Busch Gardens Adds Drones and Acrobats to Christmas Town

Busch Gardens is getting ready to trade Halloween scares for Christmas lights, although the roller coasters will still do their best to make you scream.

Christmas Town returns to Tampa Bay on select dates from November 13 through January 4, 2027, and this year the park is adding two new productions: Lights of Wonder, a drone show set to classic holiday music, and A Very Merry Cirque, an acrobatic show.

The additions give Tampa’s celebration a little more to build an evening around between rides on Iron Gwazi and Phoenix Rising. Christmas Town is included with regular park admission, so guests can spend the day on the coasters and stay for the holiday entertainment without buying a separate event ticket. Tampa’s Christmas Town details.

Christmas Town in Tampa

Lights of Wonder will take to the sky above Festival Field on select dates from November 13 through December 31. A Very Merry Cirque is also scheduled for select dates, running from November into January. Neither should be assumed to perform every night, so it’s worth checking the entertainment schedule before settling on a visit.

They join Christmas on Ice at the Moroccan Palace Theater, Elmo’s Christmas Wish, Mrs. Claus’ Storytime and Three Kings Journey. The Holly Jolly Express will once again turn a train ride into a holiday sing-along, while the Ginga Ninjas return on select nights to solve the mystery of Mrs. Claus’ missing cookie recipe through breakdancing. As Christmas mysteries go, that’s a fairly specific one.

“Christmas Town allows families to celebrate and create traditions old and new while exploring dazzling lights and delicious bites,” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Park President Brian Bacica said in the announcement.

Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland and Santa’s North Pole Experience also return. Both are currently listed through December 24, so a visit after Christmas won’t have quite the same character lineup as one before it. Character dates and details.

Beyond the shows, the park is highlighting the Skyride as a way to take in the lights from above. Down on the ground, seasonal food and drinks will be available beginning at 4 p.m., including hot chocolate, freshly baked cookies, holiday dishes and craft cocktails. The announcement also lists a Thanksgiving Feast and Rudolph and Friends Character Dine among the specialty dining offerings.

Tampa will close out December with a New Year’s Eve fireworks finale on December 31, although Christmas Town itself continues into January.

Williamsburg gets its own holiday addition

Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Christmas Town also opens November 13, running on select dates through January 3, 2027. The Virginia park is adding Queens of Christmas, a concert featuring a trio performing holiday songs including “This Christmas” and “Santa Baby.”

The park says the event will feature more than 10 million lights and more than 25 attractions, including Verbolten: Forbidden Turn in its Christmas Town debut.

Returning shows include Christmas Town Live! A Holiday Special, which takes its inspiration from 1960s television specials, along with Gloria!, ’Twas That Night and Scrooge No More. Santa’s Workshop and the Christmas Town Express will also be back.

For guests looking to make a meal part of the evening, Santa’s Fireside Feast returns to Killarney on select dates. It pairs dinner with a story from Santa, but requires a separate paid reservation. That reservation does not include park admission.

There’s also an important ticketing distinction between the two parks. Unlike Tampa, Williamsburg sells Christmas Town tickets separately. Its official event page lists admission as included with active Basic, Unlimited, Premier and Platinum Memberships, College Passes and 2026 Military Passes.

For Central Florida readers, November 13 is the date to circle. Just check the show schedule before heading over, particularly if the new drone show is the reason for the trip.