Winter Wonderland Circus Under the Melbourne Star is a small amusement park and spiegeltent set up to celebrate the winter school holidays and combined with a trip to Harbour Town Docklands it makes a relaxed and easy half-day adventure, particularly for younger children.
We were invited to visit the two main attractions – the Winter Wonderland Circus Spectacular and a snow play attraction, “It’s Snow Time!”.
Every hour there are snow play sessions inside “It’s Snow Time!”, a marquee with snowman building activities and a tiny ice ramp for tube sliding.
Baby 2.0 spends about 30 minutes inside making a snow man and practising snowball throwing at a target before declaring he’s had enough. Older kids may like to spend more time inside.
Outside the snow play tent there are three small and gentle rides. The rides are $6 each except the mini carousel which is $3.
At 11:30am and 2:30pm each day inside the heated Wonderland Spiegeltent young circus performers juggle, do acrobatics and clown around.
The intimate setting enables everyone to be very close to the stage and the booths surrounding the outer edge means you can set up your snacks and drinks while watching the action. At 60 minutes it is just the right length of time for Baby 2.0 and Lady AB and the acts are not scary or loud while still being impressive. And there’s snowfall at the end!
Elsewhere in Harbour Town you can find a play area, free snow play (a smaller and crowded version of the paid arena) and of course lots of shops and cafes.
HOT Tips:
- bring gloves, beanie, scarf for snow play and waterproof pants and gumboots if you have them;
- rides are extra, tokens are $3 and some rides require two tokens;
- best position for circus is the booths at the back. Little kids can stand on the benches and you can still see the action that’s up high;
- BYO drinks and snacks for the circus, photos and videos for personal use allowed;
- long queues for free snow play, go as soon as it opens or end of the day;
- free outdoor play area at Harbour Town;
- all day parking at Harbour Town $10, limited street parking available; and
- City Circle and #86 tram stop close to Harbour Town.
