The ice rink and ramp, which are two of the most popular attractions, are guaranteed in this year’s edition of the Óbidos Vila Natalwhich opens its doors this Friday. But new entertainment is promised, extended opening hours on weekends and the implementation of a strategy to avoid queues.
Based on the experience of previous years – in which tickets were sold out or sales were temporarily suspended due to high attendance – this year, Óbidos Vila Natal will have a session-based entry system, a model that, according to the organization, “facilitates crowd management, reduces waiting times and makes the visit more comfortable and fluid”.
Furthermore, from Friday to Sunday, the venue has extended opening hours: it opens at 10am and closes at 9pm, while on other days it only opens at 11am and closes at 8pm. Therefore, it takes two more hours, these days, to enjoy everything that is inside (and also outside) the walls of the medieval town.
Under the topic The Great Christmas FactoryÓbidos Vila Natal invites visitors to participate in the construction and preparation of Christmas… even though it lasts until January 4th. For fun, there will be the track and the ice ramp, but also the Train Station, the Post Office, the Tin Soldier Training Camp, the Parisian Carousel or Santa Claus’s Office. Without forgetting the shows that take place on the Festa Stage and the Magic Theater: there is musical theater, comedy, circus arts, dance and music.
As for activities, visitors can go to the Toy Factory and build their own toy, the Delicatessen Workshop to make traditional Christmas cookies, the Snow Powder Laboratory to discover how snow is produced or the Elf Academy to live an immersive experience in a escape room.
The venue also has a gaming area, where it is possible to try 17 video games on PC, consoles and simulators.
Entrance costs 10 euros for adults and eight for children, but there are special tickets.
Perlim opens on Saturday
Further north, in Santa Maria da Feira, the Pearl opens its doors on Saturday, November 29th, and runs until December 30th. The opening will be marked, at 9:45 pm, with a show with 220 drones in high-precision choreography at 80 meters high, the same will be repeated daily at 7:45 pm, next to Casa do Moinho.
With the motto Head on the Moon, Feet in Perlimthe 17th edition of the Christmas theme park promises new features, both in the programming content and in the reorganization of the venue, and focuses on reinforcing educational, pedagogical and awareness-raising activities, with a close eye on the urgency of playing and parenting, solidarity and social responsibility.
Tickets cost 7 euros for children and 8 euros for adults during the week. On weekends, one euro is added.