Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas presents the park’s brightest season with 6.5 million lights, featuring the popular Christmas in Midtown Light Spectacular, and 30 miles of new lights illuminating the walkways and load station area for the new ground-breaking coaster Time Traveler. The festival also features an evening light parade, two Broadway-style original musical productions, a 5-Story Special Effects Christmas tree with a sound and light show and holiday dining, November 3 – December 30.
Christmas in Midtown takes holiday lighting to a new level, filling over an acre with 1.5 million LED lights — 145 miles of lights covering 70,000 square feet — in the Midtown area alone. Huge light tunnels and wreath portals lead into the area, which includes light displays 9 stories high, flying angels, running reindeer, moving trains, a 90-foot tree, musical trees with moving lights, dozens of stars and snowflakes, and a giant turning globe, all created at Silver Dollar City.
Thirty miles of new lights lead up to the new $26 million Time Traveler, the World’s Fastest, Steepest and Tallest Complete-Circuit Spinning Roller Coaster. Bright lights enhance the views from above for night rides on Time Traveler and all of the select rides open, as weather permits.
The light experience begins on the Square with the 5-Story Special Effects Christmas tree, a massive tree with over 350,000 colorful LED lights. The tree blazes to the movements of Christmas songs, with up to 100 light changes per second, while lights around the Square flash along.
A parade of lights, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Christmas Light Parade, winds through the streets of the City twice each evening. As Grand Marshal, Rudolph leads the evening parade of nine musical, lighted floats, illuminated with 200,000 LED lights. The parade is accompanied by 45 colorful costumed characters, including Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, 14-foot moose characters, 12-foot tall elves, 10-foot candy canes, penguins, elves and marching wooden soldiers.
The festival also features two original musical productions, A Dickens’ Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life. A Dickens’ Christmas Carol is an adaptation of the Dickens classic, with revolving sets, flying spirits, pyrotechnic special effects and a cast of 15, accompanied by a live band. It’s a Wonderful Life presents a musical interpretation of the classic film, with unique special effects and a cast of 14 singers/actors. 
Popular festival features include shows such as Tinker Junior’s Toy Shop, with a 12-foot talking Christmas tree; a dramatic musical Living Nativity; strolling carolers; and holiday foods from a prime rib buffet to fresh-made fruitcakes, ginger cookies and hot wassail. Fine craftsmanship is also showcased as the park’s 100 craftsmen create one-of-a-kind holiday items.
Since its debut more than two decades ago, Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas has become one of the country’s most recognized events for spectacular lighting and entertainment, and has been profiled as one of the top holiday celebrations by USA Today, CNN Travel, The Travel Channel and Good Morning America.
During An Old Time Christmas, Silver Dollar City is open Thursdays – Sundays Nov. 3 – 18, then Wednesdays – Sundays Nov. 21 – Dec. 30. Hours are 1 to 9 p.m. most days, with extended hours on select days, including some Fridays, Saturdays and Thanksgiving weekend.
Silver Dollar City is also open New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day for a “New Year’s Celebration.” The 6.5 million holiday lights are still on and special entertainment is presented.
The Showboat Branson Belle presents a Christmas adventure on the lake for the holiday season, with a new Christmas show that rocks the season and the popular Santa’s Pancakes & PJs cruises for kids on weekend mornings. Holiday cruises run November 2 – December 23, followed by the main season show after Christmas, December 26 – January 1. 
The new Christmas show presents music from the ‘60s to today along with Christmas favorites throughout, featuring the powerhouse vocals and tight harmonies of 5-star entertainers backed by a 4-piece band. Guests can relive great movie soundtrack moments, from Grease to Footloose to Frozen. The show also features the must-see rhythm and footwork of the Deckhands, who bring their own brand of percussion to the stage, plus award-winning comedy.
Santa’s Pancakes & PJs Cruises offer little ones the chance to dress up in their favorite holiday PJs and have a Christmas adventure as they wander through the ship’s four decks. Costumed elves and fairies greet the kids at Sugar Plum Fairy Sweet Stops and face painting stations, while in the Wheelhouse, the Showboat Captain has a story and special gift for each child. Then, all gather in the ship’s dining theater for a pancake breakfast and cookie decorating, plus entertainment, story time and sing-alongs. Following the cruise, kids can have photos taken with Santa on the dock.
The Showboat’s holiday season cruises run November 2 through December 30, with special New Year’s Eve cruises on December 31 and January 1. Santa’s Pancakes & PJs cruises are offered at 9 am and also at noon on select Saturdays and Sundays, November 10 – December 23, with activities beginning one hour prior to cruise time. For information and schedules, visit www.showboatbransonbelle.com or call 800-775-BOAT(2628).
