If it has not already been posted, the CT page is fully fleshed out now! Battle for Eire will be joining the lineup this year with the Christmas Town Express. Also, looks like Elmo has a new show.
Here's all the info
Here's all the info
Christmas Town 2018
- Thread starter Nicole
- Start date
Where does it say that BfE will be open? I can’t find the list of attractions open for CT
I didn't notice this press release until today:
To salute Christmas Town’s 10 magical years, the family-friendly holiday event offers more than 10 million lights, an all-new Christmas Town Express holiday-themed train ride experience, festive food and drink, unique holiday shopping and heart-warming shows to make the spirit of the season come alive.
“This is one of the most special times of the year for our team to present the park in a whole new light for our guests. Ten million lights to be exact,” said Kevin Lembke, park president for Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. “Christmas Town is truly a place to believe,” added Lembke.
Christmas Town 2018 Overview:
The best way to enjoy Christmas Town and other park events and attractions all year long is through the newly-enhanced Busch Gardens Williamsburg Membership Program. Guests can receive unlimited visits to Busch Gardens, Howl-O-Scream and Christmas Town for as little as $9.99 per month. For more information, visit www.buschgardens.com/joinBGW.
About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of the world. SeaWorld is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal husbandry, behavioral management, veterinary care and animal welfare. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® and Busch Gardens® rescue teams have helped more than 33,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.
SeaWorld owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sea Rescue®. Over the company's more than 50-year history, it has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States. Many of the parks showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection and all of the parks feature a diverse array of thrill and family rides, shows, educational demonstrations and/or other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for guests.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), a publicly traded company. Visit www.seaworldentertainment.com for more.
BUSCH GARDENS® WILLIAMSBURG CELEBRATES 10 MAGICAL YEARS OF CHRISTMAS TOWN™
10 Million Lights and a New Holiday-themed Train Experience Mark the Occasion
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia (Oct. 23, 2018) – Busch Gardens® Williamsburg commemorates a decade of decking the halls with its most festive Christmas Town™ celebration to date in 2018. The annual yuletide celebration begins a week early, Nov. 17, and runs 35 days through Jan. 5.
To salute Christmas Town’s 10 magical years, the family-friendly holiday event offers more than 10 million lights, an all-new Christmas Town Express holiday-themed train ride experience, festive food and drink, unique holiday shopping and heart-warming shows to make the spirit of the season come alive.
“This is one of the most special times of the year for our team to present the park in a whole new light for our guests. Ten million lights to be exact,” said Kevin Lembke, park president for Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. “Christmas Town is truly a place to believe,” added Lembke.
Christmas Town 2018 Overview:
- NEW Christmas Town Express – The familiar Choo Choo of the Busch Gardens Railway will signal an unparalleled experience around the world’s most beautiful theme park. Park guests can sing along to favorite holiday songs while enjoying the lighted decorations along the park’s popular train route. The experience will feature festive caroling, two million stunning Christmas lights and themed holiday vignettes meticulously placed around the 1.5-mile tour.
- NEW Wilkommenhaus – Located in the park’s German village, the Wilkommenhaus transforms into a fantastic visual Christmas spectacle through beautiful projection mapping. The sweet smell of Christmas treats from the Cookies & Cocoa Shop wafts through the air as virtual gingerbread men make this festive village come to life nightly, every 15-minutes during Christmas Town.
- NEW Sesame Street® holiday show: Elmo’s Christmas Wish –Elmo’s Christmas Wish debuts this year on the stage at Sesame Street® Forest of Fun™. Guests can enjoy this holiday musical show with Rosita, Grover, Zoe and Cookie Monster as they help Elmo find his Christmas wish.
- NEW Battle For Eire™ – The innovative virtual reality attraction joins an exciting lineup of rides that also includes roller coasters InvadR™ and Verbolten®.
- Santa’s Workshop – Children can meet jolly ol’ St. Nick at his workshop in the NewKastle building, take pictures and drop off their Christmas wish lists.
- Spectacular yuletide shows – A cappella show Gift of Harmony™ is back for its second year. Popular shows Twas That Night, headlined by former Olympic skater Elvis Stojko, Deck the Halls, Scrooge No More!™ and Gloria! also return, along with the popular 50-foot Christmas tree light show O’Tannenbaum in front of the stunning Das Festhaus.
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ – The classic Christmas character is back and joined by friends Clarice, Yukon Cornelius, Bumble and Sam the Snowman. Guests can meet and have their pictures taken with the beloved characters at Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland in Holiday Hills™ and enjoy a multisensory presentation of the timeless Rudolph story at Rudolph’s Movie Experience.
- Sesame Street® Forest of Fun™ – Visitors can meet their favorite Sesame Street characters, including Elmo and Cookie Monster, and capture a special holiday photo. Families can ride Grover’s Alpine Express and take time for some Christmas shopping at Abby Cadabby’s Treasure Trove.
- Santa’s Fireside Feast – Christmas Town offers an assortment of special dining experiences, including Santa’s Fireside Feast, where Santa recounts a classic Christmas story while elves prepare a scrumptious all-you-can eat buffet and Mrs. Claus dazzles the dining room with holiday cheer. Children are able to visit Santa and get that all-important photograph as part of the experience.
The best way to enjoy Christmas Town and other park events and attractions all year long is through the newly-enhanced Busch Gardens Williamsburg Membership Program. Guests can receive unlimited visits to Busch Gardens, Howl-O-Scream and Christmas Town for as little as $9.99 per month. For more information, visit www.buschgardens.com/joinBGW.
About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of the world. SeaWorld is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal husbandry, behavioral management, veterinary care and animal welfare. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® and Busch Gardens® rescue teams have helped more than 33,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.
SeaWorld owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens® and Sea Rescue®. Over the company's more than 50-year history, it has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States. Many of the parks showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection and all of the parks feature a diverse array of thrill and family rides, shows, educational demonstrations and/or other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for guests.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), a publicly traded company. Visit www.seaworldentertainment.com for more.
Can they please stop with the projection mapping? I think almost all of us would rather see a light-adorned Wilkommenhaus with the "clock" mechanics visible and the statue restored. Germany looks beautiful in the winter, and Wilkommenhaus can make a great centerpiece.
Did they do away with all the North Pole props in the clock last year when they moved Santa to Darkastle? I recall the park took the clock apart for HOS and CT to put props up in the tower for the past few years.
the projection mapping was incredibly excellent for HOS, and would likely do really well for CMT too, stop hating something that park actually has done really well with.
Firstly:
Ther is NO reason to imply that a member of the forum is hating because you don't agree with them. This forum ought to be a friendly place and there have been far too many hostile exchanges recently.
Secondly:
I understand your point. Even if you enjoy the mapping, it has taken away from one of the most iconic spots in bgw spare the clock in england. It is fine to do something like that on an icon, ie. castle at magic kingdom; but once you alter and remove things, you're on thin ice.
Some will like it, many old timers wont. I'm certain that such a thing is better suited for the facade of das festhaus, where it wouldn't be so destructive.
My take? BGW's projection mapping shows might be the single dumbest example of SEAS lighting money on fire that I've seen in the last couple of years.
- The park doesn't seem to give a single shit about the product. Showtime listings? A posted start time? Any sort of in-park advertisement? Even just a name for the offering? No, no, no, and... somehow, no.
- Guests don't seem to give a single shit about the product either. Only a tiny fraction of guests who walk by as one of these shows is happening stop or even show the slightest bit of interest. Blood Banquet, cheesy HOS DJs, street performers of basically any type, and even Jack's three minute "Entertainment went to Haunt and all they brought back was this shitty show idea" lip sync extravaganza all draw far, far more attention.
- Logistically, it's a godsent that the projection shows will never be good or even remotely popular because it's a remarkably poorly thought-through offering. Where is the viewing area for these shows? Right smack dab in the middle of one of the tightest path choke points in the park. Brilliant choice, BGW!
- These projection mapping shows work at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Islands of Adventure because the buildings being projected onto are huge focal points for entire regions of the parks in question. Guests stand hundreds of feet back from these structures to watch the shows. The shear scale is what enables the required illusion. At BGW, the projection surface is a roughly three story tall building that sits at path level that guests have to stand like 30 feet away from. The result? Viewers can see every last detail in the building through the projected content making it look like a jumbled mess.
Couldn't agree more! I was about to point out how other parks have the money and structures for mapping to work. I made the mistake at going cheap on my digital decorating buying a machine at Home Depot and not from AtmosFx. But here lately it doesn't surprise me the SEAS would go this route. It just a waste of money and looks cheap.
Honestly I quite like the projection mapping. It looks just like the mapping they do at the entrance in Tampa.
While I miss the statue, I'd rather them take it out for seasonal events and do projection mapping than screw up the clock for a few decorations. Not like the Wilkommenhaus was decorated that much for HOS anyway. I liked seeing all the North Pole props up there for CT but they could easily just stick it on top of where the statue sat on the fountain or move them to the wolf statue spot in DK's queue line.
They don't even need to dedicate a full show to it. Just have the projections running all night like they do at HHN and HOS.
While I miss the statue, I'd rather them take it out for seasonal events and do projection mapping than screw up the clock for a few decorations. Not like the Wilkommenhaus was decorated that much for HOS anyway. I liked seeing all the North Pole props up there for CT but they could easily just stick it on top of where the statue sat on the fountain or move them to the wolf statue spot in DK's queue line.
They don't even need to dedicate a full show to it. Just have the projections running all night like they do at HHN and HOS.
I appreciate @sunchild for addressing this while I was off fighting crime.
I personally don't understand why "projection mapping" is so impressive in all honesty. It's literally just projecting a movie, except the movie is custom made out of stock effects and the screen is a building that makes it hard to understand why or what is happening.
Instead of having shows every 15 minutes, they'd be better off having it run on a continuous loop.
This way, people won't be clogging up the area waiting for the show to start. Also, people can walk by, see it running, stop to enjoy it if they so choose, and move on when they feel like it. This would decrease a bunch of people LEAVING at the same time, also.
Think of the crowds O Tannenbaum creates when the show starts/ends. At least there, there is actually the room for it.
This way, people won't be clogging up the area waiting for the show to start. Also, people can walk by, see it running, stop to enjoy it if they so choose, and move on when they feel like it. This would decrease a bunch of people LEAVING at the same time, also.
Think of the crowds O Tannenbaum creates when the show starts/ends. At least there, there is actually the room for it.
EDIT:
So it seems I mistakenly thought @PrincessArlenasDad was talking about a live performance, I gather he was speaking to the Projection Mapping.
I apologize.
I have kept the message I wrote as evidence of my misdeed.
It is very hard to run live theater back to back. First off it would be murder on the cast and crew secondly that is small potatoes as you could theoretically double cast and double crew the show. The cost would be extraordinary but ignoring that it often is just not practically possible. In just about every show I have worked on crew call is somewhere between 1.5 and 3 hours before a performance and cast call is between 1 and 2 hours. This of course depends on any number of factors not the least being makeup and props. However most shows also run a dimmer check, mic checks, rigging checks, and safety sweeps. Further you have to have time to fix things. If a lamp burns out on a instrument it takes time to bring out a ladder, find the right replacement lamp, change out said lamp, and validate instrument focus.
Live theater is just that, LIVE. You have to have contingency time. I tell people that during the run, not the build up to but during the run, every minute on stage is between 4 and 6 minutes of prep and tear down.
So it seems I mistakenly thought @PrincessArlenasDad was talking about a live performance, I gather he was speaking to the Projection Mapping.
I apologize.
I have kept the message I wrote as evidence of my misdeed.
It is very hard to run live theater back to back. First off it would be murder on the cast and crew secondly that is small potatoes as you could theoretically double cast and double crew the show. The cost would be extraordinary but ignoring that it often is just not practically possible. In just about every show I have worked on crew call is somewhere between 1.5 and 3 hours before a performance and cast call is between 1 and 2 hours. This of course depends on any number of factors not the least being makeup and props. However most shows also run a dimmer check, mic checks, rigging checks, and safety sweeps. Further you have to have time to fix things. If a lamp burns out on a instrument it takes time to bring out a ladder, find the right replacement lamp, change out said lamp, and validate instrument focus.
Live theater is just that, LIVE. You have to have contingency time. I tell people that during the run, not the build up to but during the run, every minute on stage is between 4 and 6 minutes of prep and tear down.
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I am probably completely wrong on this but since the Projection Mapping was put in after Darkastle was removed could those be the projectors left over from that? Anyhow, I absolutely dislike the mapping there. I do not think the graphics are good, location is horrible as you are too close to enjoy it and it has ruined the look of the area with the clock and fountain removed. I could see it working on the outside or Darkastle or even the festhaus but not there.