Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park expanding, starting December 13

SAN DIEGO - Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park is expanding! Due to an overwhelming response during the first weekend of Holiday Wonderland, the event will debut an expanded layout inside Petco Park beginning Saturday, December 13. As was previously announced, Holiday Wonderland will be closed on Friday, December 12 due to rain in the forecast. In its place, Thursday, December 18 has been added to the 12-night event schedule.

"We are thrilled about the enthusiasm surrounding Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park," said Vice President of Petco Park Events Jeremy Horowitz. "We had an amazing turnout for Opening Weekend and have learned a lot through the feedback we've received. The changes we've made in response to the high demand are intended to accommodate increased capacity and ensure every guest has an outstanding experience."

Guests will still enter Holiday Wonderland through the Home Plate Gate on Park Blvd and will be immediately transported into a Winter Wonderland scene. The path through the lighting vignettes to the field has been altered to accommodate increased capacity. In addition, the Park at the Park, which was not previously part of Holiday Wonderland, will be activated with several holiday inflatables, photo opportunities with holiday characters, face painters, holiday movies and more. The Park at the Park also will provide guests with a second exit option. An updated event map reflecting these changes is attached.

In order to minimize wait times, visitors will have the opportunity to sign up for specific time slots to participate in the most popular activities, including taking a family photo with Santa or holiday characters, and riding the Polar Express train around the bases.

Also in an effort to prevent overcrowding, online ticket sales for the event have been made date-specific, and will be capped for each date once capacity has been reached. Purchasing tickets in advance at www.padres.com/holiday is strongly encouraged. Guests who have already purchased non-date-specific tickets will be accommodated at the date of their choosing.

Holiday Wonderland will be open to the public for nine remaining nights in December from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with special hours on Christmas Eve (Wednesday, December 24).

Adult admission is $15 and child admission is $10. Kids under three will be admitted free of charge. Military, group and event discounts are available. Parking in nearby lots will be priced at $10. All activities are included with the price of admission, with the exception of family photos with Santa ($25 includes a photo printout on-site) and Polar Express rides ($5 per ride). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.padres.com/holiday.