10 million lights….candy canes and cookies galore….peppermint fudge hot cocoa.  These could only mean one thing….CHRISTMAS TOWN IS HERE!!

In it’s tenth year (yes, ten years!!) Busch Gardens is pulling out all the stops for this year’s Christmas Town.  And yes, I mean, they’re pulling out ALL the stops…starting with the train.

One of the newest attractions this year is the Christmas Town Express.  This 1.5 mile tour around the park is absolutely beautiful and worth the wait. Speaking of the wait, get in line early. With only one station (Caribou) open, the line can fill up pretty quickly.  Refill your hot cocoa mugs, sit back, and enjoy the ride!

The second new attraction this year is at the Wilkommenhaus.  Once again the park is using their light mapping projection system to transform the Cookies and Cocoa shop into its own gingerbread house.  The projections come on every 15 minutes after dark, tempting you to escape the cold and indulge in the parks delicious homemade cookies and hot cocoa, located just inside.

For those of you with small kids, Sesame Street Forest of Fun has family photos with your favorite Sesame Street characters, as well as the new stage show ‘Elmo’s Christmas Wish’.

There may be no other new shows this year, but for those that have enjoyed them in past years, Deck the Halls is back in it’s tenth year (yes, it’s the longest running Christmas Town show), as well as Twas that Night, Scrooge No More, Gloria!, and Gift of Harmony.  This is probably my only complaint.  While Gift of Harmony was new last year, I would love to see a new show inside Das Fest Haus.  Deck the Halls is great, but after ten years, can we get something new?

And don’t forget to round out your night visiting Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in Holiday Hills, along with his friends from the Island of Misfits, for photos, and the big man himself, Santa Claus, inside NewKastle (formerly Darkastle).  He’s ready to hear your Christmas wishes and take photos!

And while you’re walking around the park, don’t forget to indulge in all the Christmas Town goodies.  Whether you’re stopping by Josephine’s Creamery de Chocolat for a sugar overload with their beignet sundae or peppermint freak shake, or you’re enjoying a hot roasted sirloin sandwich from Das Fest Haus, there is food and treats throughout the park for everyone to enjoy.

Christmas Town is open now through January 5, 2019, on select nights.  Check www.christmastown.com/va for more information and tickets.