Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things to do in Orlando during the holidays? I have found a solution. The Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo is relaxing and different. The 2025 dates for the Asian Lantern Festival are select nights, November 14, 2025 through January 18, 2026, 6-10 p.m. This gives you plenty of time to check out this beautiful nighttime experience.
Just like any holiday event in Orlando, there's a right way to experience the Asian Lantern Festival, and then there's a better way.
Read on for tips to have the best date night possible at the Central Florida Zoo Asian Lantern Festival.
When To Go to the Asian Lantern Festival
If you are like my husband and me, you're pretty much booked through the month of December. This festival is really a celebration of the new year, so it runs through January 18, 2026.
If you want to go in November or December, I recommend getting tickets sooner than later. Like all holiday events in Central Florida, the closer you get to Christmas Day the busier it will be. January is the best time to go to avoid crowds.
When you book your tickets, you select a timeslot. This is my fourth year attending the festival, and usually, I select the 8:00 pm arrival time, which allows me to enjoy the festival until 10:00 pm.
Any time I have arrived right at the start of the timeslot, it is very busy, so I usually hang back and relax in an Adirondack chair near the splash pad (which was turned off so guests could enjoy the lanterns in this area).
After about 8:20 pm the crowds had gotten ahead of me, so I was able to enjoy the lanterns without as many people around. There was hardly anyone in sight by the time 9:15 pm rolled around, and I was about halfway through the lantern pathway. Selecting this last timeslot of the night seems to be a good strategy for couples who want to have fewer kids and fewer people overall around them.
You'll just need to let the initial crowd get ahead of you for about 15-20 minutes.
How To Get Around
When you arrive at the Asian Lantern Festival, you will park in the free parking lot. It is dirt and grass, and the zoo itself is mostly a wooden boardwalk, so I would recommend comfortable shoes, closed-toe if possible.
There is a very long walkway leading to the actual gate. The long walkway is lined with lanterns, getting you in the mood for a beautiful evening before you even walk through the gate.
You'll need your ticket either saved to your phone or printed to be scanned for entry. Once inside you'll be directed to head to the left walkway. A group of Adirondack chairs awaits. Enjoy this nice spot to relax, take in the views, and let the crowds get ahead.
The lantern walkway winds through the entire zoo, though some of the smaller walkways in the center of the zoo are blocked off and not part of the festival. Crowd flow is managed by making the lantern walkway one-way. Because it is one-way it is tempting to keep walking and keep going.
I highly recommend slowing down so you can appreciate the details.
Once you enter the walkways with drum lanterns overhead you'll be reaching the halfway point of the festival. Each year, all the lantern displays are new, so even if you've been in past years, each year there is an entirely new set of displays.
Once you reach the large dragon, you are getting close to the s'mores and ice cream station, which is a great place to rest and recharge before walking through the final scenes.
Each year, I've asked to go back over to the splash pad area, near the front, because it was so crowded at the beginning. The friendly staff members have kindly obliged.
If you decide to do the same, please be respectful of the staff and make sure you get to the exit well before 10:00pm.
What to Eat At The Asian Lantern Festival
The Central Florida Zoo is located near downtown Sanford. It would be tough to pass up all the wonderful date night spots in Sanford, so consider making a full night of it.
If you decide to have something to eat at the Asian Lantern Festival there are plenty of concession spots along the festival walkway, some of which serve Asian-inspired bites. The main dining location, Graze is open during the festival, usually until at least 9:00 pm each night, although it varies depending on the crowds.
Do not miss the build-your-own S'mores station at Swirl. This snack stand is near the parrot displays. The S'mores kits are basic with two graham crackers, a square of Hershey's chocolate bar, two marshmallows, and a stick to roast the marshmallows. Each kit is $5 – and that price has remained the same over the years!
The firepits for roasting the marshmallows made for a romantic atmosphere. There are some picnic tables and you can see some of the lanterns from this spot. This is a great stop for a little romantic break before walking through the final displays of the festival.
Don't Miss the Details
During my visit, I witnessed so many families rushing through the experience. Most of the couples I witnessed, however, knew to take their time.
One thing that surprised me about the lanterns is how many of them have motion. I was expecting static displays of lights. Instead, most of the lanterns feature movement, some as simple as a winking eye or a moving mouth, while other lanterns feature full movement. So take a moment and pause at each display to make sure you don't miss a thing.
There are also many displays that have overhead elements, so make sure to look up.
There is also relaxing Asian music played throughout the entire festival walkway. The calm tones put me at ease. Once I let the crowd get ahead of me this felt so different than the countless Christmas light displays in Orlando.
How To Get Tickets
The Central Florida Zoo Asian Lantern Festival is a separately ticketed event. Regular admission to the zoo during the day does not apply to this special event. The festival takes place on most nights, but not every night, and runs through January 19, 2025.
When purchasing your ticket, you'll select a timeslot to enter and enjoy the festival. If you are an annual pass holder for the Central Florida Zoo you do receive a discount on most nights, and need to purchase your festival tickets through a special link.
Please review Central Florida Zoo's website and direct any questions to the staff of the zoo. Consider bringing along a light sweater, or just cozy up together and enjoy this beautiful evening.
Author's Note
This year marks the debut of ILLUMINATE, a new nighttime event at Aquatica Orlando with lanterns and lights among five unique realms. Admission on select nights is actually lower priced than the CFL Zoo's Lantern Festival – though parking for ILLUMINATE is $15. The parking lot is paved and well-lit, unlike the grass-and-dirt lot at the CFL Zoo. If you are near the attractions area, I recommend visiting ILLUMINATE rather than the Asian Lantern Festival. Either way, it is a dazzling time of year in Orlando!
