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Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town Guide

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Last year, my mom and I got to experience Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town for the first time. I didn’t find too many reviews or guides about it prior to visiting, so I thought I would create one.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town

Christmas Town is what Busch Gardens theme parks call their annual Christmas event. With special shows, lights, and entertainment, it’s one of the more affordable yet enjoyable Christmas theme park events, in my opinion. My mom and I visited using my Annual Pass and a free bring-a-friend pass. So, it was almost like it was free. Haha!

Attractions

My mom and I don’t really visit theme parks to ride the rides. We are more show/food/ambiance people. However, I wanted to point out that technically some of the rides are open during this event, in case that interests some folks. Although, not everything is open, especially when the temperature drops.

Shows

I think the shows are some of the most enjoyable aspects of this event. Last year, we enjoyed the show at Das Festhaus and Scrooge No More! It looks like Das Festhaus is getting a new show for 2025: Christmas Town Live! I’m sure it will be just as good as the old show. I highly recommend Scrooge No More! I was impressed with the ghosts.

I also highly recommend checking out some of the light shows. The Polar Pathway: Spectacle of Lights is worth catching at least once. The Celebration of Lights at O’Tannenbaum was also nice.

I had wanted to see ‘Twas that Night. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on the schedule for the day we visited. So, I would encourage everyone to consult the schedule to plan out your day.

The Ambiance

I would also like to point out how nicely the park is decorated for the holidays. It was nice to just walk around and take it all in. It was a cold night, but the lights and decor are top notch.

The Food

If there’s one part that’s lacking, it’s the food. Beyond a few drinks and desserts, the park doesn’t really do a holiday dining menu. Most of the restaurants have their regular menus. That’s one of the reasons why we did Santa’s Fireside Feast. It allowed us to enjoy some nice seasonal food while indoors.

Busch Gardens Christmas Town Tips

  • Keep an eye out for details – Busch Gardens doesn’t get in much of a hurry to release info. Last year, the details were released in late October. However, most people have their trips planned by then.
  • Look at the schedule – Not every show is performed everyday. Also, they have limited hours during the Christmas event.
  • Rope drop – With the park being open so few hours, it’s important to maximize each one. Arrive early to get a jumpstart.
  • Take time for shows and decor – Even though you may feel rushed, it’s worth it to pause and see a show.

Should you go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town?

I believe this was my mom’s favorite day of the entire trip. She really enjoyed the shows and seeing the lights. I think if you are visiting the area around the holidays, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party Guide

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Last year, I was able to do a Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom! So, just in case anyone else is considering doing the same thing, I thought I’d make a little post to help.

Solo Mickey's Christmas Party

Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party

For those who don’t know, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a separately ticketed event held at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on select nights in November and December. I’ve been lucky enough to attend this party several times with my mom. In fact, you can read my general Very Merry party advice in an old post. Last year, I decided to attend it by myself for the first time!

Mickey’s Very Merry By Myself

As per usual, I entered the park prior to the 7 o’clock party start time. This year, I had an early dinner at The Plaza Restaurant. I got the Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich with fries. It’s basic, but good. Having traveled all day, I was really hungry and this hit the spot.

After dinner, I enjoyed the ambiance of the holidays in Magic Kingdom by sitting at a table in front of the restaurant. Right before the party began, I decided to get in line to see Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Scrooge McDuck. Unfortunately, Scrooge ended up missing the picture since he was counting his money. That’s ok, I got a picture with him the next night at Jollywood Nights.

After the meet and greet, I grabbed a few cookies to take with me before wandering over to the dessert party. After standing in line (and traveling all day), it felt nice to sit down with some treats. During the party, another family started talking to me and we had a nice chat about Disney and other travel destinations. Then, we headed over to the Garden Plaza for fireworks viewing.

Following the fireworks, I got a spot on Main Street for the parade. I love the Christmas parade! It’s a must-see every time, for me. After the parade, I hit up the remaining cookie spots and met Mickey before exiting the park.

Tips

  • Do what you want – Do you want to stand in a long line to meet characters? Do it. Want to sit down and just enjoy being in the park? Do it. It’s your trip.
  • Have a list – I didn’t have a concrete plan for this trip considering it was last minute. However, I knew I wanted to see the parade, meet Donald, see the fireworks, and get some cookies. The party goes fast, so having an idea of what you want to accomplish helps.
  • Go fast or go slow – I tend to walk pretty quickly in a theme park, particularly when I’m alone. So, it’s nice to walk at my own speed. However, I also made time to sit down and chill during this party.
  • Consider a dessert party – The fireworks viewing included with the dessert party was nice to get away from some of the crowds. However, it can also be easier to snag a spot when you are alone. It depends what you value.
  • Don’t be afraid – It’s not awkward to meet the characters by yourself. Also, I often have conversations with other families when I’m in the parks. You might be attending alone, but that doesn’t mean you will be lonely.

Should you attend a Solo Mickey’s Christmas Party?

I love traveling by myself. However, it’s not for everyone. I enjoy going at my own speed and doing what I want to, when I want to. I also understand wanting to share the experience with someone else. I think it comes down to individual circumstances, but I think most people can enjoy a party by themselves.

Solo Disney Jollywood Nights Guide

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Last year, I was lucky enough to do a Solo Disney Jollywood Nights event! So, I thought I would share what it was like and offer some advice for anyone considering doing the same.

Solo Disney Jollywood Nights

Solo Disney Jollywood Nights

Just in case you forgot, Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed add-on event held after the regular park hours at Hollywood Studios. New in 2023, it’s a jazzy holiday themed party. It’s target audience leans more adults than children (versus Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party held at Magic Kingdom). Lots of people enjoy dressing up for this event. Thus far, I have worn a sparkly shirt of some sort with plain bottoms to match the weather. However, there isn’t a dress code.

What I Did

Having previously attended the Christmas Event in 2023, I knew what to expect at this party. I think that helped immensely as I knew I didn’t want to waste party time on the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing Along. However, I also knew that I wanted to see the show with the Muppets and the Jingle Bell! Jingle Bam! Fireworks Show again. I also fit in the Glisten ice skating show since it was new and it’s near the location of the fireworks.

Aside from the three shows, I mainly spent my time running around and meeting rare characters! I loved meeting The Mandalorian and Grogu! I wouldn’t make my mom wait in line for that, but it felt cool to see them. I also met Mickey and Minnie together as well as Donald and Daisy together dressed up in their special outfits for the party. Additionally, I met Scrooge McDuck, Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers, and Max Goof as Powerline.

I even saw Muppet Vision 3D one last time. I also took a stroll around the area just to take it all in before they change the area over to Monsters Inc.

Tips

  • Take your time – I really enjoy sitting down at these parties to people watch. Plus, lots of people get dressed up for this event. It’s neat to see what everyone is wearing.
  • Set your own pace – I ran around the park to see lots of characters and some shows. However, that’s the beauty of going by yourself. You can go fast or slow.
  • Have an idea of things you’d like to experience – If you know which shows you want to see and their schedule, you can work things around them.
  • Don’t be nervous to meet characters – I meet characters by myself often. It’s no big deal. Just don’t hold up the line by taking too many photos.
  • Leave whenever you want – I actually left the party a little early. I had managed to do just about everything I wanted to, so I left a little early.

Should you do a Solo Disney Jollywood Nights?

I really enjoyed myself last year. I have no regrets. However, I could see where a more outgoing person would want to share the night with someone. I think it’s totally fine to attend events and travel by yourself. I also understand that it may not be for everyone. You know yourself. Do what feels right. This event is ideal for someone who likes meeting rare characters in a more snazzy, grown up setting. It’s also ideal for people who love the holidays.

Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party Review

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Last year, I booked the Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, I thought I would post a review of that experience in case anyone was considering booking it this year.

Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party

Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party

You may recall that I posted the Mickey’s Very Merry Dessert Party Review the other year. However, that was the party with seated Tomorrowland Terrace viewing of the fireworks. This party is a few bucks cheaper and comes with standing viewing in the Garden Plaza. So, was it worth saving a few dollars?

The Food

The food for both parties is the same. It’s an assortment of holiday goodies found at the party and other sweet treats. I’m happy to report that the apple caramel crepe was still there as were the chocolate covered strawberries! As with the other party, it’s a buffet and you can get as much as you like. I enjoy trying different goodies at these parties. However, once again, there’s very few savory options. I think it was once again mostly cheeses that was available. So, you definitely need a sweet tooth to appreciate these dessert parties.

The Dessert Party Experience

I know some people are against paying extra for this dessert party. However, I had a really long travel day with flight delays on the day of the party last year. So, it was amazing to just sit down and enjoy some sweet treats during the party. In fact a family sitting near me struck up a conversation with me about visiting solo and other locations to visit for Christmas. That was a neat way to relax prior to the fireworks. Although, it does take time away from the party itself. I’m lucky in that I’ve attended several times and don’t feel like it’s wasting time to sit down and enjoy myself.

Plaza Garden Viewing

Where the parties differ is the fireworks viewing. Instead of staying in one seat at the Terrace for fireworks, you are led over to a reserved area in the Plaza Garden for fireworks viewing. Initially, people were allowed to sit down. Although, the grass was wet from rain earlier in the day, so I remained standing. We were able to view some of Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show from the Plaza Garden Viewing area. So, that was a nice perk.

Right before the fireworks, they had everyone stand up. While I appreciated the fact that we weren’t all crammed together like you typically are for fireworks at Disney, I wasn’t super impressed with the view. I still had several people in front of me blocking the bottom part of the castle. Then, there were some poles blocking part of the view as well. It wasn’t a terrible view, but it certainly wasn’t the best either.

Is the Disney Christmas Plaza Garden Dessert Party worth it?

For 2025, the Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing costs $99/person. That’s on top of the party ticket price. So, it’s a really expensive evening. However, it was so nice to sit and enjoy some treats. Plus, I was by myself and appreciated having some breathing room during the fireworks. However, I think I will probably stick with the seated Tomorrowland Terrace viewing going forward. While I think the view of the castle and projections is probably superior in this party, I prefer staying seated if the view is going to be obstructed.

Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular Review and Tips

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Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to watch the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular while visiting New York City! Seeing as how tickets are already on sale for a new season, I thought I would post a review along with some tips for attending the show. Also, I thought it made for a great little Christmas in July post!

Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

I’ve grown up seeing the Rockettes on tv since I was a little girl. However, I never thought that I would actually get to see them perform live. Back in early January, my husband and I took a quick 48 hour trip to New York City so that I could finally experience NYC at Christmas. While there, I had to see the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular! It was a wonderful evening that I won’t soon forget.

Buying Tickets

Tickets are nonrefundable. So, I waited until we were sure we were going to purchase tickets. I bought two tickets for the 8 PM show on January 2nd in November. I was able to use a discount code from QVC to save some money. Based off of my own research, I decided to go with seats in the first mezzanine in order to be able to appreciate the whole show. While we may not have seen every little detail, it was great for watching the drones and seeing various effects. I really enjoyed our view and have no regrets about my choice.

Arriving at the Show

We stayed at a hotel right beside Radio City, so we simply walked over for the show. I couldn’t imagine trying to find parking in that area. We arrived about 1 hour and 15 minutes ahead of time since they won’t allow late entry to interrupt the show. After going through some security, we had plenty of time to admire the building and find our seats.

The Experience

I had only seen the girls perform on television while advertising for the show, so I had no real idea what to expect. I was surprised by the length of the show and the scale of it. I really enjoyed the holiday tunes and wonderful choreography. The drones and other effects were really neat too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this show. There’s a reason it’s a classic must-do when in NYC at Christmastime. I think my husband may have even enjoyed the show.

Tips

  • Buy tickets in advance – The earlier you book, the better the selection of seats.
  • Look out for discounts – Last year, QVC put out a nice discount code that I was able to use on our tickets to save a good bit.
  • Give some thought to where you want to sit – If you want to see the little details on costumes, then maybe sit in the orchestra section in front of the stage. If you want more of an overall view, then a mezzanine seat is perfect!
  • Arrive early – They won’t allow you to interrupt the show if you are late. So, arrive early to appreciate the historic building you are in and to find your seats.
  • Eat before the show – They don’t allow outside food or beverages in the venue. So, eat a nice dinner before the show.
  • Put the phone away – They have a strict no photography/videography policy for the show. I took a few photos of the building and then put my phone away. Besides, I don’t know that a phone would do a good job of capturing the show anyways.

Should you attend the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular?

If you are someone who grew up watching these ladies perform on tv, then I think it’s a must-do. If you are someone who wants to do the classic NYC Christmas experiences, then it’s definitely a must-do. If you don’t appreciate shows, art, or Christmas, then maybe you can skip it. I’m not sure if I will make the effort to see the show again. However, it did make me want to take a tour of the venue just to see how that stage works.