Movie Park Germany at Christmas: Hollywood Christmas

Bottrop is not the first town that springs to mind for a Christmas break in Germany, and yet every winter Movie Park Germany builds its own Hollywood studio set there. This park in the Ruhr area, organised around themed zones inspired by American films and TV series (western, science fiction, the Nickelodeon universe), is covered in garlands and light projections for the 2026 edition of its end-of-year event. Movie Park Germany at Christmas, called “Hollywood Christmas”, mixes XXL illuminations, shows and a small market along the park’s paths, a little over three hours’ drive from northern France, for an outing that fits into a day rather than a whole holiday.

• More than 800,000 lights dress the park between 27 November 2026 and 5 January 2027, over about twenty days confirmed by the park.
• Adult ticket from €34.90 online, family package (2 adults, 2 children) from €129.90.
• The park’s Christmas market with its mulled wine chalets: to make some at home, start with our article on mulled wine and its variations.
• Lille Christmas market can be combined with the visit, a little over three hours’ drive away.
• On the German side, the markets of Cologne and Aachen can be reached by train or car from Bottrop.

Movie Park Germany at Christmas: a studio set under the lights

The park promises more than 800,000 lights to dress its zones (Hollywood Boulevard, Nickland, Studio 12 and the rest of the site) in American movie style. The paths turn into a Christmas film set, with garlands, projections and temporary scenery built for the occasion. A Christmas market takes up part of the park, with its mulled wine chalets and a few food stalls, alongside shows scheduled throughout the day.

This outing is very different from a classic town-centre Christmas market: entry is paid, the park’s rides stay open depending on the weather, and the programme is aimed above all at families with children coming for the day. You come for the festive theme park atmosphere, not to wander between craft stalls.

Outside the Christmas period, the park operates seasonally, from spring to autumn, with its themed zones and roller coasters; for the winter event, some of the indoor attractions remain open in case of rain or wind, which limits the risk of a visit spoiled by the weather. Families with young children will enjoy the Nickelodeon universe, less intense than the big thrill rides elsewhere in the park. The park is designed above all for families and for thrill-seekers who enjoy the roller coasters outside the summer season, with smaller crowds than at the height of summer.

Dates and opening hours for the 2026 edition

Hollywood Christmas 2026 runs from 27 November 2026 to 5 January 2027, over about twenty opening days confirmed by the park. The detailed day-by-day calendar cannot yet be read in full on the official website: check it before settling on a date rather than picking a day at random. For reference, the previous edition (2025-2026) was closed on 24, 25 and 26 December as well as 1 January, with openings concentrated on weekends in late November and early December, then over the end-of-year holidays, from 19 to 23 December and from 27 December to 5 January, apart from 1 January. There is no guarantee this pattern will be repeated exactly in 2026, but it gives an idea of the rhythm to expect: the park alternates weekend windows and holiday blocks rather than opening continuously for six weeks.

Observed opening hours are around 12pm to 8pm on most days, with some days opening later, at 2pm. Again, check for each date you choose: the park website shows an interactive calendar with day-by-day hours once the full schedule is published. Booking your ticket before you set off avoids an unpleasant surprise if your chosen day turns out to be a closed date.

Tickets and budget for a family of four

Prices distinguish between buying online and at the ticket office. An adult ticket starts at €34.90 online, compared with €59.90 on site; for children (aged 4 to 11), allow from €34.90 online and €54.90 at the ticket office. A reduced price of €29.90 applies to seniors aged 65 and over, pregnant women and people with disabilities, with free entry for a wheelchair user’s companion on presentation of proof. The park also offers a family package (two adults, two children) from €129.90 online, subject to limited availability, and annual passes that include access to the Christmas event for those who come back several times a year.

For a family of four, the sums give a fairly wide range: about €130 if you book the family package online early enough, up to nearly €230 if you buy two adult and two child tickets at the ticket office on the day. Parking adds €9 (€19.90 in the VIP zone), and food on site comes on top: the chalets and restaurants on site often work by card, with no guarantee that every stall can take cash. An online ticket, booked a few weeks in advance, remains the safest way to stick to a tight budget for this outing.

Getting there from France: train and car

The nearest railway access point is Feldhausen station, about 400 metres on foot from the park entrance, served by the RE14 regional line from Essen. From Paris, the most direct option is Eurostar to Cologne or Essen (from Lille, change in Brussels), then a connection by German regional train to Feldhausen or to Essen Hauptbahnhof, where the RE14 line departs. The full journey from Paris means allowing for a connection and some waiting between the two trains, rather than a direct service.

By car, Lille is a little over three hours’ drive away, via Belgium and the Netherlands (through Antwerp, Eindhoven and Venlo) or via Liège and Cologne depending on traffic. From Paris, allow about five hours to reach Bottrop-Kirchhellen. The A31 motorway reaches the park at exit 39, Bottrop-Feldhausen, where two car parks welcome visitors, a standard rate at €9 and a VIP option at €19.90 closer to the entrance, with electric charging points in both. Allow extra time for the journey during German school holidays, when traffic around Cologne and the Ruhr gets heavier at weekends.

Where to stay and tips for planning your visit

Movie Park Germany has no on-site hotel, unlike other parks in the region. Visitors staying overnight generally turn to accommodation in Bottrop, or in Essen and Oberhausen, which offer a wider choice of restaurants and hotels, about twenty minutes from the park by road or train. For a combined weekend, several Christmas markets lie less than three hours’ drive away, between northern France and the Rhineland, enough to turn your day at the park into one stop on a longer trip to Germany.

One last point before you go: some rides close in strong winds or freezing rain, both common in the Ruhr in December. Bring warm clothes, layers and closed shoes to last a full day outdoors, check the weather the day before, and keep an eye on the opening calendar before settling on your date: these are the three habits that save the most disappointment on this kind of outing.