Book now for popular summer holiday events in Melbourne

Santa's Magical Kingdom sold out last year.

Charlie and his grandfather were lucky enough to find the golden ticket that granted them entry into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, but if parents and grandparents want to avoid missing out for the most popular summer holiday events the key is to book months in advance.

Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy bring famous fairytales to life for three shows in January but you can book now for Disney Live Three Classic Fairytales. Likewise the musical The Tiger Who Came to Tea, which opens on January 2.

Older kids may prefer Grease The Musical, playing at the Regent Theatre from December 6, although tickets are already selling fast.

You'll need to start thinking about Christmas next month. Tickets for Santa's Magical Kingdom, which sold out last year, go on-sale October 6.

You can book for Carols By Candlelight, which has been popular for almost eight decades now, from November 1. Tickets are already available for Cirque du Soleil's Totem, playing at Flemington Racecourse from January.

If you want the kids to be a bit more active, consider planning a day trip to Victoria's Enchanted Adventure Garden in Arthurs Seat for some tree-surfing fun.

Closer to the city, ArtPlay and ACMI both host very popular workshops with limited numbers so keep an eye on their websites as well:

• disney.com.au/disneylive/three-classic-fairy-tales
• artscentremelbourne.com.au
• greaseistheword.com.au/tickets/
• santasmagicalkingdom.com.au
• carols.visionaustralia.org/the-main-event/tickets
• treesurfing.com.au
• melbourne.vic.gov.au/artplay
• acmi.net.au/live-events/creative-workshops/

Disney Live Three Classic Fairytales

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/book-now-for-popular-summer-holiday-events-in-melbourne-20140910-10edmy.html