Families suit up for Santa

Summerfield's 2-year-old Alexander Stark pranced around a pile of pulverized rice Nov. 11 at the Mall at University Town Center.

Although it was, indeed, rice, he had a wonderful smile on his face. It was the wonderful world of fantasy.

Stark was enjoying Santa’s Flight Academy, an interactive experience during which children meet elves, receive badges, try a simulated flight, help Santa navigate a disaster and dance in the snow. Of course, the snow is actually the pulverized rice.

No matter, many of the children who enjoy the exhibit never have seen snow.

“Neither have I,” said Alexander’s mom, Jackie, a Florida native. “My husband’s from Alaska. He’s seen enough for all of us.”

A teacher at Gullett Elementary, Jackie Stark brought her son to the Mall at UTC on Veterans Day, when schools were closed. 

“It’s a lot more exciting this year,” she said of display. “It’s more spaced out. He likes to push the buttons and the levers.”

Mall officials unveiled the new interactive holiday display — one of only 12 across the country — to the public Nov. 11. Mall co-owner and operator Taubman Centers spent about a year rolling out the project.

Kim Dominguez, marketing and sponsorship director for the Mall at UTC, said Santa’s Flight Academy is meant to create memories.

“We wanted to make it more interactive and immersive,” Dominguez said. “We believe the experience is so unique, it will draw an enormous amount of visitors.”

Fit2Run manager Judi Knowles said she believes that will be the case, as well. She was standing by the display when a bus full of children arrived.

“It looked like they were really enjoying themselves,” Knowles said, adding it’ll be good for business. “The atmosphere and the experience they get will be really wholesome. The magic of the holidays, right?”