Holiday dreams fall short: 5 of America’s 'most complained-about' Christmas attractions

McAdenville, North Carolina is 'Christmas Town USA' Tracy Gunn of McAdenville, North Carolina joins 'Fox & Friends First' to showcase her town's Christmas spirit and widespread draw. Christmas lights, holiday markets and winter wonderlands usually spread cheer - but some of the country’s most popular attractions have also delivered a frustrating experience for many Americans, according to Tripadvisor reviews. Visitors cite everything from massive crowds and long waits to high prices and underwhelming displays in their negative ratings posted on the review site. The list was compiled by Nomad eSIM, a global digital service that analyzed Tripadvisor data. It ranked U.S. Christmas attractions by the volume of one- and two-star reviews the locations received. TOP TRAVEL DESTINATIONS GAINING BUZZ FOR 2026 TRIPS REVEALED IN NEW REPORT Criticism or not, many of these attractions remain wildly popular. Fox News Digital reached out to each of the venues for comment and thoughts. Here’s a look at America’s most "disappointing" Christmas attractions, according to the compiled list. Despite massive popularity, several U.S. Christmas attractions rank among the "most complained-about" venues on Tripadvisor. (Getty Images) 1. An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri The holiday venue in Branson includes more than 6.5 million lights, Broadway-style performances, craft demonstrations and traditional seasonal meals, according to the park’s website. Even so, the park received the most low-rated reviews of all U.S. Christmas attractions on Tripadvisor. Visitors most frequently cited long wait times, heavy crowding and dissatisfaction with food and entertainment offerings during peak holiday periods. MEGA-FANS SWARM QUAINT NEW ENGLAND TOWNS, CHASING CHRISTMAS MOVIE CHARM One reviewer from Ohio said his or her family of 14 spent roughly $1,500 on tickets and add-ons during a holiday visit - describing the experience as poorly managed. Another visitor wrote, "Absolutely the worst experience we have ever had at an amusement park," noting three-hour wait times, overcrowding and limited access to food and seating. 2. Santa Claus House, North Pole, Alaska Santa Claus House describes itself as a year-round attraction. It offers Santa meet-and-greets, Christmas-themed merchandise and seasonal displays in the town of North Pole, Alaska, according to the attraction’s website. Some of the most popular holiday and Christmas venues in the U.S. receive reviews mentioning long wait times and high prices. (iStock) The attraction received the second-highest number of low-rated reviews among U.S. Christmas destinations on Tripadvisor. Reviewers mentioned the experience as overpriced and limited in scope. One reviewer wrote, "Don’t make this anything but a bathroom stop. " THE TOP 10 CHRISTMAS CITIES IN THE US, WITH A SURPRISE CITY AS THE WINNER Paul Brown, the venue's operations manager, told Fox News Digital, "While it makes for a sensational headline, this ‘report' from Nomad certainly stretches the truth to get there. For example, see our overall 4.1-star rating on TripAdvisor and the fact that we have consistently been a ‘Best of TripAdvisor.’ [We] are currently a Travelers’ Choice - which means we’re ranked ‘in the Top 10% of properties on TripAdvisor.’" "We must be...

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