Valley of the Moon

This space is beautiful! The caves, amphitheater, and trees with hanging lights really make you feel like you’re in a magical place. However, these people need to work on their acting! First, our narrator interrupted our storyteller because she came in too early. Then several people consistently messed up their lines. Once the cast couldn’t stop giggling because they forgot/​messed up their lines to the point where we couldn’t understand them and didn’t know what was going on in the story anymore. The only good actor was The King. He was the only one who seemed like he had practiced his lines. One of the worst things that happened was that the hot dog vendor exploded in a fit of anger because his credit card reader app on his phone wouldn’t work. He screamed and threw the phone! It was scary! He «apologized for his outburst», but it was weird. The location is nice, and it’s a really cool idea, but overall it could be done way better.

The volunteers, they do not know what they are doing! Donations are more than sufficient for anything that the people and this place got to offer.

I can’t wait to come here again! My only gripe is that I wish it was open all year around! This place is built pretty much in the founders backyard based on the belief in magical beings and Spiritualism. He basically built many magical structures throughout the property (quite large) with the help of homeless men, with the hopes of creating a magical place for children and the community. I could go on and on about the history, it’s actually very interesting, not some yawn story. I highly, HIGHLY recommend you saunter on over to the website to read it and find out more about Valley of the Moon before you visit. This place is a MUST if you believe in fairies, mythological creatures, like watching The Neverending Story/​Dark Crystal etc, or if you just like the idea of them!
We came here for the Harry Potter and the Haunted Ruins show, but they offer other special shows/​tours throughout the year that you must check the website for. No, they didn’t pick us up in a wagon, golf cart, or anything else, instead you had to use your imagination to visualize you were all in a train. The tour guide led us through the structures/​ruins and at each stop, there was an actor acting out various characters/​scenes from Harry Potter. These volunteers are actually quite good! I was surprised, and I genuinely had many great laughs throughout the show. We met Hagrid, read tea leaves, met with the Sorting Hat, learned how to make potions, banished Dementors, etc. This was also a really good show for adults, since basically we are all a bunch of big kids. Also, kids say the darndest things.
The show was very long, which I thought was a great value for the price. We also received free wands from Ollivander’s Wand Shop! Also, Dawg Daze was onsite which was delicious and another review in itself.

0 stars, 0 magic, 0 everything! As a thespian with a degree in theatre, I can appreciate the arts on every level. However, there wasn’t anything to appreciate about VOTM. My friend and I were thrilled last month to hear about Harry Potter at VOTM. How misleading was the website!?! «The hog warts express leaves every 20 minutes.» Are you serious? You get to be the hog warts express and walk yourself through the «experience.» There couldn’t have been a golf cart or anything to take you through? This place is in someone’s back yard, children and adults with the most horrid, fake accents (take a dialects class) and the worst acting. Hagrid was played as a woman, or a boy who hasn’t hit puberty (not sure), you get a complimentary «wand» made out of construction paper, (at least give people a stick or something) and the «palm reader» is anything but. I cannot believe I got scammed and spent 12 dollars at this ran down trailer park. I would have asked for my money back but there were so many children around I didn’t want to ruin their experience in any way. I want to be clear in saying I do appreciate volunteers and their effort and time dedicated to the community. Im sure Im not the only person who’s halloween spirit was a little crushed. You would be better off buying snacks and having a Halloween movie night with your family! Don’t give your money to VOTM. They do not know what they are doing.

My husband described this place as a «post apocalyptic mini golf course» I remember visiting this place when I was younger-​there was a time when everyone knew what this place was, and now, sadly not many have heard of it. This is a little hidden nugget of Tucson. It’s odd, eccentric, quirky, and downright mystifying when you step on the grounds of the Valley Of The Moon. Go support a volunteer run, historical place-​you won’t regret it.

Jason B’s review pretty much sums this place up to a t. It truly is a magical place and learning the history of the place will make you appreciate it much more. I was able to attend on a free first Saturday event and my daughter had a blast. Be sure to check the website to see what events are going down. They are only open on occasion such as the first saturday of every month and for special events they have. It’s free but donations are appreciated. I only wish they had something like this in sonoma county, Tucsonians are truly blessed that this fairytale land exists here.

This place is wacky and that is why I am giving it 4 stars. It is having it’s 90^th anniversary this year, and I like that it probably has not changed very much! I am getting close to being a senior citizen, so I liked the history of the place. I have a feeling the budget is very tight, as most non-​profits are, but this little place is worth saving for future generations.
I read the review about dust control and I agree– perhaps I went on the same night, where a few naughty children were kicking it up and one, was actually putting it in her hand and blowing it into the air. So, I am old, and old school, where had I been the parent, some harsh words and removal of the offender would have ended that.

I’ve heard alot about this place, I finally got to visit it on a «free day», good thing I did, it was truly a weird experience. Place seems to attract hippy types who hang around, reminds me of a 60’s cult commune. Staffed by volunteers in bad costumes, they take you around a dusty acre of land built by a strange «gnome type man» who lived on vitamins & canned milk. He put up some concrete structures, sort of like a poor man’s fairy land. Lighting is good, rather creepy with all the hippy types though.
Put it on your quirky to do list. Be sure to tell someone you are going there or go with a group of pals. Be careful not to step on dead gnomes.