What a great way to make merry memories! We were a little nervous after purchasing tickets THEN reading the reviews on here...turns out they were unfounded...some people just like to complain I guess? We had a group of seven, 5 adults and 2 teenagers and got there a little after 6:30, for context, but there were groups of all ages and sizes there having a good time. Is it crowded? Yes. Do you have to wait in line for concessions? Yes. Of course. It is a kick ass event. Think of it as going to a ballgame or concert. There are two gate entrances at Fair Park for parking...neither is close to the event on the map BUT we went in gate 2 and basically we followed the cones and line of cars across the park to a parking lot that was right outside the entrance. (It was super easy and not confusing.) I suspect gate 13 will do the same. Again, think of it as having a parking pass at an arena. You are close, but you're not parking outside the front door. Two last notes on parking - do not type "fair park gate 2" into your GPS like I did, use the address they send you. It's more accurate although still the gate entrance was on the fair park side of the road even though the address given made it look like the parking was across the street. Secondly, we had two cars and, since we were on a single order, we were worried that if we weren't together in line going in we would have trouble. I think if you're separated by a few cars it's not a big deal and probably as long as you send the QR code to the other driver you will likely be fine. In the future they would be smart to make each ticket and parking pass its own code that can be added and shared by digital wallet, but that's not how they do it as of 2022. (Just one QR code for everything.)
Anyway...We walked up and there was a crowd of people going through metal detectors. Not sure but I'd say they had 6-8 lines going. After security they scan your QR code and you're in. Took us about 10 minutes to park and get in. Once inside there is a map that gives you a lay of the land. The event itself is almost entirely outdoors, except for a makeshift bar area that's 21 and up and the Santa area. There are portable toilets close by or there is a building with toilets a little farther. A lot of people are using them, from what I heard they're adequate but it's not buccees. We waited in line for hot chocolate, the concession stand had run out but was making more - about a 15 minute wait. Worked out because we waited on the hot chocolate while others used the bathroom. Timing worked out then we hit the maze. The maze is why you go. The lights are amazing and it's so fun to walk around and see everything. There are tons of lit topiaries, Christmas trees, presents, ornaments, and a huge Christmas tree that was way cooler up close than I thought it would be. There is also a little bit of scavenging activity you can do, they give you a passport with specific light features listed (teddy bear, pony, duckie, etc.) At each feature there is a stamp you can use on your passport. We weren't really looking for them but came across 6 of the 8 features. Also, someone mentioned there are no trash cans...not true, just be patient and you will see them, who wants garbage cans around every turn getting in your pictures? They are there if you look for them and are patient. There is an ice skating rink, we didn't do that, it looked more like an ice skating path through some lights. There is also a makeshift balcony / over look you can have a photo taken at. You can take your own. They also have a camera setup that will send you a photo you can choose to purchase. Honestly for the price, I feel like that should have been included, but (again) like a concert or game, the extras cost extra. In all we spent about two hours there and had a blast seeing the lights, taking photos and strolling around. If you're on the fence I would recommend it, just take your time and enjoy the time together. Giving this 4-star experience 5 stars to balance the really negative reviews on here. read more