Amusement Park News

The holidays are definitely here, and in full swing at theme parks nationwide. While California and Florida host the lion's share of such events due to weather, there are still plenty of other parks offering seasonal fun.

From November 22 to January 5, Knott's Berry Farm becomes the Merry Farm in Buena Park, California. The event features live holiday shows, an ice show, and a Christmas Crafts Village along with festive dining. Other Cedar Fair parks are also getting into the seasonal spirit with Winterfest, including Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, California's Great America, and Carowinds, as well as Knott's. The Cedar Fair events include ice skating, cookie baking with Mrs. Claus, a Wonderland parade, and live holiday musical theater in different venues at each park.

From November 22 to December 31, Universal Orlando plays host to a wide range of festivities, such as Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure, with its musical "Who-liday Spectacular" show and character breakfasts with the Grinch. At Universal Studios Florida, the Holiday Parade takes place, illuminating the park nightly; The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be strung with holiday décor and will feature an immersive light show at Hogwarts Castle.

The Hogwarts Castle light show will also shimmer at Universal Studios Hollywood along with the first holiday celebration at the park's new Super Nintendo World; as well as a Grinch meet n' greet, sing along, and nightly lighting of the park's holiday tree as inspired by Dr. Seuss. The park's New Year's Eve celebration will run until 2 a.m. with multiple party areas, music, dance, and a midnight fireworks countdown.

At Anaheim's Disneyland, the park is decorated to the hilt with holiday décor and offers a variety of musical and parade presentations to celebrate the season. The iconic castle transforms nightly with the “Believe… in Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular; at the resort's sister park, California Adventure, Vintage Holiday Vistas transform Buena Vista Street to a 1930s era holiday wonderland; Merry Car-istmas in Cars Land includes Mater's Jingle Jamboree and Luigi's Joy to the Whirl.

In Florida at Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort, the Magic Kingdom offers Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with parades, fireworks, and holiday treats on select dates; Disney's Hollywood Studios is packed with themed décor and live music; EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays focuses on global celebrations of food, entertainment, and the music of the park's "Candlelight Processional" choir.  Holiday projections will light up Cinderella Castle, the Hollywood Tower Hotel, and the Tree of Life.

Also in Florida, from November 16 to January 5, SeaWorld Orlando's Christmas Celebration serves up an ocean's worth of sparkling lights, holiday trees, and a Winter Wonderland on Ice show, as well as a meet n' greet with Santa and Rudolph, and nightly fireworks displays. On the West Coast, SeaWorld San Diego offers new Christmas shows, Santa and Rudolph meet ups and a Mrs. Claus Christmas parade, as well as a massive Christmas tree, an illuminated SkyTower, and a music-activated tunnel of lights, plus live reindeer and seasonal treats such as hot chocolate topped with candy. Nightly snowfalls take place by the SkyTower lawn and at the Wild Arctic ride. SeaWorld's San Antonio, Texas location also offers holiday events mid-November through early January.

At Legoland Florida Resort December 2 to 31, there are LEGO-themed holiday displays, Santa Claus meet-and-greets, festive scavenger hunts, and LEGO holiday-themed shows, as well as a kid's New Year's Eve celebration with fireworks. Legoland parks in Florida, New York, and California each celebrate the holidays with similar events and include LEGO brick Christmas trees, and LEGO mini-figure character meet-and-greets.

Guests arriving at Santa's Village in New Hampshire will find that along with the debut of a new reindeer themed coaster, Midnight Flyer, the park is once again holding its Elphabet contest for kids. Participants receive a punch card with which to mark the discovery of 26 elf statues scattered throughout the park. Those who complete the card receive a certificate from Elf University and a key chain. A Tinkerdoodle Christmas, the park's 3D movie, screens daily at the Polar Theater while Santa's Christmas Light Show takes place outdoors on Main Street in November and December.

Located on the opposite side of the U.S., at Sky Park at Santa's Village in Skyforest, California, Santa appears all year, but from mid-November through January 4th, Santa Claus and Mrs. Holli Claus make special appearances and the village is transformed with sparkling lights, decorated trees, and other holiday decorations. Santa can be visited by appointment or with a wait in a stand-by line; separately ticketed seasonal events add to the fun with the opportunity for kids to enjoy a Breakfast with Santa and Tea with Mrs. Claus or a cookie decorating experience. A tree lighting ceremony takes place nightly; and the park's Silver Bells Arena transforms into a frozen pond for skating, with skate rentals included in park admission. Also nightly: a narrated interactive nighttime walk that leads guests through the North Woods, a natural forest environment transformed into a seasonal illuminated wonderland.



At Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., holiday lights also shine. Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas opened November 1st and runs through January 5th. The park features more than six million twinkling lights, and many dozens of massive Christmas trees as well as holiday shows including "Christmas in the Smokies," and "Appalachian Christmas." A seasonal food festival can be accessed with a single price Smoky Mountain Christmas tasting pass for everything from jambalaya to chocolate peppermint ice cream sandwiches.

Like Dollywood, Kennywood Amusement Park near Pittsburgh, Penna., also dances with light for the season. The holiday light show at this park also features meet n' greets with Rudolph and his friends Clarice, Bumble and Sam the Snowman. A new Holiday Reflections Light Show:
Around the Lagoon takes place every 30 minutes after dark, synced to holiday tunes. Also new is the “Spirit of the Season: A Holiday Celebration” stage show with holiday pop music. Returning: a nightly tree lighting ceremony for a 100-foot Christmas tree.



At Pennsylvania's Hersheypark Christmas Candylane®, guests will enjoy a number of select coasters and family rides, open and decorated, and can stroll through a park transformed with over 5 million holiday lights, pay a visit to Santa and nine live reindeer, and sip the ultimate hot chocolate made with none other than Hershey's cocoa, of course.  

Texas also has some sweet celebrations. The Lonestar State is home to Six Flags Over Texas
Holiday in the Park event with bright Christmas lights, holiday shows, and appearances from Santa. Six Flags Holiday in the Park events takes place at multiple locations throughout the country, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, where choreographed light shows add to the festive spirit.

Not to be outdone, Santa's Wonderland in College Station, Tex. can boast that it is the largest Christmas park in the world, with millions of lights, real snow and ice, and holiday entertainment and merchandise.

On the East Coast, New Jersey's Storybook Land offers a Christmas Fantasy with Lights, music, Santa, and decorated rides and attractions from mid-November to early January. Moving south to Doswell, Virginia, Kings Dominion hosts WinterFest, with a 300-foot tree, and a mammoth ice-skating rink created from the iconic International Street fountain.

Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in both its Tampa, Florida and Williamsburg, Virginia locations offers lights, Santa, and in Florida, the Holly Jolly Express train. In Virginia, guests can enjoy a tasty Santa's Fireside Feast.

And in Branson, Missouri's Silver Dollar City, the park's Old Time Christmas event shines with an 8-story Christmas tree, two major holiday musical productions, and an illuminated Rudolph parade. The park also features music in light tunnels, holiday treats, and over 5 million lights in all.