Santa's Enchanted Forest is not reopening. Its operating company dissolved in 2024, and the Miami Herald reported last November that the park is closed for good. Some of it is still coming back to Tropical Park anyway. When Christmas Wonderland opens on Thursday, November 12, its Tinsel Trail will include a section called Santa's Enchanted Forest: Memory Lane, with what the operator calls "original set pieces" from the old park, Surfin' Santa among them.
So the Christmas fair that families from Kendall drove up the Palmetto for has kept its name and some of its displays, and the attraction that took its spot is the one using them. Three years ago, the old park was suing that same attraction in court.
Six Years, Three Sites, One Lawsuit
The full history is short:
- 1984 to 2020. Santa's Enchanted Forest runs at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40th St., on county land. The Shechtman family owned and operated it for 40 years.
- 2020. The county lease runs out and Miami-Dade doesn't renew it, Local 10 reported.
- 2021. The park moves to Hialeah Park, where the Herald says parking was a problem.
- 2022 and 2023. It runs two seasons on a vacant lot at the Medley and Doral line.
- November 2023. Christmas Wonderland opens at Tropical Park, produced by the local company Loud and Live. Santa's Enchanted Forest sues Miami-Dade County and Loud and Live over the county permit, Local 10 reported. The county disputed the claims, and the Herald later reported that the case was eventually dismissed.
- October 2024. The park says it will be closed for the 2024 season "as we reflect on four magical decades of cherished memories and plans for the future."
- 2025. It doesn't return. Buddy Cormican, its manager for 31 years, told the Herald it was over for good.
In that same Herald story, Cormican said some of the installations were being taken to a property in northern Florida to be kept until they found a permanent home. A year later, Christmas Wonderland's Memory Lane page promises "original set pieces and photo ops from the beloved park."
What Memory Lane Actually Is
Memory Lane is a section of Tinsel Trail, the walking trail through Christmas Wonderland's light displays. The operator's Memory Lane page names Surfin' Santa, offers "nostalgic photo ops," and promises to bring back what it calls "South Florida's #1 earworm," the Santa's Enchanted Forest TV jingle.
The pitch is aimed at parents. The Christmas Wonderland FAQ says this is where "parents relive the wonder of their own childhood Christmases." Surfin' Santa was one of the old park's best-known photo spots. The Herald ran a picture of it from the Hialeah Park years, when the display had already followed the park away from Tropical Park. This season it's back on its original ground.
The Monday Gimmick, and Whether It's a Deal
The other nod to the old park is "Santa's Enchanted Mondays." Every Monday, the Memory Lane page says, "prices go back to 1983": $25 admission, $2 water and sodas, and $5 menu items.
On the ticket page, regular general admission is $39.99 and the 12-and-under ticket is $29.99. During the current Early Xmas Sale, those drop to $29.99 and $19.99. That makes the Monday ticket $15 cheaper than a regular adult ticket. It isn't the cheapest night, though. The FAQ lists online-only weekday bundles that close at 5 p.m. on the day they apply:
| Night | Deal | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Monday | 1 ticket for $25 | $25.00 |
| Tinsel Twosday | 2 tickets for $55 | $27.50 |
| Wonder Wednesday | 4 tickets for $99 | $24.75 |
| Twinkle Thursdays | 3 tickets for $88 | about $29.33 |
The FAQ marks all of these prices "++," meaning fees come on top. A family of four pays less per person on Wednesday than on the 1983 Monday. Monday's real edge is the food and drink: $2 sodas and $5 menu items. Kids 3 and under get in free, and the FAQ says most rides have a 36-inch minimum height.
Ticket prices have barely moved. For the 2025 season, the Herald listed adult tickets from $39 and children's from $29. The bigger change for 2026 is what's inside.
What Changed at Tropical Park Since Last Year
Christmas Wonderland is in its fourth season at Tropical Park. Its own claims for 2026 differ from what the Herald described on opening night in 2025 in a few ways:
| 2025 season | 2026 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | 14 acres | More than 14 acres |
| Themed areas | Six sections | Seven themed lands |
| Big wheel | 150-foot Eye in the Sky | 230-foot America 250 Wheel |
| Old-park tie-in | None listed | Santa's Enchanted Forest: Memory Lane |
| Run | Through Jan. 4, 2026 | Nov. 12 through Jan. 4 |
The operator calls the America 250 Wheel the world's largest portable observation wheel, and rides on it are included with admission. Last year's 150-foot wheel could already be seen from the Palmetto Expressway, according to the Herald. The new one is 80 feet taller. Also new for 2026 are a Bavarian Marketplace of cottages around the main Christmas tree and Duck Discovery, a hunt for 24 collectible ducks hidden around the grounds that's free for kids 12 and under.
Some things stay the same. Parking at Tropical Park is free, and trolleys run between the lots and the entrance until an hour after closing. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday. The park is open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and closes on a few select dates listed on its calendar. Bags must be 12 by 12 inches or smaller, and outside food and drinks aren't allowed.
Loud and Live president Tony Albelo told the Herald on opening night in 2025, "People spend hours here, there are so many photo ops. I mean, A LOT." This year's photo ops include one that families have been taking since before his company arrived.
For the South End of Kendall, the Zoo Opens After Dark
For families who live closer to SW 152nd Street than to Bird Road, there's also Zoo Lights Miami, which runs on a much shorter schedule. Zoo Miami opens at night on 17 dates only: November 27 and 28, then December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 through 23, and 26 through 30. Hours are 6:30 to 10 p.m. Opening night, Friday, November 27, includes a tree lighting at 7 p.m. with Yuletide Carolers. The zoo promises more than a million lights, a 26-foot LED holiday tree, and Santa appearances through December 23.
The zoo is cheaper. Online sale prices are $21.49 for ages 13 and up and $19.63 for ages 3 to 12, against regular prices of $23.36 and $21.49. Early-bird pricing ends November 26. You pick your date when you buy, capacity is limited, and the zoo says no refunds will be issued. The Arctic Express train ride and s'mores cost extra.
The Season's Dates, in Order
- Thursday, Nov. 12. Christmas Wonderland opens at Tropical Park.
- Sunday, Nov. 15, 3 p.m. "Piano and Cello in the Garden" with pianist Sakiko Ohashi and cellist German Marcano at the Banyan Bowl, Pinecrest Gardens, 11000 Red Rd., per the Kendall Gazette.
- Nov. 21 and 22. Harvest in Miami at Fuchs Pavilion on the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition grounds, per the Fair's event calendar.
- Nov. 26. Last day for Zoo Lights early-bird pricing.
- Friday, Nov. 27. Zoo Lights Miami opening night and tree lighting. Nights of Lights also opens on the Fair Expo grounds and runs through Dec. 31, per the Fair's calendar.
- Dec. 23. Last scheduled Santa appearance at Zoo Lights.
- Dec. 30. Last night of Zoo Lights.
- Jan. 4. Christmas Wonderland's final night of the season.
Javier Portal and the team at Green Group Realty follow Kendall the way long-time residents do, from what opens on Kendall Drive to which holiday traditions survive another year. If you're wondering what's changing on your own street, or what the coming months could mean for your home, schedule a personal market consultation with Javier. We're happy to talk in English or Spanish.
