Good Santa Recommendations? (NOVA specific)

AgrippaRidesAgain

We always go to our neighborhood breakfast with Santa event, but we got VRE Santa Train tickets this year and it looks like we'll miss it.  I don't know if the kids actually get to meet Santa on the train (does anyone know?), so I think I might need to find another place to take them.  Any recommendations for a good Santa?  Preferrably at a place that will let us take our own pictures and is patient with kids?  DS will do well with the big guy if not rushed up to him.

I_love_cupcakes

We always go to the Santa at Tysons, but they won't let you take your own photos.  I've heard good things about the one at Merrifield, and I think you take your own there.  I'm sure some ladies on here can verify.

kirnat848

The one at Fair Oaks is awesome, he looks like the real deal and they do let you take your own photo...well at least we did and they didn't say thing!

lauti

kirnat848:

The one at Fair Oaks is awesome, he looks like the real deal and they do let you take your own photo...well at least we did and they didn't say thing!

We also went to Fair Oaks and like the Santa there but they were very clear about putting away personal cameras after a certain point. 

amh_navyblue

We did the Tyson's one last year...on Christmas Eve no less;) and it was pretty good.  While we couldn't take our own pics, they offered a flash drive with all the pics for a reasonable price ($20? i think) and then we were able to share them with everyone via email.  We were also able to take several pics-a couple with just the girls and then we even did a couple with the girls, DH and me.

NicoNiko

For the third year in a row, we went to the Santa at Springfield mall.  He is very authentic looking and great with kids.  Every time we have gone, there has been little or no line since that mall is dead.  He is located right outside of JCPenney.  But you can not bring your own camera past a certain point.

AgrippaRidesAgain

Thanks everyone!

Mama Angelina

Some women in my neighborhood rave about the Pentagon City mall Santa.  Not sure if you can take your own pics though.

Artslvr

You can take your own pics at Merrifield but the line was ridiculously long the year we went.  If you have a child under a certain age (one?  I can't remember) you can go to the front of the line, but we didn't know that when we went  We took the girls two years ago and waited in the line for about an hour and a half before someone told us we could go to the front. It wasn't the best experience with little kids.  I think we would have easily waited another two hours had we not taken advantage of that.

We went to Landmark last year - no line and you can take your own photos (or, at least they didn't say anything when I took my own).  I think we'll try Springfield this year.