The NYC Traveler: Holidays at the Parks
The NYC Traveler: Holidays at the Parks
Have a Very Merry!
The holiday season, which seems to begin earlier each year, is a special time at theme parks. Some parks are open all year long, but the ones that are full-time during warmer weather, open up just for the holiday season (which may include Halloween, as well). Check the website for each park for tickets and reservations.
(Well, Epcot seems to celebrate different festivities all year long anyway, but that's another article!)
Always magical places, the parks add extra sparkle, parades, shows and events to the line-up. As of this writing, 2020, some activities have been scaled back, but the sentiment is still there and there are the memories of years of Christmases past.
1. Universal Resort, Orlando, Florida: They feature the Dr. Seuss franchise and sometimes have the special Grinch shows. They may change the story a bit and add or delete some songs, but seeing the story of the Grinch trying to steal Christmas is fun. You enter the line in Islands of Adventure but the theater may be in Universal Studios, so a park-to-park ticket may be needed.
Catch the performance on our YouTube Channel here!
2. Universal adds the holiday spirit to the whole park, but Seuss Landing, always looking festive year round, gets an extra sparkle. Check out our slideshow of a Universal Christmas.
3. Not to be outdone by Disney's famous parades, Universal has its own, featuring a bit of NYC's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
4. Over at Disney, there are several events that will have you in the holiday spirit. Most notable is Mickey's Very Merriest After Hours event in the Magic Kingdom, in the same model as Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (which in itself is designed to be the opposite of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights and Six Flags' Hallowfest). It's a separate ticketed event, so if you are in the park during the day, you will have to leave and pay again to re-enter. Annual passholders have to pay, too, but there may be a small discount. The Very Merriest party features character greetings that may not happen all year long, a special parade and free treats at spots throughout the park. Since the party is an extra cost, there may be fewer people in the park, so you may get on rides like Space Mountain and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a bit easier.
5. Epcot has its own International Festival of the Holidays, with added countries in addition to the normal 11 pavilions. You can eat, drink and party your way around the world in different languages, cultures and food. There's also the famous Candlelight Procession pageant, featuring a celebrity narrator and high school choirs along with the cast.
6. Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the party continues (just leave Epcot at the International Gateway between the UK and France pavilions and walk through the boardwalk, take the ferry or take the skyliner). Although we miss the Spectacle of Lights that used to be in the Streets of America (now Galaxy's Edge), the shows continue to be projected on the Chinese Theater and the Tower of Terror.
7. Animal Kingdom is not immune to the holiday spirit either. They feature unique decorations that add a subtle touch as well as their famous dance parties in Harambe and Discovery Island.
8. Who can resist chocolate and Christmas? Or chocolate and any holiday? Certainly not Hersheypark! They start with Halloween and keep it going. And even with the pandemic, Christmas Candyland will go on. The park opens up in the afternoon and closes around 9PM on select dates, providing great lights and fun as it gets dark, including possibly a glimpse of real reindeer!
9. Six Flags has Holiday in the Parks. They're known for their thrill rides, but they have food, entertainment and excitement for little ones, so if hanging upside down on a ride is not your thing, there's lots more. The cool thing about Six Flags is that they have 26 parks throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico, literally one near you!
10. Busch Gardens has two main parks, Tampa, Florida and Williamsburg, Virginia. The VA park will have limited holiday times, so know before you go.
