Holiday decorations always feel special in theme parks, but they truly come alive after dark. Once the sun goes down, the parks transform. Lights glow brighter, colors feel richer, and familiar icons suddenly feel brand new.

During the day, your eyes compete with sunlight. At night, the decorations become the light source. Garlands sparkle. Trees shimmer. Castles glow. The background noise of the park fades and your photos start to feel more focused and intentional.

If you are shooting with a phone, this is your time to slow down. Hold your phone steady. Brace your elbows against your body or rest your hands on a railing. Let night mode do its thing. Phones today are very good at pulling detail out of low light if you give them a second to work.

If you are using a camera, handheld shots still work well. Open your lens as wide as it will go. Let in as much light as possible. Keep your shutter speed fast enough to avoid blur from movement, especially if people are walking through your frame.

If you want to take it a step further, bring a tripod. Long exposures at night can turn holiday lights into something magical. A steady camera lets you keep the shutter open longer, which brightens the scene and makes colors pop. Moving people may even disappear from your frame, leaving the park feeling calm and empty.

Night photography also helps simplify your compositions. The darkness naturally hides distractions. Your eye goes straight to the icon, whether that is a castle, a tree, or a decorated building. You do not have to work as hard to control the scene.

One of my favorite things about holiday nights in the parks is how familiar places feel new again. You have walked these paths before. You have seen these icons in daylight. At night, with lights wrapped around every detail, they feel fresh and full of wonder.

So stay a little later. Let the lights come on. Slow down and look around. You might find your favorite holiday photos happen long after sunset.

If you love photographing theme parks, come join the Fairy Tale Photo Academy Theme Park Photography community on Skool. It is a free place to share your photos, swap tips, and get inspired by others who love capturing the parks just as much as you do.