An Old Time Christmas 2023 at Silver Dollar City

Recently voted USA Today’s “Best Theme Park Holiday Event” of 2023, An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City is in full swing, offering festive and family-friendly experiences in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. I visited the park with my family on Thanksgiving Day (post-Thanksgiving feast and turkey-induced nap) to experience a beautiful evening illuminated by over 6.5 million lights.

Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City 2023

It is my favorite time of the year to visit Silver Dollar City, and my visit did not disappoint. Here are the highlights that had us filled with holiday spirit.

Town Square Christmas Tree

The festive centerpiece of the entry plaza, the Town Square Christmas tree welcomes guests as they enter the charming central area of the park. As Christmas music plays in the square, synchronized lights flash on the tree and surrounding areas, displaying an entertaining light show that you can experience from anywhere in the tree’s vicinity. As a bonus: there are several spots in this area for family photo opportunities.

Light Displays in Midtown

One of the most illuminated sections of the park, the lights in midtown steal the show for any Silver Dollar City visitors looking for the ultimate Christmas-light viewing experience. From glowing tunnels to angels overhead, the Ozark Mountains village is decorated from bottom to top with lights, making it a great area of the park for families to meander around, shop, and take in the surroundings.

Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade

Sure to be a family favorite, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade marches through the park sporting recognizable characters from the 1964 classic Christmas film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Along with Rudolph and friends, guests will spot lit-up floats, elves, and Santa Claus himself coming down the parade route. Rudolph leads the parade two separate times through the paths of Silver Dollar City, so visitors have two chances to catch the show.

Sunset Rides, Night Rides, and Last Rides

Although many visitors come to Silver Dollar City during the holidays without riding a single ride, I have to mention some coaster experiences that made our evening visit to An Old Time Christmas even better than just the lights and music alone.

While waiting for the sun to go down to enjoy the beautiful light displays, we caught a ride on Wildfire, Silver Dollar City’s B&M sit-down coaster. This coaster is notorious for having spectacular views of the park and the surrounding area, and our sunset ride only enhanced the experience. After dark, we followed the horseshoe prints to Outlaw Run for a night ride on the Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coaster. Not only is Outlaw Run my favorite night ride at the park, but it also is one of my favorite night rides period, and was definitely worth taking some time out of the night to experience.

And knowing that this visit would most likely be our last of 2023, we had to get our final, farewell rides on Fire in the Hole. While the nostalgia of the current version will be missed by those of us who have been riding it for years, the new-for-2024 version with the same name and updated special effects will surely be a major hit for families visiting Silver Dollar City.

With only one evening to explore the many holiday experiences, we unfortunately didn’t get to experience everything the holiday event has to offer. We did not ride the train on this visit with its holiday overlay as the Frisco Sing-Along Steam Train, although we highly suggest taking a ride on the Frisco Silver Dollar Line at any time of year. We also did not have time to catch any holiday shows, which are a major draw to Silver Dollar City at Christmas time. And even though we love Silver Dollar City’s food, we didn’t have enough room in our stomachs after a Thanksgiving meal to try the Christmas Tasting Passport and its seasonal food options. But there’s always next year!

A visit to Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas is sure to give park guests everything they are looking for in a holiday event this Christmas season. There truly is something for everyone: lights, music, shopping, thrills, and more. I had a fantastic evening in the park, and I am looking forward to coming back for more next holiday season!