The Distillery Winter Village 2025 — Attraction in Toronto

Food in the winter village is ridiculously overpriced. Small burger costs $12, bigger burger with two patties $16; small cup of fries $9, same size poutine $12, poutine with smoked meat or chicken braised in wine $15. For dessert a small tart is around $5. There are great cookies in Sweetie Pie for $3. Now add 30 to 70 cents to every price, plus tax. If you want to buy something small for you and your date, you have to spend around $30.

Free to enter only before 4pm, after it costs $15 to get in.

Kids under 9 are allowed to come in for free, but this is written in tiny print when you buy tickets online, so people end up paying for kids. We are explicitly told by our supervisors that we should never say the word ‘refund’ and that we never give refunds. We advise visitors to email the staff to see if they can get one, knowing full well that they will achieve nothing.

Winter Village is tiny, takes about half an hour to walk through. There is no actual entertainment, only lights, and a big Christmas tree that is poorly decorated.

A few security guards are curt and plain rude. I have seen multiple times as they yell at visitors to not stand around in the bike lane (in the winter, as people are taking a look what is inside this great attraction). They brush off simple questions by customers and redirect them to someone else. Not all security guards like that, some are genuinely helpful and kind, and it is only a few that are obnoxious and on a power-trip that ruin the image.

Working here as a Gatekeeper I can attest that the environment is toxic and I advise people to think twice before working here unless they want to act like a servile yap dog. A supervisor, Carmen Ulled, made a big deal about me letting people in through the convenient bigger gates through which people exit instead of making them walk around to the smaller barricaded entrance. There was no people who were exiting anyway.

Before work I have seen multiple times as Carmen and another supervisor, Kristen, literally yell at colleagues who are a few minutes late. They threatened them that if they will be late again they will have to have to talk, and maybe they will find their shifts taken away or they will no longer be working here at all. I am for punctuality but it is unacceptable to treat colleagues in such a demeaning manner, on multiple occasions, and with no hint of shame. Carmen puts up a show of being kind and approachable but it is easy to see she does not care about workers and acts domineeringly the second you make a small mistake.

I had an incident at work where I was yelled at and intimidated by one of the security guards who is a good four to five inches taller than me for picking up his beer in a paper bag which I thought was trash. He could not understand that there was now way for me to know that this paper bag on the floor was his. I don’t understand why this has to happen. Did he think I was going to drink his beer? Just say, hey, that’s actually mine, and I would have understood. I put the bag down because I realized he is too thickheaded to understand anything. Next day I see that my shifts have been taken away and Carmen’s email where she is blaming me for the exchange. She never asked my side of the story, and never told what exactly I did wrong, or why my shifts were taken. It was the same vague nonsense like always, “inadequate performance” and “you have to do better next time” and so on.

I decided to email the Human Resources manager, Andrea Sutherland, to explain her the whole situation, which is atrocious. I hoped that she can help and solicit an apology from the security guard and discipline Carmen. It took Andrea three days to look into it and she did absolutely nothing, in fact she fired me. I guess that is how workplace harassment is resolved by the Distillery Restaurant Corp. She did not acknowledge anything I brought up and again vaguely dismissed me for not being right for this job.

This is a place of predatory corporate capitalism. European Christmas markets are free, here you pay for this...

Honestly, I wouldn't go again. First you have to purchase "TIMED" tickets to enter when any other day of the week, when this Winter Village isn't running, you can walk through for free. The tickets are supposed to be timed, but you don't get a wristband or anything telling your "your time is up" so there's literally NO way to track people's times within the winter village. It becomes so crowded that you can't move. ALSO If you're purchasing tickets, you should at least get a free hot chocolate or for the adults, a free adult cider or adult drink from one of the huts set up within the village (would've been a bonus considering we paid express price). The food, as per usual at any festival is way overpriced, and there is no big seating area(s) so you can actually eat your bought food/drinks. If you want to eat at one of the restaurants within the distillery, MAKE RESERVATIONS WAYYY BEFORE HAND!!! You're on a wait list anywhere from half an hour to an hour or two. This being a ticketed event, it needs to be managed way better so that people can actually see and do things and take pictures without a million other people's heads in the way and people bumping into you while you're trying to take a picture or eat a snack, drink a drink, or look at a gift in a store. Let's talk about the washrooms or lack thereof. You're hosting thousands of people at an event with nowhere to go to the bathroom! If you don't have reservations at a restaurant or aren't sitting down, there are 2 areas to use the washroom, but be prepared to wait in a 20-minute line. Like where were the porta-potties or a washroom area considering the number of people you're allowing into the winter village?! PARKING- parking is GreenP, and there is little to no parking again because of this supposed "timed ticket". If they actually went by the timing of the tickets, there would be parking ... and...

Visiting the Distillery Winter Village during winter is like stepping back in time to a charming European Christmas market. The cobblestone streets are lined with wooden stalls adorned with twinkling lights, and the air is filled with the festive smells of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts. The aroma of wood smoke from the fire pits adds to the cozy atmosphere, making it the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and get into the holiday spirit.

One of the things I love most about the Distillery Winter Village is the attention to detail. The organizers have really gone out of their way to create an immersive experience that feels authentic and festive. The stalls are filled with unique and handcrafted gifts, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy live music and entertainment.

The food and drink options at the Distillery Winter Village are also top-notch. There's something for everyone, from traditional holiday fare like hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies to more adventurous options like poutine and raclette. I highly recommend trying one of the many mulled wine or cider options, as they are the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day.

Overall, the Distillery Winter Village is a must-visit for anyone looking for a magical and festive holiday experience. It's the perfect place to soak up the Christmas spirit, enjoy some delicious food and drinks, and do some holiday shopping.  Highly recommend checking it out if someone is in Toronto during winter!

Here are some additional tips for a visit to the Distillery Winter Village:

Dress warmly, as it can get quite cold in the evenings.

Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be doing a lot of walking.

Be prepared for crowds, especially on weekends.

Arrive early if you want to avoid the lineups.

Take your time and enjoy...