Six Flags' Holiday In The Park Opening Drive-Thru Experience

JACKSON, NJ — Six Flags Great Adventure has turned its theme park into a drive-through holiday lights display for the holiday season, park officials have announced.

The Holiday in the Park drive-through will operate on weeknights, Mondays through Thursdays, beginning Nov. 30. Patrons will be able to drive through the 140-acre theme park in what Six Flags is touting as one of the largest holiday drive-through events in the Northeast.

It includes live entertainment and music as patrons drive through 12 differently-themed areas of the park. Reservations are required and the reservation system will open for the drive-through experience on Wednesday.

"Guests will enjoy distanced greetings from beloved holiday characters decked out for the holidays, popular iconic holiday decorations, and a drive-by featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus and their helpful elves," park officials said.

On Fridays through Sundays, the park's roller coasters and rides will operate for the Holiday in the Park event.

"We are proud to debut another way for our guests to safely celebrate the holidays with this unprecedented, magical event," said John Winkler, Six Flags Great Adventure president. "The popularity of our Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure showed us that families are craving ways to create special memories together that are safe and socially distant, and we are honored to welcome them into our theme park winter wonderland."

Tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis and will be sold per person for each night. Admission is free with active memberships and season passes, and reservations are required. Tickets will not be sold at the gate, and the drive-through will operate as weather permits.

To prevent overcrowding and provide proper social distancing, a limited number of cars will be allowed each night.

Event requirements include use of masks if windows are down, no smoking, littering, stopping, or exiting vehicles. Due to the limited size of certain areas and terrain within the theme park, only cars, SUVs, vans, and pick-up trucks are permitted. No buses, RVs, commercial vehicles, dually pick-up trucks, trailers, or motorcycles will be allowed. A maximum speed of 3 mph, and maintaining a safe distance between cars, will be strictly enforced.

The drive-through features the following:

• Jolly Jamboree: The journey begins in this new section for 2020 which features live entertainment, twinkling trees, and a red sky pathway;
• Holiday Heroes: Patriotic colors and projected stars signify the start of Holiday Heroes, a section home to some of the most iconic, hero-themed thrill rides. Guest cross the Metropolis-Narrows Bridge adorned with shimmering garland, and pass a dazzling and bold red, white and blue-wrapped tree;
• Holiday Memories: Traditional red, white and green décor evokes the warm memories of the holidays in this charming section featuring a glistening tree, festive wreaths, and glowing mistletoe balls swinging gently from the trees above;
• North Pole: This section transforms into a kaleidoscope of color with Santa’s House – completely engulfed in lights – anchoring the center while two massive nutcrackers stand guard outside, and dancing lights travel around the Bumper Cars pavilion;
• Polar Point: Guests pass the 15-story Big Wheel, illuminated in lavender, to enter a world of brilliant, ice-blue trees offering the illusion of falling snow;
• A Main Street Christmas: Located in the heart of the park, this Main Street reminiscent of a colonial Christmas is home to a spectacular, five-story, LED tree and gently-falling snow;
• Gingerbread Junction: This feast for the eyes features the Carousel pavilion’s exciting light show, peppermint swirl-wrapped trees, and giant, peppermint light projections;
• Poinsettia Peak: The section is awash in bold red tones with a beautiful tree comprised of poinsettias. Poinsettia projection lights and Skull Mountain, illuminated in red, complete this area;
• Holly Jolly Christmas: Guests will feel the chill as they pass Polar Point on their way toward THE JOKER, where Holly Jolly Christmas offers traditional red and green decor and a massive Santa inflatable;
• Joy to the World: Next, the warm, yellow glow of wrapped trees frame tranquil luminaries highlighting religious holidays from around the world along the still, moonlit Great Lake. Then, guests will journey over massive snowflake light projections under dramatically illuminated trees and continue through the dazzling Twinkle Tunnel;
• Snowman City: Standing tall – extremely tall -- the jolly, three-story inflatable snowman known as Stewey welcomes guests to Snowman City, punctuated by bright white lights and shimmering tinsel; and
• Deck the Halls: The journey draws to a close in the Boardwalk section as guests pass iconic roller coasters, larger-than-life illuminated presents, and twinkling, oversized tree trimmings.

For those seeking the traditional Holiday in the Park experience, which is operating weekends through Jan. 3, Six Flags Great Adventure said some of the highlights this year include:

Jolly Jamboree – There’s always a party happening in this new themed section, located in the park’s catering area. Dramatic lighting, traditional wreaths and garland, and decorated trees will adorn this section. Holiday Feastival will serve piping-hot holiday fare. Guests can warm themselves by the fire pit and toast s’mores, shop for great stocking stuffer gifts, play holiday games, or sample seasonal beverages from Holiday Spirits. Guests can even find Santa and Mrs. Claus here until Christmas.

Jack Frost, the newest addition to the character appearances; illuminated animals in the main park, paying homage to the animals of the Wild Safari, and "Holiday Magic: A Celebration of the Season," which park officials describe as "a spectacular light show on a five-story-tall tree in the heart of the park that dazzles nightly every 30 minutes through eye-popping effects, stirring music and gently falling snow."

There are holiday fire pits in six sections of the park and holiday food and drink, including spiked egg nog, holiday-flavored coffee and hot chocolate, peppermint and mocha fudge, seasonal beers, festive funnel cakes, specialty holiday platters with cranberry sauce, chili bowls, smoked meats, harvest salads and hot soups.

You can also help those in need: The Holiday Friends plush toy program donates one plush for every plush purchased, and the Holiday Craze Mirror Maze gives $1 of each pass purchased to Fulfill, the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Inc.