Santa’s Enchanted Forest Will Not Return to Tropical Park This Year

For the better part of four decades, Christmas in Miami meant two things: slightly cooler weather, and a trip to Santa’s Enchanted Forest — at Tropical Park off Palmetto and Bird Road.

That changed in 2021, when the holiday attraction moved to Hialeah Park after the county declined to renew its lease in 2020. That location proved to be disastrous: families complained about long, disorganized lines, and patrons had to be shuttled on school buses from parking lots to the entrance. Santa’s moved to a vacant lot in Medley for the next two years. Then, last year, on what would’ve been its 40th anniversary, the park announced it would not open at all. “Santa’s Enchanted Forest will be closed for the 2024 season as we reflect on four magical decades of cherished memories and plans for the future,” organizers wrote on Instagram at the time.

One year later, it’s still unclear what those future plans are — especially since another holiday park, Christmas Wonderland, which began popping up at Santa’s former location in 2023, has announced that it will return to Tropical Park for the third year in a row this winter. The attraction will open on Thursday, November 13, 2025, and close on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Santa’s Enchanted Forest has not announced its plans for the 2025-2026 holiday season, but this news means one thing is for sure: it will not return to its longtime home at Tropical Park.

During Christmas Wonderland’s opening season, Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud and Live, the live entertainment company that runs Christmas Wonderland, told New Times the park was not in competition with Santa’s. But the park does bill itself as a higher-tech holiday park option.

“This year’s edition further establishes the attraction’s place as Miami’s Favorite Holiday Tradition and the Largest Holiday Attraction in the United States,” Christmas Wonderland wrote in a statement announcing this year’s opening.

This year’s pop-up promises “six immersive holiday worlds,” including “HoliDade, a tribute to Miami-Dade County’s culture and neighborhoods, featuring local-inspired holiday installations created by award-winning designers.” The half-mile Tinsel Trail, which connects the six worlds, will light up in a synchronized display every hour.

The 14-acre park also boasts 50 rides (including three roller coasters) and a 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel. For 2025, the park has added acrobatic and aerial performances, a Noche Buena experience, a fireworks display scheduled for 10 p.m. each Friday, and a 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve countdown.

But if you still miss the kitchy, low-budget charm of Santa’s, we’ll always have the jingle (Games! Food! Shows! Nativities!):