Dasher's Lightshow at Pittsburgh Mills mall receives mixed reviews

A portion of the Pittsburgh Mills mall parking lot in Frazer received a holiday makeover with the newest Christmas drive-thru attraction, Dasher’s Lightshow.

The show made its debut Nov. 5 following its announcement in August.

Dasher’s Lightshow co-owner Clyde Lindsey, a Leechburg resident, said he wanted to bring another light show to the area. He runs a light display at his Leechburg home that has gained lots of attention over the years.

“We are excited to be here. It has been a lot of fun to put it on,” he said.

The light show is set up in four other cities — Philadelphia, Houston, St. Louis and Newark, N.J.

Lindsey said about 2,000 cars have driven through the attraction, but he thinks that number can increase.

“It hasn’t been what I thought it might be, but I just realized it is brand-new to the area,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand it’s a light show.”

Getting mixed reviews

Since its debut, the attraction has received mixed reviews. Some visitors said their children enjoyed the entertainment and the lights were attractive. Others thought the show was overpriced and short.

Lindsey said the light show can last from 20 to 30 minutes by going slowly. He said the pathway, which snakes through a section of the parking lot, is a mile long.

Tickets were initially priced from $30 to $50 depending on the date and time. Lindsey said the price has been reduced to $25 a car, no matter the date and time. He said earlier pricing was based on the initial calculation of expenses with his business partners to produce the show.

The price sounds worth it to residents like Anna Marie Catanese of West Deer, who said she is looking forward to visiting the show. She thinks it is great that someone thought to add life to the area with a fun holiday activity.

“It’s beautiful and looks festive. I appreciate all the work put into it,” she said.

While interest was piqued by photos posted on social media showing what the show had to offer, the price seemed high to some not impressed by the show.

Bethel Park resident Toni Danchik drove 50 minutes to see the light show with her two children in early November under the higher pricing.

“It was a nice light show, but it was super short and disappointing,” Danchik said.

Butler resident Sarah Patterson said her 15-minute drive through the display was not worth $30, again during the early pricing.

“There was no excitement to the lights,” she said. “They had three screens of digital characters that were supposed to be singing along with the music, but it was off sync,” she said.

Despite her disappointment, Patterson said her children enjoyed the show, and she appreciated not having to wait in line to enter.

The show left a good impression on other residents who enjoyed their time there.

Lisa Williams of McKees Rocks said she was unsure about the light show because of the negative reviews, but it surpassed her expectations after visiting. Her 4-year-old daughter enjoyed the characters singing at the end of each part of the attraction.

“I was shocked because we really loved it,” she said.

The show runs through Jan. 2. Details are online at dasherslightshow.com/pittsburgh.