Christmas Town Tampa Bay

The lights are beautiful ❤️. Ice skating show was wonderful 😊❤️. So short on employees at so many places. The ice cream only one worker. Star Bucks one worker. I wanted to get some fudge no body would help me. I guess they don't need to make any money because they have you in . The Asian food was terrible the rice was burnt n the beef and broccoli was terrible I spoke to a black manager but she could have cared less. I'm not going back.

The first thing i noticed is christmas town doesnt even open until 4pm.We went on a weekday and it wasn't crowded. Wait times for rides was under 15 min. The santa experience was cute and interactive and they spent some time with the kids. The rudolph experience was terrible, there was nothing personal about it. They rushed us through and forgot to give us our photo card. The photos we purchased at the park were overly bright and not great quality. We also had the christmas priority passes which weren't necessary since there was no line. Parts of the park are still closed and damaged from hurricanes. The food was pretty good in christmas town but the portions were tiny. We were disappointed that the skyline costs money if you dont have a pass. It was also annoying that almost every transaction had computer issues. Also, most of the restaurants were closed besides chick fil a. It was all snacks and drinks. The lights were nice. Overall a cute idea, but needs more pizzaz.

Christmas Town at Bush Gardens 2023 is a big disappointment. Every year since Covid they have had less and less lighting. This year felt sad knowing what once was. The food is expensive and not really great. I had a rock hard cinnamon bun that we had to throw away. The train shut down early so we didn't get to ride it. I give 2 stars only because the Ice Show is 👍 awesome.

You know what screams Christmas, telling little kids that Santa will see the VIP kids first. Would you like to see Rudolph and friends? Spoiler alert, it's just Rudolph, his girlfriend, and the abominable snowman (2 photo ops). The good news, if you aren't VIP, you get to wait in line for over 30 minutes (IF you are lucky) for the wonderful 5 minute opportunity to take a photo with them. Then of course, you can buy a photo for $25+. When did Christmas become just about photo ops with Santa and a couple other characters?! Thankfully Santa asked the kids what the wanted for Christmas. He didn't ask me, because it would have been that "he" "Busch Gardens" not turn the whole thing into making as much money as possible off of everyone. I do remember when Christmas Town at BG first began. Would you believe you received a warm chocolate chip cookie after seeing Santa? Now you get a small peppermint candy cane. But don't worry, in the photo lobby after seeing Santa, you can buy an alcoholic beverage full of Christmas joy. Rudolph and friends used to be a whole walk-through experience with many of the characters from those old-timey Christmas specials. And one year, they had sledding. That was cool. It's not cool anymore. It is a rip-off. Not coming back. For regular park hours or for Christmas Town. They can fleece someone else. (btw, this post could have been twice as long. we were that disappointed)

A huge disappointment as there is hardly any signage on what is generally where you intend to go. You walk aimlessly through the park trying to find what show is where only to find out it is either not happening when you get there or there is a very long line and it is useless to wait. However, when you go to use a bathroom it is VERY DISGUSTING! You immediately want to change your clothes, or burn them, due to the complete lack of cleanliness you dealt with. Urine, etc., all over the floor and toilet along with several clogged and unusable! The lighted necklaces you purchase either do not work or the batteries do not last through out your stay at the park. $20 wasted for each family member you purchased one for! Lights are disappointing and it is hard to tell what theme you are in and where to go next. Absolutely no direction to where the fireworks show is and you eventually find it right before the park closes and you are forced to leave through an unorganized gauntlet of people trying to crowd onto the trams to find our car surrounded by cars that are in places they should not park making it very difficult to get out in a comfortable fashion. And, parking fee of and outrageous $30 is NOT INCLUDED into your expensive ticket price to get into this debacle. A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT ALL AROUND!

The event needs improvement based on experiences with the food and beverage team and the operations team. The food and beverage management team needs to step up. Their longer than usual transactions caused a chain reaction of congested lines. In my first example, there are two registers to take the order. The worker at the register that I’m at walked to the next register to help the other worker with their transaction. I’m not upset with that. I commend teamwork. However, they could’ve done without the comment “this is why we need a manager here, but they keep walking away.” My second example is when I wanted to get a white chocolate peppermint pretzel (the alternative was a dark chocolate peppermint pretzel) and they didn’t have any, but this was only 45 minutes after the 4:00pm opening time for food. The point I’m trying to make with that example is that, whether they indeed ran out 45 minutes later or just didn’t have it to begin with, it just seems like a poor execution. My third example is that one particular food booth the registers were not set up to scan the UPC code on the Sampling Lanyard that allows you to get so many sample sizes based upon what amount of samples you purchase (i.e. 5 or 10). Let me be clear, none of this is an attack on the workers. The intent is to make it clear that the actual management and event planners have issues that they are responsible for that need to be addressed. Finally, the operations management team has issues as well. This will address the lines for the photos with Rudolph experience and photos with Santa experience. There are two lines; one for regular and one for VIP. My issue is that there are no displays designating which side is which. If you get in the VIP side and you are regular admission, the workers will politely let you know. However, both the workers and the guests can have a better experience if it was clear from the beginning which line to wait in. In conclusion, I’m not attacking any workers. They do the best they can do with what they have to work with, and, unfortunately, often take unnecessary comments from guests that become irritated. The point I’m trying to make is that the management team needs to improve on their event. This event advertises with tv commercials, radio commercials, and I’ve been receiving multiple emails. There is obviously planning that goes into this event, but the execution is lacking.

I have attended Christmas town many times in the past and this year was a major disappointment. Christmas town itself had nothing special a few kiosk for merchandise probably just another way to make money. Took us less than 5 mins to walk through the “event”. They used to have fake snow and so many cute activities/photo opportunities. But nothing. The food lines were crazy, the food was mediocre and actually made me sick throughout the whole day. Don’t even consider grabbing a drink if you don’t want to pay $15+ for a very small drink. The employees all seemed miserable. I am so sad over this. Barley any lights, music or attractions. Also no fireworks as advertised. We found ourselves bored majority of our time. The only plus was the ice skating show. Most rides were closed and I felt like I was walking aimlessly with no signage to any Christmas themed area. Waste of money in my opinion.

I’ve gotten to used to the Disney experience so I’m rating Christmas town at Bush Gardens at a 3. Food is truly at a 1 Star rating I was extremely disappointed in the low quality of food. From Fire Dragon Grill with its greasy pasta to the Christmas town food choices them selves each booth offered no better than fast food quality with the staff looking and acting miserable. Not once the entire time I was there did a staff member smile at me or wish me a Happy Holiday or Merry Christmas. The atmosphere was really sad when you look at the people working there and they all look so sad and or mad. Even the parking lot helpers were rude and not helpful at all. I payed for preferred they didn’t block off the entrance once full so you had to drive all the way in only to drive back out. Very poor planning with parking there were not enough attendants out there directing cars. I understand it’s Christmas Day but if that’s your job at least try and enjoy the day I’ve never experienced that at Disney. I enjoy the dinner show The Most Wonderful Time of the Year and the Ice Show as well they were both really great and really the only reason I’m giving the event a 3 star. I will not return and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone I know or who might ask me.

The lights were nice at nighttime but I didn't see a lot more that was worth doing. It felt like most things were closed up at night. There were a few stands in the village area open with specialty food and drinks and a few character photo ops but not much else. I heard there was an ice skating show but that it was just okay so didn't bother checking it out. Wait times for rides were still long so just did one of the shorter wait time rides.

Christmas Town Busch Gardens is a must do holiday event for both the young and the old, held every year from November 13th through January 2nd! Christmas Town Busch Gardens creates a wonderful merry atmosphere of holiday cheer with more than 10 million lights! At this Tampa theme park, you'll enjoy a holiday-themed sing-along train ride, heart-warming shows, fine dining, electrifying festive shopping, Santa's workshop, and a chance to watch twinkling lights. During the holiday season at Busch Garden's you will be able to: Discover Christmas Town Village Enjoy the Holiday Train Listen to holiday tunes Meet Rudolph and friends, including Sam the Snowman, at Rudolph's Winter Wonderland Shop for the perfect gifts in Santa's shop Taste special Christmas treats unique to this event only Visit Santa's House Hangout with your favorite Sesame Street characters Watch outstanding ice skaters The absolute best part about Christmas Town at Busch Gardens is the Village. Christmas Town Village has some of the cutest cabins that are not only decked out in holiday designs, they also serve up delicious sweets and savory dishes inspired by the season! One of my favorite things to do at Busch Gardens Tampa during the holiday season is to partake in the amazing Christmas entertainment. They offer something for everyone such as: NEW! HOLIDAY IN THE SKY FIREWORKS SHOW- Presented by Bad Boy Mowers: Here you'll enjoy the twinkling holiday lights in the air that will dance to classic Christmas music. This over-the-top firework show will take place on every Saturday and select nights of the event in the Festival Field! CHRISTMAS ON ICE: This is one of the most majestic holiday experiences at Busch Gardens. It's the longest running holiday show in the Moroccan Palace Theater and is an ice-skating Yuletide adventure you must do at Busch Gardens. NEW! STORYTIME WITH MRS. CLAUS: It's not quite Christmastime without a story and song from Mrs. Claus. This is a classic Christmas treat that you don't want to miss. It is located in the Coke Canopy near the Christmas Town Village. THREE KINGS JOURNEY: Believe it or not, Busch Gardens has some of the best singers in the theme park entertainment world. I'm excited to hear the charming voices bring the classic holiday tunes to life located in the Stanleyville Theater. ELMO'S CHRISTMAS WISH: This experience is definitely for the kids or the child in all of us who love the Sesame Street characters. You'll get to hang out with Cookie Monster, Rosita, Grover, and Zoe as they help Elmo find his Christmas wish in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area. NEW! SANTA'S NORTH POLE EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA: Visit Santa Claus and his holly jolly elves inside Santa's Workshop! RUDOLPH'S WINTER WONDERLAND: Explore Rudolph's Winter Wonderland located in Pantopia to meet Santa's most famous reindeer of all! HOLLY JOLLY EXPRESS: It's time for you to jump aboard the Christmas train at Busch Gardens. This experience is sooooo much fun as you get to circle around the huge theme park listening to your favorite holiday songs while looking over the Serengeti. If you're looking to celebrate the holidays with family in a fun atmosphere with holiday cheer, I highly recommend visiting Christmas Town Busch Gardens! It's one of my favorite seasonal festivals that Busch Gardens throws!

The specialty drinks were awful. We tried 5 different ones and they were all bad. I mean un drinkable. the animals go in around 5-6. I found the whole thing underwhelming. Decor was ok but not great, pop up characters/shows seemed trite. Wont be back.

Boring! They put up Christmas lights and played holiday music... that's it. We didn't see one character no carolers.... They were out of foods at the some of the booths at the Christmas town food area .. Starbucks couldn't make any hot drinks except coffee . Totally lame ! We didn't get to catch any shows so no comment concerning shows .. ride wait times weren't too bad maybe because it's chilly

You know what screams Christmas, telling little kids that Santa will see the VIP kids first. Would you like to see Rudolph and friends? Spoiler alert, it's just Rudolph, his girlfriend, and the abominable snowman (2 photo ops). The good news, if you aren't VIP, you get to wait in line for over 30 minutes (IF you are lucky) for the wonderful 5 minute opportunity to take a photo with them. Then of course, you can buy a photo for $25+. When did Christmas become just about photo ops with Santa and a couple other characters?! Thankfully Santa asked the kids what the wanted for Christmas. He didn't ask me, because it would have been that "he" "Busch Gardens" not turn the whole thing into making as much money as possible off of everyone. I do remember when Christmas Town at BG first began. Would you believe you received a warm chocolate chip cookie after seeing Santa? Now you get a small peppermint candy cane. But don't worry, in the photo lobby after seeing Santa, you can buy an alcoholic beverage full of Christmas joy. Rudolph and friends used to be a whole walk-through experience with many of the characters from those old-timey Christmas specials. And one year, they had sledding. That was cool. It's not cool anymore. It is a rip-off. Not coming back. For regular park hours or for Christmas Town. They can fleece someone else. (btw, this post could have been twice as long. we were that disappointed)

Christmas is my favorite time of year. There is just something about the music and lights. Christmas Town in Busch Gardens does not disappoint. Going during the week is key - low lines for everything. From rides, to food, and even meeting Santa himself, everything was just about walk on or walk up to. The lights are pretty. I have high expectations, given that their sister park in Williamsburg knocks it out of the park. The feel is different, but the effort put forth more than makes up for it. I can't wait to go back!

Was my first time seeing Christmas town the sampling was good had litttle confusion on buying sample pass , lights weren't that great I really liked the light tunnel and giant Christmas tree, lot of dark areas and seemed as if they didn't want too take down some of the Halloween lights in few areas , and my gf is a seasonal pass holder and the parking was terrible, walking a 1 mile too entrances and seeing plenty of parking was bad planning on Bush Gardens , other those things I still enjoyed myself

It's hard for it to feel like Xmas in Florida. You almost have to go to something like this just to get into the holiday spirit. Busch Gardens does a great job of making up for what this muggy, miserable state lacks in December. Nearly every area of the park has something festive, whether it's lights in the trees, huge Xmas trees, or designated photo op areas with festive decor. There's a train replete with lights where you can sing along to Xmas carols, specially themed Xmas games, a market with all kinds of desserts and trinkets, and even a cute setup in the penguin area. The penguin decorations are so cute and a great photo op for families. The market area smells amazing. There are baked goods like cookies and doughnuts, as well as festive drinks like cider and hot chocolate. Whenever someone passed me with a hot chocolate, it smelled incredible. The rides are all operational during this holiday event, and there are a couple limited time shows/events you can experience. If you're lacking holiday cheer in this place where it never snows, take a trip to BG and pretend the foam spouting from the fake snow machines fills the hole in your heart.

I have attended Christmas Town almost every year since its inception. It has improved upon some things but not others. I'll share my experiences. The first year, they ran out of hot chocolate. WHAT!??! That's a sin! This year (not sure about years past), they had a hot, alcoholic adult apple cider that I thoroughly enjoyed! But for almost $10??? WTF?! They still do the sing-a-long train which was so much fun when I did it and still fun to hear others singing on it. I wish there were more snowmen dancing around. This year I saw small people on presents (it was the appearance of small people on presents - like elves maybe?) A little weird. I like the dancing snowmen. This year I saw one but he wasn't dancing - he was only posing for pictures. I like the lights ALL over the place, the decorations are great, the dancing/singing tree (most people don't know about) and the Colony House could do a MUCH better job of changing up their music and lighting programming - it's the same thing every year. The ice show, I heard, had changed - but nope - I go every year and it's the same ice show. This year, I experienced the other show in the Dragon Fire place (used to be the FestHaus) and that show was awful! One of the male solo singers was just terrible. EWWWWW! But the food inside this place is pretty good - I had a chicken caesar salad and they had no caesar dressing out, I had to ask - they looked at me like I was crazy and then they went in the back and GEE WIZ there were some caesar salad dressing packets in the back! Here's the worst part of the entire park - Christmas Town or not. PARKING! It's $20! WHAT?!?!? This isn't Disney! That's what they charge. It's ridiculous! Not making enough money with the ticket sales, beer and food prices? Seriously. Other than that, I'd have given it at least 4 stars. This really brings me down.

I normally love Busch Gardens but 2022 Christmas Town was the worst experience Ever! Very few rides were open. Hardly anything was open (including restaurants and shops) ! We asked why things weren't open and were told that they didn't have enough help. However, a local waiter told me that he and his friends have applied multiple times to work there and are hired. The few staff that were working inside the park were really rude! The lights were pretty but that was a high price for a light show.

Busch Gardens Christmas Town is an annual holiday event which brings Christmas to life with new festive fare, heartwarming holiday shows, holiday lighting, holiday music, & holiday character meet & greets every year from November 20th through January 3rd! Busch Gardens Christmas Town has been nationally recognized as a USA Today 10 Best Theme Park Holiday Event and offers guests new holiday experiences every year! Holiday shows and dazzling lights cover the park in holiday cheer all season long from mid November to January! Near the Tigris realm, guests can stroll through the Luminosity Lane which is an immersive light tunnel synchronized to favorite holiday tunes. Holiday Entertainment includes: - The Most Wonderful Time: You're invited to a classy Christmas soirée, complete with jazzy piano solos, a live band, and heart-melting vocal performances. 9/10 - The Holiday Sing-Along Train: This season, the park's classic steam engine has a merry makeover, including more lights than ever. Join your Christmas Conductor for a live sing-along and raise your voice to spread cheer throughout the park. 9/10 - Christmas on Ice: A frosty fan-favorite and the longest-running holiday show at Busch Gardens is now outdoors! 10/10 - Elmo's Christmas Wish: A song-filled spectacle featuring classic holiday tunes with a special Sesame Street twist. 7/10 - Christmas From the Heart: A gospel-inspired celebration with a high-spirited finale. 8/10 - Three Kings Journey: A musical tale of the famed trail to Bethlehem. 9/10 - Carol of the Bells: Thousands of dancing Christmas lights blanket the Serengeti Overlook Restaurant and an iconic multi-story Christmas tree for a perfectly choreographed performance of "Carol of the Bells." 8/10 Holiday Character Meet & Greets include: - Santa's House presented by Coca-Cola: Families are invited for a magical visit they'll never forget with Mrs. Claus and jolly elves at Santa's House, all nestled in the heart of Busch Gardens. 9/10 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Guests can get nose to nose with the most famous reindeer around as they greet Rudolph, Clarice, and Bumble from the classic Christmas tale at Rudolph's Winter Wonderland. 8/10 - Merry Mint Lane: Park guests will waddle with excite-mint as they get a close look at penguins and other animal ambassadors at the Animal Care Center. The area's festive makeover includes photo opportunities with the Peppermint Pals, tasty treats and more! 7/10 - Sugar Plum Princess: 'Tis the season for visiting royalty! Joining the Ice Princess and Poinsettia Princess, a new Sugar Plum Princess will greet guests near Sultan's Sweets candy shop. 8/10 At Christmas Town Village, guests can stroll from cabin to cabin to sample delicious holiday dishes and drinks. From apple pie, sweet potato fries, chicken-and-waffle sandwiches to hot toddies and new pumpkin thrill shakes, the best way to savor and save during the holidays is with a Christmas Town Sampler lanyard! If you're in town with family for the holidays, Busch Gardens Christmas Town is the perfect way to spend a day and get into the holiday spirit! I loved all the lights, shows, and Christmas music and you will too!

Loved loved loved it. THESE. LIGHTS. CAN. WE.JUST?! I've never been to CTBG before so idk what to compare it to. Any time BG is open later than 5pm is 5 stars from me! The amazing lights are a bonus! People will not commit to social distancing- especially teens. BG staff tries to enforce masks at least but it's hit or miss and thousands of of guests compared to hundreds of workers.

We have two young daughters, and we've all really enjoyed Christmas Town in the past, but man....it was REALLY scaled back this year. You have to wait until 4PM for the Christmas Town area to open (which is normal), but this year when it opened after waiting all day, it was basically one little stretch of sidewalk with a few kiosks with food or merchandise to purchase. You can actually still see the *much* larger area where a lot of Christmas Town things were going on in past years we've gone, but it's simply barricaded off. Once we walked through in a matter of a couple minutes, my wife and I looked at each other in disbelief. It was very underwhelming and disappointing for someone who has gone in the past. Other issues seem to be plaguing the park this year. Several food stations said they were out of items. The Dragonfire Pub area was out of basically everything, and were using the same small chicken tenders for the tender meal, the kids nuggets meal, and the chicken sandwich. Multiple drink stations said the fountains weren't working and that the employees didn't know how to refill or fix them because they were "band new" or "usually work in a different area". SEVERAL more rides were closed than we were expecting. My kids love the Phoenix, the Sand Serpent, and the Congo River Raft, but they were all closed. There was supposed to be a Tiger Talk by an animal handler at the Tiger Trail, and dozens of people were standing around waiting, all for no one to show up. We asked a few nearby employees and they basically shrugged and said they didn't now. Honestly, very few people seemed to care very much about their job. We have passes so we even went a week later assuming it must have just been limited that one day, but it was the exact same. I hate to say it just a couple weeks after purchasing them, but we regret purchasing annual passes.

This is always great. With a season pass it is awesome as I can just head over whenever I want. I typically hate theme parks due to the lines but with a pass I go on "off days:". I do think this is worth money even if don't have a pass. It's so pretty. Great shows. Children area is fun.

Really---A disappointing Santa Visit and Experience---This is our 6th year going to Christmas Town-- we have always enjoyed our Christmas Town Visit --- and this year we live in NC and drove for the weekend to Williamsburg. It will be our last year visiting Christmas Town! Actually, it was too expensive for what we received this year. Many less rides and lines were so long....we spent most of our time standing in line vs enjoying the events. We come for the Santa and for that experience. Santa didn't take the time with the kids this year that he has taken in the past---not conversational AT ALL with the kids. Also, the Santa visit was moved! Moved from the Castle that used to have lots of elves in the past! in the past---Santas's entire 'home' was in the castle complete with his desk and elves and raindeer! AND--where was Mrs. Clause this year??? Nope, no Mrs. Clause or elves (yes, there were 2 elves) or Reindeer! Really, unless you just want to see Christmas trees, don't go and spend the money for a very scaled down Santa experience and rides! So sorry this year is so scaled down and so sad it is our last year here!

We drove from NY to Va a few days after the New Year, I was nice. They offered free parking which was a nice surprise. Although it was winter we were fortunate to have a of surprisingly warmer weather. The decorations were beautiful and we were able to ride a lot of rides as the wait times were not too bad. The goal was to please the kids which we did!

Lights in the trees are about the extent of Christmas village. There is really not a village with cute characters. Instead decorating statues or sculptures for Christmas most are cover with white sheets. It is very sad to see the lack Christmas. Years ago it was so beautiful and a true Christmas village. Not worth the money!

Me n my husband totally enjoyed this event! Christmas town was so so beautiful n Busch garden did a fantastic job. They had great photo stands. Many photo stands had fairies, Santa with gifts etc. We did cheetah hunt during night & it was spectacular. Wait time was hardly 10-15 mins. Whole Park was decorated with beautiful lights, trees & ornaments. It was little chilly at night that really added to the magic of the event. Few of the main rides were open like cheetah hunt, sheikra,Montu in addition to the special Christmas exhibits. There were few shows at different times. We got to see Christmas on ice which was outstanding. For the first time I saw ice skaters jumping, rolling, dancing on ice!! There was a penguin point. Fake snow falling across the park. Really beautiful Christmas village with an indoor snow area to play with. Cute Santa houses! Why I took 1 star because that day park closed at 8.30pm even though website mentioned 10 pm!!

What a disappointment! This is probably our 6th or 7th visit to Christmastown and will definitely be our last. Prices have doubled over the past few years and the experience has steadily gone downhill. Here's the highlights of our visit: Sunday visit arrived at 3:15, park opened at 2:00. 15 minutes waiting to get past parking booth, 10 minutes waiting to board tram, exit tram and find massive crowd of people just standing around. Keep in mind that there are absolutely no employees to be found. We determine after talking to several other people that everyone is waiting in line to have their bag checked before getting to the entrance. So, we find the end of the line which ends up being a 20 minute wait. Finally get in and get in line to ride the Pantheon, their newest ride, but they shut it down while we're in line for technical difficulties?? We know in looking at their website that their policy is that the roller coasters won't operate when temperatures fall to 40 degrees and it's 45 at this point. Oh well, off to ride Verbolten, get in line, sorry ride is closing because it's too cold. Check temperature to find it's 43 degrees. Okay, let's just go eat dinner at the Festhaus. Sorry, get in line with 300 other people just to get inside. 20 minutes later we're in and get in long line to buy food. You get the idea!! Let's be clear here, the park is crowded but not anything unusual. The reason for all of the lines is that many rides and restaurants that used to be open are now closed which forces everyone to go to the few open places. There also seemed to be a lot fewer lights and decorations set up. All in all this has turned into a huge money grab and I can't imagine many people enjoying themselves under these circumstances. Maybe at the next managers meeting instead of focusing on how many more ways you can increase your profit you could spend a few minutes thinking about how to improve your customers experience. But it won't matter to me because I'm never going back! By the way, this is a review for the Williamsburg Virginia location but it sounds like Tampa has the same thing going on.

Pretty bad this Year. Lights out, food worse, employees don't seem to care much. No space between people at all. Actually that asked everyone to sit closer so they could pack more people in the crowed shows. Won't be back.

If you like Busch Gardens and Christmas lights that you will love Christmas Town. The whole park is light up with millions of lights and everything looks so festive at night. The shows are catered to the Christmas season and are very enjoyable. If you're thinking that you'll go the BG at a later time and maybe there won't be so many people than think again. Christmas Town is packed with people up to closing time. Be prepared to wait in long lines for rides and even food. You might get a far away parking spot so in this case you'll have to wait in line for the shuttle, which in my opinion is the worst line to wait in. There is a walking path from the park to all the parked cars; I found this more enjoyable than waiting in another long line. All in all if your wanting to get in the seasonal spirit than Christmas town is a great place to visit before and after Christmas.

Lots of fun! Lines incredibly long to see characters. Christmas market is nice even though crowded.. I hope that they make that even bugger next year

'Twas the night at Christmas Town, when all through the park A lot of hot chocolate was stirring, and many lights twinkling in the dark; The children were excited all standing in line, Anticipating their turns on the next ride; When out on the path shoots imitation snow, And at the Moroccan Palace Theater they prepare for the next ice show; At Crown Colony Cafe & Pub you'll find all sorts of sweet treats and food, What better way to get into a merry mood. While strolling along, you're sure to hear it, All of the Christmas classics that will put you in the holiday spirit; Enjoy a candy cane while riding on Sing-A-Long Train, And don't forget to stop by Santa's House or Penguin Point. Christmas Town won't disappoint. I have to exclaim, WHAT A GREAT NIGHT! "HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL...GO AND HAVE A GOODNIGHT!"

I'll be the first to admit that visiting Busch Gardens at night harkens back to the darkness in my soul and the "Dark Side of the Gardens, where shovels scrape along the ground and bushes startle in the shadows, but none of that happened. What did happen was nothing short of magical. I kind of knew what to expect, I'd gotten a few hints from friends working the event: 80 miles of lights - yes MILES of lights. Carolers, snow men and snow drifts, light shows and ice skating, and who could forget Jimmy Osmond, but what I wasn't expecting was how lovely it would all turn out to be. Upon entering the park, your eyes are greeting with the most entrancing color scheme you'll ever see. Morocco at Christmas is simply stunning with it's purples and golds. Each area you walk into is themed beautifully in all it's brightly lit glory for you to wonder at, and trust me, your inner 4 year old will gawp at it just like mine did, pointing at this and that with a smile -so- wide. There are surprises around corners, lighting effects that change, music that is coordinated with lights so spectacularly that you will not believe it. And of course, there are the Angels! Be sure that you check out the ice skating show that they've put on just for this event. It is spectacular. The little girl will steal your heart away. The sing along train is by far one of the most fun ways to get around the park, it will lift your spirits as you chug from Stanleyville to "North Pole Station" Right outside Santa's house. When you do go to see the Big Man himself, don't forget to get your cookie from Mrs. Claus! Ride Cheetah Hunt in the dark for a more spectacular ride. I swear! It felt like it was torqued up a few notches. It felt faster, it felt more intense in the dark. My 72 year old Mother, who'd never ridden it, fell in love with the beast! All in all, this is going to become a New Holiday Tradition! Well Done!

I didn't pay for the "upgraded" experience of ChristmasTown and didn't get to meet Santa, but I was largely disappointed with the experience. Maybe Disney has spoiled me as to what the "Awe" factor really is, but I've seen some homes decorated more thoroughly than this. We came Saturday around 7PM and I was expecting the usual "order" that Busch Gardens has when it comes to parking. I guess after a certain time of day, parking is free? and it was a free for all, people made 6-7 rows of cars only to shrink down to 2 so it was complete chaos. Reminded me of trying to get into the city at the Lincoln Tunnel in NJ during rush hour. Bumper to bumper with no where to go. After spending 30-40 minutes looking for a parking spot with parking staff just wandering around and not directing traffic, the trolley that brings guests to the park entrance had a huge line. And I understand its popular and there's a lot of people at night wanting to see the lights, but to not anticipate that from a park management perspective is plain awful. We decided to walk to the entrance, except for the fact the sidewalk is tiny and there were a ton of people going in both directions, so some people stepped on to the street to walk, only to have cars and trolleys wiz right past them creating a dangerous situation. After finally getting into the park, we weren't overly impressed with the lights and really to me looked like a fairly normal day. I've never been in Busch Gardens after dark and if someone told me the lights are normally there, I would have totally believed it... just nothing that exciting or interesting.

A wonderful event! This sad little transplanted New Yorker (me!) has been doing a fabulous job of huffing and puffing about how I hate Florida's winter, but Christmas Town made me feel a little like I was back home. We had went to another Christmas event that promised snow, but there wasn't a whole lot. Christmas Town had a pretty decent amount of snow to walk on, another section of snow to slide down on tubes, and another for snowball throwing! Boy did I have a blast. Only thing that would have made it better would be the ability to make a snowman...or to have all the snow to myself :) Parents were making snow angels with their kids. It was precious and joyful. Ice show was beautiful. Religion isn't my thing and it was pretty evident in the show, but whatever, it's Christmas Town after all, and it didn't make the show any less mesmerizing. Line for rides were absurdly fast! Rode roller coasters over and over and over and over and over and omigosh Cheetah Hunt is AWESOME every time. I felt like there could have been more lights while you walked around. It was stilly pretty. The food was disappointing. I was looking forward to festive food. All I found was a bunch of Thanksgiving food and Christmas-y drinks. Ghiradelli hot chocolate was TOO creamy, but if it's something you like - there is a souvenir mug option which leaves refills costing 99 cents. The candy cane Sprite was addicting and I HATE soda. Somehow it was delicious. If you get it...let the candy soak for a while while you stir. Makes a yummy difference :) Overall, I am glad I paid the Groupon price mainly due to the lack of adult shows (really wasn't into watching Sesame Street) and non-Thanksgiving themed food. I would do this over and over again...at the Groupon price. Side note - I really wish the animals were supervised during business hours. Watching groups of people make their cameras flash in the animals eyes (penguins, elephants, alligators) was really heart breaking and frustrating - especially because it was so dark out! Someone needs to be outside where the animals stay (cage, gated area, whatever) and prevent this atrocious behavior.

I had the opportunity to visit Busch Gardens during winter 2014. This was the first year that Christmas Town activities were included in general admission, versus as a separately ticketed event! Several holiday shows are offered as part of this celebration, as well as a special area with vendors selling fun products and food offerings, the opportunity to meet Santa and a seasonal penguin display! A train ride and some other activities were offered for the kids too. The park is beautifully decorated with fun holiday and wildlife themed lights, which was certainly my favorite part as you could enjoy the decor while walking to the various rides the park offers! While I didn't get the opportunity to take advantage of the shows as they seemed to fill up quickly, Christmas Town was definitely a fun bonus to a Busch Gardens visit. A nice way to get in the holiday spirit!

Great Christmas event. The decorations are amazing. The shows are spectacular. Truly a local gem for us local residents, but I am sure visitors to the area are even more amazed. Busch Gardens truly our a lot of hard work and thought into this. We love that this special event/attraction is included with regular admission and passes. Even having gone a few years ago we noticed the updates, and were impressed all over again.

This is our 2nd year in a row going to Christmas Town and we love it. It's fun for all ages! I enjoyed that they have rides for toddlers the most. The Elmo Christmas show is a blast. Christmas town is a sight to see. I took away a star because in my opinion he food isn't that great. I have yet to experience food at Busch Gardens that has wow' me.

Went here for a Yelp elite event but if I had paid to get in, I would have given it 1 star as it's just not worth it for me. I've never been very impressed with Busch gardens itself and this visit really just solidified that. However, the event itself was fairly fun. It was a nice Christmasy event, lots of lights to look at, hot cocoa, fake snow (poorly done fake snow may I add) but it did have its highlights. Everyone we ran into that worked here was very pleasant and friendly. They have stepped up the beer selection and even offered seasonal choices. All the food we tried was horrid!! The lights were great! Some much better then others, like the blue zone with the lights seemingly dropping from the trees and the colony house interactive lights/music was neat to watch (and made us giggle when we walked out of the colony house to dozens of people staring at us...oh no...it was the lights..but for a brief moment...the fame!) They "real" statue girl was fun to watch as she surprised the ones who didnt know she was real until she moved during their picture op. The skating rink and the snow zone were fun, although crowded and very limited on how much time you can spend (3 mins and they herd you out and bring in the nex group) And oh, no throwing snow balls at each other or they toss you out. (WHat! I had a good target on the hubby) All in all it was a nice Christmas thing to do, really put us in the holiday spirit and made us feel like we were up north in a small town but definitely not worth the priceif you pay full price that is.

This is an exceptional family experience. Cost is reasonable. The food at most places inside the park is also reasonable. When you get here early the wait times is minimal at best. Parking fee is 20 dollars. That is costly for the average theme park.

The lights are impressive, but they decorated exactly the same as last year. I was going for something new and different. I'm not complaining though...I love that it's included in the cost of entry. If you haven't been, I highly reconnect checking it out. It is beautiful!

What a great evening to get into the christmas spirit. The train ride singing carols was a treat, I like the displays. Even if you don't care for the thrill rides this is worth it. The shows are all there, and you can even catch some local schools playing carols in the bandshells. ALl good things for the Christmas season. I love the animal displays but they close at dark. Get there before dark. Eat at the Crown colony right before the light show. Don't be late or you will be part of the show.

I understand the cut back because of covid but that should be reflected in the price you pay. A regular admission price for this and they don't tell you on the website that there are no shows and parts of the park that were usually open for this aren't. What, in the past, was an awesome night was very disappointing considering the cost.

Busch Gardens clearly knows how to throw a holiday party, and this winter-time event in Tampa is a terrific way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends. It's a bit confusing, but Christmas Town refers to the entire Busch Gardens holiday celebration which runs through the end of the year, while Christmas Town Village refers to a section of the park located in between the exotic bird gardens and the Gwazi wooden roller coaster. Since I was attending Yelp's Santa's Little Yelpers holiday event at Busch Gardens this past weekend, this review will exclusively be about Christmas Town Village. As an annual pass holder for Busch Gardens, I'll definitely be back to explore the full park again during the holiday season. Christmas Town Village is a pleasant side path distraction located just after you walk past the flamingo lagoon. If you're at the park in the evenings, this section is beautifully decorated with colorful Christmas trees and flying flamingos. Down the little walkway and you have entered Christmas Town Village (CTV). In CTV you can shop for whimsical holiday gifts (Yay for the nutcracker shop!), and visit with Santa's little elves who are hard at work inside the various store-fronts along the path. You'll find hot cocoa and eggnog laced with shots of spiced rum, along with cookies, candy canes, grilled ham & pineapple chucks on skewers, and freshly-made waffle cones filled with ice cream and sundaes. The Christmas Time Conductorettes are happily caroling to entertain their guests, and you'll even find Frosty the Snowman getting down with his funky little self and shaking his festive groove thing as you walk by. The little kiddies in your group can hop aboard the little Jingle Bell Express train and cheer wildly while their parents take photos of the little crumb catchers. There are several places along this walkway which are designated as official photo opportunity spots, and people were definitely making the most of their smartphone cameras in front of various holiday signs. I liked this section of the park better when they had the artificial snow and allowed the screaming little creatures to have snowball fights and go sledding, but this is still a fun diversion for families. After you've had your fill of the holiday festivities just follow the path back into Morocco and you'll be back in the main section of Busch Gardens - right near the arcade area to the west of the Gwazi coaster.

It is one big festive party and feast for the senses Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights now through Dec. 23 as Tampa's Busch Gardens-by-day transforms into Christmas Town at night. Lots of lights, sounds of singing and costumed characters add sparkle, joy and color to help get everyone into the holiday spirit. Warning: Spontaneous ho ho ho-ing has been known to break out among the park's visitors. Of course, it's not a party without coasters. But this is Busch Gardens so these coasters don't cradle glasses. These are gravity-defying roller coasters with names like Cheetah Hunt and SheiKra that fly through the sky. Riding one of these may be the closest we will ever get to knowing what it is like to soar aboard Santa's sleigh. This year marks the debut of Christmas Town, a magical transformation that makes this major attraction the place to be to have a photo taken with Santa Claus, admire an angelic figure that may just surprise you, marvel at an elegant ice skating performance and even enjoy some atypical Florida fun like playing in real snow in the themed section SnowWorld® Presented by Coca-Cola®. Tour the park on foot or hop aboard a vintage-style steam locomotive for a sing-a-long of seasonal songs. Enjoy seasonal snacks like roasted nuts and other sweet treats. Even the gift shops are decked out with holiday decorations and gifts like special ornaments and cold weather clothing. Because a portion of the Christmas Town proceeds benefits All Children's Hospital, every visit is a gift that benefits youngsters undergoing medical treatment so while you treat yourself, you will also be spreading some holiday cheer to those who need a little extra this year.

It was okay. We left our house at 6pm on a weekend and we live in St Pete. They open from 6-10. It took us 30 minutes to get here and then 1 1/2 to get in. The moment we got to the light the parking line was horrible. We only enjoyed 2 hours and that was NOT enough to enjoy and experience.

Lots of fa-la-la-la-un!!! My boyfriend's sister and dad work at Busch so we got our tickets half off. Overall the event was very nice and the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit! I'll start with the cons first... Even though we still got our tickets half off, the admission of $20 per person was still a bit steep, especially when I have a two year Passport. The regular price is $40 for adults. No one should pay this much. I say reduce the price Busch Gardens and get passport holders in free. In this economy, especially! The shows were great (I'll get to them later) but because of the limited hours of the event (6:00-11:00 PM) and the numerous showtimes, we were always in a crunch for time and always had to keep our eyes on the clock so we wouldn't miss the next show. Extending the hours of the event would be great. The snow area was awesome, but the lines for it were akin to Disney lines. Some people said they waited for two hours! We were fortunate enough to get there early and only had to wait 15 minutes. Do Snow World first! We had a locker to put a change of clothes in after our foray in the snow. We did not change clothes because of the time crunch, but EVERYTHING shut down at 11:00 closing time and the employees were rude to us after the event and were "put off" for letting us into the Cheetah Hunt area to retrieve our stuff from the lockers. Cheer up guys, its Christmas! Now on the the Holly Jolly parts! Did I mention Snow World was awesome??? It is! It's consistency is like that of shaved ice from a sno-cone machine and is very hard, like snow that has been on the ground a few days, but it is as close to the real thing as you can get in Florida! Never fear kids at heart yelpers, you can play in the snow with the little ones. My boyfriend and I made snow angels and little snow men. Probably the coolest (pun intended :-D) were the excavated ice slides! They give you an inner-tube and you go flying down those things. It is as fun for adults as it is for kids! I recommend gloves and sneakers if you do this, because my Toms made my feet very cold and my hands went numb haha! The Candy-cane Sprite mocktail was delicious. It is served in a clear glass with sprite and candy-cane flavoring with an actual candy cane to stir it with. It tasted like a virgin mojito. The cocoa was amazing too. It is creamy, chocolaty, and you will have a whipped cream mustache. The Angels of Peace ice show was of the caliber of Cirque De Soleil! It was family friendly, beautiful, had elaborate costumes, and certain parts were mind blowing! The lights out in front echo the theme of the ice show and are all blue and white. It really is a winter wonderland. There was a beautiful angel statue that is alive and will take pictures with you! Very neat. The Jimmy Osmond show was adorable and will make you want to sing along. I enjoyed how he incorporated his own family in the show! His two young daughters sang and one of his sons sang, and his other son was on the drums. His wife came out later. Of course he pulled a lucky kid out of the audience and made a Santa hat magically appear! The show was very entertaining and fun for everyone. The go go dancers had on elaborate costumes to go with each song Osmond performed! Snow and ribbons shot out from the ceiling giving the show a grand finale!

I really enjoyed Christmas Town. I was lucky to get free media passes because I am a blogger. Busch Gardens really decked the halls for this event. I wish the camera could have captured the beauty of the twinkling Christmas lights. The lanes, the trees and scenery around you was clothed in lights of all sorts of colors: blues, purples, reds, and whites. This event had lots to offer: food, rides and attractions. First up was that Busch Gardens had 3 roller coasters open which were the Cheetah Hunt, Shekira and Gwazi. If an adrenaline rush isn't your thing then tour Snow World. A few people on here complained about it, but I don't understand how you can. The area was a bit on the small size- maybe the size of a dance floor? But I enjoyed it. I mean its snow, in Florida! Quit complaining and enjoy it for what its worth. Yes its not winter wonderland but its better than nothing. Though I do think it could have been bigger I still enjoyed it. Basically you wait in a line and a group of about 30 people enter into the snow area. You can walk in the snow, make snow balls or gone a very small slide on a tube. I think you get about 8 - 10 mins before they kick you out and let the next group in. Also in snow world was a game where you threw snow balls at a board and try to hit the target. Giant snow men walked around and you get your picture with Frosty. One last thing, they have some areas where fake snow falls down on you from a snow machine. How cool is that? You can take a picture and make it look like its snowing in Florida. Santa was on hand as well as Mrs Claus. Looking for some jolly fun and Christmas music? Hop aboard the music train and grab some cocoa (it might get cold). The train takes you across Busch Gardens as the conductor conducts a sing a long of Christmas Carols. Word to the wise: for people like me with sensitive hearing it does get a bit loud. But besides that I enjoyed the train ride. For food you have your typical fare of burgers, chicken fingers and and wraps. However there is a special Christmas section where you can enjoy waffles, hot cocoa, ginger bread cookies (oh my that cookie was divine), cranberry turkey legs, and other stuff. I had such a hard time trying to decide between the waffle or cookies. The smell of sugary dough, vanilla, and cinnamon, was intoxicating. The park had a few photo ops: the ones I mentioned above (Santa and frosty), Elmo, Big bird and Cookie monster were a few characters walking around. In typical amusement park fashion they take your photo professionally where view and buy a keepsake photo. I highly recommend this event. It's very family friendly and I know the kiddies would enjoy it.

Sorry it was closed, but after Hollow Scream, sounds like a good time to let my inner child out again.

This is a really great place for floridians especially those who have not been in the show before. Not the exact show experience but it comes in 2nd to the real deal. My son had a blast and when he has fun mommy is very happy. Very good place for family fun. Must see the Christmas light show that was super awesome and beautiful.

Totally enjoyed the park. Despite 19F spent there about 5 hours with 2 small kids. My son's video review is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAdYG0ZTyIw

Christmas Town was included in the Season Pass package this year (2014). Last year you had to pay extra to walk through some of the light displays, etc. I am glad that it was included this year because it is such a great way to spend an evening during the Holidays. The lights are up through the end of the year. In addition to the lights there are also characters (snow man, etc.) that kids can take pictures with. There are also some great shows (i.e. Christmas on Ice).

Christmas town has lots of lights great shows for all ages. You are invited into Santa house to meet him with lots of Elf's hard at work, beautiful lights shows and wonderful food. All of the rides from the day time are open too. So much fun :)

I usually love Christmas town this year let's start with waited 40 minutes for a tram. They get to the gate and waited an hour totally unorganized and staff clueless ! Made it through the entrances at 1 :30 after arriving ! I would expect this at an opening of a new ride not an event that has been open for weeks and years .

I'm a fan. Christmas town blows away the competition which locally in Tampa is Lowry Park Zoo. They even nudged out Disney this year because Christmas town was included with daily admission as opposed to Disney's separate ticketed events. If they would just give free cookies and cocoa like Disney, there would be no reason to travel to Orlando unless you are looking for the mouse. The light displays are beautiful, impressive and creative to include lighted animals in place of the real ones that are safely sleeping at night. There are a few areas of snow falling, a nativity display made of plants, a Christmas carol sing a long train, Christmas shows and of course the exciting rides. Lets not forget they also have the best Santa's house ever!!! The elves were so fun and made standing in line an experience in itself as you weave through an adorable house. Be sure to go straight to Santa's house when you get to the park because they have a neat feature this year, check in and get a pager and approximate time at which to come back, that way you can leave and do other things instead of waiting in line! Awesome!! Why 4 stars instead of 5... They are not open late enough, there isn't time to do everything. The light displays etc start at dark and since the park closes at 8 that only gives you 2 hours to see everything. We also were not pleased with the food. We went on a Friday and planned for family style colony house sit down dinning. We were disappointed to find they currently have the colony house closed during the week. Why? By the time we figured out they were closed, we had wasted time reading signs and trying to figure out why they were closed so we settled for the pub and cafe downstairs. Since the park closes 2 hours after the lights turn on we didn't want to waste any more time to track across the park for other options and not have time for the actual event. The food in the pub was not good. They didn't even have bbq sauce or honey mustard for the dry chicken tenders. Next time we will go on a Saturday or start at the smokehouse so we can eat well too!

Sigh. We normally love Christmas Town and have been going since its inception in 2012, but this year was a total letdown. No snow, no ice, no sledding, and more people than I have ever seen at the park before. I realize Busch Gardens has no control over the weather but at nearly 90 degrees we were really hoping for some man-made snow/ice. I would rather pay the additional charge to have Christmas Town be the way it was.

Loved it and there is some wonderful music and decorations that reflect the reason for the season so we totally loved it and will go back this year.

Went this past December and had a great time! Park was beautiful, short lines for rides, nice atmosphere. Look forward to going again!