Winter fun turns into red-hot competition on Buford snow slide

BUFORD, Ga. - It’s rare that the FOX 5 Storm Team gets to forecast snow – but this year, there’s a 100% chance of a White Christmas at a popular North Georgia lakeside attraction.

The Good Day feature team spend the morning at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands in Buford – and if a sudden scream woke you out of bed this morning, sorry…that was us!  The water park is celebrating the season with the return of its popular License to Chill Snow Island, which includes the beefed-up Parrot Mountain snow slide – a 575-foot long snow tubing ride that ranks as one of the fastest of its kind in North America.  Open through February 23rd, the Parrot Mountain snow slide is eight stories tall and eight lanes wide, which means there’s plenty of room for some good, old-fashioned racing.  

Along with the snow slide, License to Chill Snow Island also features ice skating, a snow play area, and carnival rides.  And after you get your blood pumping in the snow, you can relax on a drive through seven miles of lights thanks to Magical Nights of Lights, which has become a holiday tradition for North Georgia families over the past quarter-of-a-century and features various themed light displays.

So, ready to enjoy a blast of winter and dodge a few snowballs?  License to Chill Snow Island is open daily through January 5th, then on weekends through February 23rd.  Admission at the gate costs $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for children, military, and seniors – and Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is located at 7650 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.

Even though the snow was cold…the competition was red-hot this morning as we took over the Parrot Mountain snow slide.  Click the video player to find out who slid to the finish line first…and who ended the morning stuck in a deep freeze!