Hello everyone!

I'm still getting into the holiday spirit, and I know I'm not alone. As the holiday season approaches, we're all looking for a dose of festive cheer, exciting experiences, and emotions. So, we're hitting the decorated parks, attending New Year's events at the local community centers, and catching some theater performances.

Today, I'm sharing our experience at the Ded Moroz Estate in Kuzminki, which totally delivered on that festive cheer.

Here's the address:

Moscow, Volgogradsky Prospekt, building 168D.

Operating Hours

The Ded Moroz Estate is open every day, including weekends, and even during the summer. It's open from 9 am to 8 pm, with ticket booths closing at 7 pm. The last tour starts at 6 pm. They also have concerts on the main square during major holidays. You can visit on Maslenitsa, not just New Year's Eve.

The New Year's program at the estate starts in early November. Be sure to check their website before visiting, as the estate might be closed for a few days while they decorate and prepare for the season.

Getting There.

We took the Yugo-Vostochnaya Metro and exited at exit #3. From there, we turned left and found ourselves on Tashkent Street. The bus stop is right next to the metro, and it's just a minute's walk. The only bus that stops near the estate is number 796. You'll need to get off at the Hospital #2 stop. You can also take other buses, but you'll have to walk for about 10-15 minutes.

So, you can take:

1. Kuzminki Metro (first carriage from the city center).

2. Vychino Metro (also exit the first carriage).

3. Yugo-Vostochnaya Metro.

On bus 796, get off at the 5th stop, Hospital #2. The entrance to the estate is visible from the bus stop, so you won't have to wander around.

Once you're inside, you'll need to walk through the alley. They usually have exhibitions, like art displays. During the winter, they decorate the alley with big, beautiful Christmas balls.

There are signs everywhere, so you won't get lost.

Before entering the main area, they've set up a photo zone.

They also have a map of the estate.

Cost, Ticket Booths, and Services

The entrance to the estate is free, and you can walk around the estate and the Fairy Tale Trail without buying a ticket. If you want to visit the Terem and the Master Classes, you'll need to buy a ticket.

Unfortunately, you can't just swing by the Terem on a whim – you've got to plan ahead and book a specific time and tour, which they're now calling a 'quest.'

You can find the schedule on the estate's website and snag tickets in advance.

I've been stuck in line at the ticket booth more times than I can count, and I'm pretty sure even guided tours have to wait for their paper tickets.

I've noticed that you can buy tickets online in advance, but you still have to wait in line at the ticket booth to exchange your electronic ticket for a paper one.

I'm not sure what's behind this setup.

There's only one ticket booth at the entrance, but there's another one inside the Food Court building – it's right across from the entrance, so you'll have to walk across the square and pop into the Food Court building. The one inside the Food Court building is usually empty, and it's way more comfortable to buy tickets in there.

When we visited, there were two masterclasses up for grabs:

· A gingerbread decorating masterclass for 800 rubles,

· A wooden toy decorating masterclass for 800 rubles.

The only ones who have to pay for the masterclasses are the kids, so parents can sit nearby and watch.

Quest prices vary depending on the day of the week – they're higher on weekends, and even higher on the weekends leading up to New Year's. After New Year's, prices go back down.

They had a few quests (tours) going on:

· The interactive program 'In Search of Lost Things' – This is a tour of three of the houses: Father Frost's House, Snow Maiden's House, and the Creativity House.

Prices for kids range from 850 rubles to 1450 rubles.

School kids range from 1000 rubles to 1600 rubles.

Adults range from 1150 rubles to 1750 rubles.

· The interactive program in the Enchanted House (Mail) 'A Special Gift for the Fairy Trio'. This is a tour of only one house in the Mail Building.

Prices for kids range from 650 rubles to 1200 rubles.

School kids range from 800 rubles to 1150 rubles.

Adults range from 950 rubles to 1300 rubles.

· The Candy Factory Quest for 850 rubles.

· The interactive and educational program along the Fairy Trail 'The Secret of the Enchanted Forest' for 750 rubles.

You can check the exact price for a specific date on the Usadba website.

You could also visit:

* The 'Hello, Grandfather Frost!' individual program. Prices range from 3500 to 6000 rubles for a family of three. It lasts 20 minutes.

* The Secret House of Father Frost. Prices are 2000 rubles for a family of four. It lasts 6 minutes.

There's also a little souvenir shop on the premises. It's the first building to your right after the ticket booth.

The prices are totally out of this world!

I was super stoked to find out that there's a food court.

It's right across from the ticket counter, which is a total lifesaver after a long day of exploring.

There are also some pretty cool rides.

You can buy tickets for them at a separate counter, which is located near the rides - just look for the sign that says 'rides'.

What you can see for free.

The entrance to the Deda Moroz Estate is totally free, and you can walk around the entire territory - just be sure to take some awesome photos along the way.

You can walk around the estate and take photos, but you can't enter any of the houses without a ticket, which is a bummer.

First off: you can stroll along the Fairy Tale Trail for free - it's a really beautiful walk.

Secondly: you can walk around the central square near the Christmas tree and the houses - there are tons of photo ops.

You can take a pic with the Christmas tree, in the snowman zone, in the rocking chair zone, or even ride a giant wooden horse - it's so much fun!

And thirdly: catch a concert on the square near the Christmas tree - I'm pretty sure they have programs on weekends from 12 to 6 pm.

I'm not sure if there are any concerts on weekdays, though - you might want to check the schedule.

My takeaways.

I haven't been back to this estate in 15-18 years, and it's undergone some serious transformations. They've added new buildings, photo ops, and even set up some interactive quests and craft classes. They've also built a souvenir shop and created an awesome Fairy Tale Trail. To be honest, not all the new additions won me over.

What really bugged me was that you can't just visit the Terem without taking a guided tour. There's a constant rotation of tours going on, and only one tour leaves the building at a time. They're always starting a new one. I really wanted to just walk around and take some photos without a guide, but that's not an option. It's a shame.

The grounds are beautifully decked out, with garlands and lights everywhere. It's really festive and fun. There's even a big Christmas tree and a stage for concerts on the weekends. I think it's a great spot for a holiday vibe. If you live nearby, you can even go there every weekend!

We grabbed our tickets at the Food Court on site. There were no lines. We got there at 10 am, but all the tickets for the next shows were already sold out. We ended up getting tickets for the Interactive Program in the Terem of Enchantment, 'A Special Gift for the Fairy Trio,' at 11:30.

And to avoid standing around in the cold, we also got tickets for a Woodworking Class where we could paint our own wooden horses. There was also a class on decorating cookies, but I didn't get that one because I didn't want to get my hands dirty. The kids would be painting with liquid paint, and it would take a while to dry, so we wouldn't have been able to bring the cookies home looking nice.

Woodworking Classes

The woodworking classes take place in the building next to the souvenir shop.

We had tickets for 10:30, but you can start earlier if there are any open spots.

We got there at 10:15, and there was already one tour going on, but a second tour just started, and there were still plenty of open tables.

We were seated at a separate table, given some time to get changed, and there were hooks to hang our clothes. Then they gave us our painting sets. The instructor chatted with my kids for a bit, told them the horses they were painting were magical, and asked them to close their eyes and make a wish. To make the wish come true, they had to paint the horse.

She also brought us some water and a sample of the finished product. And then she left. She came back twice to check on us.

I've gotta say, for 800 rubles per kid, this woodworking class is a pretty sweet deal. We just sit back, relax, and let the kids paint their own toys. And let me tell you, they're having a blast. I mean, you could totally do this at home, but it's just not the same as doing it in a fairy-tale house.

My kids are 5 and 3, and they're still learning the ropes when it comes to following instructions. So, when it came time to color in, they just kind of... went for it. I mean, they ended up coloring the horses however they wanted, and it was actually pretty adorable.

After we finished coloring, a nice girl came over to help us pack up our horses and handed us some cool bags. I was impressed by the little touches like that.

This isn't really a workshop, per se - it's more like a place where you can color in your own toys. And honestly, it doesn't matter if you're with a big group or flying solo - the experience is the same. They even gave the kids from the bigger group some cookies to color in and a few words of encouragement while they were at it.

I will say, the place can get pretty loud with all the kids chatting. But hey, it's the holidays, right? You've just gotta roll with it.

Later, when I got home, I tried to find some similar figurines to color in from Wildberries. But let me tell you, they just didn't have anything like these horses. Either the sets had tiny figurines or big ones that were totally unpainted. I did see some big, fat horses without paint for 500 rubles, though - that's not exactly cheap.

Overall, I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit bummed that I spent the cash. But the kids are happy, and they're actually really into coloring these horses. My son, in particular, loved the atmosphere and the cozy vibe.

My daughter's a total coloring enthusiast, so she was in heaven.

Interactive program at the Enchanted Castle 'A Special Gift for the Magical Trio'.

This program isn't super popular, and it only runs in one building - the post office. We were really looking forward to checking out the Deda Moroz and Snegurochka castles, but the only tour time available was 2:30 PM. We showed up at 10 am, so we decided to skip it. Maybe all the tickets are sold out for the tours, or maybe they're just not that busy during the week. I've heard there are way more people on the weekends.

You meet the tour guide near the Terem of Welcome - it's the first building on the left when you're buying your tickets.

We ended up buying tickets for this tour at 11:30, and it was just us. It was actually really cool - we got a super personalized experience.

Our tour guide was a girl dressed up as a Snow Maiden, and she was super friendly. She made sure to introduce herself to the kids along the way and even asked them questions about the mail from Grandfather Frost. She told them all about it, too.

The whole point of the tour was that the Snow Maiden wanted to get a present for a trio of horses, but she didn't know what to get them. The kids got to choose from a bunch of options and then visit the 'stable' room for the horses, the room full of Grandfather Frost's magical items, the room belonging to Koschei, and the room belonging to Baba Yaga. They even got to choose a present with the Snow Maiden's help and then multiply it using magic. Along the way, we met the Snow Queen, video-called Baba Yaga, and eventually met Grandfather Frost himself.

The tour was definitely a positive experience, but it was a bit dull and lacked some interactivity. The kids got to open small boxes and see what present they were giving, and they even got to open a couple of bigger chests. They also got to 'cast a spell' with Baba Yaga and Grandfather Frost. Since we were a small group of three, the kids were able to touch and open everything they needed to. But I'm not sure how it would be with a bigger group - I think not everyone would be able to participate, only those who are close enough.

My daughter said she didn't really enjoy the tour, but my son said he had a blast.

Fairy Tale Trail.

After the tour, we headed over to the Fairy Tale Trail, which is basically a hidden gem behind the Snow Maiden's and Grandfather Frost's houses. You can walk the trail for free, but you gotta exit the main square, head back to the ticket booths, and turn left – it's pretty easy to spot.

The trail is seriously well-maintained, with wooden walkways that are clean, comfortable, and just really pretty.

They've got these awesome sculptures of characters from famous fairy tales along the way – and I mean, they're big, colorful, and just so much fun to look at. The kids love running around them, and some of them even have steps or platforms that you can climb up onto, like the carriage from Cinderella.

Fotographs turn out really cool.

One thing that really caught my eye was the collection of fairy tale characters they had set up along the path – we're talking Cinderella, her evil stepmother and stepsisters, Alice, the Cheshire Cat, the Nutcracker, the Mouse King, Gulliver, the Snowman, Ellie and Toto, various witches, the Months brothers, and all these other beloved characters from my childhood.

The kids were having the time of their lives, but I was freezing, so we decided to head back home.

The Gift Shop.

We stumbled upon the gift shop, and I was curious to see if they had any gingerbread cookies or wooden horses for decorating – and yes, they did! But be warned, they're priced like a masterclass – 800 rubles!

They had an amazing selection of souvenirs, sweet treats, shopping bags, postcards, and all sorts of other festive goodies.

We ended up buying another gingerbread cookie for decorating and a piggy bank in the shape of a house on chicken legs.

The prices for the souvenirs were totally out of this world!

ADVICE:

· If you want to make sure you get on the tour you want and at the time you want, it's best to buy your tickets online beforehand. But even then, you'll still need to exchange your electronic ticket for a paper one at the ticket booth.

· There's an additional ticket booth located inside the Food Court building. It's usually pretty empty during the week, and even on weekends, it's less crowded than the main entrance.

· If you need to use the restroom, it's more comfortable to head into the Food Court – they have toilets there too.

· If you want to catch the concert on the square in front of the Christmas tree, you'll need to come on a weekend.

· Want to save some money? Come on a weekday.

· If you want to get into a masterclass, try showing up a bit early (not at the time listed on your ticket) – if there are still spots available.

One thing that really stands out about Moscow's Deda Moroz Estate is the crowds – it's packed, even on weekdays.

Make sure to check out the Fairy Tale Trail – kids love the figures, and some of them are even climbable since they're not fenced off.

Be prepared for a hit to your wallet – everything is pretty pricey.

When shopping at the souvenir store, double-check the price tag on the item itself – the price listed next to it might be for a different item. The correct price is on the item's tag.

I'd highlight the positives of the Deda Moroz Estate:

+ Admission to the grounds is free,

+ You can explore the Fairy Tale Trail for free,

+ On weekends, there are free concerts near the Christmas tree on the square,

+ The estate's decorations are super colorful and festive,

+ There are several great photo spots,

+ There are a few interactive objects that kids can climb on and sit in, like two big wooden horses and two big armchairs.

+ There's a Food Court with a warm and cozy atmosphere – it's a great place to grab a snack and warm up.

And the negatives:

- Everything's crazy expensive, and I'm not just talking about the tickets – the food, the souvenirs, the works. It adds up fast.

- You can't just rock up to any of the towers, no way. You gotta take a guided tour and stick to the schedule, which is a real bummer.

- There's only one ticket booth at the entrance, and no sign to let you know there's another one in the Food Court. It's like, come on, guys.

- The shows are kind of meh, and there's not much interactivity to speak of. I mean, I was expecting more, you know?

- You won't have time for photo shoots, which is a shame. I love taking pics with the kids.

- The rooms are small, and if you're part of a big group, it's gonna be a real squeeze. Only the kids at the front can participate in the interactive activities, which is kinda unfair.

- The workshops are super pricey, and honestly, I wasn't impressed. They just give you materials and let the kids do whatever they want. It's not exactly the most engaging experience.

Overall, we visited the estate on a weekday, so we missed the concert near the Christmas tree. That was a real bummer. If I'd known that the concerts only happen on weekends, I would've planned our visit for a Saturday.

Despite the crowds, the estate is really well-decorated and fun for kids. They run around from one attraction to the next, asking to be photographed and to ride the horses and touch everything.

It's really disappointing that you can't just walk into the towers without a guided tour. I thought the tours were kind of boring, and they're really expensive. I wouldn't want to take another tour, but I do wish I could see what's inside the Snow Maiden's tower and the rooms where Deda Moroz lives. Since that's not an option, I'll have to buy another tour ticket next time.

I really wish they'd make some time for free exploration of the towers – maybe on a specific day of the week or at a certain time every day.