Willard Bay “Fantasy At The Bay” Lights
Nov. 29 – Dec 31, 2013
5:30pm to 10:00pm
Exit 357 off of I-15 in Box Elder County
$10 per carload (wagon rides and visits with Santa included, hot chocolate additional fee)
For years we have been hearing how amazing the Willard Bay Lights are during the holiday season. We decided to make the drive and see for ourselves what we have been missing out on. It was even better than I had imagined, and we are excited to make it our yearly tradition from here on out! (View a short video at the end of this post of the highlights.)
I was worried that I was going to have a hard time finding it, but all those worries were gone when I saw the gigantic light display directly off of the freeway. Even if you are not looking for it, there is no way that you can miss this spectacular light display to the West of I-15 in Willard. If you are wanting to watch for an exit, take number 357.
This isn’t just another light display; they have created animated scenes for each area that tell a different story. One area is a bear climbing a tree, and getting into a beehive for honey. Another one has a reindeer learning to fly, only to land with his head in the ground. While some scenes are fun, others are serious and show an appreciative side of Christmas, such as the soldiers that fight for our freedom, and the pioneers that sacrificed so much to come to Utah.
I love that they only charge per carload and not per person. This year it was $10 per carload, with free wagon rides and visits with Santa once you get in the park. We drove around in our vehicle to see the lights, then we went further down the road where the free horse-drawn wagon rides, visits with Santa and hot chocolate were located. I was very appreciative that the hot chocolate was affordable!
Free Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
The family behind JP Livestock, the Parker family, spend many hours this holiday season and donate their time and horses to provide free wagon rides through Willard Bay to see the lights. Because they donate their time, please make sure to drop something in the tip jar!
A sign near the front of the line reads:
Jared and Amy Parker along with their seven children live in Providence, UT. We are excited to have the opportunity to serve the public in providing the horse drawn wagon rides here at “Fantasy At The Bay”! We love our family, our horses, and working with the public. Christmas is a special time to make fun, family memories. Have a great time! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love: The Parkers
The Parker family was great with the kids, and Mr. Parker even allowed a few of the kids to sit up front and help drive the team of horses around the park. He taught them simple commands to tell the horses to turn left or right, and how to watch the horses’ ears to tell if they are listening. They had extra blankets available for those that forgot to bring some.
Because of the Parker family’s dedicated time and service, many kids have the chance to make a memory that will last a lifetime, regardless of income. What kid doesn’t dream of riding around to see Christmas lights in a horse-drawn wagon?! My own daughter told me last night that it was on her bucket list, and she was excited to have experienced it!
A huge thanks to the Parker family for taking the time to provide these rides during the holiday season! It was the highlight of our visit to Willard Bay!
Visits With Santa
After seeing the lights aboard the horse-drawn wagon, step inside a warm building where children can visit with Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. This specific Santa, unlike other Santas, took a good amount of time with each kid. He didn’t just ask them what they wanted for Christmas, then send them on their way with a candy cane. He spent time talking and visiting with each child, so that when they finally did walk away with their candy cane, they had the sense that Santa knew and cared about them individually. Even the older kids couldn’t help but walk away with a smile!
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