Celebrate the Holidays – Disney Style

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, it’s time to start making your holiday travel plans. You might decide to go skiing or visit the relatives. But, you should consider heading down to Florida to take in one of the most spectacular Christmas celebrations in the country. Nobody does the holidays quite like Disney World. Each park celebrates the season in its own special way. Downtown Disney and the Disney Village are decorated in style complete with Santa’s village. Plus, the weather is perfect. Comfortable during the day and cool at night.




EPCOT:
EPCOT’s signature holiday event is the nightly Candlelight Processional. Each night the Christmas story is retold by a celebrity narrator as a 50 piece orchestra plays and a choir sings traditional Christmas carols. Located at the America Gardens Theater, this event is sure to remind you about the true meaning of Christmas and get you into the holiday spirit.
Holidays around the World is celebrated at the different countries throughout the park. This is your chance to see Santa Claus (aka St. Nick) in Japan, France, Britain, and Germany. You can learn about each country’s Christmas traditions and sample holiday fare. Stop by the American pavilion to see one of the world’s largest gingerbread houses.
Of course, Christmas decorations are scattered throughout the park. The nightly lighting of the Christmas tree is a popular event. Make sure to stay for Illuminations – a nightly fireworks and laser light show spectacular.


Magic Kingdom:
On select nights, the Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The party is filled with parades, a snow fall on Main Street (yes, snow in Florida!!), character greetings, complimentary cookies and cocoa, a fireworks show, and character greetings with your favorite Disney characters. Select rides are open, including a special Christmas themed Country Bear Jamboree. This event requires a separate ticket and lasts 5 hours. Tickets range from $43 - $60.

Here is an insider tip for you. The park is decorated throughout the holiday season. You will see the same decorations regardless of when you choose to visit the park. . Instead of 5 hours of fun, go on a day when the park is open for at least 8 -12 hours. You will see a similar fireworks show, snow falls on Main Street, all the rides are open, and you still get to meet and greet with Christmas clad Disney characters throughout the day. You will pay more for your ticket, but you will get more value for your money!! The cookies and cocoa won’t be free, but if you want them bad enough, go ahead and buy them.


Disney’s Hollywood Studios
You probably have someone in your neighborhood who just loves to string hundreds of Christmas lights on their house. But you have never seen a Christmas light display like the one Hollywood Studios puts on each year. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights transforms Hollywood Studios back lot into a brilliantly lit Christmas wonderland. Millions of twinkling lights are choreographed to dance to your favorite Christmas carols. Look for over 30 “Hidden Mickeys” in the display. Make sure to catch the toy soldier march in time under the Christmas tree.

Disney resorts also get into the holiday spirit. The Grand Floridian is our pick year after year for best decorated Disney resort. The elegant Victorian lobby is transformed into a classic Christmas setting, complete with Christmas garland decking the balconies.


For more information on Disney’s Christmas celebrations, visit www.disneyworld.disney.go.com