castle noel

We had no idea what to expect and this exceeded all expectations! We were lucky enough to have the owner Mark Klaus conduct our tour and his creativity is amazing. The entire family is involved and you felt honored they are sharing their passion with the public. The "I had that" room showcasing old toys was a wonderful trip down memory lane. The movie displays just excites you to be so close to movies you love. And then the window displays amazing. What a cool idea bring New York windows to Ohio for all to enjoy. Then the final room sends chills down you when you enter. And you end your visit sliding down the slide just like on A Christmas Story!!! Go support this local attraction and you won't be disappointed. And thank you to Mark and family for your vision and sharing it with us.

We visited Mark Klaus' fantastic display of Christmas movie memorabilia three years ago when it was housed at a mall in the Cleveland area. It was worth the two-hour drive then, but now it's even better. We visited on a Friday in mid-December and had a great time.There are lots more things to see than there were in the attraction's previous locale. It's brimming over with things from each visitor's childhood, whether they are 5 or 75. Cousin Eddie's tenement-on-wheels is a highlight.There are several more hands-on activities than before, including going down a chimney (after a fashion), and walking through a spinning snowflake tunnel. But physical ability isn't an issue - there were all sorts of folks there during our visit, from little kids to elderly patrons in wheelchairs, and everyone looked like they were having fun.The staff is polite and knowledgeable. There's a stop in the restorers' workshop where you may see a latex Arnold Schwarzenegger head on a table like that's the most normal thing in the world. There are tons of surprises including a stop in a theater for a few minutes of old film reel.A few things are missing from before, and visitors are now hurried along a little more than they used to be, but if you lag, they'll wait or let you go with the next group - that was our experience, anyway. The final room features a really tall slide like in A Christmas Story, with Santa at the top and helper elves that are much friendlier than those in the film. An automatic camera snaps your photo on the way down.The gift shop (where you start and end your trip) covers every Christmas movie base and then some. All in all, a great way to pass a few hours and get an all-family photo with Santa. We'll definitely be back.

We went after Christmas and enjoyed it just as much! January is a great time to go. I loved the tour and all the beautiful restored display windows. The slide was a hoot and my boyfreind and I both went down the slide. It was so fun. The gift shop is a great place to buy Christmas items and I plan to go back just to visit the gift shop. Great for Adults, fun for kids, highly recommend.

Such a neat place, really good for older folks but has a nice kid theme at the end. The rooms are so neat, and the experience felt very personal. It was a nice way to add to the Christmas season. The end, which I won't spoil, is really really well done. Please keep it up, keep it fresh, and perhaps consider a candy cane give away at the end.

Castle Noel was such a treat! The owners and staff were so welcoming and eager to provide a memorable experience! Our family, ages 15 to 65+ (and everything in between) had a great time!

I was pleasantly surprised how well all of the exhibits were displayed at Castle Noel. Our guide was excellent, explaining all of the wonderful pictures, toys, window displays, and costumes. Our 2 hours there was pure fun. I highly recommend this Christmas treat any time of the year.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Castle Noel. Great family attraction that brings back so many childhood memories! The owners and their staff were so welcoming and shared so much interesting information. Well worth the trip!

Hi Go See It Mom:Castle Noel is experienced through the eyes of the beholder. Children experience Castle Noel through their eyes not that as of an adult. Castle Noel is a sensory overload for children. With colors, lights, and multiple displays created just for them, plus "It Snows Inside". The window displays are from NYC where millions of people, young and old visit every year to see them. We are able to offer the same experience now in MEDINA, OH. Children's lives are filled with a techno environment. We take them out of that environment and have them walk through and enjoy a magical time with their family. The paraphernelia is from Hollywood. Million$ of dollars worth of movie props and costumes. None of which are black and white. There is "The Grinch", "Santa Claus The Movie" and "Santa Clause 1", "Santa Clause 2" and "Santa Clause 3" starring Tim Allen; "Deck The Halls", "A Christmas Carol", "Jingle All The Way" and much, much more. The Cleveland Aquarium is $20; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is $22; Haunted houses are $18-$30; Stan Hywet is $19; Pro Football Hall of Fame $24. All are worth it. It takes a massive amount of money to create and run a 40,000 sq ft attraction. The gift shop is large enough to fit a few hundred people. We are looking for a sponsor/partnership for an elevator. But, we do offer a video of the second floor in a small theatre for our wheel chair patrons and it has been very well received. Our guests are very blessed by the incredible restaurants on Medina Square. Have a great new year with your family. Take Care,Dana

Well worth the trip just to see the actual motor home that Cousin Eddie drove to the Griswold's in Christmas Vacation!

We took our first visit to Castle Noel just before Christmas. We were not quite sure what to expect.. but we had a great experience. I was sort of guessing it would be quirky like some of the 'road side' attractions I have visited but rather it is fun, festive, and fascinating. We got to Medina shortly after they opened on a Sunday..we made the mistake of not making reservations so we had to wait for some time before we could take the tour. Each area has a tour guide that explains the displays in their zone before passing you off to the next guide. If you are a fan of Christmas movies, they have a number of props and costumes from a variety of different movies. The department store window displays were interesting. Bottom line, if you love Christmas ..and movies.... like I do, you will have a great time. I do recommend you make reservations if you are planning on visiting at a busy time.

My family and adult children visited Castle Noel on 12/27/14 and had a pretty good time. Only had to wait about 15 minutes (had reservations). As some people have said, I don't know if this is really a good idea for little ones. Maybe in the future an area & tour could be geared for the little ones. I think each year it will get better & better - it is a work in progress. There is so much work in gathering things & restoring them & it does take time & patients!! We are very lucky to have this in Medina (something close to home). So, I would suggest going. If you go right after Christmas, it is not so crowded and it makes the Christmas spirit last a little longer!! Good way to end the holiday.

This place is amazing. So much to see. Great displays. Must see attraction if in the area. Do not miss it. Slide down the A Christmas Story slide and buy the picture!

Loved it -- but then again, I can 'relate' to all that I was looking at as it was much of the stuff I remember as a kid. And while Christmas is "magical" -- I personally would highly advise NOT taking little ones (under age 8 or so). This is a tour and a rather lengthy one at that. While kids will like those displays that move, or going through the makeshift chimney, etc., much of what you're viewing and listening about is from times they cannot relate to. The group we were with had at least 6 or 7 children in it and, after the first 10 minutes into the tour, the kids were restless, complaining, wanting to run ahead, wanting food, crying, etc. It was quite distracting to those of us who had a genuine interest in learning some of the 'behind the scenes' facts the guide was speaking to. It would be a great move on management's part to make certain hours or tours "adult only" for this reason alone. The last room, where Santa is situated high atop the mountain as in The Christmas Story -- and the slide descending from his perch -- were fun and the kids may enjoy that most. But seriously, leave them behind if you want to really understand what you're seeing throughout the rest of the exhibit. Finally, a picture with Santa and the picture of you snapped as you slide down the slide are great but, I feel, highly over priced. Many will purchase for the novelty, however.

We went over the weekend and it was busy! We were there last year at a slow time so I can't compare the lines. I can say they were taking groups from both lines (reservations & walk-ins). I'm thinking they purchased more space next door and they had someone in front of the building guiding people that had reservations to the other (new?) entrance. Mark Klaus was at the first part of the tour and was paying close attention to how long people were waiting. About 16 people were taken every 4 minutes. We waited about 16 minutes at noon. We thought the wait was fine. Well worth the almost 90 minute tour and $15 ticket (with $1 discount). A restoration area was open for this season only and it extended the tour, as well as the 2013 Bloomingdales displays that we spend time observing at both ends of a hall. There was no wait at all between picking up the next tour guide. Last year, we waited in one area for almost 15 min. There were many more guides than last year. Each section had a new guide and it did not feel rushed like it did last year. There was also a guide in the Grand Hall this year, which wasn't there last year. There was not a section of the tour without something to look at. They are filling up space quickly. it is a work in progress and they are quickly perfecting the tours. Someone was upset that they didn't receive a comment about their review. I think Castle Noel reads all the comments and reviews because they are getting better and better. I am totally a customer service person, yet I can't imagine how many comments they get or how busy they truly are this time of year and how difficult it is to return comments. I would highly recommend trying it again if you enjoy everything Christmas, yet experienced a problem in the past. We enjoyed it even more this year! It IS the holiday season and you have to expect it to be busy. With everything we do (especially over the holidays), we research what the slower times are and plan accordingly. Mark Klaus is a very talented man! The stories the tour guides told were amazing. The sculptures in the gift shop were sculpted by him; he built replica furniture for a lady so he could acquire the real movie pieces. We can't wait to visit again to see what he has dreamed up, (They are opening a party type room and a put put golf in the lower level).

Had a great time. Much more than we ever expected. If you love Christmas movies and window displays you must go.