Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson is a summer and fall staple, thanks to its epic rides, giant water park and Fright Fest happenings. But winter is also a fun time to visit, thanks to Holiday in the Park. This celebration takes holiday charm and Christmas magic to the max with light shows and performances, holiday characters, seasonal games and more. Here’s what you can expect when you take the kids.
Holiday Shows
What’s a holiday celebration without some carols? Holiday Harmonies features Christmas classics and modern takes alike in the Holiday Memories section of the park on Saturdays and Sundays. Gather there with the kids before showtime to sing along. Spinnin’ Saturdays with DJ Tinsel Tunes will also be a hit with the kids as they boogie down to live music in the Deck The Halls section. Head to the Holiday Heroes area to see the Frost Cirque Spectacular, which will wow the kids with mind-blowing stunts, illusions and acrobatic feats. Teach them a warm and fuzzy lesson about the true meaning of the holidays at The Elf That Saved Christmas in the Adventure Theater. Elves Tinsel, Twinkle, Jingle and Doug will remind them about the importance of togetherness and holiday joy.
Magical Light Displays
There are more than a dozen different themed areas to explore around the park, each with a unique light display or color scheme. The center of the park is highlighted by a massive 52-foot tree (it’s the first thing you’ll spot when you walk in, you can’t miss it!), the heart of the A Main Street Christmas section. Every half-hour, the tree comes alive with projected lights that dance along to holiday tunes. Other holiday areas include Polar Point, which is complete with towering trees decked out in blue lights and dripping white lights that imitate falling snow; Poinsettia Peak, which features a gorgeous bright red tree that makes for a perfect family snapshot; Gingerbread Junction, which boasts holiday versions of your favorite Six Flags boardwalk games, and Joy to the World, which stars a peaceful pathway of lit trees and a dreamy Twinkle Tunnel of holiday lights the kids can walk through.
The Holiday Craze Mirror Maze
This new attraction offers festive surprises and optical illusions. Go dizzy in the classic mirror maze while keeping an eye out for animatronic elves working the night away and hit the DJ Tinsel Tunes’ dance floor. Admission to this attraction is an additional $5. Bring gloves if you have them (if not, disposable gloves will be provided to you to keep the mirror maze smudge- and fingerprint-free).
Festive Meet and Greets
Special guests around the park include Poinsettia Princess, Toy Soldiers (they’re extra tall with the help of stilts!), Evergreen Queen, Peppermint Princess, Mrs. Claus, Snow Queen and King and Santa’s Reindeer. Most importantly, they can head to Santa’s House to sit on the big guy’s lap and tell him what’s on their wish list. Be sure to take them to Bugs Bunny National Park for six pint-sized rides just for them. Kids 10 and under can also pick up a Holiday Passport in four different areas around the park; get a stamp at every area you visit.
Ho-Ho-Holiday Games
Six Flags’ signature Boardwalk area has transformed into Gingerbread Junction. The giant spinning teacups, for example, are called the Gingerbread Twist, and the 19th-century carousel is covered in twinkling lights. The wintry makeover has taken over the games, too. Play the Candy Cane Chaos Game, Holiday Hatchet Throw or Santa’s Chimney Race Game—you’ll get a prize every time. Our favorite is the Stocking Stuffer Surprise, where the kids can choose any stocking for an unknown prize.
All The Sweet Treats
There are fire pits all around the park equipped for roasting marshmallows. Buy a s’mores kit for the kids or plan to have some stick-to-your-ribs classics like turkey and stuffing. The park’s Christmas-inspired funnel cakes run the gamut from bacon pecan maple to peppermint crunch to chocolatey coal.
Your Favorite Thrill Rides
As always, most of Six Flags’ signature rides and attractions will be up and running through January 1. Take on hair-raising thrills like Nitro, BATMAN: The Ride or THE JOKER, or keep it chill on the carousel, Ferris wheel or Enchanted Teacups. Just be sure you’re bundled up—it’s cold on the ground, let alone from the top of a roller coaster’s big drop. Our fave was the Skyway cable cars, which takes you on a slow ride from one end of the park to the other, offering you breathtaking views of the glittering light displays.
Details
Six Flags Holiday in the Park is located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Twp. It runs on weekends and select weekdays from 1-9 pm through January 1. Single-day tickets start at $57.99/each.