Griffons, Penguins, and Elves
A Christmas Town Review
Let me start of by saying that if you have high expectations, prepare for disappointment; however, if you have low expectations prepare to be impressed. Although there are several things to look forward to in Christmas town, there is much that falls short. By the time you finish reading this review I want to give you a good Idea of whether or not going to Christmas Town is worth your while.
Let’s start off with the decorations. As usual Busch went big with the theming and decor. Some of the best things are: a net of stars that light up Scotland, a 45 foot tall artificial Christmas tree on which lights "dance" to several favorite Christmas songs, and a beautifully decorated area to get your picture taken with Santa. The one thing is that the great theming is somewhat inconsistent. Italy has no theming but a few trees with lights, there are dumb looking "socks" over the lamps in France (similar to the pumpkin ones during Howl-o-Scream), and over the gate to Ireland it looks like they just threw the decorations up and left them how they sat. Overall the theming is the least of your worries though. In my opinion, the best part is the walkways in Scotland. There you will find rows of trees that are lit with blue lights and above, hundreds of star shaped lights that light the path. That, is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in the park.
Next up, the shows! Busch's shows are quite a large attraction compared to other parks. As such, I had high expectations for them. There are three theatrical shows and a handful of street shows. The best theatrical show is the one in the festhaus titled “Deck the Halls.” It features a good blend of classic Christmas music and catchy choreography. This is a fun and entertaining show for all ages. There is also a 4-D show in the Globe Theatre titled “A Sesame Street Christmas.” This show is a fun experience for young children and features exciting special effects. The Third and final theatrical show is in the Abbey Stone Theatre. This show, titled “Rejoice” had high expectations as the best shows are often held in the Abbey Stone Theatre; however, it falls short. The show has a line up of songs that leave very little impression . Also, the show seems short. You wait for the whole show for the good songs to come, then all of a sudden, its over. No big finale, just a curtain call, it’s over. This show is still somewhat enjoyable for the more patient ones of us. Small children will not be entertained by “Rejoice”. As for the street shows, The one that you need to see is “O Tannenbaum.” This is a light show which features a 45 foot tall Christmas tree. It only lasts a little under ten minutes but is very impressive none the less. The other street shows are good for watching in between the other things you do but leave little impact.
The food is slightly different from the regular season. There are less menu choices but the general selection at the different eateries remains the same. There is also one big addition to the snack stands, that being hot chocolate. You can buy one then refill it for a dollar.
Last but not least, the rides. There is an abbreviated selection of rides open for Christmas Town. The lines tend to remain short at no more than a five minute wait. Griffon is good but very cold in the front row. Darkastle is warm but put a hat on for the mist at the end of the ride. There are also a few attractions that are exclusive to Christmas Town. There is a penguin exhibit that after walking through a winter wonderland queue line, you can get a close up look at a penguin or two (depending on what they have in the box at the time) in a 2x4 glass box. This is a very unimpressive setup and is not worth any more than a five minute wait, however, you may need to wait up to 15 minutes. They also took the trains and strung lights on them and decorated several points along the ride, making it a fun experience. The other exclusive is Santa’s workshop. Here you can get your picture taken with the big guy himself. The catch is you have to pay for the park’s picture and they made that the low low price of $19.99.
Overall, this is a good opportunity to get into the park if you don’t have a pass. If you are one of the unlucky ones that have paid for a pass, this is only worth one visit and it really should only cost you half that much. So get on your Christmas Spirit and give it a shot. It is at least good enough for one visit, just don’t expect to be able compare it to the regular season.
P.S. One last hint: Italy opens each night around six and they run the battering ram and the flying machine.
*This Review was written by Caleb Phillips for the exclusive use of BGWfans.com. Any other uses must obtain specified permission from BGWfans.com prior to use.
A Christmas Town Review
Let me start of by saying that if you have high expectations, prepare for disappointment; however, if you have low expectations prepare to be impressed. Although there are several things to look forward to in Christmas town, there is much that falls short. By the time you finish reading this review I want to give you a good Idea of whether or not going to Christmas Town is worth your while.
Let’s start off with the decorations. As usual Busch went big with the theming and decor. Some of the best things are: a net of stars that light up Scotland, a 45 foot tall artificial Christmas tree on which lights "dance" to several favorite Christmas songs, and a beautifully decorated area to get your picture taken with Santa. The one thing is that the great theming is somewhat inconsistent. Italy has no theming but a few trees with lights, there are dumb looking "socks" over the lamps in France (similar to the pumpkin ones during Howl-o-Scream), and over the gate to Ireland it looks like they just threw the decorations up and left them how they sat. Overall the theming is the least of your worries though. In my opinion, the best part is the walkways in Scotland. There you will find rows of trees that are lit with blue lights and above, hundreds of star shaped lights that light the path. That, is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in the park.
Next up, the shows! Busch's shows are quite a large attraction compared to other parks. As such, I had high expectations for them. There are three theatrical shows and a handful of street shows. The best theatrical show is the one in the festhaus titled “Deck the Halls.” It features a good blend of classic Christmas music and catchy choreography. This is a fun and entertaining show for all ages. There is also a 4-D show in the Globe Theatre titled “A Sesame Street Christmas.” This show is a fun experience for young children and features exciting special effects. The Third and final theatrical show is in the Abbey Stone Theatre. This show, titled “Rejoice” had high expectations as the best shows are often held in the Abbey Stone Theatre; however, it falls short. The show has a line up of songs that leave very little impression . Also, the show seems short. You wait for the whole show for the good songs to come, then all of a sudden, its over. No big finale, just a curtain call, it’s over. This show is still somewhat enjoyable for the more patient ones of us. Small children will not be entertained by “Rejoice”. As for the street shows, The one that you need to see is “O Tannenbaum.” This is a light show which features a 45 foot tall Christmas tree. It only lasts a little under ten minutes but is very impressive none the less. The other street shows are good for watching in between the other things you do but leave little impact.
The food is slightly different from the regular season. There are less menu choices but the general selection at the different eateries remains the same. There is also one big addition to the snack stands, that being hot chocolate. You can buy one then refill it for a dollar.
Last but not least, the rides. There is an abbreviated selection of rides open for Christmas Town. The lines tend to remain short at no more than a five minute wait. Griffon is good but very cold in the front row. Darkastle is warm but put a hat on for the mist at the end of the ride. There are also a few attractions that are exclusive to Christmas Town. There is a penguin exhibit that after walking through a winter wonderland queue line, you can get a close up look at a penguin or two (depending on what they have in the box at the time) in a 2x4 glass box. This is a very unimpressive setup and is not worth any more than a five minute wait, however, you may need to wait up to 15 minutes. They also took the trains and strung lights on them and decorated several points along the ride, making it a fun experience. The other exclusive is Santa’s workshop. Here you can get your picture taken with the big guy himself. The catch is you have to pay for the park’s picture and they made that the low low price of $19.99.
Overall, this is a good opportunity to get into the park if you don’t have a pass. If you are one of the unlucky ones that have paid for a pass, this is only worth one visit and it really should only cost you half that much. So get on your Christmas Spirit and give it a shot. It is at least good enough for one visit, just don’t expect to be able compare it to the regular season.
P.S. One last hint: Italy opens each night around six and they run the battering ram and the flying machine.
*This Review was written by Caleb Phillips for the exclusive use of BGWfans.com. Any other uses must obtain specified permission from BGWfans.com prior to use.
