Christmas Town Tampa Bay — Local services in Tampa

The event needs improvement based on experiences with the food and beverage team and the operations team.

The food and beverage management team needs to step up. Their longer than usual transactions caused a chain reaction of congested lines. In my first example, there are two registers to take the order. The worker at the register that I’m at walked to the next register to help the other worker with their transaction. I’m not upset with that. I commend teamwork. However, they could’ve done without the comment “this is why we need a manager here, but they keep walking away.” My second example is when I wanted to get a white chocolate peppermint pretzel (the alternative was a dark chocolate peppermint pretzel) and they didn’t have any, but this was only 45 minutes after the 4:00pm opening time for food. The point I’m trying to make with that example is that, whether they indeed ran out 45 minutes later or just didn’t have it to begin with, it just seems like a poor execution. My third example is that one particular food booth the registers were not set up to scan the UPC code on the Sampling Lanyard that allows you to get so many sample sizes based upon what amount of samples you purchase (i.e. 5 or 10). Let me be clear, none of this is an attack on the workers. The intent is to make it clear that the actual management and event planners have issues that they are responsible for that need to be addressed.

Finally, the operations management team has issues as well. This will address the lines for the photos with Rudolph experience and photos with Santa experience. There are two lines; one for regular and one for VIP. My issue is that there are no displays designating which side is which. If you get in the VIP side and you are regular admission, the workers will politely let you know. However, both the workers and the guests can have a better experience if it was clear from the beginning which line to wait in.

In conclusion, I’m not attacking any workers. They do the best they can do with what they have to work with, and, unfortunately, often take unnecessary comments from guests that become irritated. The point I’m trying to make is that the management team needs to improve on their event. This event advertises with tv commercials, radio commercials, and I’ve been receiving multiple emails. There is obviously planning that goes into this event, but the...

I travel a lot to different Christmas events and I have a lot to say about this one. This place had some pros and many major cons. I will say the lights were beautiful. You can't say they weren't. My problems..... First, I am handicapped, I was told to go to the handicapped parking lot, but there wasn't a single space. We ended up having to walk an extremely long way and there was no tram to help us. The staff were uniformed and had extremely poor communication. I can't count the number of times a staff member would say to me, oh, you spoke to someone who didn't have their information correct. I had more than one person say they didn't ever really get any training for the job and they were trying to figure out the job as they went along. I walked in and needed an electric wheel chair.... they had none. They said I should have reserved one. I didn't know I had to...I never in my life have had to at any of the Disney parks and they always have a chair available. I waited for 30 minutes, standing, ready to fall over my cane, waiting for one to charge....but others after me were not so lucky. Perhaps they should add that information to their website! The pictures with Rudolph and the gang were awful. The actors were great, but the flash didn't work on the camera for most of my session, which I did point pr to the photographer, so most of my pictures were almost black... which saddens me because that is the main reason I came in the first place and paid extra to not wait in a long line. I would HIGHLY suggest taking your own pictures with your cell phone... which many people were doing and you don't have to pay a ton afterwards to get your pictures. Really enjoyed the 3 wise men and the rest of the lights. After all my troubles that day, some that I didn't even get into on here, I was given 5 free passes to return to the park within a year as an apology, but I doubt I will be heading back...

You know what screams Christmas, telling little kids that Santa will see the VIP kids first. Would you like to see Rudolph and friends? Spoiler alert, it's just Rudolph, his girlfriend, and the abominable snowman (2 photo ops). The good news, if you aren't VIP, you get to wait in line for over 30 minutes (IF you are lucky) for the wonderful 5 minute opportunity to take a photo with them. Then of course, you can buy a photo for $25+. When did Christmas become just about photo ops with Santa and a couple other characters?! Thankfully Santa asked the kids what the wanted for Christmas. He didn't ask me, because it would have been that "he" "Busch Gardens" not turn the whole thing into making as much money as possible off of everyone.

I do remember when Christmas Town at BG first began. Would you believe you received a warm chocolate chip cookie after seeing Santa? Now you get a small peppermint candy cane. But don't worry, in the photo lobby after seeing Santa, you can buy an alcoholic beverage full of Christmas joy.

Rudolph and friends used to be a whole walk-through experience with many of the characters from those old-timey Christmas specials.

And one year, they had sledding. That was cool.

It's not cool anymore. It is a rip-off. Not coming back. For regular park hours or for Christmas Town. They can fleece someone else. (btw, this post could have been twice as long. we were that...