Holiday window displays have become a tradition for many retailers across the country. Here at the park, the visual merchandising team has dressed the park's shop windows in bright holiday style for Christmas Town, the park's annual holiday celebration.
A window in front of LaBelle Gifts in the France area of the park features swaths of pink that set the stage for glittery ornaments, decadent soaps and French wines that can be found inside the store. A tree made of garland in the window of the Emporium in England beckons to guests looking for more traditional holiday gifts.
The window displays are decorated to match the merchandise and the overall feel of the stores they adorn, said Assistant Visual Merchandiser Allison Duncan. Duncan works alongside fellow Assistant Visual Merchandiser Joella Crousore under the direction of Visual Merchandiser Kim Beck to design and build the window displays.
"We each kind of research and compare ideas and then make a plan together," said Duncan, "then when we're installing the decorations it really takes two people, because it's hard to keep climbing in and out to grab something or check out how it looks."
When designing a window display, the team must consider many factors like the size of the window, time, and resources at their disposal. Some of their best designs, they say, involve using existing items in new and inventive ways.
"We're always recycling, reusing and repurposing things" said Crousore, "which is great because it challenges us to be more creative."For inspiration Crousore and Duncan draw not only from creative displays from other stores, but from the shops and merchandise around Busch Gardens. For instance, a snowflake hoodie inspired a wintery wonderland of snowflakes in one of the shop windows.
"We want something that not only looks cool, but showcases the wonderful things our stores have to offer," said Crousore.
Guests who pass by Der Marktplatz in the Oktoberfest area can see the park’s model train that zooms by along in one of the store's window displays. Children of all ages can watch as the train makes its way to the North Pole. Model train parts are for sale in the shop for those who wish to bring home a little Christmas magic of their own this holiday.The train and its surroundings are the result of a collaboration involving the whole Merchandising department, said Kim Beck. "I think having a bigger team this year allows us to be more creative. There's a lot of work that goes into it, everybody chips in and I think it turned out really beautiful."
Busch Gardens’ Christmas Town is now open daily until Dec. 31, though the park will be closed on Christmas Day. For more information, visit the Christmas Town website.