Rockefeller Center’s HERO turns into a North Pole for ‘Elf’ fans starting Nov. 14

Fans of the holiday movie “Elf” can step into its world starting Saturday, Nov. 14, when The Elf Experience opens at HERO at Rockefeller Center. Tickets went on sale Sept. 17.

What’s inside the Elf Experience

Organizers bill it as a first-ever chance to see the film’s world come to life at HERO. Jon Favreau, who directed the original movie, founded Fairview Portals, and his company is producing the attraction together with Warner Bros. Global Experiences.

Groups are welcomed by one of Santa’s helpers and then enter Papa Elf’s storybook. Stops on the route include Santa’s Toy Workshop and the Candy Cane Forest, plus a crossing of the Sea of Swirly Twirly Gumdrops and a visit to the North Pole. The journey finishes with a return to New York and Gimbels.

The rooms are designed to look handmade and nostalgic. To get that effect, the director worked with artists who helped create the film, and together they relied on animatronics, zoetropes, miniatures and forced perspective. Along the way, guests can stop at several photo spots and sample treats based on well-known scenes from the movie. At the end, a shop sells toys, collectibles, holiday decor, apparel and accessories, along with limited-edition collaborations with artists.

Simon Robinson, who leads global experiences and worldwide studio operations at Warner Bros. Discovery, said millions of people watch the movie every holiday season and that the plaza is closely tied to Christmastime in the city. Pairing the film with that setting, he said, lets both locals and visitors from elsewhere experience the story in a fresh, immersive way.

Elf Experience tickets and prices

Tickets for ages 13 and up cost $45, while children ages 3 to 12 pay $35. Kids 2 and under enter free. Tickets are available at ElfTheExperience.com.