Christmas Comes Alive: Enchanted Kingdom Unveils a Season Built on Family, Wonder, and Light

by Gary J. Martinez

SOUTHBOUND

There are places that dazzle you with spectacle, and there are those that gently tug you back to the heart of who you are. This Christmas, Enchanted Kingdom manages to do both, turning its festive season into an ode to Filipino families — to our shared memories, our laughter, our resilience, and the unspoken desire to reconnect with the childlike joy we often misplace along the way.

With the launch of its “Enchanting Season of Family” campaign, the country’s most beloved theme park has transformed once again into a glowing constellation of lights, music, and magical encounters. But this year is different. This year carries the echoes of three decades — EK’s 30 years of crafting happiness — and folds that legacy into a Christmas campaign that feels like coming home.

A Celebration Rooted in Filipino Togetherness

Enchanted Kingdom didn’t merely decorate for the holidays; it built a narrative. A story told through lanterns, familiar melodies, fireworks, cast smiles, and the tender warmth of families walking together past spaces that shaped their younger years.

This season’s message is deliberate: Christmas is family. And magic is best experienced hand in hand.

The festivities were formally set in motion during a pre-season program held late November, where community voices filled the park with carols that rose and fell like a collective heartbeat. Guests who attended described the night as a soft reset — a moment to breathe, to savor, to remember why these traditions matter.

The presence of Santa Rosa Vice Mayor Arnold B. Arcillas added a civic affirmation to the event. His words, simple yet sincere, reminded everyone that joy must always triumph over uncertainty. It was a sentiment that resonated deeply, especially in a city that has grown alongside EK itself.

A Park in Full Glow: Moments That Spark Wonder

Once the lights came alive, the transformation was breathtaking. At the center of it all stood the towering Grand Parol, rising above crowds like a beacon. Surrounding it were more than a hundred other lanterns, each one painted in hues we associate with Noche Buena nights and the crisp December air.

But EK didn’t stop at visuals. They created experiences — the kind that families will be retelling long after the season ends.

At the Spaceport Grounds, the Caroloke Christmas Caravan turned into an unexpected hit. It fused two Filipino staples — singing and celebration — into a joyful caravan where families belted out timeless holiday tunes. It wasn’t about hitting the right notes; it was about sharing them.

Meanwhile, inside Eldar’s Theater, children gravitated to the Storyverse characters, their eyes wide with the kind of awe that makes adults nostalgic. In those small interactions, EK achieved something quietly profound: it built bridges between generations.

And when the night deepened, the sky itself joined the show.

A cascade of synchronized fireworks — the Forever Enchanted display — painted the heavens with the lyricism of hope. It was set to EK’s anniversary anthem, performed by rising P-pop group SMS, tying past, present, and future into one luminous finale.

New Icons and Old Favorites Returning in Glory

In celebration of its 30th year, the park also unveiled Eldar’s Evergreen Topiary, a whimsical tribute to its iconic wizard mascot. Unlike seasonal attractions, this one is designed to stay — a living sculpture that symbolizes EK’s commitment to growth, sustainability, and continuous reinvention.

Guests this December through early January can once again enjoy EK’s full roster of attractions. The park is open daily from December 13 to January 4, offering families ample time to rediscover classics like the Space Shuttle coaster and the soaring adventure of Agila: The EKsperience, both refreshed for the anniversary.

But it’s at night, when Brooklyn Place glows with its beautifully choreographed Symphony of Lights and Sounds, that the park truly shifts into a dreamscape. Music moves the lights; the lights move the people; and for a few enchanted minutes, reality seems to take a gentle pause.

Another crowd-pleaser, the Echoes of Enchantment Parade, returns with a festive remix — brighter floats, fuller music, and a procession that breathes new life into EK’s enduring stories. Children dance. Parents film. Strangers cheer. It is, in every sense, a celebration.

A Christmas Story Written for Every Filipino Family

What Enchanted Kingdom has created this year is more than a holiday attraction. It’s a canvas for families to write their own stories — for couples to revisit their first dates, for parents to show their children the rides that once made their hearts race, for grandparents to marvel at how much the park — and their families — have grown.

The “Enchanting Season of Family” is a reminder that despite the noise of the world, despite the speed at which life moves, there remain places that invite us to slow down and remember who we are and who we love.

EK has always been about magic. This year, the magic feels personal.

And as the lanterns flicker, the music swells, and the castle silhouette stands proudly against the December sky, one thing becomes clear:

The most enchanting stories are those we create together.