Christmas at Busch Gardens Tampa 2023: Have the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Christmas in Central Florida might not come with snowy sleigh rides or snowball fights, but there’s plenty of holiday spirit to be found – especially at some of our favorite theme parks!

Much like the Christmas Celebration at their sister park, SeaWorld, Christmas at Busch Gardens Tampa offers a family-friendly celebration prioritizing young guests. Busch Gardens Christmas Town 2023 features live shows, character meet-and-greets, and so many lights!

Combined with their top-notch coasters and animal exhibits, there’s plenty for the whole family to enjoy. Are you wondering if Christmas Town is a good addition to your holiday plans? Check out the event details and find out! 

Celebrating Christmas at Busch Gardens Tampa

Busch Gardens at Tampa is an animal theme park that combines high-octane roller coasters with sweeping animal exhibits. The African-themed park boasts over a dozen thrill rides and 200 different animals on display. Since its inception, the park has further expanded its repertoire of fun, adding seasonal events like the Howl-O-Scream and Bier Fest.

Christmas Town debuted at Busch Gardens Tampa in 2012 (though it originated in 2009 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg). While it started as a smaller event, it grew over the years, adding Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland in 2016 and iconic characters from Sesame Street even later. 

The event is held yearly at the park, running through December and into the new year. It focuses primarily on the Christmas holiday, though they do hold a New Year’s Eve celebration with live music and a parkwide countdown as well. 

Busch Gardens Tampa Christmas Town 2023 Pricing and Schedule

This year, Christmas Town festivities begin November 13th and run through January 7th.

Admission to all Christmas Town events is included with your regular park ticket, though the availability of certain holiday attractions may vary throughout the season. For example, some shows may only run during weekends (and attractions like meeting Santa only go through December 24th), so you should definitely check the park’s schedule to make sure you’re making the most of your day!

In the past, Busch Gardens Tampa has offered a Priority Access option (usually around $30.00), allowing guests to upgrade their tickets and skip the lines for Christmas Town events. There have also been Christmas Town Sampler Lanyards ($40.00), a cost-effective way to sample all of the goodies offered throughout the park. As of writing, these options have not yet been listed on the Busch Gardens Tampa website for 2023, but we recommend checking their upgrades page as the event draws closer.

What to See at Christmas Town 

From shows to fireworks and dazzling decorations, Busch Gardens Christmas Town has many things to explore. While some of these events have yet to be confirmed for 2023, this is our anticipated line-up of things to do. And we’ll let you know which ones have an official green light already!

• Three King’s Journey. Watch this musical retelling of the classic Biblical story of the three kings’ journey to Bethlehem with this theatrical event. The show lasts about 13 minutes and features a collection of Christmas hymns and delightful set pieces that will remind you of the true Christmas spirit. 
• Christmas on Ice. A long-standing tradition at the Moroccan Palace Theater, Christmas on Ice is a spectacular ice-skating show. The show is well-loved by audiences and considered a must-do at the event. (Confirmed for 2023.)
• Elmo’s Christmas Wish. If you have young children, this is going to be a priority for your visit! Join this delightful kid’s show where Sesame Street favorite Elmo is joined by Rosita, Cookie Monster, and Zoe as they try to fulfill Elmo’s Christmas wish in time for the holidays. It’s super cute and encourages audience members to sing and dance along. (Sesame Street entertainment has been confirmed for 2023, though details may differ.)

• Holiday in the Sky Fireworks. Holiday in the Sky is a fireworks show that combines Christmas music with a fantastic nighttime celebration. The show takes place on select nights during the event. If you plan to attend during the week, you may want to check the park schedule to confirm that it will happen. (Confirmed for 2023.)
• The Holiday Lights. Let’s be honest. This is likely the biggest draw of the event for most families. Busch Gardens covers the entire park with more than one million Christmas lights! As the sun goes down, guests can spend their evening meandering through Luminosity Lane (a tunnel of lights dancing to music), watch the festive projections at the park’s entrance, and explore entire areas themed to the park’s attractions and animal exhibits. (Confirmed for 2023.)

What to Do at Christmas Town 

Still looking for more? There are plenty of other activities and experiences to check out while you’re at the park, in addition to the roller coasters, rides, and shows already offered throughout the year. 

• Explore the Christmas Town Village. The Christmas Village opens at 4 PM daily. You can spend time shopping, dining, and visiting the inhabitants at your leisure. The shops feature a lot of unique gifts and often feature work from local artisans! You’ll absolutely want to take time to wander through the festival area of the park. The Village has cute Christmas cabins offering specialty food and drink – including both alcoholic options and plenty of family-friendly treats – throughout the evening. (Confirmed for 2023, though operating hours may differ.)
• Say “Hello” to Santa Claus at the North Pole Experience. Would any winter wonderland be complete without a visit with Santa Claus? You can find Santa and his elves at his workshop, prepping for the holidays and taking photos with guests. It’s a great time to get those holiday family photos taken! (Confirmed for 2023 – only runs through December 24th.)
• Have Storytime with Mrs. Claus. One of the newer offerings of the event, Busch Gardens recently introduced Storytime with Mrs. Claus. Come visit Mrs. Claus in Christmas Town, where she will regale children with Christmas tales and songs. Another great kid-oriented offering at the park! 
• Meet Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer! The Clauses aren’t the only visitors from the North Pole! From the beloved Rankin/Bass film of the same name, you can meet Rudolph the Red-Nose reindeer and his friends Clarice, Yukon Cornelius, and Bumble the Abominable Snowman at the Winter Wonderland. (Confirmed for 2023 – only runs through December 24th.)

• Visit the Rest of Christmas Town’s Characters. Since 2019, more Christmas Town inhabitants have come out to join in the celebration – and for photo ops! Later in the evening, you can find The Sugar Plum Fairy, The Poinsettia Princess, Ice Princess, and snowmen wandering the Village to chat and take photos with guests. There are often Sesame Street character meet-and-greets during the event as well. 
• Hop Aboard the Holly Jolly Express. During the event, the Serengeti Express transforms into the Holly Jolly Express! You can take a safari across Busch Gardens’ Serengeti Plain to see the animal exhibits while singing along to your favorite holiday classics. (Confirmed for 2023.)

Tips and Tricks 

• Go Early for the Rides. Because this is such a popular event (especially on weekends), we recommend coming early in the day if you want to ride any of the roller coasters at the park. Wait times can easily be over 90 minutes on busier days. Planning to hit the rides in the morning may give you more time to enjoy the Christmas Village as the sun sets. 
• Stay After Dark for the Lights. Speaking of sunset, you’ll want to be there later just to enjoy the Christmas lights and general ambiance in the park. The event typically closes at 10 p.m. That may be late for your littlest ones, so you might want to be ready to explore those areas just as the sun sets. 
• Check the Schedule in Advance. Not all shows are available every day. Before you pick an evening to attend, you will want to check the official Busch Gardens schedule online so you know what to expect before you arrive. 

• Splurge on the Holiday Food & Beverage Sampler. If trying the specialty snacks and drinks at Christmas Town is a priority for you (and we’re right there with you) then you may want to consider getting the Holiday Food and Beverage Sampler. There are typically two options: an 8-item sampler and a more expensive 12-item sampler. With that, you can choose any item on the menus! 
• Wear Comfortable Shoes. The right shoes can make or break any day at a theme park. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes so you can walk long distances. The last things you want are blisters or sore feet at the end of a long day! 
• Beat the Crowds During the Week. Like all theme parks, the crowds are typically heavier on Saturdays and Sundays. If you want to experience shorter wait times, it might be good to try a weekday for your visit. 
• Make Time for Shopping. While there’s a lot to see and do at the event, you’ll want to make some time to check out the shops for unique gifts only available this time of year. The Marrakesh Market (located near the park entrance) is a great spot to do some last-minute shopping. It’s also next to Santa’s Workshop, so you can take the little ones to meet Santa while you’re there! 

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Are you planning to celebrate Christmas at Busch Gardens? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

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