Busch Gardens Christmas Town opens Nov. 13 with a new drone show

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay swaps last year’s first-ever holiday drone show for a new one, Lights of Wonder. In Virginia, Christmas Town tickets start at $31.99 and a new trio called Queens of Christmas takes the stage.

Busch Gardens Christmas Town opens Friday, Nov. 13, at both parks, and it’s included with regular admission.

Tampa runs select days through Jan. 4, 2027. Williamsburg runs select dates through Jan. 3, according to the parks’ Oct. 29 release.

Tampa’s big addition is Lights of Wonder, a drone show the release says is “perfectly synchronized to a soundtrack of classic holiday tunes.” It follows last year’s Holiday Skies Spectacular, which Busch Gardens called the park’s first holiday drone show. Tampa also adds an acrobatic show, A Very Merry Cirque.

In Virginia, the new show is Queens of Christmas, a trio singing songs like “This Christmas” and “Santa Baby.” It’s also the first Christmas Town for Verbolten: Forbidden Turn, the reworked coaster that opened May 30.

Brian Bacica, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s park president, said the season is about time with the people you love, and “there is no better place to do so than at Christmas Town.”

Here’s last year’s Holiday Skies Spectacular, the drone show Lights of Wonder follows:

When is Christmas Town 2026 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?

Select days from Nov. 13 through Jan. 4. Key dates from the park’s page:

• Nov. 13: Tree lighting at 7 p.m. at Cheetah Hunt Plaza, after a 5 to 7 p.m. live broadcast with Mix 100.7.

• Dec. 4 to 12: Hanukkah menorah lighting nightly at 6 p.m.

• Dec. 21 to Jan. 4: Three Kings Celebration.

• Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve fireworks finale.

Event hours are park open to park close. Holiday treats start at 4 p.m. on event nights.

When is Christmas Town 2026 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

Select dates from Nov. 13 through Jan. 3. Haunted Attraction Network counted 49 operating dates on the park calendar: preview nights Nov. 13 to 15, closed Nov. 16 to 18, then open daily from Nov. 19 through Jan. 3, Christmas Day included.

It also reported opening night starts at 5 p.m. Most Monday through Thursday nights until Dec. 10 run 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturdays through Dec. 26 run noon to 10 p.m.

What’s new at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Christmas Town?

• Lights of Wonder: The new drone show.

• A Very Merry Cirque: An acrobatic show the release calls “jaw-dropping.”

• Christmas Town Market: A new seasonal shopping area, per the park’s page.

Returning favorites include Christmas on Ice at the Moroccan Palace Theater, Mrs. Claus’ Storytime, Elmo’s Christmas Wish, Three Kings Journey, Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland and Santa’s North Pole Experience.

The Holly Jolly Express train rolls past the 65-acre veldt with giraffes, rhinos and zebras, and the park says it strings up nearly 70 miles of lights. On select nights, the Ginga Ninjas breakdance through a mystery about Mrs. Claus’ missing cookie recipe. Somebody check the elves’ pockets.

Iron Gwazi and Phoenix Rising run at night, and the Skyride gets holiday lights. Christmas Town-only hot chocolate and fresh-baked cookies are on the menu. Sampler lanyards start at $35, ClickOrlando reported.

What’s new at Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Town?

Reserved seating for Queens of Christmas costs $5.99 a show, Haunted Attraction Network reported. The park lights up with more than 10 million lights, which it calls one of the largest light displays in North America.

Back this year:

• Christmas Town Live! A Holiday Special: A 1960s holiday TV special in Das Festhaus.

• Gloria!: A retelling of the first Christmas with contemporary and traditional music.

• ‘Twas That Night: An ice show at the Royal Palace Theatre.

• Scrooge No More: A Christmas Carol at the Globe Theatre.

• Santa’s Fireside Feast: A meal and story with Santa in Killarney, by reservation.

Flavored hot chocolates and deep-dish cookies are Christmas Town exclusives. Haunted Attraction Network also reported that Verbolten’s page read “Temporarily Closed” on Nov. 7 and 8, so check the app.

How much are Busch Gardens Christmas Town tickets?

The release says admission includes Christmas Town at both parks. Williamsburg sells it as an event ticket to anyone without a pass. For a limited time:

• Tampa Bay: Up to 60% off tickets, Fun Cards and Annual Passes. Pass Members get “12 Gifts of Cheer” deals from Nov. 13 to Dec. 27.

• Williamsburg: Up to 65% off tickets and up to 35% off Memberships, with single-day tickets as low as $31.99. Basic, Unlimited, Premier and Platinum Members, College Pass holders and 2026 Military Pass holders get in at no extra charge.

Haunted Attraction Network put Williamsburg’s gate price at $91.99, so buy online. Veterans get 50% off Tampa single-day tickets good through Dec. 31, one of the Veterans Day theme park deals we rounded up Nov. 6.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• Busch Gardens Parks (PR Newswire) (Oct. 29, 2026), dates, new and returning shows, lights, food, ticket offers and the Brian Bacica quote

• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Nov. 8, 2026), event calendar, Christmas Town Market, 70 miles of lights, train details and 12 Gifts of Cheer

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Nov. 8, 2026), dates, Verbolten debut and pass eligibility

• Haunted Attraction Network (Nov. 8, 2026), Williamsburg operating dates, hours, Queens of Christmas seating price, gate price and Verbolten status

• ClickOrlando (Oct. 30, 2026), Tampa sampler lanyard price

• Busch Gardens Parks (PR Newswire) (Dec. 19, 2025), Holiday Skies Spectacular as Tampa’s first holiday drone show

• Attractions Magazine (May 19, 2026), Verbolten: Forbidden Turn opening date

AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.