A drive through the lights and one keepsake stop can be enough for baby’s first Christmas at Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Eureka. You can see the show with the baby buckled in, then decide whether to stop for a Santa photo or a handwritten ornament.
Choosing holiday activities for families gets more complicated when the newest member has an early bedtime. The grandparents want to join, you’d like a photo, and a packed evening already sounds tiring. Start with the part you most want to do, and leave room to change your mind.
Holiday Activities for Families With a Baby: The Short Plan
Build the visit around the drive-through lights, with optional stops at Kringle’s General Store. Santa photos, a personalized ornament, and a wagon ride give you different ways to mark the occasion.
- First lights: Watch from the car, with the baby buckled in while the vehicle moves.
- First Santa photo: Visit through December 23 and receive the digital pictures by text.
- First ornament: Choose a style and ask our elves about handwriting the baby’s name.
- First wagon ride: Children 2 and under ride free on an adult’s lap.
- A letter to keep: Create a Letter from Santa at home for the baby box.
Pick one extra that matters most. If the lights are enough for the evening, you can head home without working through the rest of the list.
Start Early, but Check the Wagon Schedule Separately
Our 5:30 p.m. opening gives you the earliest start available. The Kingdom opens every night from November 20 through January 3, including holidays.
A weeknight before Christmas week is the starting point we’d choose for this visit. Check the current hours and admission details before settling on a date, especially if relatives are joining you.
Park opening and wagon departure times are different. Through December 10, the Old Fashioned Holiday Wagon starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday departures start at 5:30 p.m., as do available departures after December 10.
Some dates have no public wagon rides. Check the booking calendar before promising the grandparents a ride, and decide whether its departure time works for your family.
For an evening without a reserved ride, keep the plan flexible. Choose the lights as the main activity, then make the store stop a decision you take when you arrive.
See the First Lights From the Car Seat
The drive-through show lets your family see St. Louis Christmas lights without walking the display route. The baby can remain in the car seat throughout the drive; keep them buckled in while the car moves.
The four-story Kingdom Doors begin the show. Farther along, the Tunnel of Dancing Lights surrounds the road with moving displays, and a 300-foot waterfall of light is another scene to watch for.
Invite the grandparents to share the drive if they’re coming. They can see the displays alongside you, even if you decide against the extra stops afterward.
Our Kingdom tour page previews the scenes. It also gives an older sibling something to look forward to while the first visit centers on the newest family member.
There’s no need to plan a separate activity at every display. Let the drive be the outing, with the photo or ornament as an optional stop afterward.
Take a First Santa Photo You Can Send to Grandparents
Professional Santa photos take place inside Kringle’s General Store every night from November 20 through December 23. Choose a date within that window if meeting Santa is the main reason for your visit.
We text the finished digital photos to your phone. You can save them and forward a copy to grandparents who couldn’t join you, without arranging a separate pickup for prints.
Outside cameras and phone photography aren’t permitted during the Santa visit, and printed photos aren’t available. Have your phone ready to receive the message, then put it away during the photo itself.
Ask our team how they arrange an infant’s photo before your turn. That gives you a chance to discuss the setup without assuming who holds the baby or appears in the picture.
The Santa photo details cover the current arrangements. If the baby has had enough by then, skip the photo rather than building the whole evening around getting it.
Choose a Handwritten First Ornament at Kringle’s
Our elves hand-letter personalized ornaments at Kringle’s General Store for $18.95 each. Hundreds of styles, including family ornaments, give you a choice of something for the baby or the whole household.
Save the baby’s name in your phone exactly as you want it written. Check the spelling together before handing it over, especially if relatives use a nickname.
Ask which wording fits the ornament you’ve chosen. If you’d like the year included, confirm that request with the elves before personalization. Don’t assume every design has room for the same message.
Our guide to what to put on a personalized Christmas ornament can help you narrow the wording before you arrive.
Kringle’s is an in-person stop for Kingdom guests. While you’re there, the Snack Shack offers freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, hot cocoa, coffee, and other snacks for the adults and older children.
Add a Wagon Ride if It Fits Your Evening
The Old Fashioned Holiday Wagon is open air, and children 2 and under ride free on an adult’s lap. Blankets are provided, and you’re welcome to bring your own.
Two paid riders cost $36 at the published $18-per-person fare, and booking for two or more people waives vehicle admission. Afterward, ride guests can drive through the Kingdom before leaving.
Reserve the departure first, then arrange any store or photo stop around it. Follow the arrival instructions on the wagon booking page: most rides require arrival 30 minutes early, with a 5:15 p.m. arrival exception for 5:30 p.m. riders.
At the Gingerbread House after the first tunnel, tell the team you have a ride reservation. They’ll direct you to parking and check-in inside Kringle’s.
Rides run rain or shine, with no guest cancellations or refunds unless the Kingdom cancels. Read the policy before booking, particularly if flexibility matters more than a reserved departure.
What the Visit Costs With a Baby
Carload admission keeps the drive-through cost the same when you bring the baby in your family vehicle. A wagon reservation changes the calculation because qualifying bookings include the vehicle-admission waiver.
| Plan | Published Cost |
| Drive-through in a family vehicle, excluding Saturdays | $35 per carload, including tax |
| Drive-through in a family vehicle on Saturday | $40 per carload, including tax |
| Public wagon for two paying adults, baby on a lap | $36; vehicle admission waived |
| Handwritten personalized ornament | $18.95 each |
These are separate choices, so choose the experience before adding keepsakes. Allow extra for Santa photos and snacks; neither is included in the totals above.
Drive-through admission is cash only, paid as you exit. Kringle’s has an ATM, but bringing the admission money with you removes one errand from the evening.
Keep a Letter From Santa in the Baby Box
A Letter from Santa gives you something to save after the visit, alongside the photo. Choose printed and mailed delivery for a physical keepsake, or email delivery if that suits your plans.
Use the baby’s actual age and details from this year. A first word or first step can work if it has happened; there’s no need to invent a milestone to make the letter feel personal.
The current form accepts age 1 and also allows age 0. Review the available choices using the baby’s real age rather than entering an older age to complete the order.
For a household with an older child, a letter for a new big sister or brother offers another way to include the arrival. Choose that route when the sibling’s experience is what you want the letter to recognize.
Check letter timing and delivery guidance, then create your family’s Letter from Santa. You can handle this part at home rather than adding another task to the visit.
Before You Leave Home
Keep the preparation focused on the stops you’ve chosen:
- Save the baby’s name and preferred ornament wording.
- Charge the phone that will receive the Santa photos.
- Share any reserved departure and arrival instructions with relatives.
- Bring cash if you’re paying drive-through admission.
- Ask about any baby gear or facilities you need before traveling.
Among the things to do for Christmas this year, choose a plan you can shorten. For nearby holiday outings with a baby, knowing what you’ll skip can be as useful as deciding what to book.
Plan Your First Family Visit
For holiday activities for families celebrating a new arrival, start with the lights and one optional keepsake. This keeps your choice of St. Louis Christmas activities centered on the first visit rather than a full evening’s checklist.
Check hours and admission for your visit. If a wagon departure works for your family, reserve it through the rides page before arranging the rest of the night.
Baby’s First Visit FAQ
What can we do for baby’s first Christmas at the Kingdom?
Start with the drive-through lights. Add a Santa photo or personalized ornament if you want a keepsake, and leave other stops optional.
Can the baby stay in the car seat for the lights?
The baby can remain in the car seat throughout the drive-through show. Keep them buckled in while the vehicle moves.
Does the wagon always start when the park opens?
Public wagon departures start later on some early-season weeknights. Check the ride calendar separately from the Kingdom’s 5:30 p.m. opening time.
Can we take baby’s Santa photo on Christmas Eve?
Santa photos end December 23, although the light show remains open Christmas Eve. Choose an earlier date if the photo is your priority.
Can we photograph the baby ourselves during the Santa visit?
Outside cameras and phone photography aren’t permitted during the Santa visit. The professional photos arrive digitally by text; printed copies aren’t available.
How can grandparents get a copy of baby’s Santa photo?
Forward the digital photo after it reaches your phone. Grandparents can receive the picture even if they couldn’t join you at the Kingdom.
Can the elves add the year to baby’s ornament?
Ask the elves whether the year fits your chosen design before personalization. Confirm the baby’s name and any additional wording at the counter.
Can I order a Santa letter before baby’s first birthday?
The current letter form allows age 0. Enter the baby’s actual age and review the letter options before choosing a package and delivery.
What happens if we miss our reserved wagon?
Wagons can’t wait for late passengers, and a later space isn’t guaranteed. Follow your reservation’s arrival instructions and call if you’re running late.
What does the public wagon cost for two adults and a baby?
Two paid adult fares total $36 and waive vehicle admission. Children 2 and under ride free on an adult’s lap.
Do we need advance tickets for the drive-through lights?
Drive-through admission is cash only, paid as you exit. Wagon rides use separate reservations, so check the booking page if you’re adding one.
Who can answer questions about bringing baby gear?
Call 636-938-5925 or use our visit-planning form. Ask about the specific gear or facilities your family needs before traveling.
