Frequently Asked Questions

Stocking Full of Christmas is an immersive holiday experience at Park Hyatt Aviara where guests journey through beautifully themed Christmas rooms filled with live entertainment, beloved holiday characters, interactive moments, photo opportunities, treats, and surprises along the way.

Stocking Full of Christmas takes place at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California. 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92011, in the ballroom on the lower level.

Guests select an arrival time when purchasing tickets. Entry groups of up to 45 are scheduled throughout the day so guests can move comfortably through the experience without overcrowding.

Guests should plan for approximately 1 to 1½ hours for the general experience. VIP guests should allow additional time before their scheduled entry to enjoy the VIP Lounge.

All ages! Stocking Full of Christmas is designed to be enjoyed by everyone. It makes a magical family activity, a festive outing with friends, or a unique Christmas date night.

Yes! Santa is an important part of the Stocking Full of Christmas experience. You meet him in Santa’s Secret Living Room, new for 2026.

Yes. Guests will encounter many holiday characters throughout the experience, including Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, the Ice Queen, elves, and more. Characters and entertainment may vary throughout the season.

Yes! One of the signature elements of Stocking Full of Christmas is collecting gifts, treats, and surprises throughout the journey. Guests travel through magical hallways and themed rooms where stocking stuffers are distributed along the way.

Yes, entirely. It is rain or shine, inside the Park Hyatt Aviara ballroom.

Stocking Full of Christmas is scheduled for December 10–13, December 16–23, and December 26, 2026. Thirteen nights.

The experience operates from approximately 3:00 PM–8:00 PM, with timed entry throughout the afternoon and evening.

The weekend of December 18–20 is expected to be the busiest. If your dates are flexible, weekday and value nights have the most availability.

General Admission is $50 on value nights (December 10, 16 and 17) and $65 on all other dates. VIP is $95 on value nights and $110 on all other dates. Prices are per person, before fees. Adult and child tickets are the same price.

December 10, 16 and 17 are value nights, with General Admission from $50 and VIP from $95. Every other date is standard pricing.

Children under 18 months do not need a ticket. Tickets are required for all other adults and children.

Child admission covers guests up to 14 years old and includes the full immersive experience plus a Christmas stocking filled with goodies collected throughout the journey. The stocking and its contents have an approximate $45 value, including gifts, treats, and stocking stuffers.

No. Adult admission does not automatically include a stocking, but adults have the option to add one to their ticket for $20.

Absolutely! Adults are highly encouraged to add a stocking. Many of the goodies and surprises throughout the experience are designed to appeal to adults as well as children, making the stocking part of the fun for guests of all ages.

The Ticket Vault is a limited-time opportunity to purchase Stocking Full of Christmas tickets at special early-release pricing before regular ticket pricing takes effect.

Yes. Ticket Vault and other promotional pricing is available for a limited time. Prices may increase as the event approaches.

Yes, if space is available. Tickets at the venue must still be purchased digitally through the provided QR code. Because entry is based on capacity, advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Yes, and popular dates and time slots are expected to sell out. Each entry period has limited capacity, so we recommend reserving early.

Tickets are non-refundable. However, you may transfer your ticket to another available time slot during the season, subject to availability.

Yes. Tickets may be transferred to another available date or time during the season, subject to availability.

Yes. Tickets may be transferred to another person as long as they have not already been used or scanned.

Yes. A time slot can be blocked out for a private group of up to 45, and multiple time slots can be reserved together. Private groups.

Everything in General Admission, plus: the VIP Lounge before your journey; a stocking with upgraded stocking stuffers; additional stocking stuffers in the VIP room; a stocking decorating station at check-in; a character meet and greet, VIP only; additional photo opportunities in the VIP room; special gifts from the season’s sponsors; and priority seating, entering every room first.

Ten per time slot.

VIP guests are encouraged to arrive approximately one hour before their scheduled time slot so they have plenty of time to enjoy the VIP Lounge experience.

General Admission guests should arrive approximately 20–30 minutes before their ticketed entry time. VIP guests arrive approximately one hour before.

If you arrive late, we will do our best to place you into the next available time slot. However, if the event is at capacity, space may not be available and entry cannot be guaranteed. We highly recommend arriving early.

Yes. Parking is available at Park Hyatt Aviara, $20 for valet or self-park. Additional arrival and parking instructions may be provided to ticket holders before the event.

Yes, although small strollers are strongly encouraged. Because guests move through multiple immersive rooms and hallways, we ask families to keep strollers to a minimum whenever possible. If a stroller is not absolutely necessary, we encourage guests to leave it at the front before beginning the journey.

Stocking Full of Christmas is designed to welcome guests of varying mobility needs. Guests requiring specific accommodations are encouraged to contact the event team before their visit so we can help make their experience as comfortable as possible.

Service animals only.

Food is not included with general admission, with one special exception: guests will receive a cookie from Mrs. Claus as part of the experience. The resort’s restaurants are steps away.

Outside food and beverages are not permitted inside the Stocking Full of Christmas experience. Guests are welcome to enjoy their own food or beverages before entering or after completing the experience.

Festive Christmas attire is encouraged! Guests are welcome to wear holiday dresses, Christmas sweaters, matching family outfits, Christmas pajamas, or anything that makes the experience feel extra special. Comfortable shoes are also recommended.

Absolutely! Christmas pajamas are welcome and make for adorable photos throughout the experience.

Yes! Guests are encouraged to take photos and videos throughout the experience, including with Santa.

No. A Stocking Full of Christmas stocking is included with child admission and with applicable stocking add-ons or VIP experiences.

The 2026 experience has been significantly refreshed and expanded. Guests can look forward to a newer and bigger Frozen Room, an enhanced Toy Shop experience, Santa’s Secret Living Room, Mrs. Claus’s Confectionery, a beautiful red and gold grand entry, magical themed hallways filled with stocking-stuffer surprises, new entertainment and character moments, brand-new stocking stuffers throughout, and new surprises and special effects.

Yes! Stocking Full of Christmas keeps some of the traditions returning guests love while introducing refreshed rooms, new surprises, new entertainment, and all-new stocking stuffers for 2026. Returning guests will have plenty of new things to discover.

The Frozen Room will be bigger and enhanced for 2026, with new surprises and magical effects. The popular confetti-bag moment will also return with a Christmas twist. This year, it will snow!