Excellent, a lot to see and many places for photo ops. It took about an hour to walk around.

Visited the pop up in Freehold! This was cute. I honestly thought there was a lot to see and do for the kids. My daughter is 2 and my niece and nephew are 3 and 4 - it was age appropriate for all of them. Tickets will run you $20 and are free for kids under 3. Expect to spend around 1.5 to 2 hours. It's not that large of an area and you can see everything much quicker, but it's likely you'll spend time snapping photos. And speaking of photos... there are SO many opportunities. I loved all of the light up walkways and of course tons of light up dinos and animals, plus some funny bonus photo opps like a group shot inside of a dino mouth and dinos that actually walk around the festival. There was a bit of a line to get in but it moves pretty fast. There are a few porta potties inside and Peking Pavilion also had a food tent set up. But that was all for food, so maybe consider eating before or bringing snacks. Overall it's something cool and different to do and all of the kiddos in our group had a fun time. Plus tons of cute pics to look back on. Can't beat that! read more

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Went to the LuminoCity Festival in East Meadow, NY at Eisenhower park. It's very spread out and a lot to see! Two entrances and two parking lots. There's a VIP entrance and ticket, honestly there wasn't a line but we went the second to last weekend! There's tons of photo opportunities and different section/ themes to see. There's definitely something for everyone. Everything is well lit and looks so amazingly detailed! There are some animatronics and sounds that some areas have. They have a dinosaur section and most move/ make noise. There is an option to "ride a Dino" that area was poorly lit and didn't see like many people were doing it? Again, went later and it was also much colder when we went. Was it worth the amount selling for the ticket? Questionable. Was it worth going? 100% read more

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If you expected to see lots of lights, then you've gone to the right festival. I'm not going to go into detail about every single light display here, but there is absolutely something to see for everyone. I was quite surprised at how nice everything was laid out and organized. Everything was dazzling in the darkness. And not only that, but the light festival was actually quite extensive and could easily take 1.5-2 hours to walk through and take pictures of. A few tips though: 1. Arrive early because the rumor is that the later you arrive, the longer you will have wait to get in due to the long line. We arrived at about 3:30 and were at the very front of the line and got in exactly when they opened at 4. During the early winter, the sun sets around 4:30, so the timing is perfect as darkness pretty much sets in by then. 2. For cold days, BUNDLE UP! You are going to be outdoors for a long time and snapping photos left and right, so keep your paws covered. 3. No food/drinks are allowed in, however at the end of the festival there is tent with food vendors and also some food trucks. Not surprising, the hot chocolate vendors were the most popular. 4. Some parts of the grounds could be muddy, however the organizers did lay out boards to walk on, nevertheless the boards and grounds can be slippery, so be cautious and watch your kids! We saw multiple kids wipe out while running around. 5. If you don't plan on driving, the M35 bus leaves from 125th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan and drops people off right in front of the parking lot of the festival. When leaving the festival, the bus stop going back to Manhattan is about 200 feet straight from the exit. Other than that, enjoy the lights! read more

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Lots of fun. Great place to take holiday festive pictures. Be mindful that you are on a n island and in a park outdoors so it's extremely cold. Dress appropriately as there are no exhibits that offer hear while walking through until you reach the indoor shops. Take your time going through because there is no reentry. It's a beautiful Alice in L.E.D Wonderland kind of vibe. It was easy to get to by subway and a periodic shuttle from 125 street to the park. It's a delivery short and comfortable ride. If you aren't driving, I suggest you pay for the shuttle - you won't regret it. If you change your mind and want the shuttle ride after the fact, I believe you can purchase tickets on the shuttle. It's definitely an experience and of you have children it's a cool thing to do! read more

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FEELING EXTREMELY MISS-LED and RIPPED OFF! 80.00 for two tickets plus a 35.00 Uber ride each way to walk thru LuminoCity. The photos on the website and the actual event do not compare. It is solely 100% designed for children. The advertising never mentions it is 100% kid driven. Adults if you do not have kids, save yourself the money and the time to get there. It took us 15-20 minutes if that to walk and slip thru the mini cities. We were not the only ones feeling this way. We could hear other adults saying it was a joke and not what they expected at all. The employees were all nice throughout the set up. There was a tent set up with a very loud band and an odd mix of vendors. I felt like I walked into an after school activity room. BEST PART THE HEAT! Would probably love it I were five but I'm not. read more

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We went after Christmas and it was perfect! I can't wait to go again and bring some friends! All of the lighting was so beautiful and awe inspiring. I think my favorite part was how when we were driving along the FDR highway it looked like a rainbow, but when you are at the event walking around it looks like you're fully emerged in colors all around you. read more

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Not much to do other than walk around. No shops, eateries, or interactive things for Teens. Visually pretty but that's it.​

If you go...PURCHASE THE VIP TICKETS!!!!!!! ($30 vs. $50). If you don't, you'll undoubtedly regret it. You'll be standing on an absurdly long line with your kids in the cold - pissed off and trying to figure out who you should call or write a letter to complain to. Trust me - coming from someone who got the VIP tix. Ok, you've been warned. We parked at 5:45pm last Saturday, got on the back of the line, and worried that we were too late for our 5:30pm time slot. Wait a minute, there are A LOT of people (and agitated, crying children) on this line. Surely their time slots are later than ours right? I signal the woman in front of me with the husband and 3 kids shivering in the cold, and ask her what time her slot is - 5pm she says. Um...ok. I tell hubby to stay on line with the kids and I walk to the entrance. HOLY SH*TBALLS BATMAN - THE LINE SPANNED ABOUT 5 NYC BLOCKS!!! No BS. I couldn't believe it. I had no idea how far back I was because the line started near the REAR parking lot where we first entered the property. Booking a time slot is for sure a joke. When I got to the front, I spoke to a female worker (who was extremely friendly and polite) and asked her if I had to wait on the line even though I had VIP tix for 5:30pm. She verified my tix and told me to get my family and come straight back to her. I got them, came back, and she escorted us straight through the entrance - didn't even wait a millisecond. They took our temps, and when we got inside, it definitely wasn't NEARLY as crowded as we thought. I swear - judging by the line outside, I was expecting a crowd of people like waiting on line for a Disney World ride, but nope. Did a good job of socially distancing (at least as best they could). Kids loved it, and I must admit that all of those lights at night were very, very pretty. Although for the price, there should've been more of an exhibit. I was told by a worker while there that they've removed quite a bit of the exhibit because of COVID and wanting to space everything out more. I appreciate that...but then the pricing should now reflect that. They had about 4 food carts there and the lines weren't super long, but it didn't matter - the wait for each cart was excruciatingly slow. read more

LuminoCity Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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This is for the Eisenhower location for winter 2024-2025. Horrible horrible horrible NOT KID SAFE AND ZERO STAFF AVAILABLE!! A lot of tripping hazards from thick metal plates to huge tree roots. These areas are hidden in the dark making it even more unsafe for little ones. Zero warning upon admittance to keep an eye out. And you would think at least have some staff in those areas to keep an eye out or first aid kit or even just illuminate the tripping hazard areas so adults can see and keep our little ones safe!!! Spoke to several moms all had issues with the toddlers falling and getting hurt. It's funny I emailed them several times to obtain general registration information and they were very quick to respond and thorough but when I emailed them about the fall incident and lack of staff suddenly I received a generic we will get back to you in 5-10 business days. Which they never did. Because you know what they are a yearly pop up. So they set up shop without addressing any safety concerns and if something occurs oh well we disappear anyway so we are going to ignore you. Horrible horrible business ethics but at the end of the day no one wants to take children to a place that is not safe!!!! Zero zero staff inside. Just two at the door for admittance. Would you feel safe taking little ones there in the dark knowing no staff inside and all these tripping hazards? Poorly made event. read more

Lots of intricate lightings with many themes ranging from Christmas to dinosaurs to saved animals and their lights balloons figures with one of the largest most in-depth Mother Earth combinations that I have ever seen. In this review I will cover various pro and con things. Though overall the composite is that I am glad I went . Great family, friends place to visit. Pros- colorful, intricate, many facet designs and themes that were well spread out in this case at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow New York. A long run thru Christmas and New Years ending January 8, 2023. Here there were 2 parking lots to use as needed. Field 2 and 4. At 4 we were very close to entrance. There was handicap parking in front too. When I asked the young lady who scanned our tickets per the phone, where to start, she replied where ever your heart takes you. And indeed there were heartfelt places particularly for the rescued dogs and cats that had honorary balloon lights designed or them. There really is something for everyone's liking here. You can take your time once in (baring closing time) going at your own pace or quickly through. All of it is outdoors rain or shine or warm or cold. Most working with lights and moving circles on path ways. The technicians behind the scenes are right there to correct any lighted Lumos that go out. Proper signs and tie offs keeping the view for people on the paths. Extension cords securely covered on the ground though high at spots. (note if you have a scooter or wheel chair take the bumps slowly) I even came across a fire extinguisher near the Dino exhibit! Bravo to the people who set up, put up, keep up and take down these many light designs. There is a semblance of a giftshop (see pix) (my visit met Danni wearing a cute animal hat) attractively decorated tent with a few select items for sale and some free give away stickers. Cons- At night even knowing the Park it was hard to see where to make the turn (a U turn from the Hempstead Turnpike entrance). No one to ask and just follow the lights to the exhibit. Weather: it is what it is. We had many days of rain. Other reviews note that it is on an open field and could be muddy. We went on a dry night with a full moon though it was cold. (wear gloves and layers) Cost: Is high per person. Children's prices varied. *Did get 30% off last week and saw a 20% off as well. Yet- there are extra fees including taxes and service charges. For 2 people final cost was 55.00. Gift shop had more decorations not for sale then items. They did not sell lawn lights ornaments. Perhaps they had more at the beginning of the exhibit. The Email contacts they have are little to no help. No reply of value for questions of handicap access. The PR news email notes they are there to help with information for writeups; and then did not reply. For the inquisitive eye many questions unanswered on how they do it with generators and power and lines being quite spectacular displays. All in all it was a sight to see. read more

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Not sure why there are so many negative reviews. Went this week and had a fantastic date night! Would give it 5 stars but agree the pre-queing to get inside the gates didn't really make sense. Instead of staggering 3 or 4 parties at s time they kind of let everyone in at once per time slot. So the initial 5 mins inside was crowded but then it emptied out fairly quickly. It was like walking into a Wonka-like light up wonderland. Got to take some cool pics and just enjoyed a night out! Hope stuff like this can come back in the summertime as well when it isn't so cold! read more

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So my boyfriend took me here for a surprise date night a couple of weeks ago (he definitely gets some cool points for this lol). This place is just wow. All the lights are just delightful. There's different light show areas with different categories. Our favorite was the mushroom area. They have a warming area where you can purchase hot chocolate and goodies, and where there's a cool DJ playing edm. Felt like I was raving for a second! This place is kid friendly, so it's great to come here with your family. This place also provides a shuttle bus if you don't drive. Parking was $20 for us which I didn't find terrible. You can also purchase tickets once you get there. read more

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UPDATE (12*7*19): Customer service responded to my request of a partial refund for the night in question & has issued me a refund for the full cost of my tickets. I felt it was only fair to share this. /// I was really looking forward to this. My family and I trekked it from Connecticut after purchasing tickets WEEKS ago. When we arrived, the line was unreal. I could not believe that we were made to stand in line for what would turn out to be over an hour when we already had tickets. There was a large group in front of us who were waiting on the line to purchase tickets. WE ALREADY HAD THEM! Why were we forced to stand in the cold behind people who didn't even have tickets? This event was terribly unorganized! And just when I thought I was on an excessive line for no good reason, watching the line continue to grow behind us and loop around pillars was an interesting spectacle. I started to wonder why they sold so many tickets on one single night. How could the event even be enjoyable when there were so many bodies there at the same time? When we got closer to the entrance, there was a very loud woman who worked for the event standing on a boulder yelling for people to stay off the "rocks". So a staff member yelled out to the crowd to stay off of the rocks while on a rock. Genius! Once we arrive at the entrance, it started out promising until we started tripping over their poorly pieced together walk ways. It got even better once the walk ways ended and we were walking thru mud. There was nothing enjoyable about trying to tip toe thru mud. That was a real bummer. I suppose the displays could have potentially been a real treat if things were executed properly but the line, the amount of bodies and the mud just dampened the entire experience. Definitely wasn't worth a trip from Connecticut. Wasn't worth the money, for sure. I'm considering asking for a partial refund at the very least. The disorganization of this event was an epic fail & realistically, a partial refund is more than appropriate. read more

LuminoCity Festival - This was the back of the line. If you zoom in, you can see the line forming and wrapping around to the left. - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

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I was there yesterday, the employees at the front take cash and put in their pocket and let you in if you don't have a ticket purchased from before. they tell you it's sold out and you can only buy online to make you offer them $$$ then they purchase tickets for you read more

I think the rain combined with the fact that the festival is on Randall's Island, and tickets are $30 (even with the student discount) makes this a two-star experience. Prior to the night we were going (you have to pick a specific date and that's it), my friends heard that it was overcrowded, due to a large amount of people entering between 5-8, leading to ridiculous wait times. We didn't have this problem because it was raining the whole time we went. There were barely any people there. While the displays were nice, the rain did take away from the experience. Everything was muddy and slippery. The trails they laid down did help a little though, so that was appreciated. I don't think it was worth the pricey ticket or the trek though. After taking the 4 train, you still have to take the bus, which was super sketch. We ended up just taking a $60 Uber (and 40 minutes of traffic). Split between 6 people, it was totally worth it. I would say the Uber out of there was the only thing that was worth it for this festival. I heard that they have timed tickets now to alleviate the crowds and long wait times but I would still say save your time and money. read more

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Currently if you're still interested there's a 5% discount code right now. Luminocity ends January 5th. There's been a lot of light festivals popping up in NY lately. I first heard of luminocity on IG, the video ad they showed was not what you see at the actual place...so yes there was misrepresentation. There's a mixture of families and young adults attending this event. Expect a lot of picture taking---I felt it was kind of hard to get a good shot since people often walked in front when we were taking photos. I'm sure I'm also guilty of accidentally waltzing into someone's photos. Initially they did not regulate how many people could attend in one day, which I thought was weird. Sure enough, the influx caved in on itself and they had to enact time slots. Those who bought tickets before the time slots could still attend anytime. Communication was done via email. First email I sent was a question about IDs, response came back in a few days. The next email was about time slots and best time for wait times they responded the next day. I got there at 3:30 PM hoping to avoid the lines, despite the line being huge I was able to get in around 4pm. There was a bag check and people scanning tickets at the front. Overall pleasant staff, one lady regulating the line made sure people had the correct ticket date and made light hearted jokes here and there. The con with going early is the light displays were not as pretty and vibrant. However, if you go late at night it can get super cold, staying out late with children is not exactly the best idea...do consider this is an outdoor event in the Winter. For travel I opted to take the bus instead of their scheduled shuttle services (costs vary depending which location you go---some in Manhattan and one in Flushing Queens, shuttle services needed to be purchased at the same time you buy your ticket). For parking you need to pay and obtain a permit. Displays were cute, my favorite were the pandas and zodiac sign cats. Some displays moved, for example the dinosaurs and animals would have moving tails and sound effects. There was also a NYC themed display with a subway station/Marilyn Monroe figure. Throughout the displays you hear narration of "Lumi's adventure", the theme character of this entire event. Again, what was advertised was not what I saw at the event, the photo I included are screenshots of their ad that I did not see there. At the end there's a tent for food and drinks as well as performance. Very crowded. When you go out there's also a series of food trucks. Also on their site they initially talked about a bar to get drinks. It looks like a bar, but there is no alcohol. I feel the staff tried to improve the experience later on, with ticket price, processing fee, and tax it's around $44 for one person at an event that's takes about 20 minutes to explore. This may be a one time for me or I'd rather opt for the more cost friendly options that are closer. Overall makes a nice IG photo, but design wasn't as elaborate as advertised. read more

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There wasn't a long wait when I went around 8 and it was beautiful but I wouldn't say this is totally worth the money. I got discounted tickets early so it wasn't as bad. Staff are just RUDE. Upon entering a woman was standing on a rock directing VIP and general admission. She was sarcastic and rude when she spoke to my grandparents who didn't speak english and they couldn't understand her. When I asked for the way to the exit, I received a lazy answer "that way where everything else is" with such an attitude. Lovely place but needs better staff. read more

Went with my boyfriend and we both loved it, definitely have to go after the sun sets. Didn't have any issues with long lines, just walked right in, showed tickets and went through quick security check. We went on a regular night, not the themed which might explain why there was a long line that other reviewers experienced. The floor was muddy in some areas, so wear shoes you don't mind getting a bit dirty. But the main pathways did have a platform to walk over which was great! If you're bringing your kids, don't let them wear white, saw a few kids running around and two fell down and got their pants covered in mud. The lanterns/lights were pretty and great for pictures. The caterpillar that had funny eyes, was actually the best to take pictures in. Perfect lighting and great color in the tunnel. The frosted forest and mushroom forest are also good. These were exhibits you could actually walk into and get a better pic. There was also a heart/present archway that you can stand under. Oh and the donut tunnel as well. The food was good, a bit expensive. But you have to get the fried ice cream, it was amazing and the texture was perfectt. Cutest part about it was definitely Lumi. Was surprised and excited that there was a lumi character walking around to take photos with too! The gift shop even had Lumi merchandise which was super cute. Bought a plush keychain and magnets, wanted to get socks and a plush but I have too many. I bought a shirt from there as well but actually got the wrong size. So two days after we went back to see if it was possible to exchange it. At first it seemed as if It wasn't going to happen, but then one of the managers actually came and brought us to get the shirt! We learned that the planning process of creating the event took two years. Also that everything is out together by hand and if you look at all the wires and etc there it's kinda really impressive (definitely harder than putting ikea furniture together or untangling Christmas lights) Overall it was a great experience, very cute. We're planning on going next year as well, maybe a themed night. read more

This is a bit of a belated review as I went a few weekends ago. The LuminoCity Festival was very cute, aesthetic, and of course, something fun and different to do outdoors, given the COVID19 pandemic and restrictions in NYC. It was overall pretty expensive considering the size/length of the walk-thru and that you make a timed reservation and still wind up waiting a bit and still being amongst a large crowd (although outdoors). Probably not good trip idea for a group of friends or family on low budget. The price also did not include overly expensive parking. It is a very beautiful and artsy light event and I took my time there to take cute pics, but probably would not go again, especially at that price. read more

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I get why the reviews aren't the greatest. I mean I actually had fun but I found the tickets to be really expensive and also they charged $20 for parking so for that, I took 2 stars off. I've been to similar event at Snug Harbor in Staten Island last year and tickets were like half price with street parking options and they were bigger and actually had chinese performance shows at certain times. The one on Randall's was smaller and charged parking so I wasn't happy with that. When there were events at Randall's island, I thought parking was free but not this one so be aware. It gets costly. Also, once on Randall's island, it was so hard to find the parking lot as there were basically no signs guiding the cars.. But the luminocity festival itself is pretty fun. The lumi light bulb character is lovely and super cute. I liked all different themed sections like the Frozen, candyland, mushrooms, wildlife, etc. There were so much to see and definitely a place to take lots of photos. However, the grounds were all wet and I couldn't really walk to close to some areas due to the wet grounds. read more

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Ooof I'm shocked at these bad reviews, I was blown away by the displays. They were awesome! I went on a Sunday night and arrived around 9.00PM which was perfect - not too many people around and I was able to get some cool photos. The whole thing was huge. I would for sure try to avoid the festival during peak hours due to crowds and little kids running around - the later you can go the better. It was pretty chilly out so come prepared with a good jacket, gloves, and boots. Most of the food vendors take cash only it seemed. Nice to get a hot chocolate in the pavilion in the back to thaw out after being outside for so long. I walked to the festival on the 103rd St. footbridge (it's a hike) and took the M35 bus to the subway afterward with no problem. I enjoyed my visit here and would recommend checking it out! read more

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First time going and loved it! Would recommend ! Only sore is the wait to get in especially in frigid temperatures. Cake earlier than fine slot and waited almost thirty minutes to get in and it was freezing. Everyone wore masks. Staff was very professional and attentive even took photos. Exhibits were all lit and beautiful. It's. Shame that it's a smaller scale this year due to COVID. glad that they recognized this and slashed the prices read more

There is no alcohol at this festival. The website mentions "Lumi themed drinks to light up your night" at their "bar", but they're selling tonic water, Hint flavored water, Calpico soda, something the color of Pepto Bismol...I get it's a family friendly event but this is NY and the festival is open till 11pm. This is silly. Especially with theme nights geared around cosplay (11/30) and what appears to be an electronic dance party night (12/28). And don't say you have a bar if you don't - that's deceptive and some people were grumbling pretty loudly. People should know what they're paying for. General Admission for an adult after fees comes to around $43 not including any shuttle service/parking, food, or souvenirs. That ain't cheap. The website makes a reference to being linked to the Chinese Lantern Festival, but the only nods to Chinese culture I could find were some food vendors and the Chinese dancers....that performed a modestly sultry performance of songs from Chicago the musical. Not at all what I was expecting and definitely one of the highlights of the night because it was so random! There are different performers every night, you can see some of whose assigned to which dates on their site but a lot of sections still say "more to come!" Security is predictably overbearing. Someone in your group needs to pee on the block long line to get in? They're not allowed back in line, your party has to meet them at the back. Just excuse yourself through the line and don't bother walking to the right or left of it. Right outside the line are a few more vendors and restroom signs so why not also post a sign that says you can't rejoin the line if you leave? And also signs that indicate where the restrooms actually are - they're in an unlit corner of a building that looks closed, away from all the vendors by the parking lot. The video footage on the website isn't what's here. It's smaller in scale and some things like the maze and airplane aren't there at all. The illustrations of what you will find there are definitely more embellished too. The path they laid down with hard plastic platforms had a lot of people tripping - the peices aren't connected so they just move as people walk on them. After a slight rain the grass beneath became muddy and these loose pieces just seemed to slide around on top. The vendors are all at the end of the light display in a heated tent. This is also where the only exit is - through a random, closed, unlabeled fence in the dark with a lone employee standing by it. The tent is super warm! Also super crowded, depending on when you're in there. Around 830pm the families started heading home. They only have one coffee/tea/hot chocolate vendor and it's right at the entrance; everyone walks right into a long, slow line blocking their way. They need two of these booths in different locations. Why not have a hot beverage station at the entrance to the lights so people can walk around with something warm to drink? Inside are mainly sweet offerings - donuts, cookies, fried ice cream, cheesecake, waffles; though I did get two bao buns that were good. Outside the back of the tent are the food trucks: Nathan's, Gorilla Cheese, Empire BBQ, Phil's Steaks, and The Mac Truck. Pulled pork mac was great- generous with the meat and the BBQ sauce mixed really well with the mac, big portion for $10. Yada yada, what about the lights right? They're really cool. The themes are winter, candy, and dinosaurs/animals. They just seemed to pick themes that would be fun to work with, beyond the winter area there's not much to tie the displays to the holiday season. It's fun to walk through, there are a few interactive portions like a small slide, a block of cheese you can take photos in, candy pieces that change color when you walk on them. They try to set up Instagramable areas where you can pose but these are usually for one person at a time and it's impossible to get your turn or move passed those who have stopped. There's a playground with plastic seesaws and spinny swings (no one stopped me and my friends from hopping on too) and some mechanical dinosaurs you can ride around like bumper cars (these are kids sized only). Both of these are just randomly thrown into a corner by the vendor tent - this whole area isn't decorated and looks sort of depressing and run down since it's lit up with police floodlights. This is awesome if you're a kid! But taking the trek all the way out here as an adult? At $40+ not including food with only a single hot beverage vendor and no alcohol I'm lukewarm about it. Even the classes seemed geared towards kids only - there's just not much to do. The display takes an hour max to walk through, then you eat and leave. It also seemed like the festival wasn't quite "done" or ready yet sometimes. I had fun though, the displays were lovely to look at and offer a little variety in the holiday lighting department. read more

LuminoCity Festival - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

Totally not worth it and will not recommend to any of my friends. There is nothing similar to promotional video, fake advertising. Organizer just cared about Money but no planning on how to organize the event and people. The line to get in is way too long then necessary for the event. There is no show times post anywhere so I didn't event know there are performances. Security and staffs are pretty much just there and yell. We told staffs twice about people cutting the line and they did nothing about it and just left those people on the line. The lights is pretty much nothing like promotional video that worth the ticket price. There are mud everywhere so don't wear heels or your nice shoes Overall total disappointment read more

This was one of the worst waiting experiences in my life. We bought tickets well in advance for a Friday night entry. However once we got there we saw this huge ridiculous, almost comical, line. It looped from the start of the entrance, all the way down to icahn stadium and around the parking lot. It was so disorganized. Ticket buyers were standing in the same line as general admission, and there was just one poor woman screaming her lungs out trying to organize the group. There were no taping or marker for lines. We basically had to count on trusting my fellow New Yorkers on keeping the line. But there were tons of line jumpers/cutters and not one security guard in sight..well until you got to the entrance. Now let's talk about the waiting on line, which was basically the main event. There were no additional lights, no vendors, nothing in line. I got on line at 6PM and finally got in at 7:35 PM. Waiting in the freezing cold for over 90 minutes (Randall's Island Park is an island, so you are surrounded by water, mind you.) Understaffed and unprepared really. When we finally got into the park, I was surprised. It was cold, muddy and slippery. We were aching for some hot drinks, but they told us the food trucks were at the END of the 12 acre park...(most vendors were closed or sold out by the time we got there) But dang was that park beautiful. The light displays are great, tons of good lighting for photo-ops and lots of effort put into these displays. I really wanted to give this a higher rating because the displays were so stunning, but it being so disorganized, unprepared, waiting for 90 minutes and all that was a disaster. Also it's $38+fees for a general admission ticket. C'mon man! read more

Stay away. This was a complete disaster and waste of money. The staff were rude and wait times rediculous. for example there was a woman staff member who was standing on a rock yelling "control your children" and yelling at them to get off the rocks while she herself was standing on the rock!! Echoing everyone else's comments about the mud and plastic tiles which made it very difficult to navigate the stroller, tiny entertainment tent etc. It was an awful experience and you're better off just enjoying the lights from your drive on the FDR. Don't subject yourself to the actual event. Basically- it's a holiday light version of fyre festival. read more

It is all weather dependent but we went on a lovely evening and the festival was a great place to spend a long time outdoors with children. It was very impressive and the space is very large so you can social distance adequately. read more

This is an unutterably greedy merchant whoever is the organizer, (and very good business man too) charging $29 per person and $20 for parking?! I admit the photographer did an excellent job on the website, but in real person it's way way below average. Some ppl have way better lighting decorations in your neighborhood and it's FREE. It's a one way path, the field is pretty small, you can pretty much walk through in 20 minutes I'd say. There's no crown control, I got there 10 min before my admission time slot and ended up waiting half hour in the cold. Once admitted, it's still somewhat crowded, there's not much social distance. That shows how greedy this event is selling too many tickets. I know nowadays it's not safe to ask ppl to take pictures for you, but I saw this staffs in citadel vest was taking pictures for a group (I supposed he serves the purpose for security? He's a big Caucasian guy maybe 6'2"), I went up and ask him for a favor and he was so rude and shut me down. What?!?? You cannot take pictures but you just did? He is indeed discriminating I went for the first time bc I have a toddler, I paid $close to $150 for 4 ppl. Totally not worth the price. Please save your money unless you want to throw away. This is not an experience to pay for. At most they should be charging only $5, for $29 pp I expect no line had they do a better job in controlling crowd. read more

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If you want to wait an hour and half in a 37F weather to see 30 mins worth of "light festival", this is the place for you. However, that's not the worst part. The staff wouldn't do anything about people cutting lines and they don't care. We told two different staffs about the couple who cut the line and they simply just shrugged their shoulders and moved on. If you're thinking about going, please be prepared read more

Update 12/24: John M. left me a "compliment," saying that an adult attending a Christmas themed event shouldn't complain about kids - well Grinch, I didn't realize that Christmas was only for children. I can be 85 and still want to be part of Christmas festivities and that still wouldn't concern you! Besides....of the entire review, I mentioned kids & strollers once, and people reading the reviews can use their own judgment on whether they want to attend with or without kids. "People don't stop playing because they grow up, they grow up because they stop playing." ////////////////////////////// I bought the VIP experience for the December 21st "Let It Glow" Celebration, and was completely **NOT** blown away. I was really excited to go, but when I got there and finally experienced it, I was not amazed. Admittedly, I was drawn to the "VIP experience," and that's part of what made me buy tickets in the first place. The package included a tote, postcard set, free "drink and snack" (more on that later), a plush, slap bracelet, a "dinosaur ride," pin, and poster. Sure, the light displays were pretty and make for a great Instagram post, and expectedly crowded with people and their kids, but there was certainly nothing special about the day, even though it was supposed to be a "themed night." I would definitely suggest that the organizers NOT allow strollers, because there's already limited space in the event, and strollers just take up more space. However, there was nothing "VIP" about the whole experience - except skipping the line for entry, but that was about it. Everything "included" in the VIP package can be purchased at the LuminoCity booth at the end. The tote was being sold for $17, postcard set $5, plush $15(? I forgot the price), slap bracelet $5, the cheap button pin(s) that were included in the package were free at the register, poster (? forgot the price, but I'd probably say $10 - if not, this was probably the only exclusive thing). There was also a 20% discount for Christmas or something. I did buy some "NICER" enamel pins at 2 for $15, and also bought a postcard set in order to apply that 20% discount, since apparently the 2 for $15 is a "set price," and can only apply the discount if you buy something else. The "dinosaur ride" was nothing more than a 3 minute ride on a machine....clearly meant for children. This should be better described/explained. It was charged $2 per ride, or $5 for 3 rides. Silly me, I thought it was a ride on a light attraction - like a ferris wheel type deal, except on a dinosaur. Boy did I have my expectations way up there, LOL....oops. Someone remind me to keep my expectations low. Somewhat redeeming factor - instead of the dino ride, you could get a keychain (sold for $5(? forgot), or 3 for $10). But really...the keychain was not great either. It's a design printed on plastic which would probably get scratched off with use. The free "drink and snack" was nothing more than a 6oz(?) "mocktail" they called it (and sold for $10 by the way), which was basically a fizzy drink flavor of either grape, lychee, or white peach (white peach was "sold out" when I was there), and a 1oz bag of chips (sold for $2) that they probably bought wholesale from Costco. Silly me, I thought it was a free drink and snack from a vendor. Overall in terms of price, you basically pay for everything that you get. I thought that getting the VIP package would get me **exclusive** march, but NOPE! If I had known that I would have the option to buy these things at the end, I would've definitely opted out of the VIP package - I didn't need the "drink and snack," definitely didn't need the dinosaur ride (or keychain replacement), .......yea, I pretty much lost all interest in the things in the VIP package once I found out you could buy it all at their shop. You do save a little, but **just** a little if you buy the VIP package - but that's up to you to decide if you really want or need any of the things that are included. So basically, for me, I feel scammed considering the hefty price tag on this experience. If you still want to see the light displays, I'd say why not? But for your sake, buy a General Admission ticket - dress warmly, and just be prepared to wait in line to get in. Oh oh oh, sidebar - taking an Uber/Lyft there is easy, getting an Uber/Lyft out is hard. I had an Uber cancel on me because they couldn't find me (and got charged a fee), but then I saw them drive past me - guess they weren't directed properly to LuminoCity's "Uber/Lyft" sign. read more

I feel scammed. I reached out to the email on the website and through DM. It have yet to hear back from the customer service team. I pre-purchased tickets and was still made to wait on line with people who didn't have tickets. I was asked to turn away at the parking lot because other attendees were leaving due to the prolonged wait time. Ticket sales are final as stated on the website so I patiently waited 2 hours and 18 minutes in the cold. A security guard allowed a group of 8 people to cut in front of me because he "knew them". I took pictures of the line as it was ridiculously long and have proof the group were not on line prior to my arrival. Once finally inside walking was difficult without tripping over the plastic runners. The runners were slippery, very narrow and warped. Taking a photo was near impossible due to the high foot traffic. I feel like tickets were oversold and the festival was overhyped. Very much like the FYRE festival. This was a very disappointing experience. read more

LuminoCity Festival - Zoom in and check out how long and populated this line is. This was not even the opening night. - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

Do not make the error of purchasing more tickets accidentally. They have horrible customer service and a no refund policy even if you want a refund to then repurchase the right amount of tickets. The event is overpriced and not as wonderful as you would expect for the price. I will never try this event again. read more

Don't bother. Bought tickets in advance. Didn't make a difference because the line was incredibly long. The tickets didn't have timed entries, which was probably a horrible idea. We lined up behind someone who happened to be a security guard. He told us (and tons of people behind us)--- "uh, you're not guaranteed to get in at this point. Go get a refund at the window." Well, I got my refund & the lady at the window was confused because she said everyone would get in eventually... wasn't sure why the security guard said otherwise.....whatever! Got my money back. Avoided the $20 parking fee somehow. Went out to dinner instead. Shady event. Incredibly disorganized! Avoid at all costs. read more

This place is beyond cute !! The lights are beautiful, all I can say is that creativity is overflowing. Each light/art installation is beautifully crafted with vivid details and creativity. The themes are just so cute! Obviously you need to dress warm for this as it's an outdoor event. My only advise for future attendees is to layer up and you will have an unforgettable experience. read more

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Imagine spending over $140 in advance for tickets, 20 extra dollars on parking- just to see a line that extends 2 hours in the freezing cold with kids. Not only that, people were skipping lines. No one in sight. The panels on the floor were slippery and disconnected . The muddy floors were all over the entire area , especially the walk through areas that were suppose to be fun. I almost fell multiple times and so did the people around me. Nothing was labeled , no signs for anything not even the parking lot. And it was pitch DARK. I'm highly disappointed in this event. Not family friendly or safety. The reviews are true , this event was NOT thought all the way through. Another fyre festival disaster. read more

LuminoCity Festival - The line went all around the parking area - Festivals Near Me - New York, New York

I went to LuminoCity last night, and can confirm that some of the negative reviews below were a bit overzealous. It was no colder than you would expect an island in the middle of NYC to be in December, so dress appropriately and you should be fairly comfortable. I did not have to wait in a line before going in, but in order to avoid that I would recommend booking tickets that are outside of peak hours (mine were for 7:00pm). I can confirm that the plastic platforms they built to get around the park can be slippery because of mud, but considering the foot traffic and the off and on snow NYC receives this time of year it makes sense. Not ideal for strollers. Light sculptures themselves were pretty cool, and fun to take photos with, I just wish some of them were a bit more interactive. They also had random signs posted before each new section of the park but they were kind of cheesy and didn't really add to the experience. Food vendors that were selected to be there were delicious and very diverse cuisine selection. But heads up - don't pay for the chinese latern DIY or the dinosaur ride, not worth the extra money from the looks of them. read more

This festival was good. I wish it was made to rent out and party. This would be a dope kid's birthday party! How they set the whole event was beautiful, the lights turned out great. I was confused in the sense that I purchased tickets for the 'christmas special' which was 'let it glow'. But it's the same light exhibit as the beginning. You'll be transformed into a few different little worlds. I have to say my fav was the dinosaur exhibit, I felt like I was in a flintstones episode. There was a few moving exhibits & bright beautiful colors. The weather wasn't so bad & neither was the shuttle bus transportation. When my ticket was purchased the email that followed specified so many rules that nothing was applied lol. Be prepared to wait in line for some of the exhibit, lines aren't long but when the weather drops you'll wish they move faster. There is a pretty big tent for a quick bite & a little shopping. Overall it was beautiful, the lights and the exhibit were really well done. read more

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This event was magical. You really feel like a child in a wonderland of lights. We went on a cold night and it was freezing so I do recommend layers especially under your pants. We took an Uber but there is parking available. The whole festival was breathtaking. The food and shops are at the end with the food trucks. Depending on the night there may be some performances in the market tent if you go on a day of a special event. I would recommend skipping a special event night just because the market tent does get really crowded especially when it's cold out so might as well save yourself some money and not pay extra for that. read more

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This light festival was cute but not worth the price I paid. I expected it to be more interactive. The day I went the ground was extremely muddy and it hadn't rained or snowed. The food options weren't that great. I'm not sure what else to say, I just wasn't pleased. read more

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