Awe Inspiring Alice in Winterland at CHILL in Long Beach

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On Wednesday, SoCal Field Trips was invited to the opening night of CHILL at The Queen Mary in Long Beach, where we were transported to our very own winterland right in the heart of Southern California!

Now in its fifth year, CHILL has been overtaken by the beloved characters from the Lewis Carroll masterpiece, Alice in Wonderland. There is no ice this year, so returning guests might feel a little over bundled considering the warmer temperatures we’ve been having. However, giant light sculptures brighten the night instead!

It was opening night, so the evening was filled with stars in the sky, but also on the “blue” carpet. Special guests included child actor Chance Caden, Carolyn Hennesy from Jessie, and not to mention the biggest star of them all, Santa Claus with Mrs. Claus and their kooky elves.

About CHILL at the Queen Mary

We entered the rabbit hole in the Alice in Wonderland Maze where all kinds of illuminating adventures awaited us in an immersive 14,000-square foot experience.

Before you enter though, be sure to visit the Hatter Dashery to pick up a Mad Hatter Hat or flashing bunny ears that unlock special features when walking around.

Inside the maze, large-than-life lanterns lighted our way. The characters were also there to welcome us inside the maze and pose for picture ops – Alice of course, along with the White Queen, Humpty and Dumpty, the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen (watch out though, she can be a bit grumpy like in the movie!)

The kids especially had fun playing in the “shrinking” room where an optical illusion made them bigger or smaller according to which corner of the room they stood in.

Activities at CHILL in Long Beach

As you exit the maze, the Magic Mushroom bar awaits adults who might need a little martini. And you won’t be disappointed as the bar is stocked with a dozen flavored vodkas. I tasted the fruity vodkas, pear and peach, but the chocolate-flavored vodka was the best. It definitely warmed my body and my heart.

Another favorite activity of ours was the two large wintry entertainment zones, the 100-foot long six-lane ice luge Glacier Glide where you can ice tube and the 6,000-square foot Looking Glass Ice Skating Ring. Penguins were on hand to help the little ones stay on their feet. My daughter is 3 and was a little small to try, but she’s fearless and didn’t want to miss out on the fun, so she tried with the help of an adult and had a blast.

Another returning attraction and always a crowd-pleaser are the ice tubing lanes. If you have a little one who is too small to try, you can head over to the merry-go-round nearby while waiting for the bigger kids.

Keeping up with the winter theme, we made personalized stockings at the Santa Stocking Shop. You get a plain felt stocking in various colors and an assortment of felt decorations, ribbons and stickers are there for you to pick from and decorate to your heart’s content. If you have a sweet tooth, you may prefer to make and decorate your own gingerbread house to take home.

This year again, the world’s largest rocking horse was at the event and various fair attractions, including a ride from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

Live entertainment didn’t fail to please the crowd either! Several dance groups and bands took the outdoor stage and it’s a great place to “chill” for a while. And to finish off the night, we had the pleasure to see the 26-foot tall tree illumination at Holly Grove Clearing where Elsa’s cousin twice removed (AKA the White Queen) encouraged the crowd to cheer and show their Christmas spirit to help the snow fall on the tree and the lights to shine.

Admission to CHILL in Long Beach

CHILL at the Queen Mary in Long Beach runs from Nov. 23, 2016 – Jan. 8, 2017.

Discount tickets are now available through Goldstar.com for only $20.00 per person! General admission tickets start at $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for children ages 4 to 11.

Parking is available at the Queen Mary for an additional cost. For further information, visit www.queenmary.com/events/chill.

Happy Field Tripping,

Fran Sawyer

SoCal Field Trips Blog Contributor