Bush Gardens Christmas Town Extends Celebration With An Extra Date And Hours!
Christmas Town Will Now Be Open Thursday, December 20 and until Midnight Select Nights
This Christmas season, Busch Gardens set out to create the newest tradition for Tampa families. Now, the park is adding even more joy to its calendar.
To respond to enthusiastic consumer demand, Busch Gardens Christmas Townhas added an extra night and will now be open on Thursday, December 20 from 6 to 11 p.m. In addition to the extra night, Christmas Town will remain open until midnight on December 15, 22 and 23.
Enchanted Flamingo Valley
Christmas Town has transformed the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintry surprises. Since its opening on November 30, families have caroled across the Serengeti on the Christmas Town Express, marveled at penguins’ underwater antics and played in the snow at SnowWorld® Presented by Coca-Cola®.
All of these new experiences and more are available every night of Busch Gardens Christmas Town, now through December 23. Christmas Town opens at 6 p.m. on every event night; however, guests with Christmas Town tickets can enter the park early at 5 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from Christmas Town will benefit All Children’s Hospital.
Candy Cane Lane to Train Station
Busch Gardens Christmas Town is a separate-ticketed night event, and regular daytime admission is not required or included. General admission for Christmas Town is $39.99 plus tax. Busch Gardens annual pass members will receive the deepest discounts with advance online priced at $24.99 for adults and $9.99 for children, and special offers are available for guests wishing to upgrade their paid daily admission to Busch Gardens. Gift cards are available at Bay area Publix locations and additional discounts are offered through promotional codes from Chick Fil-A, Coca-Cola at Wal-Mart and Fantastic Sam’s. Families with children ages 3 to 9 can still enjoy a special advance-purchase price of $9.99 for their youngest members.
If you are looking for a new way to experience the holidays in a theme park, look no further than Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! This new nighttime event takes places on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from November 30 – December 23 from 6 – 11pm. We were fortunate enough to get to take part in this great new offering from Busch Gardens on opening night, and I cannot wait to go back again.
There are so many great things to do and see during this after hours party that requires a separate ticket for admission. Annual Passholder and advance discounted tickets are available so get your tickets ahead of time to be able to maximize your savings. Throughout the park beautiful decorations of gorgeous flora and spectacular lights are showcased with Christmas music floating around along with unique holiday food and beverage offerings.
We started off by exploring the schedule of shows to try to catch as many of the things with set times that we could. First up was the ice skating show Angels of Peace in the Moroccan Palace Theater. This was a beautiful presentation of nationally ranked ice skaters to some of your favorite Christmas carols. Next up we went to see the Hallelujah Chorus, which this evening was a local high school madrigal group performing classic Christmas songs.
After we explored Morocco and the gorgeous lights around the entrance to Christmas Town, we decided to head to Cheetah Hunt to catch a couple of back to back rides since it was a walk on. This was the case with practically no wait on Gwazi and Sheikra later too. While we rode, our friends watched the Carol of the Bells show projected on the Crown Colony House. This dancing lights show was amazing, especially catching it from Cheetah Hunt.
One of our favorite activities of the evening was the Christmas Town Sing-Along Train. We had so much fun singing Christmas carols with other guests while riding around the park on the Serengeti Express Train. We even got to see a few animals while riding around the Serengeti Plain! I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys Christmas carols or even just having fun as a group.
If you have little ones in your family I’m sure they (and you) will enjoy the dancing of the elves at Club Elf by Sheikra. You can even get your picture taken with the elves at the end of their set. This is a great interactive dance party for the young ones or those just young at heart. Also in this area you can find some unique holiday treats to Christmas Town. The Candy Cane Sprite Delight was one of our favorites.
Great light displays are dispersed around the park featuring some of the animals found at Busch Gardens like cheetahs, zebras, elephants and flamingos. These were some of the most beautiful areas of the park lit up at night. Next up we explored Christmas Town Village with great crafts, food and drinks to choose from. My snack of choice was delicious in the warm ham and swiss cheese sandwich on pretzel bread and honey mustard.
Gwazi Park plays host to the Contemporary Christian band Jars of Clay each night of Christmas Town. We were treated to a great show of Christmas carols as well as their hit song Flood. Definitely make this a don’t miss part of your evening! Next to the park you will find Snow World, a play area where kids can slide down a small snowy hill on inner tubes and kids big and small can throw snowballs at targets.
We ended the evening watching a performance of We Three Kings who sang and told the story of the nativity. On our way out of the park we caught the Enchanted Flamingo Valley, which was lit up with brilliant pink lights on the trees. All in all it was a fabulous evening filled with food, fun and Christmas spirit at Busch Garden’s Christmas Town. I am looking forward to going back again soon to catch several things I didn’t get to experience like Sesame Street: A Very Furry Christmas, Santa’s House and checking out some of the other amazing sounding dining options special to the Christmas Town celebration.
If you get a chance, hook up your sleigh and head on over to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay to take advantage of the great special event that is Christmas Town! There are tons of fun things to do, great shows, live entertainment, animals, and of course some of your favorite rides. What better way to spend time getting in the holiday spirit than by visiting Christmas Town with family and friends.
Have you been to Christmas Town? What did you think? What are you most looking forward to seeing?
Read more about tickets for this special event here.
Busch Gardens sign
Christmas palm trees
Lights at the entrance
Carolers in Morocco
Zagora Cafe lights
Christmas tree with Cheetah Hunt
Moroccan Palace Theater
Angels of Peace Ice Show
Aerial acrobats
Little girl ice skater
Ice skating finale
Hallelujah Chorus
Cheetahs
Crown Colony House
Cheetah Hunt
Candy Cane Lane to Train Station
Pathway to Train Station
Penguin Point
Train Station
Christmas Town Sing-Along Train
Cheetah Hunt by moonlight
Resting giraffes
Giraffe in negative
Angels
Nativity scene
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Christmas Town snacks
Candy Cane Sprite Delight
Club Elf
Elephants
Entrance to Santa’s House
Tree outside Santa’s House
Merry Christmas blocks
Warm ham and swiss on pretzel bread with honey mustard
With Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party well under way, I thought it was a perfect time to take a look at the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party exclusive merchandise!
As they did with Mickey’s No So Scary Halloween Party Merchandise, Walt Disney World has released a series of pins for the party that you can buy individually or in a set. This year the ‘completer pin’ to the set, which features Duffy, is only available in the box and framed sets.
This year at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, they are also offering a special Annual Passholder pin. I really like the design of this pin, and appreciate that it is a little less expensive than the other pins available.
The short sleeved t-shirt, long sleeved t-shirt, and sweatshirt all feature the same design, and are available in green and red. I really feel like Disney missed an opportunity to make some really fun shirts that were a little more ornate like they did at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. But that being said, these are definitely made of a thicker t-shirt material and better suited for winter layering.
Shopping is always the first thing we do at the parties, and I still encourage you to do the same if buying party exclusive merch is your thing! The shirts and sweatshirts seem to always go first, but don’t hesitate if you see a pin that you have to own!!!
I hope that you enjoy this look at the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party exclusive merchandise!
The Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Map has locations where you can find the party exclusive merchandise around the park.
This was my second time attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World but my first as an Orlando local. As with most special events, it was almost if not completely sold out, so be sure to arrive as soon as the party begins at 7 PM, though party goers can usually enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 PM. I attended on Thursday November 15 and it was slightly chilly by Florida standards which only added to the festivity of the party. Because there are so many “extras” reserved just for party nights, I did not ride any attractions. There is exclusive merchandise available, complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, character photo opportunities and dance parties, special Holiday shows, Holiday Wishes and the not-to-be-missed Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade.
Chip and Dale during the Once Upon A Christmastime Parade.
Starting with merchandise, you will find party exclusive pins and apparel in the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A. and at various shops throughout the park. Pins are typically located at the registers and on the night I attended, these party exclusive items were not released until all the day guests had exited the park. The shirts are very popular but I did see some still available in Tomorrowland at the end of the evening.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party exclusive pins.
In terms of dining during the party, quick service is the way to go. Table service meals will take away from valuable party time. Check the party guide map because only certain dining locations are open. There’s always my favorite way to go which is to skip dinner and just enjoy the complimentary chocolate chip cookies, snicker doodles and hot cocoa instead. The party guide map lists all the Holiday Treat locations.
Cookies!!!
The entertainment is the big draw of the Christmas party. The “Celebrate the Season” Show takes place at the Cinderella Castle Stage three times during the party while “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show” is presented five times nightly on the Tomorrowland Stage. There’s a character dance party in Liberty Square and also in Tomorrowland. Be sure to visit the Town Square Theater on Main Street, U.S.A. for a great holiday photo opportunity with Mickey and Minnie in their holiday best. The Cast Members gave me plenty of time and allowed me to do Photo Pass and also use my personal camera. Finally don’t miss Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade which debuts twice during the party. As with all parades, the first one is typically the most crowded and prime viewing locations fill up quickly.
Celebrate the Season Show
As with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is about the ambiance in the park, the snow falling on Main Street, U.S.A., the Christmas music wafting through the park, the holiday treats, and all the magical holiday entertainment reserved especially for party goers. As a now-local, I found the party to be a great way to strictly enjoy the magic of Christmas at Walt Disney World without feeling rushed and pressured to ride all my favorite attractions as I can do that at any other time. My advice, even if you are visiting the party as part of your vacation, is to focus on the party specific events and special offerings. It’s truly a magical time and is truly jam packed with holiday festivities.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is held select nights in November and December and often times sell out. Tickets went on sale on May 1, 2012 for this year’s parties. There are advance purchase discounts as well as discounts for Passholders, DVC Members, and military personnel on select nights. So don your festive holiday attire, grab your family and friends and head to the Magic Kingdom for a great way to kick off your holiday celebrations.
Don’t forget to grab your SotMK exclusive card at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!
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Christmas Bricktacular and Kid’s New Year’s Eve Brings Joy to Kids this Holiday Season
LEGOLAND® Florida is getting into the holiday spirit with brick-loads of family-friendly fun with its second annual Christmas Bricktacular and Kid’s New Year’s Eve. Sounds of the season and stunning holiday decorations fill The Beginning and Fun Town with festivities every Saturday and Sunday in December, 10am-5pm.
The Beginning is home to a truly Bricktacular sight – a more than 30-foot-tall LEGO Christmas tree made with a combination of 270,000forest green LEGO and DUPLO® bricks. The official tree lighting ceremony will be held Nov. 29 at 5pm with a special master of ceremonies.
USA Olympic hurdler David Oliver and general manager Adrian Jones help light a 270,000-brick tree to jump-start LEGOLAND Florida’s Inaugural Christmas Bricktacular
Holiday festivities on Saturdays and Sundays in December during Christmas Bricktacular will feature tons of family fun:
· LEGO® Christmas Tree: The more than 30-foot-tall LEGO Christmas tree made with a combination of 270,000 forest green LEGO and DUPLO® bricks provides the perfect place for every holiday family photo. Through Dec. 25, a special family will be chosen to help light the Bricktacular tree each night.
· LEGO Model BuildActivity: What LEGO lover doesn’t want a chance to build while at Central Florida’s newest theme park featuring massive creations of the world’s most beloved toy? Help LEGOLAND Florida build a LEGO Christmas Tree in the Wells Fargo Fun Town 4D Theatre Plaza that will stand over 20 foot tall when completed.
· LEGO Santa Scavenger Hunt: It’s Christmas Eve in Miniland USA and Santa is busy delivering gifts to all the good girl and boy minilanders. Help find Santa in this fun-filled holiday scavenger hunt. The whole family can enjoy searching for Santa in the over 30 million LEGO bricks that make up Miniland USA. One lucky hunter each day will receive a prize from the daily drawing.
· LEGO Santa and LEGO Toy Soldier: Guests will have meet and greet opportunities with LEGOLAND Florida’s special holiday friends, LEGO Santa and LEGO Toy Soldier.
Holiday Festivities and Entertainment: Festive decorations and sounds of the season will fill the entrance of the park and a variety of holiday entertainment will take place throughout the weekend to delight guests of all ages.
· Holiday Shopping: LEGOLAND Florida is the best place to celebrate the season and pick up the holiday gifts that are on every child’s wish list – LEGO! With six specialty stores, the park is proud to offer a unique and often hard to find selection of LEGO products and more.
Along with LEGOLAND Florida’s Christmas Bricktacular, guests can still enjoy a full day of theme park fun with more than 50 rides, shows and attractions. Holiday events are included with normal park admission. The best way to experience LEGOLAND Florida for the best value is with the new LEGOLAND Florida Resident Pass. Pass members receive unlimited admission for 12 months to LEGOLAND Florida and the LEGOLAND Water Park, as well as all other Merlin US attractions (LEGOLAND California & Water Park, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, Sea Life Centers and Madam Tussauds), free parking and 10% off food and merchandise with no black-out dates. A new monthly payment option of less than $10 per month is also available both at the front gate and online. The Monthly Payment Plan includes a down payment of $57.24 for and adult with monthly payment of $9.26 and $46.44 for child/senior with a monthly payment of only $7.51 (pre-tax).To purchase tickets, visit www.legoland.com.
Ice Featuring Merry Madagascar At The Gaylord Palms Resort Is Here!
Ice Featuring Merry Madagascar starts November 10th!
Two Million Pounds of Sculptured ICE await visitors to Gaylord Palms’ “Florida Freezer”
Brrr! Do you feel that chill in the air? It’s time to bundle up in those cozy winter coats, hats and scarves and slip on over to Central Florida’s coolest one-of-a-kind 9-degree Christmas attraction: ICE! featuring DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.’s “Merry Madagascar” at Gaylord Palms. Celebrating its 10th year, ICE! is more fun than ever, exhibiting more than 20,000 square feet of hand-carved ice sculptures made of 2 million pounds of ice — including four incredible two-story ice slides. The adventure begins Nov. 10 for people of all ages, and is open seven days a week.
Lions and Penguins and ICE! Oh, My!
Prepare to be mesmerized by the vibrant color blast as you wander through the icy wonderland at your own pace. Relive the story of how Alex the Lion and his friends saved Christmas after Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar with this inspiring tribute to the unforgettable DreamWorks Animation TV classic “Merry Madagascar.”
Eleven vignettes showcase different scenes from the TV classic. Capture the charm of the “Florida Freezer” with characters such as Melman the Giraffe, the tallest sculpture, standing at 10 feet. Dare to disregard the pizzazz of the penguins. Not to disappoint, we’ve also got something for those thrill-seekers searching for a way to make their indelible mark. Enter a room featuring the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, St. Basil and the sphinx and plummet down one of four massive ice slides!
A team of 40 talented artisans traveled from Harbin, China, to work meticulously for more than a month to slice and shave 6,000 blocks of colored and clear ice, each weighing approximately 400 pounds, to carve this incredible experience. To illuminate their craftsmanship, they froze more than 1,000 LED light tubes into the attraction.
IMPORTANT: ICE! is kept at a frigid 9 degrees Fahrenheit (-13 degrees Celsius). Be sure to dress appropriately: Closed-toe shoes and long pants are required. Hooded winter coats are provided for your warmth and comfort inside the attraction and are available in a variety of sizes, including sizes for children. Hats and gloves are strongly recommended and may be purchased on site at the ICE! house gift shop.
Ice Featuring Merry Madagascar at Gaylord Palms is a can’t-miss event for everyone this Christmas season. Whether you’re looking for something to do during the afternoon to ignite the holiday spirit or you’re a thrill-seeker in search of your next daring adventure, Ice Featuring Merry Madagascar is for you. Additional activities offered around the resort free of charge include a massive 54-foot tall majestic Christmas tree lighting; live stage shows, including the spirited Luminescence – featuring The Edge Effect Christmas show; and the Polar Bear Pursuit Scavenger Hunt.
However, the best way to benefit from all that Gaylord Palms has to offer is to book a room and become immersed in the splendor of Christmas. Guests seeking a complete Christmas experience can purchase special “Christmassy DreamWorks Experience” packages starting at $189.99 per room, per night (for a three night stay)! Packages include unlimited visits to ICE! and a number of other activities, including a ShrekFeast Interactive Character Meal, and more!
You may feel a chill in the air, but you’ll feel warmth in your heart as you create wonderful holiday memories that last a lifetime.
Ice Featuring Merry Madagascar is open daily from Nov. 10, 2012 through Jan. 1, 2013, including holidays. Ticket prices for children start at $9.99, and adult ticket prices start at $18.99. Florida Residents — Save an extra $4 per ticket. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.christmasatgaylordpalms.com. ICE! is presented by Coca-Cola.
Gaylord Palms Resort is located five minutes from the gates of Walt Disney World at 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL 34746. For more information, visit www.gaylordpalms.com or call 407-586-2000.
Be sure to “Like” Gaylord Palms on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GaylordPalms to get the most up-to-date information and promotions!
The Gaylord Palms hotel, located near Walt Disney World, is an amazing hotel that is transformed into a winter wonderland full of beautiful lights and decorations during Christmas and most importantly home to Ice! At Gaylord Palms!!!
At their Christmas in July event, the Gaylord Palms hotel treated guests to some great Christmas treats and entertainment in the Cypress Springs Family Fun Water Park before the big announcement and amazing surprise!
The announcements began with people around and in the pool (only in Florida!), and we found out that Ice! will feature characters from Merry Madagascar this year. Ice! at Gaylord Palms featuring Dreamworks Merry Madagascar will run from November 10th – January 1st, and I can’t wait!!! Last year was our first year going to Ice! and we are excited to see what this year’s sculptures and slides will look like!
ICE! is Florida’s favorite frigid Christmas tradition, with over 20,000 square-feet of frosty 9-degree bliss played out in a winter wonderland of exciting hand-carved sculptures. And this year it’s really all that it’s cracked up to be, featuring 30-foot ice slides carved entirely from TWO-MILLION pounds of ice and an all-new, awe inspiring tribute to the unforgettable DreamWorks’ Animation TV classic Merry Madagascar. Relive the story of how Alex the Lion and his friends saved Christmas after Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar. ICE! is hand carved by 40 artisans from Harbin, China and will be arriving in early Fall. And while you’re thawing out from this coolest of attractions, you can bask in the dazzling lights of the magnificent Christmas décor throughout the resort and spirited Luminescence Christmas show. You may feel a chill in the air but you’ll feel warmth in your heart as you create wonderful holiday memories that last a lifetime
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_35scTMKoI
But when we thought it was all done, we were wrong!!! Cause out from the speakers came a familiar beat…then a familiar voice…and before I could even form the words Vanilla Ice took the stage for some Ice, Ice Baby goodness. It was such a treat, because I never thought I would be able to relive that memory with my daughter.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAwYOlNPYb8
After the announcement and performance, guests were invited inside to take pictures with the characters, and to enjoy the beautiful Gaylord Palms Hotel. If you have never been inside of the Gaylord Palms hotel, you are seriously missing out on a beautiful place to spend your vacation.
We are all really excited for Ice! at Gaylord Palms featuring Dreamworks Merry Madagascar, and can’t thank them enough for hosting an amazing event that we won’t soon forget!!!
Continuing on my quest to experience things that I have never seen before, I headed to Animal Kingdom to see Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.
During the holiday season, November 10, 2011 to January 3, 2012, Mickey’s Jamming Jungle Parade gets infused with the spirit and fun of the holidays and is transformed into Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.
Disney Characters have come for a holiday visit to Animal Kingdom, and star in this 15 minute parade that makes a large loop around the park that launches from the Tusker House Gate in Harambe. The parade time does vary, so make sure that you check the times guide for when it begins!
We got an excellent spot in front of Tusker House, and settled in just in time for the fun to begin.
I honestly was expecting a few cheesy touches, but I was surprised at just how much detail and holiday cheer was infused into the parade!
The over-lay is extremely well done, and I reveled in the little touches!!! Walking Characters were adorned with holiday garb, and holiday details were added to each float.
I really hope that you enjoy this look at Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade as much as I did!!!!
This year I thought it would be fun to go Holiday Resort Hopping, since it was something that we had always wanted to do during our holiday visits but could never find the time.
I thought I would start with Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, because we ran through it last year and I wanted to take a better look at the decorations throughout the Main Building.
Nothing says Christmas at the Grand Floridian like the smell of gingerbread that hits you as soon as the doors to the lobby open! I found so many little details on the super-sized gingerbread Victorian House that I missed last year!!!
I am in LOVE with the all little period details and opulence of the trees and wreaths spread throughout the hallways and walls of the building.
I hope you enjoy some of my favorite pictures of the decorations.
