View Full Version : Holiday hints
cricket
21-07-2009, 03:54 AM
My family is going to WDW for a week (staying onsite) around Christmas 09 and I'm looking for special things to do. We've been to WDW many times, but never at the Holidays. While we will certainly see the parades, the Candlelight Processional and the holiday lights at the Studios, I'm looking for the little, special things that might otherwise be overlooked. Any suggestions?
Slowhand
21-07-2009, 04:12 PM
How about one of the "behind the scenes" tours?
Assuming each of your party is over 14 years old then the Keys to the Kingdom Tour is well worth doing.:thumbsup:
I would definetly recommed touring the different resorts.... the Xmas trees are spectacular, and the gingerbread houses and other creations are amazing!!
Slowhand
21-07-2009, 05:04 PM
Celebration is also pretty over the festive season, even to the point of having "snow" falling along Market Street every evening on the hour, along with carol singers etc.etc.
premier travel
21-07-2009, 06:17 PM
Gaylord palms the ice show is fantastic each year it changes. Also drive around some of the American estates the house are out of this world.
cricket
21-07-2009, 08:45 PM
Wow, thank you for the quick replies. :yes: Behind the scenes sounds wonderful, but kids are 10 and 13, which rather limits us. (Great age for the Disney magic, though!) We'll be staying at Port Orleans French Quarter and using the Disney transport from MCO, so no rental car. Can you get to Celebration via Disney transportation?
I am very much looking forward to seeing the gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian, does each resort do something special? (Dumb question, I suppose. This is WDW after all! :lol:) What are favorites of the people here?
foreverducky
21-07-2009, 09:14 PM
Definitely visit the resorts. They are beautiful! The WL (my favorite resort) is decorated beautifully! And of course the Grand Floridian is a site to see. I did not get over to the Epcot hotels, but I've seen on tv that they are also done wonderfully
Be sure to take the children into the World Showcase and visit the storyteller in each country. Some will tell of Christmas in their land (Pere Noel, Father Christmas, Santa Claus) and some will tell of another celebration (those countries that don't generally celebrate Christmas, like Morocco, China, Japan...). Very nice, fun and not so boringly educational as it sounds! :D
sunsetlakes
22-07-2009, 08:21 AM
The Ice Show at Gaylord Palms - its gorgeous, book early if you want to dine there.
Great thread - I didn't know about the snow on Market Street, Celebration................... I really am going to pester Rob now as i'd love to see that :wave:
foreverducky
22-07-2009, 12:13 PM
Oh yes, as Tink suggested, the storytellers in the WS are great!
Rosie0610
22-07-2009, 07:10 PM
I'm going during the holidays for the first time too! Thanks eveyone for the suggestions! (although I can do without the snow as I'm sure we'll have plenty of that in Buffalo!) :)
Tink.. I had no idea about the storytellers!!
It sounds great!
Slowhand
24-07-2009, 11:50 AM
Can you get to Celebration via Disney transportation?
Sadly the answer is no.:sorry:
You would either have to drive there or take a cab. A cab shouldn`t be too expensive though as Celebration is very close to WDW.
If the budget allows, tickets for MVMCP might be nice, if it's still running while you're there. Truthfully, I didn't enjoy it as much in 2007 as I did in 2003 and 2004, although it was nice. They cut so many things that comparisons were inevitable, unfortunately.
There is a holiday-themed show at the castle daily. If MVMCP is over, I believe they still show Mickey's Night Before Christmas in the evening. I've never been there that close to Christmas!
As Tink and Foreverducky said, the Storytellers at WS are wonderful. Unless they've changed, they don't schedule the times logically for guests. Probably quite logical for WDW and traffic, but not for guest schedules! :lol: If you try to follow them around WS in order, you'll have gaping time holes from one country to the next. Although the time could be well spent shopping or window shopping! Be sure to check the schedule when you arrive at the park. :)
Touring the resorts during the holidays is one of my favourite pastimes! The deluxe resorts are decorated the most eleaborately, but all of the resorts have decorations at least in the lobby and gift shop areas.
It's a terrific time to visit WDW! :)
Isafari
24-07-2009, 07:36 PM
We have been for the last 6 Christmas/New Year periods and we love it.
Some of my favourites are the Osbourne Lights at DHS...carols are piped through to the streets and they have snowfall while the lights are on display.
MK is so special with it's Christmas themed shows and parades. Then there's the castle lighting called Cinderella's Holiday Wish. The whole of the castle ends up covered in ice blue twinkling lights....very beautiful.
AK also has a Christmas themed parade.
As Tink has said, the story of Christams told by Father Christmas in various countries of World Showcase. There is also a tree lighting ceremony at Epcot each evening around dusk.
Universal Studios have Macey's Parade.
SeaWorld has the Polar Express over in Wild Arctic. There's also Shamus Christmas Miracles....which is very good. Modern Gospel singers, a sax player, a choir enters from the top of the stadium and walk through the guests with lit candles...even the Shamu trainers dance a little!
The houses at Celebration are very pretty too with their white Christmas lights.
Ursula
24-07-2009, 07:57 PM
Where is it you can get a horse and carriage ride through woods or something at a WDW resort?
Slowhand
25-07-2009, 02:56 PM
Where is it you can get a horse and carriage ride through woods or something at a WDW resort?
Wilderness Lodge ? [I think :unsure:]
They also do carriage rides in Celebration during the festive season.
Shellyamc
25-07-2009, 04:04 PM
The POR!! You can do beautiful carriage rides right at the POR :yes:
Dh and I loved it!!
cricket
31-07-2009, 03:01 AM
Wonderful suggestions. Thank you! The storyteller idea is a keeper and perfect for my kids. If I may ask, what is 'MVMCP'? That's one acronym I can't fathom. :unsure:
Vixynne
31-07-2009, 06:03 AM
Cricket, it looks like your family and mine will be spending the holidays at the same resort! I've heard that New Year's at Epcot is a fun celebration--with each country doing a mini-countdown to the New Year that corresponds to midnight in the actual country. In theory, you can travel around the World Showcase and holler "Happy New Year" in several languages, throughout the day...sounds like a good time to me (and still "cool" enough for my two kids, who are 9 and 12)!
Ursula
31-07-2009, 08:23 AM
MVMCP = Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party.
Disneybumble
31-07-2009, 08:34 AM
When do all the christmas thingy/celebrations start.
Vixynne
31-07-2009, 09:02 AM
MVMCP = Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party.
On a somewhat related mini-rant, why is it that MVMCP ends before Christmas?! I booked a trip for the week of Christmas, only to be told that MVMCP's last run is December 18th. :banghead:
Isafari
31-07-2009, 09:10 AM
On a somewhat related mini-rant, why is it that MVMCP ends before Christmas?! I booked a trip for the week of Christmas, only to be told that MVMCP's last run is December 18th. :banghead:
We just miss it too as we get to Orlando on the 18th. I don't mind though as we get to see the same parade, shows, snowfall etc that were at MVMCP for free during a normal MK day.
The things we do miss from the MVMCP are the free hot chocolate and cookies....I can live without that :yes:
Vixynne
31-07-2009, 09:13 AM
We just miss it too as we get to Orlando on the 18th. I don't mind though as we get to see the same parade, shows, snowfall etc that were at MVMCP for free during a normal MK day.
The things we do miss from the MVMCP are the free hot chocolate and cookies....I can live without that :yes:
Oh, the snowfall and shows and such are offered as part of the regular day after the 18th? I didn't know that--okay, that goes a good ways towards mollifying me. Mainly, I wanted my kids to see the "snow" and get the whole after-hours experience, but I'll settle for just the snow!
Isafari
31-07-2009, 09:14 AM
Oh, the snowfall and shows and such are offered as part of the regular day after the 18th? I didn't know that--okay, that goes a good ways towards mollifying me. Mainly, I wanted my kids to see the "snow" and get the whole after-hours experience, but I'll settle for just the snow!
Yes, you get the snow on a regular day after MVMCP plus the Xmas parade and shows.
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