I have no issue with high food prices at theme parks, stadiums, airports, nice restaurants, etc so long as the food is good. When the food is high priced and mediocre or service is crap (both for BGW) is where it becomes a problem.
Christmas Town 2025
- Thread starter tursiops
- Start date
You're paying a premium for convenience, and I feel like the lack of competition causes some of the issues too, as they don't have to worry about meeting a standard to be better than others(if it is bad enough people will stop eating it but the standard is lower for them than elsewhere).
We did 3 days at CT this week. We did one day randomly about 3 years ago or so. When Kings Dominion began doing their Christmas event, we went there as we had smaller kids and it was a little better for them. We were sorely disappointed this year. We really wanted to love it all and tried to make the best of it but the charm that CT had pre-covid is just gone. There were no where near as many lights. Knowing we were going Thanksgiving weekend, we paid for the reserved seating for all of the shows so we knew we would see them with no issues at least once.
Colonial WIlliamsburg was nothing like we remembered. Several of the historic sites have been turned into gift shops. The overall authenticity was just gone. No where near the charm it used to have.
Christmas Town Live had no staff watching the reserved section so we sat our coats on a table and got in line to get our food about 20 minutes before show time. As we are in line, we see someone moving our stuff. Not a staff member but a person. I go to handle it and finally a staff member shows up. It was a mess. Also, the reserved seats are on the opposite side of where most of the show is choreographed for. The reserved seating really should be on the other side of the stage as we spent the majority of the show with the featured person's behind in our face, yet we paid for the reserved seating.
The last time we were there, Italy had heaters in the theater for the reserved seating. Again, we paid a premium and just sat in regular seats with no added value at all.
We went to see Scrooge no more. The reserved seats were about halfway back of the theater which may be good for production. I get that. But again, when we went, there were no staff or clear direction on where to go for those seats so we had to search for them. Finally found them and there was only one staff member checking people and getting them seated and people were not wanting to move down the aisle to make room for others. We just went to the front of the theater and found our own seats.
We had the Quick Queue for the train. They usually let the Quick Queue people on first and then open up the regular line. Well, that didn't happen. They let the regluar line on first and then opened our gate in which we had to walk to the back of the train at this point.
We went to Italy for dinner. My daughter and I got spaghetti and after he hands us our plates THEN decides to tell us the garlic bread will take about 7 minutes to come out. This was at 5pm. No line at all yet. Why wouldn't you tell us that before we got our food? Our food was cold by the time the bread finally came out.
There were some good things like the characters, the shows were excellent, and we really enjoyed the Fireside Feast. Overall we made the best of it. But we REALLY missed Winterfest this year and we certainly won't be paying any extra for the premiums moving forward. It felt to us like BGW realized they had no competition this year so they just gave up and conceeded to doing a mediocre event. We were just sad as we remember how epic this event used to be and how charming it was.
Colonial WIlliamsburg was nothing like we remembered. Several of the historic sites have been turned into gift shops. The overall authenticity was just gone. No where near the charm it used to have.
Christmas Town Live had no staff watching the reserved section so we sat our coats on a table and got in line to get our food about 20 minutes before show time. As we are in line, we see someone moving our stuff. Not a staff member but a person. I go to handle it and finally a staff member shows up. It was a mess. Also, the reserved seats are on the opposite side of where most of the show is choreographed for. The reserved seating really should be on the other side of the stage as we spent the majority of the show with the featured person's behind in our face, yet we paid for the reserved seating.
The last time we were there, Italy had heaters in the theater for the reserved seating. Again, we paid a premium and just sat in regular seats with no added value at all.
We went to see Scrooge no more. The reserved seats were about halfway back of the theater which may be good for production. I get that. But again, when we went, there were no staff or clear direction on where to go for those seats so we had to search for them. Finally found them and there was only one staff member checking people and getting them seated and people were not wanting to move down the aisle to make room for others. We just went to the front of the theater and found our own seats.
We had the Quick Queue for the train. They usually let the Quick Queue people on first and then open up the regular line. Well, that didn't happen. They let the regluar line on first and then opened our gate in which we had to walk to the back of the train at this point.
We went to Italy for dinner. My daughter and I got spaghetti and after he hands us our plates THEN decides to tell us the garlic bread will take about 7 minutes to come out. This was at 5pm. No line at all yet. Why wouldn't you tell us that before we got our food? Our food was cold by the time the bread finally came out.
There were some good things like the characters, the shows were excellent, and we really enjoyed the Fireside Feast. Overall we made the best of it. But we REALLY missed Winterfest this year and we certainly won't be paying any extra for the premiums moving forward. It felt to us like BGW realized they had no competition this year so they just gave up and conceeded to doing a mediocre event. We were just sad as we remember how epic this event used to be and how charming it was.
We went this past weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday was 2pm or so to park close, Saturday was open to close, and Sunday was open until 6pm (when the rain came). Here are our thoughts:
1. Friday and Saturday we really missed the heaters they used to have around the park, especially at the theater in Italy. Also, the "heated seating" was just a tent, but not heaters (at least the one near Trappers).
2. On Friday we ate at Marco Polo's. I had the beef meal with vegies from the carving station. The beef was surprisingly good, but the veggies were overcooked and tasteless. Eating in the theater, though, was horrid because it was so cold. Not fun to eat with coats and frozen hands because you can't wear your gloves while eating.
3. On Saturday we ate at Trappers. The salmon was actually very good. Good flavor and not dried out. They keep it wrapped in tin foil in a warmer so it stays moist. Not freshly cooked, obviously. Much better than I expected. The sides (potato casserole and string beans) were flavorful, though the string beans were overcooked. We used the bush bucks to bring the cost down to $12 or so (with the pass discount). Very satisfying for the price. Also, the line looked at of control long, but it moved very quickly and we got our food in about 10-15 minutes, and then no line to pay. The tent area was much warmer than we had in Italy. We could take off our coats, but, without actual heaters, was still a little uncomfortable.
4. Gloria: The same show, done really well as always. Some singers were better than previous years, some not quite as good. I'm all for keeping this show around for a few more years, at least.
5. Scrooge: I love this show, but it seems to be getting a bit stale. Some of the performers seemed to be just going through the motions. They need to do something to put the energy/excitement back into it. Maybe redo the choreography? Also, when Scrooge comes out towards the end to go to the Crackett's house, he doesn't wear the scarf Bella gave him anymore. Weird oversight they need to bring back. Him wearing it at the end was a nice, warm, visualization of his change.
6. Christmas Town Live: A good show, not great. Significantly better than Up on the Housetop, but not nearly as good as Deck the Halls. I'd prefer they bring Deck the Halls back. Song choices are hit and miss. Strong performers, though.
7. Twas the Night: I love this show, and the skaters were great. However, I HATED the new screens used for the backdrop. They were distracting and did not fit with the live performers. It just didn't create the sense the characters were in a setting. Instead, the characters were in front of a movie screen, not in a physical location. Bring back the turning backdrops.
8. Merry Misfits: Loved this show. The singer was amazing, and lots of fun to watch. Unexpected highlight. Don't miss this!
9. Train: Last portion of the ride was terrible. I get they can't decorate the tracks for BBW, but the other side of the train also had nothing. And no lights for the finale? Kinda funny, in a sad way, when they have Oh Christmas Tree playing on the speakers, and there's no tree!
10. O' Tannenbaum show: Terrible. It's a light show on a Christmas tree, not a Christmas tree with a light show. Bring back the old tree.
11. Polar Pathway show: Terrible. Lights are disconnected with the song choices. New lights don't look nearly as beautiful as the old lights. The "water" doesn't have nearly enough lights on at once. Rather have the old lights and no show.
12. Enjoyed walking through the park looking at the lights. In general, the park was decorated really well. Better than the last few years (except for the train).
13. Sunday we spend the day riding the rides until the rain came, and then we left the park for dinner. No lines for any of the rides, and it was a lot of fun. Park had been packed Friday and Sat, but empty on Sunday. Missed riding Parthenon at night (which was the plan) because the rain came 15 minutes too early.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions!
1. Friday and Saturday we really missed the heaters they used to have around the park, especially at the theater in Italy. Also, the "heated seating" was just a tent, but not heaters (at least the one near Trappers).
2. On Friday we ate at Marco Polo's. I had the beef meal with vegies from the carving station. The beef was surprisingly good, but the veggies were overcooked and tasteless. Eating in the theater, though, was horrid because it was so cold. Not fun to eat with coats and frozen hands because you can't wear your gloves while eating.
3. On Saturday we ate at Trappers. The salmon was actually very good. Good flavor and not dried out. They keep it wrapped in tin foil in a warmer so it stays moist. Not freshly cooked, obviously. Much better than I expected. The sides (potato casserole and string beans) were flavorful, though the string beans were overcooked. We used the bush bucks to bring the cost down to $12 or so (with the pass discount). Very satisfying for the price. Also, the line looked at of control long, but it moved very quickly and we got our food in about 10-15 minutes, and then no line to pay. The tent area was much warmer than we had in Italy. We could take off our coats, but, without actual heaters, was still a little uncomfortable.
4. Gloria: The same show, done really well as always. Some singers were better than previous years, some not quite as good. I'm all for keeping this show around for a few more years, at least.
5. Scrooge: I love this show, but it seems to be getting a bit stale. Some of the performers seemed to be just going through the motions. They need to do something to put the energy/excitement back into it. Maybe redo the choreography? Also, when Scrooge comes out towards the end to go to the Crackett's house, he doesn't wear the scarf Bella gave him anymore. Weird oversight they need to bring back. Him wearing it at the end was a nice, warm, visualization of his change.
6. Christmas Town Live: A good show, not great. Significantly better than Up on the Housetop, but not nearly as good as Deck the Halls. I'd prefer they bring Deck the Halls back. Song choices are hit and miss. Strong performers, though.
7. Twas the Night: I love this show, and the skaters were great. However, I HATED the new screens used for the backdrop. They were distracting and did not fit with the live performers. It just didn't create the sense the characters were in a setting. Instead, the characters were in front of a movie screen, not in a physical location. Bring back the turning backdrops.
8. Merry Misfits: Loved this show. The singer was amazing, and lots of fun to watch. Unexpected highlight. Don't miss this!
9. Train: Last portion of the ride was terrible. I get they can't decorate the tracks for BBW, but the other side of the train also had nothing. And no lights for the finale? Kinda funny, in a sad way, when they have Oh Christmas Tree playing on the speakers, and there's no tree!
10. O' Tannenbaum show: Terrible. It's a light show on a Christmas tree, not a Christmas tree with a light show. Bring back the old tree.
11. Polar Pathway show: Terrible. Lights are disconnected with the song choices. New lights don't look nearly as beautiful as the old lights. The "water" doesn't have nearly enough lights on at once. Rather have the old lights and no show.
12. Enjoyed walking through the park looking at the lights. In general, the park was decorated really well. Better than the last few years (except for the train).
13. Sunday we spend the day riding the rides until the rain came, and then we left the park for dinner. No lines for any of the rides, and it was a lot of fun. Park had been packed Friday and Sat, but empty on Sunday. Missed riding Parthenon at night (which was the plan) because the rain came 15 minutes too early.
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions!
Im only going to talk about the lights here, the lights are the exact same around the park as it has always been. I think anyone who crys about there being alot less lights really need to go back and watch videos. The train finale is the only place lacking in lights vs previous years. New france looks better than previous years and eveeywhere else hasn't changed since 2009 from what I remember. So what do you see that I don't about alot less lights? Where?
We enjoyed that meal. We have done that meal several times so we knew what to expect but for theme park food the quality was great to us.
All I know if we did the sky buckets round-trip each night and it did not seem nearly as lit us as years past. Holiday Hills was a fraction of what is used to be. The blue area by the stables seemed a lot emptier. To be fair, I could be wrong but we just felt like there are not nearly as many lights as earlier years.
I mean I thought the same thing but I went back last week and looked at 2009-2012 Christmas town videos and The park itself is essentially the same. The train has changed alot. 2009 and really early years train was horrible. Just scattered lit up trees.
I think getting older xmas just loses that charm. I remember when I was 12 and 13 going to xmastown felt magical and now a days I just don't feel it. But looking back on older videos clearly current days should feel just as magical
This definitely isn’t true. Just off the top of my head, here are a few areas that have had had their lights pared way back:
- The side of Pompeii facing Scotland used to have lights; these lights are completely gone now.
- Wild Reserve used to have the candle lights lining the entire pathway; they were only in a few sections when I went last week. Wild Reserve also used to have far more green-lit Christmas trees throughout the area.
- France used to have an elaborate display of Christmas trees and decorations themed to the 12 days of Christmas. Now the area has just some sparse lighting along the roofs.
- Land of the Dragons used to be all decked out in Christmas lights.
- Holiday Hills used to have incredibly detailed, vintage light displays everywhere that have been walked way back. The area feels more like regular Festa Italia with different music and a few signs and displays now.
- The floating “star” lights above Scotland have been limited to the front section by the Banbury pathway. They used to be all over the paths on both sides of the stables.
- The Wilkommenhaus used to have shimmering, moving lights reflecting off a “disco ball” on the North Pole display in the fountain. It was one of the prettiest spots in the park IMO. Now it’s just bathed in static floodlights and surrounded by a plastic gingerbread display.
How far back are we going here? The projectors yes Ill give you that. But in a video from 6 years ago,
New france looks the exact same,
6 years ago alpengeist area has nothing at all except blue floodlights.
The ireland trees look the exact same number to me, the lanters are in the same spots.
Germany had rainbow color lights vs now it's all peppermint themed which imo is WAY better.
Land of dragons had no lights.
England now has lights on the buildings all the way to the bathrooms vs 6 years ago,
France/griffon gift area look alot brighter and better colored now. (Lights are still in the same spots besides off to the right where they now have those giant looking lights).
Festa/germany connecting bridge is WAY better now. They have multi colored white yellow lights with the pole angels that lights up vs 6 years ago they were all a darker stale yellow poles with no angels.
Verbolten under the break run has way more trees under it now.
The walk to pompeii bridge has the same trees vs now they have blue lights in the trees vs white, now under the bridge they have the fake water lights.
ill just let you compare when you wanna.
6 years ago though did have the tree maze which im not sure I ever did
The HUGEST difference is that awful festhaus tree now vs then
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source
My primary concern with Christmas Town at present is the Holiday Hills section. In its early years, this area was truly exceptional. My family always made a point to dine at Dasher’s Diner, the all-you-can-eat buffet, and the nostalgic 1950s-themed lights and decorations were a highlight. Additionally, the Rudolph walk-through experience in the Apollo’s Chariot queue offered an engaging opportunity to meet many characters from the movie. I hope that in the coming year, the park places emphasis on restoring this area to its former excellence.
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source This video goes over the backstory of holiday hills, and how it used to be.
Direct Link to Embedded Media Source This video goes over the backstory of holiday hills, and how it used to be.
Just for the record, as someone who has spent a ton of time focused on the minute details at Christmas Town every year since its debut, @Mushroom is correct. There have been a number of lighting reductions all around the park. More concerning though to me is that really all of the more recent changes look thrown-together and just broadly cheap when compared with the displays that came before them. I struggle to point to the last true lighting upgrade the park has seen. Maybe the debut of the Christmas Town Express just because it lit areas that were previously dark? Even that has always felt pretty shitty to me though.
Anyway, yeah, Christmas Town has always been a more subtle event compared to something like WinterFest, but there HAVE been SUBSTANTIAL lighting and scenic downgrades over the last ten to twelve years.
Anyway, yeah, Christmas Town has always been a more subtle event compared to something like WinterFest, but there HAVE been SUBSTANTIAL lighting and scenic downgrades over the last ten to twelve years.
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I fail to see this substantial changes. Maybe im just delusional but i've watched a few more videos to be sure and just don't see much has gotten that much downgraded to the point it needs ti really be brought up. Some stuff has changed and shifted around but nothing thats honestly worth making a fuss about.
Germany being candy cane themed is way better than just throwing up rainbow lights like it used to have. So in my eyes that is a massive upgrade.
The nutcracker display is way better than the old single white tree that sat there years ago. I can't think of many displays that have gone away. To the right of that used to have a better display than the 7 or so big xmas lights that is there now but that is just opinion based and least something is still there.
Someone would have to really show me stuff that is literally just gone that im not seeing. (The color balls on the train, the finale tree and lights on the ground, the projector at the fountain shining on the building)
Im ONLY talking about lights and display. Nothing about shows or staff, food, how stuff is managed, shows ect.
i do miss the craft booths that were outside DarKoaster though
To be fair, your original claim was “the lights are the exact same around the park as it has always been,” which was a pretty bold claim that would have been disproven by literally any of the light displays in the park not being “exactly” the same as they always were.
Even in the first few minutes of the video you showed, a few of the things from the list in my previous post can be seen that aren’t there anymore. For example, at the 2:40 mark you can see the “star” lights that are no longer above the paths by the stables in Scotland; at 4:25 you can see the candle lights along the sides of the path in the Wild Reserve which are far more limited today; and around 6 minutes you can clearly see that France has more lights and trees than it does now (whether you think it looks better now is irrelevant to the question of whether the lights are “exactly the same”). It’s also worth nothing that 2019 is already when we started seeing some slippage in the event, in my opinion — France’s creative and intricate 12 Days of Christmas theme was already downgraded by that point, and Land of the Dragons had gone dark, as a few examples. And those are just some things I caught in the first few minutes of the video.
Again, that’s not to say that the decorations are awful now or anything. I’m just pointing out that it’s tough to claim things are “exactly the same” and then proceed to list off a bunch of things that changed.
Ok I mean yea if were taking it that literally then yea no it's not the "exact same"
The lanterns are literally the same, I really am not gonna sit here and argue this lmao Gyazo like what is different? The snowflakes going down to the stables, sure I see that comparing a video where someone is walking that way.
Gyazo Not the same layout but where one lacks one makes up and evens it out, we now have lights over the bar to the right, the building now have the same lighting locations with the added red flood lights that were not there. The display is different but that comes down to what you prefer more. The lights themselves I believe are a whole other color than back then but that could be older camera.
Gyazo the bridge is way more lit up now. I was wrong about the angels, they were still there back then.
So let me rephrase me opinion/hot take. The lighting changes throughout the years are not big enough to say "oh it's not as magical as it once was or they have gotten rid of so many lights or "older years has so many more lights than current day areas'
Where they change and flop stuff around is made up elsewhere. Look at the 2025 nativity scene, Alpengeist plaza area. I think the park has added more than theyve taken away in the last few years but that's just me.
The lanterns are literally the same, I really am not gonna sit here and argue this lmao Gyazo like what is different? The snowflakes going down to the stables, sure I see that comparing a video where someone is walking that way.
Gyazo Not the same layout but where one lacks one makes up and evens it out, we now have lights over the bar to the right, the building now have the same lighting locations with the added red flood lights that were not there. The display is different but that comes down to what you prefer more. The lights themselves I believe are a whole other color than back then but that could be older camera.
Gyazo the bridge is way more lit up now. I was wrong about the angels, they were still there back then.
So let me rephrase me opinion/hot take. The lighting changes throughout the years are not big enough to say "oh it's not as magical as it once was or they have gotten rid of so many lights or "older years has so many more lights than current day areas'
Where they change and flop stuff around is made up elsewhere. Look at the 2025 nativity scene, Alpengeist plaza area. I think the park has added more than theyve taken away in the last few years but that's just me.
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Oof yea youre right. I can't find any recent video to see if they have been added. Latest one I see is 9 days ago
TheCoasterNerd
HAPPY PRIDE! Have I told y'all I'm nonbinary?
The Polar Pathway replacement to twinkle lights was amazing, I just wish that it wasn't a package deal with the god-awful show.
Merry Misfits has always been fun but this year's group is especially solid with great talent and good vibes.