Here’s everything your family can do over the holidays at American Dream – and how much it will cost

Baby, it’s cold outside.

And you – and the kids – will likely have a lot of downtime in the coming days, especially between Christmas and New Year’s.

What is there to do? Maybe you want to go to New York City and see the Rockefeller Center Tree.

Or maybe you’re not ready to brave the cold weather, NJ Transit and the crowds.

In this case, American Dream offers plenty of indoor activities in our own backyard – the second largest mall in the country.

You can ski, ride a roller coaster, grab a bite to eat, and then go to DreamWorks Water Park and feel warm in 30 degree weather.

The 3 million-square-foot mall also features a 300-foot-long Ferris wheel, indoor mini-golf, ice skating, museums, game rooms, over 200 stores – including Toys R Us and Babies R Us flagships – and over 50 dining options, including fast casual and Sit down.

Maybe it’s all a bit much in one day, but you’re undoubtedly itching to get out of the house and do something that doesn’t involve standing outside in the cold.

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And while you’re at it, why not go shopping?

How much does all this cost for a family of three? Let’s do the calculation for the Saturday between Christmas and New Year – December 28th.

There are several options: The mall offers water park and theme park packages, allowing you to purchase tickets to multiple attractions at a cheaper price.

Since the ski slope is operated separately, this option is not available for packages that include the slope.

Entering the mall

There is no way to reach the mall on foot, so you’ll most likely drive. First of all, you pay at least $5 for parking plus the state sales tax of 6.625%, which is an additional 33 cents.

Subtotal: $5.33

DreamWorks water park

You want to buy three tickets for your family. A one-day bundle pass is available until December 31st, which includes access to Blacklight Mini Golf, the Mirror Maze and the TiLT 3D Art Experience.

That’s $109, and three of them brings your total to $327. Added to that is $7.53 in taxes.

We are waiving surcharges such as $50 for a Turbo Pass, $300 for a five-person cabana, $700 for an eight-person private skybox bay suite with food and beverage service, $26.99 -Dollars for beach towels or $200 for two people – up to four person daybed.

Subtotal: $334.53.

What about the amusement park?

Let’s say you choose roller coaster action rather than the water park. American Dream features the largest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere: Nickelodeon Theme Park.

Like the water park, the amusement park also offers a bundle pass that includes five rides, the 18-hole black light mini golf course, the Legends of the Hidden Temple Ropes Course Challenge, the Mirror Maze and the TiLT 3D Art Experience.

Tickets are $109 and you get three of them, so that’s $327 plus tax, so you’ll pay another $21.66.

Subtotal: $348.66

What about both?

Through the end of next year, American Dream will offer a so-called “Dream Pass,” which includes entry to both the water park and the amusement park. They cost $125 each and you get three of them.

So $375 plus $24.84 in taxes.

Subtotal: $399.84

Hit the slopes instead?

American Dream features Big Snow, one of the largest indoor ski slopes in the world. Getting to the slopes is another matter; a more expensive copy at that.

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The best option is the SNOW Day package for $109.99 per person, which includes skis or a snowboard, outerwear, helmet and two hours of ski lift access.

With taxes and fees, you’ll shell out an additional $12.09.

Subtotal: $342.06.

Check out New Jersey’s icons in the Hall of Fame

The New Jersey Hall of Fame features what it calls an “Education and Learning Center” at the American Dream, where it pays tribute to New Jerseyans who have contributed to the arts, sciences, culture and society at large.

If you are not from New Jersey and are under 16 or over 62 the price is $20.99 and for everyone else it is $24.99.

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For in-state residents, the amount is $15.99 for those under 16 or over 62 and $19.99 for everyone else.

With taxes and fees, that’s another 48 cents per ticket.

Get in touch with your inner child at the Legoland Discovery Center

The mall features a Lego Center with Lego cities, cats, ladybugs, squirrels and pyramids.

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Tickets are $35.99 for the Discovery Center plus $5.38 taxes and fees or $49.99 plus $6.30 taxes and fees for the combination Discovery Center and Sea Life Aquarium.

Get something to eat

The mall features more than 50 dining options, from fast food to sit-down restaurants and “fast casual” – the convenience of fast food with the quality of a sit-down restaurant.

If you’re looking for an upscale dining experience, there are two restaurants in the mall’s high-end corridor called The Avenue.

There you can spend more than $800 on a bottle of Carpaccio’s Louis Roederer “Cristal” champagne to pair with your $47 snapper fillet in a lemon white wine sauce. The raw bar costs at least $100, and some of the cocktails go up to $80.

But maybe high society isn’t for you and you want something simple.

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In the third-floor food court, fast-food restaurant Jollibee charges between $6 and $13 for a chicken sandwich, while a main course and side dish combo at Chinese fast-food outlet King Kong Express costs about $12 costs.

For something more upscale (but not as high-end as the $800 bottle of champagne), check out one of the mall’s sit-down restaurants or fast-casual eateries.

A slice at Best Pizza and a bottle of water cost $6.25 and $3.25, respectively. A whole smoked chicken at House of Que or a Pitmaster’s Pick with ribs, sauces, chicken and sides would set you back $89.

At the Yard House, however, the burgers and sandwiches cost between $14 and $18. At H Mart Food Hall, bubble tea costs between $4 and $6, while Korean ramen costs around $17.

“You need a pick-me-up, so a medium cup of coffee costs $4.11 at the mall’s Starbucks or $3.29 at the mall’s Dunkin.” And for accompanying dessert, milkshakes and sundaes at Haagen-Dazs cost $11.50.

How about a shopping spree?

The mall offers a variety of high-quality and lower-priced retail options.

At the higher end, you can spend $1,800 on a bag from Gucci or $795 on a Canada Goose jacket from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Or you can find men’s and women’s clothing at H&M for $15 to $30, men’s and women’s jeans from Levi’s for $80 to $100, and Uniqlo sweaters for $35 to $70.

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At Toys R Us, you can spend $27.99 on a Titanic 3D puzzle set, $30 on a Stormtrooper plush, $15 on a Frozen-themed glitter slime set, or $15 on a Care Bear plush.

So is it all worth it?

You spend a lot of money if you want to spend a day at the mall with your family.

So is American Dream worth the money?

The decision is yours.

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and economics for NorthJersey.com and The Record.

E-mail: [email protected]; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Here’s everything you can do at American Dream and how much it costs