Magical Winter Lights – Holiday Lantern Display
Last night we finally made our first trip to Magical Winter Lights in La Marque, Texas. I, of course, had done my research and already knew we were going to love it. Dustin on the other hand, told me afterward he went in with low expectations but was, and I quote, “pleasantly surprised.” The whole night he kept repeating, “so many lights.” The kids, as usual, ran around like the wild banshees they are, so I think it’s safe to say they thoroughly enjoyed it as well.
We owe a huge thanks to Magical Winter Lights for hosting us and feeding my light display obsession! Though we did receive complimentary tickets, you guys know that our opinions are always, always, always our own.
Located at Gulf Greyhound Park, Magical Winter Lights is open every night (including the holidays) through January 5th. This isn’t like any other Christmas lights display in Houston. In fact, most of the displays aren’t Christmasy at all, but have 8 different themed displays, such as The Sea, Dinosaur Kingdom, and Space, among others. The displays are actually giant lanterns shaped like a castle, unicorn, spider, or whatever may fit the area’s theme. But don’t worry. You’ll still get your Christmas fix meeting Santa in The Village with the ginormous Christmas tree lantern!
Aside from the lights, there is also a Chinese acrobatic performance that’s definitely worth watching. The Panda suit is a little cheesy at first but sit tight because the things these girls can do is absolutely astounding. I asked Harper how she would describe it and she said, “It was so cool I couldn’t even talk, and they stack on top of each other.” So there you have it, folks. It’s one of those shows that fascinates the kids but all the moms watch through the cracks between their fingers because they just know she’s gonna drop that table right on her face! Just watch the show, guys. You’ll see what I mean.
Food and drinks are the typical fair food at prices you would expect. About ¼ of the entire grounds are devoted to carnival games and rides. To be honest, we spent all our time wandering through the light displays and never even made it to the carnival. But from what I saw, they seemed to have all the typical rides and games we all know and love.
A full-price adult ticket is $22 and kids 4-12 are $13 online (3 and under are free!). If you go between December 9-12 there is currently a discount code on the Magical Winter Lights website, OR you can get the Groupon for up to 20% off any night! Parking is $5 per car, cash only.
Things to know before you go:
~Bring cash. They have ATMs located throughout the grounds but if you already have cash you’re one step ahead.
~Bring the stroller. The kids will inevitably want to run around (and why shouldn’t they?) but it’s still a lot of walking for little legs, especially after bedtime.
~Pay attention to show times. We caught the acrobat show, but we totally missed Santa and the “Ice Sisters.” Forgot to mention them, didn’t I?
~Mark your kids. I always, always, always forget to put my phone number on my kids (at least the little one), and I always, always, always just know he’s going to get lost. Be smarter than me.
~Stop at Buc-ee’s before and after. They only have port-a-potties at the event and those are horrendous with little ones. With Buc-ee’s that close we were able to avoid any sanitary nightmares.
All in all, we spent about 3 hours at Magical Winter Lights, but we tend to linger and play longer than most. As usual, we shut that place down. Like, as in they were turning the lights off as we were walking out.
Tell me about your experience! I want to see your pictures!
