I’ve written before about Butch Bandos Fantasy of Lights in Delaware.  In fact, I’ve written about it twice already.  I don’t usually write about something three times, but this is an unusual year, so I’ve done some unusual things.

In our efforts to get into the Christmas spirit and find safe things to do, we picked up my parents and headed for Butch Bandos Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek State Park.  We had not driven through the display since 2017, so it seemed like a good time to do it again.

Butch Bandos Fantasy of Lights is just as spectacular as the Wonderlights in Hebron, but it is different.  For one thing, there wasn’t the miles-long line on the road to get in.  You pull into the back entrance of Alum Creek State Park Campground and wind around in the park to keep the line down on the road.  I also don’t think there were as many people going through the Fantasy of Lights.

Another difference is the kind of display.  Wonderlights has a lot of free-form light displays.  The Fantasy of Lights, on the other hand, features individual light displays that paint a specific picture.  For instance, in “Santa’s Reindeer Games” there is a reindeer high dive and a reindeer ski jump.  The Fantasy of Lights has some serious displays, but there are a lot of humorous displays as well.  Tom and I always enjoy the kamikaze gingerbread man and Santa in a hammock beside his RV.

A third difference is the way the cars wind around.  Because Fantasy of Lights is in a state park campground, there are lots of trees and one area of lights feels very separated from another.  At Wonderlights we drove up and down over and over.  I also appreciated that the lights at Fantasy of Lights are not flashing – so I didn’t end up with a headache.

Butch Bandos Fantasy of Lights was the busiest Tom and I had ever seen it.  We lived in the Fantasy of Lights for six years and never, even on the busiest days, saw it as busy as it was this year.  I think families are looking for safe ways to celebrate Christmas together.  It was bumper-to-bumper as we drove around but we enjoyed every light display.

Again, it isn’t too late to go see the Fantasy of Lights.  The lights will be on display through January 3.  Cost is $20 per carload during the week and $30 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  If you don’t get to either of these light displays this year, set aside some time next year to see them.