I emailed them asking why the big price increase (couldn't resist lol) & here is their reply:

Thank you for your email.

For information, the 2008 production is much larger than last year. With three times the number of staff, 250 tons of logs arriving on site this week, chefs preparing freshly made hot meals for all the visitors, the real ice rink, an elf café with large play area for the children when they are waiting to see Father Christmas, three times the number of reindeer, twice the number of huskies, you can see that the costs are a good deal higher. It should also be noted that we undercharged last year, with a completely new idea/production the costs were somewhat underestimated.

Although the production is larger, the number of visitors each day has remained the same. We are improving the quality of the visit by having a much larger Toy Factory (for instance) but it will be divided into two, so that a maximum of 20 children (+their adults, of course) will be undertaking the activity together, enough to have fun, but not overcrowded and getting enough attention from the elves. Every aspect of the event has been examined and improved. 

I hope this goes some way to answering your question,

Yours sincerely, Lapland UK

We went last yr, was gobsmacked at price increase this yr but.... We have booked!  going 22/12 - so I will let you all know what its like!

We went last year and my two loved it! We planned to go back this year, bewl water is about ten minutes from us so its in the ideal location. We were shocked at how much it had gone up. last year we paid about £100 for us all, this year it would be about £350.

We decided it against it after seeing the price!

Not sure where you are so don't know what's closest to you!

There is a few actually!!  You've got the K & ESR at Tenterden, Spa Valley Railway at Tunbridge Wells & then the RH&DR.  I think they all do Thomas days, I know RH&DR & the Spa Valley one do.

Yeah you do have to book, here's the website details (you need to phone though):

http://www.rhdr.org.uk/rhdr/timetable/special.html#santa

i have replied to the thread on 19-23 months but we went on the 22nd december last year and really loved it, to go the same time with the same amount of people this year it will be 425 pounds more expensive, it cost 175 pounds last year and this year they want 600 pounds to me that is a rip off and we wont be going back. for 600 pounds we could all go out for xmas lunch and stay in a hotel

There's another train in Kent that does a Santa Special. Can't think what it's called right now, but it's in the Faversham area I think. Sil did it with her lot last year and enjoyed it. We're tempted with that this year. Do you need to book the RH&D Railway one? I think the K&ESR do one too. That's where they do the Thomas days too.

We went after xms last year & wasn't overly impressed, although my 4yr old liked it but then again he would have loved running around Bedgebury Forest!!  I noticed that they had changed to Bewl Water & that some things had changed.  My dd will have just turned 2yrs & my ds just turned 5yrs & I'm not sure that either of them would be able to ice skate either lol!!! 

It's £85 if you go close to christmas which works out to be £340 for the 4 of us!!  I also live in Kent & used to live near there but even still!!!   We went on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch railway to see santa last year & ds loved it so may just stick to that this year although I'll skip the meal this time as it wasn't very nice lol!!!

We went last year, and although expensive, it was no where near the price that it is this year. However, they have changed the venue and now include ice skating and a 2 course meal. Still far too expensive for us though, even though we're in the same county, so wouldn't have too many additional expenses. The cheapest ticket price was £55 EACH! I'm sure last year we only paid about £60 for all of us.

Another thing that put us off were the practicalities. We'd be going with a nearly 4 year old and an 18 month old, neither of which would be able to do the ice skating, so me and hubby would each be doing it on our own, and tbh I'd be doing it because I'd paid for it, not because I was that bothered about doing it. I don't know if they've stated a lower age limit for the ice skating, but our youngest is clearly too young, and our eldest imo still wouldn't be able to do it.

How much was it last year before xmas & do you think it was worth it?