Scottsdale just got a lot brighter!
“Enchant”, a nationally popular holiday experience, has made its way to the Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, Ariz.
Enchant, which has seven different locations across the U.S. runs through Dec. 31.
Part of the experience is the largest light maze in North America. The maze has eight different “lost toys” that are hidden throughout.
In the spirit of Christmas, this reporter decided to take in a little holiday cheer at Enchant with his family.
We engaged Trent Gaiser, a first-year entrance employee for Enchant, on our way in.
“I know that it’s the world’s largest light maze, I believe that it’s over four million lights,” Gaiser said.
With high expectations, we entered the maze to see what all the hype was about and soon discovered that it was definitely meant for the 2-8-year-old age range.
After about ten minutes, we had found five of the missing toys and were ready to exit.
Olivia Jones and her two young children live in the east valley. She felt a lot like we did.
“I thought all of this was going to be a big festival of lights and high energy… instead it’s just a tiny maze and that’s it,” Jones said.
She was equally unimpressed with the value of Enchant.
“I think it’s very overpriced. I mean, it’s nice, but not $128 nice.”
As Jones alluded to, the cost of an evening at Enchant can quickly add up.
On the surface, the ticket price of $27 seems manageable, but once you continue to checkout, it asks if you would like to ice skate for an additional $15/adult or enjoy a dinner for $55/adult.
After those options, it prompts you with a choice of general parking for $15 or valet for $40. Or… perhaps you would like to upgrade the whole experience for an additional $30/person?
One aspect that sets Enchant apart is by having different themed nights. For instance, my family and I were there on Veterans night when members of the military and their families were able to enter for a discounted rate.
After experiencing it myself, I do not think that the additional add-ons are worth it or enhance the experience enough.
For the economy minded, the Phoenix metropolitan area features many other holiday attractions that are much more affordable.
Nevertheless, If you are in the market for holiday fun, Enchant certainly provides a unique winter experience.
