Santa Claus at DIsney's Grand Floridian. Photo by JeffB
Christmas at Disney World is truly Magical. The lights, the decorations, the music, the festivities, the shows, the food... It just goes on and on.
It really is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and Disney World is the most wonderful place to celebrate the holidays.
Disney goes all out for Christmas.
Why wait till Christmas?
Let's start celebrating Christmas at Disney World together today...
Right now...
Let's go...
Crank up the Christmas Music
Don't you just love Christmas music. (Read Dad's favorite musical Christmas at Disney World story.) Run to your record player, 8-Track, Ipod, CD player or whatever you use to play music, or just start up iTunes, choose your favorite Christmas music, and crank it up.
Let it snow, Let it snow... (No please don't let it snow)
To celebrate Christmas at Disney World or at home for that matter you have to start with some great music. Disney has a great variety of Christmas music all over the parks and resorts. They have everything from classical to heavy metal, but it all seems to work.
The Theme Parks
Christmas at Disney World explodes all over the Theme Parks. Each park is decorated beautifully. There are special shows, special meals, special parades, special specials... It's amazing.
The Magic Kingdom
Christmas at Disney World shines in the Magic Kingdom. Literally. It shines. Every part of the park is decorated, every shop, every restaurant. Three hundred thousand lights, yes that's 300,000, bring Cinderella Castle to life every evening. It's an awesome sight. (It's much better than the pink birthday cake castle.)
On selected nights during the holiday season (it starts in early November and runs through the end of December) the Magic Kingdom hosts a grand celebration of the season. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Is a special ticket event that is not to be missed. Hot cocoa and cookies are served all around the park, there are designated areas set up for family portraits, there are special fireworks and even a parade featuring the big man himself. And if that's not enough, it even snows on Main Street. You won't want to miss this. Yes, I know, it's costs extra, but it's worth it.
During the show and on special nights during the Christmas season you can see a special version of Disney's nightly firework show. It's called Holiday Wishes. It's full of special holiday colors and an extra section just to celebrate the season.
During the holidays Disney really ramps up the parades. In the Magic Kingdom it's the Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade which is a special parade starring Santa himself. It's shown during the afternoons and even has a special, magical night time version during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
Disney is famous for the shows they put on. Christmas at Disney World wouldn't be special without some special Holiday Shows. In the Magic Kingdom there are special shows all through the park. You'll want to check you map for time and locations. Don't miss them.
Celebrate the Season is a singing and dancing show presented on the Castle stage. Mickey and Minnie celebrate with all their friends. The Castle even helps out with flickering lights.
Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Performed in Galaxy Theater in Tomorrowland, it is a 20 minute show full of singing and dancing. Mickey even reads the famous story. The hippos from Fantasia make an appearance and much, much more.
Belle's Enchanted Christmas Storytelling - Find Belle in the garden reading holiday stories to children of all ages.
The Magic Kingdom is the perfect place to celebrate Christmas at Disney World.
Epcot
Epcot, strangely enough, may be the most Christmas-a-fied of all the Theme Parks. Each of the countries tell the story of Christmas from their culture.
Each day at Epcot during Christmas at Disney World there is an incredible salute the birth of Christ and the day ends with a special tribute asking for Peace on Earth.
The best thing that Disney does at Christmas is to host the Candlelight Processional. We always make sure it's the first thing we put in THE PLAN. The Candlelight Processional is the reading of the story of the birth of Christ accompanied by a 500 member choir and orchestra. Guest storytellers read the story 3 times per night. Don't miss this.
All around the park there are special decorations that highlight the special time of year. Just past the fountains there is a big Christmas Tree and every evening there is a Tree Lighting Ceremony complete with Mickey and friends (might be a little singing and dancing). The fountains even get into the act. During Christmas at Disney World, the fountains in Future World dance the day and night away to great Christmas music.
Christmas in the countries
Each country is decorated with their countries traditions of the season. This makes each area different. At selected times during the day "Santa" or the local equivalent comes out and talks about that country's story of "Christmas". It's really interesting to hear the differences.
Every night a special Illuminations is shown. Let There be Peace on Earth, is the theme. It is narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Photo by Jeff_B. Check out the story that goes with it.
Disney's Hollywood Studios lights up at Christmas at Disney World with lot's and lots of lights. (I'm glad I don't have to pay that electric bill.)
In 1995, after complaints from the neighbors, the Osborne Family of Little Rock Arkansas sold their million light display to Disney who moved the whole thing to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Every year the display seems to grow. A few yeas ago Disney took this show to the next level by adding 3-D. Glasses are placed at the entrances and all guests get a pair. It gives the attraction a new level of depth.
Over 4 million lights are now used to light up the night sky. The show is set to some great contemporary Christmas music and is absolutely not to be missed.
Animal Kingdom
The Animal Kingdom closes pretty much at dark. But it still gets into the spirit of the season. The first thing you see when you arrive at the park is a giant Christmas tree. All around the park there are decorations galore.
But in the afternoon, the show really starts. Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade is taken over and remade into Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade.
Overnight the magical elves at Disney World's Animal Kingdom transforms every float into a Christmas at Disney World wonderland. It's truly amazing to see the safari vehicles dressed up in garland and trimming.
The big guy himself closes the parade. Yes, I'm talking about...
Mickey and Santa, or maybe more accurately Mickey as Santa.
There's even a float that smells like hot chocolate.
Disney Resorts
One thing that's fun to do is to tour the Disney Resorts at Christmas. All the Resorts, even the Value Resorts get all dressed up for the holidays. Each Resort has some special holiday tradition.
The Grand Floridian has a 1000 square foot Gingerbread House. A real Gingerbread house that's made with over 1,000 pounds of honey. Go ahead, lick it and see what happens. (Not really.)
Big Christmas Trees decorate the lobbies of most of the resorts. Each Resort's decorations take on the personality of the theme of the Resort. At Coronado Springs the decorations are Southwest themed, at Port Orleans it's New Orleans decorations, at the Polynesian there are island decorations.
It's truly amazing.
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney celebrates Christmas at Disney World with carolers, shopping, holiday lights, shopping, Santa Claus, shopping, holiday performers and shopping.
After you get your picture made, stroll around the shops. There is live entertainment throughout the day. Each shop goes all out with decorations and displays.
It truly is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year..."
Dad's Bottom Line
Christmas at Disney World, it's Dad's favorite thing. I think I could spend a week there and not ever ride a ride. I'd just walk around enjoying the decorations, in the parks, in the hotels, at Downtown Disney...
Mmmmm... Christmas at Disney World... Hey, Mrs. Mom, I've got an idea...
