Dasher's Light Show

Dasher's Light Show is a drive-thru Christmas light experience located in the parking lot of Castleton Square Mall on the Northeast side of Indy. It's located just to the east of AMC Castleton in a large section of the parking lot not being utilized due to the absence of one of the anchor stores. This is the first year for Dasher's Light Show in Indy. It also occurs in four other cities - Humble, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Newark. Prices start at $29.95 for a carload to $49.95 for a VIP deal that includes either a "no line" experience or a second time through on the same night. For $149.95, you can snag a season pass. The experiences includes nearly a million lights. It's preferred that you buy tickets in advance and that guarantees you admission at a certain time. The "show" takes around 20-30 minutes. It is possible, however, to show up and get tickets but you may have to wait. The lights are synced to music that you can pick up on a car radio station. The path itself is easy to follow as you sort of meander through the maze of lights. This is obviously meant to be a nighttime experience to get maximum benefits for the lights. Vehicle height limit is 12'. Essentially, normal cars, trucks, and vans can drive through. As a general rule, admission doesn't work for limos, trailers, buses, or other larger vehicles. It's a fairly tight space and I can definitely appreciate the limitations. It's very nicely choregraphed and fun, though there's little denying it's definitely more geared to families and kids. As I was driving through, I found it to be a very mid-range experience for someone like myself who is single. At times, I felt like I'd have been better driving through a nicely decorated neighborhood - though the addition of the music is a really cool touch. If you've been through the experience at the State Fairgrounds, this is fairly similar. So, if that worked for you then this would likely be an enjoyable experience. While $29.95 seems like a lot, it's really not bad when you consider it's for the whole family (again, for a single person it seemed a touch high). For those who are concerned about social distancing, this is a great way to experience lights. It's also possible to get some great photo ops. Overall, I can't say this completely clicked for me but I think it will be a much more enjoyable experience for families - especially those with children who will love all the lights. I would definitely go back with friends, though I doubt I'd feel the need to experience it again as a single adult.

I took my Little Sister (w/BBBS) to the light show in Indy for one of our outings this year and we had a great time! The lights were well done and we enjoyed the music that was synched up. I thought the signage getting us to the entrance was easy to follow and the instructions by the greeters were as well. I was surprised at how long the show was even with it being just in a parking lot--there were lots of twists and turns in the route to make it last a good amount of time! This was a fun option in a good location as we were able to visit the mall after for some food and shopping. I think a cool addition to the show would be an opportunity to get out and take photos sometime during the show, perhaps an optional spot to park and get out near the exit.