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Monday, December 3, 2012

Holiday Happenings!


The resorts and parks have many ways they celebrate the holidays. From Neil Patrick Harris, to gingerbread masterpieces, to getting lost in the woods, here are some of the fancy and funky holiday happenings I’ve encountered!












EPCOT

EPCOT has a wonderful array of events that go on throughout the day.

In the World Showcase, every country has a special holiday story to tell. Performers take the stage and share a tale from their home country. While most nations have one story that is performed throughout the day, the American Pavilion has three! That way Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are all represented. 

So here are a few pictures from "Holidays around the world"!
Mexico

England
Norway

China

Want to rock out to some holiday tunes? Check out "Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season". They're right at the border of Future World and the World Showcase. For more information, plus a video of one of their very first performances, click on over here!


Neil Patrick Harris

"What is up? What in the World Showcase is up?" 

Those were Neil Patrick Harris's opening lines as he started up the Candlelight Processional. The Processional is a retelling of the very first Christmas, complete with a long line of singers marching down the pathway, holding candles. A compelling choir, a full-bodied orchestra, and Harris as narrator? Sounds like the best Christmas story ever told to me!


 

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Do you have that neighbor, who every year, shows up everyone else by having their entire house, lawn and even car wrapped up in strings upon strings of Christmas lights? Now imagine that, times ten, down an entire street! 

The Osborne's are the fanciest family with the fanciest lights. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at the Studios is basically what I imagine Santa's neighborhood to look like. An entire block is decked out in lights that blink and "dance" to Christmas rock music. 

 
Found a lonely Star of David 



 FORT WILDERNESS RESORT 

darkness!
So I heard from a cast member that the family that does the lights at Hollywood Studios also has a permanent camp site at Fort Wilderness. Apparently all I had to do was take the boat to the campgrounds, hop on the Orange Bus, and then viola! I'd see their campsite decked out in lights. Sounds groovy.

And then I got lost. 

The short and sweet of it: I tramped through the cold (I could see my breath) and darkness (750 acres of woods, very few lights) trying to find the most decked-out cabin or motor home I could. 

Eventually I found maps and a sidewalk and signs and then...lights! 

I have no idea if I actually found the Osborne's lights or not, but I sure as heck found someone's crazy decorations!


And then there was a mini re-creation of Disney World, including all four parks, the Seven Seas Lagoon resorts and the Bay Lake resorts.

From left to right: Overview, Fort Widerness Resort, Grand Floridian, TTC/Welcome Sign, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Contemporary, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge.

   
  

 


















GINGERBREAD

The yummiest decorations you'll ever see! Many of Disney's resorts feature gingerbread masterpieces designed, baked and built by Disney's own bakers. Gingerbread samples are given out when they are being constructed, and when they're finished gingerbread treats are sold by the gingerbread houses, or sometimes from inside of them!

There are several ways to see how they were made; some locations have a QR code you can scan with your phone, and others have a video you can view in the lobby. 

Here are the creations I've seen so far!

Grand Floridian



Contemporary





Yacht and Beach Club








                                            


Boardwalk


2 comments:

  1. Great writing and pictures! I have been to the 4 major parks many times during christmas and never ventured to the great places you have taken me! Thanks and keep writing!

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    1. Thank you for the comment! Maybe you will see some of these things on your next holiday trip. Disney has the big events (like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party), but they also have a lot of wonderful, small delights as well :).

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