Christmas Town returns to Busch Gardens Williamsburg on select dates from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, according to the park’s official event page. The park says it will be covered in more than ten million lights. The event runs on select dates rather than every day, so check the park calendar before you plan a trip. The official page does not call out a specific new attraction for 2026, so this year looks like a return of the established lineup.
Christmas Town suits families, couples and anyone who likes a lit-up park after dark. Rides, shows, Santa’s Workshop and the Christmas Town Express all operate during the event. Members (Basic, Unlimited, Premier and Platinum), College Pass holders and 2026 Military Pass holders get in on their pass. Everyone else buys an event ticket.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia
- Dates: Select dates, November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Event nights: Select dates (check the park calendar)
- Highlights: More than 10 million lights, Polar Pathway: Spectacle of Lights, ‘Twas That Night ice skating show
- New for 2026: Not announced
- Ticket: Included with listed passes; separate ticket for everyone else
What’s new for 2026
The official Christmas Town page does not highlight a new house, zone or show for 2026. The park’s show pages still describe Christmas Town Live! A Holiday Special as all-new, which looks like leftover wording from its debut, so treat it as a returning show and confirm on the park’s site before you go.
One ride note is worth knowing. The park’s ticket page lists Verbolten: Forbidden Turn as now open. The same page lists Return to Corkscrew Hill as coming in 2027, so it will not be part of this season. If the park adds anything new to Christmas Town later this fall, we will update this page.
Lights, shows and holiday entertainment
The park says Christmas Town uses more than ten million twinkling lights, which it describes as one of the largest light displays in North America. Two named light shows are on the park’s show list. Celebration of Lights at O’Tannenbaum centers on a 50-foot Christmas tree. Polar Pathway: Spectacle of Lights is a display of over a million LED lights set to music.
The park’s Christmas show list also includes Christmas Town Live! A Holiday Special at Das Festhaus, a 1960s TV-special style show. Gloria! at Abbey Stone Theatre retells the first Christmas. Scrooge No More! plays at the Globe Theatre. ‘Twas That Night is an ice skating show at the Royal Palace Theatre, and the park lists its opening as November 27. Elmo’s Christmas Wish brings Sesame Street characters into the mix.
Between shows, carolers perform in England and the Merry Misfits perform in France. Santa meets guests at Santa’s Workshop, and photo ops with Santa and friends are available. Show times vary by day, so check the park’s schedule when you arrive.
Rides and attractions open
The park states that rides operate during Christmas Town. Its attractions page lists Apollo’s Chariot, The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, Verbolten: Forbidden Turn and DarKoaster among the coasters. The Busch Gardens Railway, the Aeronaut Skyride and family rides such as Kinder Karussel are listed too. The Christmas Town Express is a lighted holiday train ride.
The park also notes that colder temperatures or inclement weather can affect ride operations. Not every ride is guaranteed to run on every night, so treat the list as a general lineup, not a promise.
Holiday food and treats
The official page describes festive sweet treats and hearty holiday meals, and it mentions holiday dining at Das Festhaus. It does not list specific cocoa or cookie items, so we are not naming any. Check the park’s dining pages for current menus.
If you plan to eat several times, the All-Day Dining add-on is worth pricing out. The park lists it as one entree, one dessert and one regular-sized non-alcoholic fountain drink every 90 minutes.
Tickets, passes and upgrades
Members at the Basic, Unlimited, Premier and Platinum levels, College Pass holders and 2026 Military Pass holders are listed as getting Christmas Town admission on their pass. Everyone else buys an event ticket.
At the time of research, the park’s ticket page listed a single-day ticket at $61.99 for ages 3 and up, against a regular price of $121.99. Ticket plus All-Day Dining was listed at $106.99, and the Ultimate Bundle, which adds Quick Queue, at $176.99. The park adds All-Day Dining to a single-day ticket for $45. A Christmas Bounce Ticket covers three consecutive days, valid November 11 to January 3, 2027, and lists at $112.05 for ages 13 and up and $95.05 for ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are free, and the Bounce Ticket includes general parking. Prices can change, so confirm on the official ticket page before you buy.
Tips for your visit
Since Christmas Town runs on select dates, open the park calendar first and pick your day from there. Weekends and the weeks close to Christmas are likely to be the busiest, so arrive early if you want a spot for the light shows and photos with Santa. Quick Queue is available if lines are your main worry.
Virginia evenings in winter can be cold and damp, so dress in layers and bring gloves. Some rides may pause in poor weather. If you plan to visit more than once, the three-day Bounce Ticket includes parking, which can help the math.
Explore more: every theme park holiday event for 2026, by state.
Christmas Town 2026 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg FAQs
When does Christmas Town 2026 start and end?
The official Busch Gardens Williamsburg page lists Christmas Town on select dates from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Check the park calendar to see which days are open.
Is Christmas Town included with park admission?
It is included for Basic, Unlimited, Premier and Platinum members, College Pass holders and 2026 Military Pass holders. Other guests buy a separate Christmas Town ticket.
Do rides run during Christmas Town?
Yes. The park says rides and attractions operate during the event, including coasters such as Apollo’s Chariot and The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge. Cold or wet weather can affect operations.
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Photo: Cjh1452000 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.