket Details - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Holiday fun for the family. It is a little pricy, but my 5 year old loves the bouncy house/ inflatables and the Carnival rides were a bit hit too. The tubing was fun as well! We enjoyed Christmas lights and decorations. We didn't ice skate or visit the snow. Cons: Pricy Food was pricy too Put put looked so lame read more

Winter Fest OC - Decorations - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Wow. Don't bother with Winter Fest OC. It was not worth the $56 admission plus parking. My husband and I went in 2019 and have been wanting to go back since then. It was garbage and looked like they only threw together a few "Instagramable" areas and barely did the minimum required to make this a winter festival. Before, there were indoor shops, a petting zoo, a horse-drawn carriage to take you through the lights. But wtf is this??? The "Polar Putt-putt" is a cheap Amazon setup. The light up trees looking like they're for sale in a Walmart parking lot. Yes, the general admission comes with snow tubing but that's it. On top of that, everyone who works there (with the exception of a bartender and the person at Guest Services) was incredibly rude, treating us like we're idiots because THEY weren't paying attention. My gods. I wish we could get our money back. The drive here was twice as long as we ended up spending inside. read more

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2025 Nickel and dime fest! (From my experience, the negative reviews were correct, while some of the positive reviews online are biased marketing or influencer posts.) After seeing mixed reviews for years, we finally tried OC Winterfest. We arrived at 4 PM, but by the time we got to Santa photos, it was 4:20--and the lines were long and poorly managed. Negative star for the Santa photo staff member in particular who handled the line awkwardly; it seemed like his first time working the event. A large family of about 10 people (3 families) spent 10 minutes taking photos, which added to the wait just because they got one express pass, they should have been charged 3 express passes. The Santa was a low-budget version, and the $20 express pass system didn't make much sense. The staff said that they can stay there for as long as they want. Tickets were $69 for 3 (ask chatgpt for a coupon code) plus $12 parking, and nearly everything else is an extra fee: tubing express lane $17, VIP tubing (not worth it because you have to carry the inflatables up the stairs) , inflatables - they measure the height some for older kids and some for younger kids depending on the kids height $17, carnival rides $20 + $3 fee you get 17 tickets (5-6 tickets per ride), and ice skating is another upcharge. Snow play is included but limited to 15 minutes, though the staff there were nice. Entertainment was minimal--just one lady doing line dancing, no live music or shows. The included light walk was spread out. Overall, the event is just okay: a bit pricey for what you get. For the money, a theme park or Knott's Berry Farm would likely be more enjoyable for a family. read more

Winter Fest OC - Low budget santa - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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If your looking for Christmas experience, this place does not embody that. It truly feels like a fair with lights. They just take the OC fair grounds, put some Christmas signs up and some decorations and call it a day. They promote that your admission includes all these things listed on their website but it doesnt so dont be fooled. Your ticket truly includes your admission and thats about it. You have to pay for all of these additional things and they push you to buy other things. Parking is also not included so be ready to pay $12 at the gate. You have to pay additional for the train, which doesnt even have any lights on it and just takes you for a short ride through the fairgrounds through all the people walking so nothing special. You have to pay extra for ice skating, the igloos with fire pits, and for all the carnival games and rides. When you first walk in, the Forest of Lights is directly to your right and that was about the only really nicely done Christmas thing there. But it seemed like they bunched all the Christmas lights in this one area and then forgot the rest. Just a few trees here and there and then put Christmas signs on all the food vendors. The musicians they had playing on the stage werent even playing Christmas songs which wouldve been somewhat of a nice touch as it felt like we were at some concert. This place is massive and very empty. The Festival Map that is shown online is very deceiving. It makes you feel like everything is close together and will be very festive like the map, not the case. Everything is so far apart so be expected to walk a long distance. I recommend to save your money and go somewhere else like Irvine Railroad Park or Live Oak Canyon for more of a Christmas filled experience. This was very disappointing for the up front cost of $27 + $12 for parking that doesnt include anything besides the admission and thats about it. read more

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I've seen advertisements over the years and have even heard from a few people how fun it is. Well family were in town visiting so I bit the bullet and bought tickets. Parking isn't included so pay on site. When entering you walk through the buildings with photo ops (meh!), Santa, the North Pole then exit to the outside. Outside there is a Large LED covered house where the lights moved/changed to the music playing, ice skating, carnival rides, tubing (which the line was SO long - including the VIP I didn't even bother), mini golf, other lit up photo ops, and an area for "snow" (bubbles). Snow play - for small children only and it was located in a tent with photo ops, small tubing, and a tubing tug along ride. All of these were crammed into a tent - so not much room for anything. Such a disappointment, I can't believe I spent money on this and brought family to this. Maybe if you have younger kids that would actually ride unlimited rides or unlimited jumpy houses and want to fork up the cash then maybe it'll be worth it for you. Keep in mind that every added experience costs extra - ice skating, carnival games, mini golf, rides, and bounce houses. I wanted to come here for something christmasy - you know the happy, fuzzy, holiday, giddy feeling with lights and music - and all Christmas goodness, BUT definitely did not get that. read more

Winter Fest OC - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Quite a poor experience. Would not recommend. My family and I never need to return. Posting this up here so you all can read this and stay away!!!! Why? Because this is a cash scam, just here to steal money from your pockets. Unless you got a lot of cash you're trying to burn, stay away!!! Parking costs $15. Tickets are $30+ each. What you have access to is a short 4-tent walkthrough (medium cool), a mini-sled area (HUGE line, you'll only want to wait once), and this weird indoor snow play area (tiny snow/ice area for kids). Admittedly, they have some nice lights, but you can find that anywhere else. Literally EVERYTHING else is a carnival style place with exorbitant prices. Train is $25 per. Bouncy house is another $15+ per person). Ferris wheel is $10+ per personRidiculous!!!!!! Huge ripoff. If you're reading this, stay away!!!!!!!!!!!! OC fairgrounds are there to make profit. So sad. You've been warned. read more

Winter Fest OC - - Line for sledding was HUGE - Ferris wheel is NOT free - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The Winter Fest OC is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit! The decorations are beautiful, the atmosphere is cozy, and there's plenty to do for everyone. It's definitely worth checking out. read more

Some highlights but frankly over priced for the value. Pros - snow area was good for little ones. Snow area included in the ticket which is what we paid for. Tubing for little ones and tube ring around was nice. - Snow play area was icey and slippery. Tip - bring a change of clothes, kids will get wet - check weather, bring an umbrella if it's going to rain - check height requirements on the ride, not worth it for anyone under 36"- only one carnival ride and the snow play area. Cons - felt nickeled and dimed at every step -- parking $12-15 -- admission tickets $25 + per person -- ride wristband is only sold in prime numbers (17,37,97) + $3 ?convenience fee . Will always have some wasted funds. -- rides are all different ticket prices and most require a parent to ride if under 42"- parents are also required to pay for the ride -- food way over priced (Ex wetzel pretzel $13 per order) Spent over $120 for about 60 min of play and soaked by the rain , cutting our night short read more

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do not recommend! everything is an add-on. everything is expensive $$ but cheap quality wise. ridiculous lines with expensive VIP lines. not enough bathrooms so bathroom line was the second longest line plus port-a-potty. churros were stale and all food seemed microwaved. hamburger + fries = $35?!?? read more

$25pp plus $12 for parking only gets you through the gates. Once you're there everything is ala Carte with super long lines! There wasn't much to do other than wait in an hour long line to get into a tent that has some snow and a tiny tube hill. Lots of carnival type food options- so basically overpriced fried junk food. The putt putt was an absolute joke. Corn hole style boxes not a real mini golf course. Someone else's reviews sums it all up in more detail than I care to waste on this place. Don't go. It's such a huge waste of money read more

This place puts you in the Christmas spirit for sure. The rides, lights, food, drinks and displays are wonderful. Where else can you have snow, skating, tubing in Sunny SoCal? Parking is easy and close. Rides are similar to the O.C. summer fair but Christmas time makes it feel better. Great time and it makes for a nice date night. My wife and I feel like kids again, even if we are in our 60s. read more

OC Winterfest is one of my favorite place to visit every year. I just love the lights and the yummy food. The kids have the best time honestly great activity for the family best place to take a photo op obviously! I look forward to it every year! read more

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Dont understand the bad reviews. Arrived a Friday before christmas around 7pm. It wasnt packed with people, waits at lines were 0-20min (depending) and parking is honestly affordable ($12) and easy to get a spot. The attractions are cute and theres plenty for photo opps. The ice tubing was the best (free but w the longest wait ~20min). Rides are great. I admit its pricey. Chose the 97tix for $100. They averaged 6tix/ride, you do the math. read more

Winter Fest OC - Decor - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Honestly, it was probably the worst outdoor event experience I ever had in my life. Not only was almost everything an additional charge, but the people running the area were very disorganized and rude. As many have stated, the place felt more like a carnival fair than a Christmas like experience. The carnival games were priced based on a ticketing system and you pretty much would have to spend more over $50 on the wristband and game in order to experience it. My least favorite part was how pushy and obnoxious the game vendors were trying to get you to come play their games. It made me and my boyfriend felt very uncomfortable that many of them were making remarks on how we don't have any plushies won from the games or they were bribing you with free plushie just so you would come to their stands. Even though I purchased the early snow pass tickets for a cheaper price, I still felt like I got ripped off badly and I deeply regretted coming over here. read more

We attend this event each year. The snow play is always fun, and our kids love the bounce house area. The logistics change each year, some positive changes, and some disappointments. The food is great for a fair, and the rides are always fun. The decorations are gorgeous and there are lots of photo ops. read more

Winter Fest OC - Kids enjoying hot chocolate and snowfall. - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

this event is highly advertised on instagram so i did my own research and found many mixed reviews on yelp and google. honestly this left me even more curious so i bought my family general admission tickets. i thought it was nice how you could buy tickets and attend any day to eliminate stress of choosing a date right away. upon entering the fairgrounds, we had to pay $12 for parking. this should've been a red flag as the rest of the night, we were excited to play games or go on rides, only to find that we needed to pay an extra $50, even if we just wanted to go on one ride. the snow play was free but we waited in line for 40 min, only to be allowed to play for 15 min. the snow was extremely slippery and we finished everything in 10 min. the most exciting thing was the tubing!!! it's so hard to find tubing except at ski resorts so we loved it. we wish we got vip for the tubing so we could join the shorter line. the photo ops were also cool but it seemed like there was a lot of empty space they could've put more activities. would i go back? no. but did i think it was a good experience? yes, it was cute but wish there were more free things for the $30 i was paying or add-ons that weren't so "all or nothing" read more

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This was disappointing and cost more than what they offered. We read that this was a fun family Activity and found out too late that over the years it has declined in quality and turned into a nickel and dime sort of experience. Guess you can't win them all read more

First time at the Orange County fairgrounds! The hubby and I were here on New Year's Eve checking out Winter Fest OC. We purchased our tickets ahead of time (a week prior) online and there was not much of a line in the evening when we arrived a little bit after dinner elsewhere. They had fireworks shows in the early evening and at midnight Plenty of Christmas lights, holiday scenery for photos, typical rides and games that you can find at a fairgrounds. There was opportunity to walk around the fairgrounds and visit different sections. There was ice skating, different wintery sections for kids to play, and ice tubing rides. There is a row of food (hot dogs, pretzels, fair type eats) and beverage spots. I brought my own water thermos and did not purchase any food since I had a good dinner and dessert elsewhere. I don't remember what type of fruit drink the hubby got. It appeared to be pomegranate but it was so bad (too syrupy sweet) that he threw it away. He rarely does that too. At the Christmas house, there were musical acts performing. The early evening act was a Taylor Swift tribute band. They closed their set singing "Shake it off." Later in the evening was a Bruno Mars Tribute band called 24K Magic. 24K Magic was awesome and rocked the Christmas House! These talented guys had people dancing and some singing along. There were a few characters that would make an appearance like the snow princess, yeti, teddy bear. etc. and take photos with people. Overall, a good experience. 3.5 stars but rounded down to 3. read more

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After watching and seeing all the advertisements, I was so excited for Winter Fest! I was looking forward to ice tubing and the snow play for my kids. Unfortunately, that is a VERY small section at the festival. The snow play is in a covered tent with a mini ice tubing station, a ride, and a small mountain of hand made snow for kids to make snow balls. They allow large groups in at a time to play for 15 minutes. All the way in the back of the fair grounds, is the large ice tubing station. The lines for general admission were insanely long. My 3.5 year old wasn't allowed to go on it because he didn't meet the height requirement. They don't allow lap sitting with an adult either. I was looking forward to a Christmas-y feel festival but this was anything but that. It felt like the OC fair with sprinkles of Christmas lights throughout. The carnival rides, jumpers, and games were all extra and would cost an arm and a leg for a family of four. I would never come back to this festival as there are many better options out there. I recommend Imagnarium at Pomona Fairplex! Heck, even driving around your car looking at Christmas lights with hot cocoa is better than this festival. read more

*T MINUS 2 more days left to ENJOY WINTER FEST THIS SEASON B4 next season Last Day Sunday January 7th* This was my 2nd time visiting WinterFest. 1st time was back in 2016. I mean a lot has changed than since that was merely 7 years ago. We came with the entire family. I wanted to return because I recall how fun it was the 1st time we came. This time i visited with just mee & my daughter for a great mommie & mee date. We got here around 5 p.m. Wasn't expecting to stay til closing but we actually did. There was so much stuff to do and highly recommend coming here for a Funday. I think getting the VIP ticket is definitely worth it for the unlimited ride for the kid. My daughter kept on wanting to go on everything and twice if not more. The snow tubing with the real ice is indoor under a enclosed tent. Kids can go tubing, snow play and there is a ride like a tube swing. The North Pole journey is a fun activity to do. You'll spend almost an hour there. Lots of photo ops. Ice skating is available too. There is a show for the tree lighting and actual snow fall after the show. It's a must see along w a mini parade beginning of the show. Food is Fair food. So it is quite pricey. We got refreshing drinks from Sunday cafe. Purchased the cute bear bottles to get 2nd refill for free. Got a hoagie cheese melt to bring home for my husband along w refreshing watermelon juice from Agua Fresca. They were all yummy food. Costco sells 2 tickets pack for $ 79.99 where 7 years ago for general admission is $ 29.99. Crazy times but so worth it. Definitely a winter wonderland. A must at least once to check it out yourself. Parking is $ 12 read more

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Recommendation is to by early, cheaper and your dates are flexible. If you buy later, weekdays are cheaper and way less packed. We went on Monday and was able to do all the attractions multiple times, absolutely no lines. We added the unlimited bounce house for our 3 year old and he had a blast. Spent a solid 2 hours. You can buy the add-ons day of without additional fees. Parking was an additional $12. Lots of usual fair food options. For the kids, would recommend snow pants and gloves or at least water resistant if they want to play in the snow. read more

This is an amazing way to spend time with your kids, friends, family, and bring the inner child out in you So glad I finally got to have my first Winter Fest OC experience & it did not disappoint! I love Christmas festivities & the Fair so this was the ultimate combo event for me! They had EVERYTHING you could ever want in a fair and to celebrate doing christmassy things for all ages! From: Ice Skating Unlimited Snow Tubing on real ice Snow Play area for the babies to play & to play with real snow Lit-up aesthetic private igloos w/campfire Christmas light show, Tree, & decor all around Continuous Snow Fall Bubbles Santa Meet & Greet & other Christmas characters Forest of Lights walk through experience North pole immersive experience All the GOOD Carnival Rides & Games Bounce Houses Fair Food & Drinks Mini Golf AND MORE!!! I definitely recommend coming early because my friend and I went as soon as they opened and we did just about everything we wanted in such a short amount of time and then some because there were barely any crowds which I loved. Thank you @lifethroughhnyb for bringing me to enjoy this amazing experience & @winterfestoc for literally including everything we could've imagined in a winter festival and bringing the snow experience to the OC Winter Fest OC will be open all the way until January 5th! Winter Fest OC @winterfestoc 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Please like, share, & follow for more Ig:@rachiesayang Possible Improvements: 1)food prices were super expensive for what you get. Like $26 curly fries w/ what looked like a sprinkle of meat on top. $16 agua frescas etc.‍ 2) although the light set ups were pretty it seemed scattered and random and sparse in certain areas. Maybe if there was more budget there'd be better and more cohesive Christmas light attractions all throughout. 3)spin the wheel to pay for time share tours at the entrance after the walk through experiences was a bad start for the event did not like that. 4) didn't see why there needed to be a trans flag everywhere on the Ferris wheel at essentially a kids playing area. 5)wackyhouse was majority not working and needs maintenance. #winterfestoc#winterfestival#thingstodoinoc#familyfun#datenight#ocevents#thingstodoforchristmas#socalchristmas#christmasevents#winteractivities#christmasactivities#snowtubing#christmastree#christmaslights#iceskating#northpole#iceskating#christmasinoc#ocfair#snow#playinginthesnow#carnivalrides#fairfood#carnivalgames#immersiveexperience#christmasexperience#christmaslightshow#ocfairgrounds#costamesa read more

Save your money. We came in the past and it wasn't bad. This year seems like they didn't know how to run it. We arrived at 5pm on a Tuesday and it took almost 45 minutes waiting in line to even get in the door. Their whole process was abysmal. Zero professionalism and seemed like everyone was there to make minimum wage and not really care. Sorry to see how downhill it's gone. Won't waste our money in the future. read more

Really disappointing . We were excited to come back after 3 years ago the same issues . Rides were broken down .This place has gotten so small. The golf was a pathetic circle of boxes.Lines for the tubing ( included ) & snow play were sooooo long 1 hr . We got the ride passes . The place is a joke. After spending 400 bucks here . Only 2 bathrooms Long lines .The porta potty's . Gross . Everyone was so disappointed . 35 bucks for a cheese burger & fries . Food was gross . Hard no . So bad. Nobody was happy that we talked too. Best part was the place was dead. Only for the 2 things that were included & bathroom there were lines . Nobody will be back I spoke to . Sad. Place has gone completely downhill from when it started years ago . read more

Not worth it. Go to Knotts Berry Farm instead, the Xmas decorations and attractions are far better...and the cost is roughly equivalent: a regular ticket to Knotts this close to Xmas is about $90, and parking is $35, so that's $125 total. Meanwhile, a Platinum Pass for Winterfest--which is what you need to purchase if you want access to ALL of the attractions they advertise on their website--is $113 and parking is $12, for a total of $125. The exact same price. This is a no brainer, folks. It used to be good but it has gotten steadily worse, and steadily more expensive each year. This year was the breaking point for my family. Not going to even consider going back until it changes management. read more

Took our grandkids for an amazing night of fun. Our Igloo and fireplace was perfect for our multigenerational group which allowed the Elders to rest and stay warm while the kids explored their hearts away. We did it all and enjoyed every moment. Can't wait to come back read more

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Very fun!! For winter fest each event (jumpers, etc) you have to pay for separately. Also the snow area, there are slides, but if your child is over 40 inches they can't get on it which is unfair. Very fun but be prepared to spend a lot of money. read more

It was so much fun. The whole decoration is amazing. The only thing I was a little bummed about is that the outside they took any seating away so there's literally nothing at least they should put some table top so you could kind of chitchat and catch up with people me and my girls like to hit this event, but I also invite a lot of friends that I haven't seen in a long time And the bottle service area. There's only I think two sections so that would be amazing if they were to have some like benches or something outside or anywhere where you could kind of put your drink. read more

First time going to this event and was quite disappointed. The main reason is because it felt like a small fair instead of a Winter Wonderland like I imagined. The food options are the same vendors you would see at the fair, the rides and fair games are all there as well. I hate to compare but several years ago I went to the Chill event in Long Beach and it was unforgettable! There was ice sculptures, slides made of ice and so much more it felt so magical for me as an adult, this event had no comparison. I feel it was a cheap low quality version of it in all honesty. We paid extra for the pictures with Santa and wish we didn't. I feel it wasn't organized well sitting on the floor on those pillows put us in an awkward position in the pictures. They need actual hard chairs or at least for the adults to stand beside Santa and also to make it a little more personalized since this is memorable for each child that enters, it felt rushed. The best part for us was the Christmas themed musical show where it would "snow". It was fun full of colors, music and snow! We enjoyed it a lot. Would we return? No, we probably won't but at-least can say we experienced it. read more

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I wasn't into winter fest until i went with a friend on NYE because we can do countdown and see fireworks. So it is better to go on NYE to be out and have fun in less crowd and shorter line for food or rides. Amazing time and will go back again on NYE! read more

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Do you want all the negatives of the oc fair without any of the cool stuff? Then winterfest is for you! Walk in to find people selling time shares! Overpay for food! You want Christmas lights? Too bad! A drive through most oc neighborhoods is better. Overpriced everything. I've been every year and is has become more and more a joyless cash grab. This year was an expensive lesson I don't need to learn again. No wonder they don't give refunds. Once they have your money you feel like you have to at least find something worth seeing. We didn't even stay an hour. read more

My first experience, I really enjoyed myself. Especially with the $5 food items. But overall I had a great and fun experience. Beautiful lights. read more

Winter Fest OC - Festivals Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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It was amazing employees were kind and courteous I will definitely come back next year the weather sucked but the experience was great

This year was my first time at winter fest and honestly it was so much fun. It's like a mini festival/fair with food, games, rides, and I love the fact that it's not too big but not too small. We went for a date night and they had ice skating, beautiful photo ops, snow play for kids, and you can race down a slide in a snow tube that makes the perfect amount of fun! I would definitely love going again next year when the weather is better to be able to enjoy more things to do read more

I want to start by saying that I was genuinely grateful to have purchased our tickets at a significantly reduced price due to the rain. Given the overall cost, this made a meaningful difference and was honestly the only reason the experience felt remotely justifiable from a value standpoint. That said, there were several major issues that need to be addressed. First, the snow play area was extremely disappointing for children who fall just outside very narrow height requirements. My son is eight years old and slightly taller than 42 inches, and because of that, he was restricted from nearly every snow play option. For the ticket price being charged, it is unreasonable to leave children in this category with only one very small activity. This felt poorly thought out and incredibly frustrating for both parents and kids. One of the few bright spots of the entire visit was the ice skating add-on, which cost an additional $15 per person. This was hands-down the best decision we made while attending. The staff working in the ice skating area -- Jose, Ms. Darlene, and Ms. Lisa -- were absolutely exceptional. They were warm, patient, accommodating, and genuinely kind. Their hospitality and understanding completely changed the tone of our visit. Quite frankly, without these three individuals, this experience would not have been enjoyable, and I would not be leaving the rating that I am. They truly made the experience for our family. Unfortunately, outside of the ice skating area, the overall environment was the exact opposite. Most of the other vendors -- particularly the game booths -- were extremely rude and entirely money-driven. There was little to no patience with children, no sense of fun, and no welcoming or festive atmosphere. Every interaction felt transactional, rushed, and dismissive. The message was essentially: if you don't have enough tickets, too bad -- go buy more. That attitude made the experience unpleasant and stressful rather than enjoyable. Additionally, the prize selection was very disappointing. Nearly every booth offered the same toys, with very limited variety and especially limited options for boys. The prizes felt low-quality and repetitive, which only added to the feeling that the games were a ripoff. The pricing structure itself felt misleading. At first, a game would be advertised as costing 10 tickets, only to be followed by additional requirements -- more tickets needed for certain outcomes or prize levels. It felt like constant upselling with little transparency, which came across as dishonest and frustrating. Tubing, which is advertised as being included with every ticket, was another major letdown. There were two separate lines -- one being a VIP line that was never clearly advertised -- and the regular line involved waits of up to two hours for a single ride. The tubing slide itself is very short and not nearly exciting enough to justify that wait time. Overall, it was simply not worth it. In summary, this event was overpriced from the start and, in my opinion, not worth the cost -- even with discounted tickets. The lack of organization, transparency, and genuine family-friendly engagement was very apparent. Once again, I want to strongly emphasize that Jose, Ms. Darlene, and Ms. Lisa were the sole reason our experience had any positive moments at all. Their kindness and professionalism stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the event, and they deserve to be recognized for making what could have been a completely miserable visit into something tolerable and, at moments, genuinely enjoyable. Without them, this would have been an overwhelmingly negative experience. read more