Nothing could beat seeing over 2 million lights glitter and gleam in a light drizzle except seeing it in snow. Well we didn’t have snow this past weekend, but we did have the drizzle at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. We arrived about 4:30 to a very surprising crowded park. I guess the spirit of Christmas was stronger than the rains attempt to foul things up.
We immediately headed to the Abby Stone Theater to catch Rejoice. We arrived about 15 minutes before the start of the show and as usual it was packed. The show started strong and only got better as it continued. They performed memorable traditional carols such as Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night and others. With excellent costuming and live instrument accompaniment it is just one of their best shows.
After that we then moved on to France where we stood in a very cold rainy line waiting for the Polar path. Let me just say it was so worth the wait. It was much better this year than last. Last year it was a simple display with two penguins and this year there was a Snow owl, a white rabbit and not just two, but five penguins. They had the two on display and then they had three in a tank exposition. Next to going to Sea World to see their display this one was really good. Because of the weather Griffon was shut down, but that didn’t damper our spirits. The one thing missing this year was the snow, but then again they may not have had it on because of the rain. While there we stopped at Trapper’s for some awesome Chili. It was enough for the two of us to share. It was a big bread bowl with the center emptied to fill with the Chili and topped with cheese. Let me just say this is one of the reasons that Busch Gardens earns the title of best park food.
From there we moved on to Germany and waited to see Santa. Again the wait was rainy and cold, but again worth it. Busch Gardens you can tell by who they hire really wants to make the experience the best it can be for everyone, the young and the young at heart. Once we had our visit we then made our way to the Carousel which looks even pretty than usual with all of the other lights.
From there we made our way to Oktoberfest and the market. There were some wonderful artisans out there displaying their goods. Let me just say if you are looking for something different or unusual this is the place to look. There were wood workers, jewelry makers, soap makers, and so much more. We watched the show O’Tannabaum which as usual is wonderful. The best thing about this show is that you don’t even have to be at the park to enjoy it; Busch Gardens has its webcam posted for you to view. It was then time for us to move inside to warm up a bit and catch the show Deck the Halls. This is a show that is packed full of all of your Christmas favorites Rudolph, Santa Baby, Frosty and so many more. This is a great sing along show just like the many others we have come to know Busch to put on in the Festhaus.
From there we moved on to the last show we would catch for the night the parks newest show Miracles. On par with the quality of show we have come to know and love this is an excellent show. Miracles is a compilation of the heartfelt songs that we love this time of year. The songs selected for this show are ones that remind us of the reason we love this time of year. The wonderful experiences of sharing and love come through this show. What makes this so great is the combination of what we love from shows like Celtic Fyre, and Festivale Italiano. Being a lover of Ballet I would say this is a show you don’t want to miss.
To end the night was so hard. We didn’t have the opportunity to experience the new ride Flight of Lights, but I understand it is wonderful to see all of those twinkling lights from the sky. We also did not catch the live Sesame Street show, but did see it last year and if you have little ones is a show not to miss. Being very soggy and tired we bid the park a farewell till next time. If you can plan a future trip for this year you may want to try for New Years Eve. The park is planning to shoot of fireworks at 10 to celebrate. This has been Busch Gardens crowning achievement for the past two years and I think will only continue to grow. Thank you Busch Gardens for providing such an extraordinary event that continues to wow us.
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