Some Philadelphia Area Malls Offer Fast Access to Santa -- For a Fee
By John McDevitt
SPRINGFIELD, Delaware County, Pa. (CBS) -- You don't have to buy photos when visiting Santa Claus at the local mall, but if you get pictures snapped by Santa's helpers at some area malls there is a service available to get you and your family on your merry way a little faster.
Waiting for Santa Claus -- to get a last-minute toy request in and to get your picture taken with the big guy -- could take hours if you do it the old-fashioned way, by waiting in line.
Now, several malls in the Philadelphia area offer Santa's "fast pass." There's a $3.95 surcharge at the Springfield Mall, and you have to arrange it online.
"We offer the Fast Pass feature," says Jessica Meillier, assistant marketing director for the mall, "which allows our customers to pre-purchase their photo packages at shopspringfieldmall.com. And then they can skip the wait to see Santa when they arrive at the mall for their photos."
Four-year-old Luke Habich of Brookhaven, Pa. posed today with his mom, dad, and one-year-old sister (right) for a professional family photo with Santa. They didn't use the Fast Pass option.
"I would come early, but if it's in the evening time, we would have done the Fast Pass if we couldn't come in the morning, for sure," said Tim Habich, Luke's dad.
And what did Luke ask Santa for?
"A pogo stick," Luke said. "We don't have one yet."
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