Santa’s Magical Kingdom keeps the lights on after December 25, with nine more evenings to visit before the season ends. If Christmas dinner and family visits filled your calendar, you can still bring everyone to our St. Louis winter lights show in Eureka, Missouri.
For the 2026–27 season, those final nights run from December 26, 2026, through January 3, 2027. Here’s what you can still do, what ends before Christmas, and how to choose your evening.
Quick answer: Our drive-through lights open nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. during this period. Wagon rides remain on the posted schedule, subject to booking availability. Santa photos and Santa Express Train rides finish earlier in December.
Plan Your After-Christmas Visit
Choose From the Final Nine Nights
Every date below has the same light-show hours: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Family vehicle admission varies by day, with tax included.
| Visit date | Day | Family vehicle admission |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | $40 |
| December 27 | Sunday | $35 |
| December 28 | Monday | $35 |
| December 29 | Tuesday | $35 |
| December 30 | Wednesday | $35 |
| December 31 | Thursday, New Year’s Eve | $35 |
| January 1, 2027 | Friday, New Year’s Day | $35 |
| January 2 | Saturday | $40 |
| January 3 | Sunday, closing night | $35 |
Pay cash at the ticket booth as you exit. Larger vans, limousines, and small buses have separate rates, so check our admission details for your vehicle.
Choosing December 27 through January 1 gives a family vehicle the $35 rate. These dates offer a lower admission price than Saturday; they don’t guarantee a shorter line.
What’s Still Available After Christmas?
The lights continue through closing night, while other experiences follow their own dates. Check this distinction before promising children a particular activity.
| Experience | December 26 through January 3 |
| Drive through the lights in your vehicle | Open nightly |
| Old Fashioned Holiday Wagon | On the posted schedule; check available departures |
| Private wagon | On the posted schedule; reserve an available departure |
| Kringle’s General Store and snack shack | Part of your Kingdom visit |
| Professional Santa photos | Finished for the season; Santa’s visits end December 23 |
| Santa Express Train | Finished for the season; the posted train schedule ends December 10 |
For family Christmas lights near St. Louis after the holiday, build your evening around the drive itself. Treat a wagon reservation or a stop at Kringle’s as an addition that needs its own time.
Enjoy the St. Louis Winter Lights Show From Your Car
Your vehicle takes you through 35 acres of displays, so the main outing can stay entirely inside the car. That gives visiting relatives something to do together without arranging a long outdoor walk.
The Tunnel of Dancing Lights stretches the length of a football field. Elsewhere, look for dolphins in a river of lights and our illuminated version of the Gateway Arch. See the Kingdom’s display preview if your passengers want a few things to watch for.
Keep coats handy if you plan to get out at the store. You can make this a lights-only evening or leave time for a warm drink before heading home.
Add a Wagon Ride if You Want an Outdoor View
Wagon rides remain an option during the final nine nights, subject to available departures. The Old Fashioned Holiday Wagon costs $18 per person; a private wagon starts at $75 for the first two people.
Reserve a wagon for at least two people and we waive your vehicle admission fee. Check live availability before building your evening around a departure.
The wagons are open-air, so dress for an outdoor winter ride. Check the wagon schedules, prices, and booking terms before reserving, and follow the arrival instructions for your departure.
If staying warm is the priority, keep the visit in your own vehicle. You can still see the lights without adding a ride booking.
Leave Time for Kringle’s Before the 10 p.m. Close
Kringle’s General Store gives you a place to browse during your visit. The snack shack serves hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies baked each evening, along with other snacks.
Allow extra time if your family wants to stop. A late arrival that suits a lights-only drive may leave little time for Kringle’s General Store and treats.
Plan One Evening Around the Lights
Choose your date first, then decide whether everyone wants to stay in the car or add an outdoor wagon ride. Keep the rest of the evening simple:
- Eat before you leave. Treat the snack shack as an optional stop rather than the evening’s meal plan.
- Take I-44 to Exit 261 in Eureka. We’re inside Jellystone Park St. Louis Eureka, off Fox Creek Road near Six Flags.
- Bring cash for vehicle admission. Keep ride reservations separate from a standard drive-through visit.
- Allow time before closing. Our visitor information recommends arriving at least 20 to 30 minutes before the gates close, with more time for the store.
For a wagon booking, use the earlier arrival time in the ride instructions. Don’t use the light show’s closing time to judge when you should arrive for a scheduled departure.
After-Christmas Visit Questions
Does New Year’s Eve include a midnight light show?
Our posted New Year’s Eve hours end at 10 p.m. Plan an evening visit before closing rather than a midnight countdown at the Kingdom.
Can we visit on New Year’s Day?
The lights open January 1 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. For the 2026–27 season, that date falls on a Friday, with $35 family vehicle admission.
Can two visiting families arrive in separate cars?
Admission applies to each vehicle. If you arrive in two family vehicles, each pays the rate for that date.
Can we go straight to Kringle’s without visiting the lights?
Kringle’s has no separate entrance. A store visit is for Santa’s Magical Kingdom guests, so include it within your lights outing.
Are lights available later in January?
January 3, 2027, is the final night on our posted season schedule. Choose a date on or before then rather than planning for later in January.
Pick Your Evening Before the Season Ends
December 26 through January 3 leaves nine evenings for a visit, including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Choose your date, check any wagon availability, and plan around the 10 p.m. close.
