When you think about a Christmas vacation the desert likely isn’t what comes to mind. But the Christmas at the Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona delivers the most magical Christmas, and you don’t have to worry about freezing in the cold!
During the Christmas season, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess transforms into a winter wonderland that makes everyone feel like a kid again. From the music to the lights to the decorations no single detail is overlooked.
The resort is expansive, stretching across 65 acres, and everywhere you turn is something new. The holiday music, 6.5 million twinkling lights, and endless activities are throughout the whole property.
Christmas at the Princess includes ice skating rinks, sledding hills, a large Ferris wheel, amusement rides, light shows, a working train, Santa experiences, and so much more! And make sure to taste your way through Twinkletown, S’moresland, The Village, and Winterland with treats and drinks at every turn.
Here are some of my do’s and don’ts if you decide to visit Christmas at the Princess–which you should!
Do’s
- Stay the night at the resort. As an overnight guest, you get VIP access, easy parking, and can use your room as a place to relax and refresh. Plus, you can swim and enjoy all the other amenities during the day!
- Spend two days enjoying all there is to offer here. There is so much to do, and you don’t want to feel rushed.
- Eat dinner at the Plaza Bar! If you don’t make a reservation far in advance, then dinner reservations will be hard to come by. Dinner at the Plaza Bar is outdoor with firepits right next to the massive tree at the entrance of the resort. Seating is first come, first serve and the food and drinks are incredible. We loved dinner here so much our first night, that we ended up canceling our other reservation to dine here again.
- If you are staying at the resort, and you want to schedule a Santa visit to your room, book the experience early!
Don’ts
- There are private fire pits and igloos that can be reserved. They are quite expensive, and after viewing them, I’m glad we didn’t book one. There are plenty of firepits scattered throughout the various areas for anyone to enjoy and make s’mores. And the igloos are very cool, but you are mostly paying for a unique and private dinner table. And if you have kids, you’ll be running around most of the time anyway. We felt that the igloos weren’t worth the cost and for us wouldn’t have made the experience any more magical.
- The weather is cooler (for Arizona) so a cabana rental isn’t necessary. I typically always endorse a cabana to get out of the sun and heat, but for this trip it isn’t as necessary. The pool wasn’t very crowded, and you can easily find a spot to relax.
- If you are flying into Scottsdale just for this event hire a car service or use Uber/Lyft. The parking at the Princess can get crazy and this just makes it all so much easier.
To read about our summer trip to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, check out this article.
