Each year, thousands of Brits descend on Whitmoor Forest near Ascot in Berkshire in search of Christmas magic - and the chance to meet the real-life Father Christmas.
LaplandUK was the brainchild of former hedge fund trader Mike Battle and his primary school teacher wife Alison in 2007 after they were unable to find their four young sons a quality Father Christmas experience in the UK.
But the extraordinary cost has become grating to many visitors, with some claiming it may now be better value to get a last-minute deal to visit the real Lapland in the Arctic Circle for a few days than head to Berkshire for half a day.
Over the years, the UK-based '4.5-hour immersive Santa experience' has attracted a host of famous faces, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, the Beckhams, the Rooneys, Sir Elton John, David Furnish and Tom Hardy.
After the immense success of the Berkshire experience, this year, LaplandUK opened a second site in Siddington, Cheshire, called Lapland Manchester.
The first batch of 160,000 tickets for the 2025 season went on sale in March and sold in less than three hours.
On the day tickets dropped, one X (formerly Twitter) user shared a screenshot of her booking confirmation, which totalled £470.65 for a family of three.
That's £145 per person, a £14.85 booking fee and £14.85 cancellation protection per person - as well as £5.95 postage and packaging.
With more than 500,000 people on the waiting list, another batch of tickets were released in September.
According to the LaplandUK website, standard ticket prices for the 2025 season range between £60-£195. If you're scratching your head, wondering what could be worth the cost, you're not alone.
One X user wrote: 'Just went to book a family ticket to the Lapland UK experience in Manchester on the 20th December. £745 for two adults and two children. Absolute madness.'
In the thread, one user replied: 'First reading of this I thought it wasn’t too bad for a family of four to Lapland, then I realised it was Manchester! Bonkers!'
LaplandUK experiences usually include children being given an ‘Elf Passport’ before heading to the festive world.
Then a 90-minute show takes place, including visits to a toy factory and Mother Christmas's Kitchen.
Visitors end the journey by meeting Father Christmas, where he will give children a Golden Bell to become an ‘Honorary Elf’ and a husky soft toy.
There is also ice skating on ‘Father Christmas’s Frozen Pond’ and a number of activities in the Elven World for families.
But travel experts have pointed out that a few days in the real Lapland, in northern Finland, can cost in the region of £600.
For those looking for a last-minute trip to the real Lapland this year, you can bag a four-night stay for £566 per person, including return flights from Manchester, transfers, and breakfast.
It comes as TUI is set to launch flights to a quieter Lapland destination where guests can still meet Santa but in a much 'more intimate setting'.
The holiday company announced it is launching flights from Manchester to Kajaani in Finland for the 2026/2027 winter season.
Kajaani is located in Arctic Lakeland and its introduction follows huge demand for 'traditional Lapland holidays' from TUI customers.
Lapland holidays usually take place in Rovaniemi but Britons who opt for Kajaani are likely to enjoy a much less crowded experience.
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