My husband’s birthday is this month and we were in search of something fun to do as a family. What better place to celebrate your mid-30’s then at a pop up exhibit in Toronto! This pop up experience is filled with larger than life installations and multi sensory rooms to bring the little kid out of anyone. Not to mention, it is a great place to spend an hour with your little ones to stimulate their senses and already big imaginations!
Happy Place is located at the Harbourfront Centre and will be open from November 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019. You will need to buy tickets online and register for a specific time so make sure to check in advance before planning your visit. Happy Place is very accessible by TTC or you can grab parking in one of the many Green P lots close by. We parked beside the Tim Hortons on a small side street for about $3/hour.
We arrived about 20 minutes early (as per our ticket information) and waited about 15 minutes before someone checked our time slot and let us in ahead of 10 people waiting. So they will honour the time that you book for—we were a little concerned because there was a massive line when we showed up but it was fast and easy and the staff are happy and helpful.
If you want an Instagram worthy album of pictures, then this is the place for you! We hope this review will give you an idea of what to expect and hope you enjoy the pictures we got while there!
Stroller Accessibility: 5
Happy Place does an excellent job at ensuring that your stroller has parking. You can coat check your belongings including your stroller for $3 and they will make sure that your coats and stroller are at the end of the exhibit for you by the time you are done! For those parents with very small babies that require to be in the stroller, I am not sure on their regulations—but I did see one mom with 2 toddlers and an infant and she did have her stroller for the tiny baby! So I am sure if you ask, then this may be allowed in certain circumstances.
Environment: 5
This place is awesome and so much fun with music, hilarious exhibits and tons of friendly staff. To be honest, one of the best pictures that we captured was taken by one of the staff! Probably because they are taking pics all day so they know the best angles with your gear. The space is large, however, it can get crowded during peak times and days (evenings and weekends).
We were lucky enough to go on a Friday morning since my husband got the day off, and it was busy but we didn’t have to wait in any lines and got ample time to take pics with Felipa without feeling pressured to rush. I spoke with some friends that have gone at night and on the weekends and they had the opposite experience. They said that the place was packed and they were timed by staff to take pics. So we are rating this on our personal experience, but wanted to just add that information in so that you know!
Amenities: 5
Happy Place has set up the exhibits so there is plenty of space for kids to roam free. They have washrooms located near most of the exhibits and there were no lineups when we went. Since it is only one hour to go through the whole exhibit, we didn’t actually have to change Felipa so I didn’t notice if there were change tables but I am sure that is a simple question to ask the staff once you arrive.
Food and Drinks: 3
Okay, so we did rate the food and drinks a lot lower than we normally have in the past. This is because all of the food was pretty much “junk” food. However, it does fit the theme of Happy Place and is very fun and colourful, but not very nutritious if you want our honest opinion. There aren’t too many options and the price point is quite high. We recommend ditching the food and drinks at Happy Place and just grabbing lunch somewhere close by since you are already downtown.
Price Point: 4
The cost of Happy Place is relative for a Toronto attraction and can be expected to be a bit on the higher side. Through the Happy Place website you will pay $39.50 per ticket. If you are looking to save a few dollars, then go to Groupon and get a discounted ticket there at $35 per person. Just a reminder that you do have to purchase your tickets in advance and book a specific time slot. We have linked their FAQ’s section below so that you can get the full details.
Overall Rating: 4
Happy Place is an awesome spot if you want to grab a bunch of fun pics with your family or friends! This pop-up is vibrant, exciting and well just a Happy Place to spend an hour with your little ones. The location is great since you are downtown and can hit up many Toronto attractions. This is a very kid friendly and different activity to do when you need to get out the house and have run out of options. Check out the links below to find out more about Happy Place and everything you need to know before you visit.
Happy Place FAQ: https://www.happyplace.me/faq/
Happy Place Tickets: https://www.happyplace.me/tickets/
Happy Place Instagram: https://www.happyplace.me/wearehappyplace/
Make sure to check out our Review page for more great Toronto spots to take your family!
PS: Some of our posts contain affiliate links and partnerships, which means if you purchase or sign up – Strollin for Lattes may get something in return. As always..all opinions, ideas and reviews are entirely our own.
