Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1273
November 27, 2013
New Act Takes The Stage For Epcot’s Holidays Around The World
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©Disney
It’s one of the best parts about Epcot’s holiday festivities…the Holidays Around The World. This edutainment event, which takes place from November 29 through December 30 this year, celebrates the festive season by introducing guests to holiday traditions from around the globe.
Guests are immersed in cultural heritage of each nation by letting them get up close and personal with holiday storytellers who share customs from each country. Some of these storytellers include Father Christmas from the United Kingdom, Père Noël from France, the Monkey King from China, and La Befana from Italy.
This year, the Holidays Around The World mix grows with the addition of a new musical group in the Canada Pavilion. The group, which is known as The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, will include some members of the popular Celtic rock band, Off Kilter. Performing on The Mill Stage, the Voyageurs will take guests on a musical journey where they will explore some of Canada’s holiday traditions. Included in their sets will be spirited renditions of holiday favorite “The Christmas Jig,” a traditional mummer’s carol, a medley in celebration of the feast of Le Réveillon, and more.
The Holidays Around The World are a really intriguing a part of the holiday celebrations that take place at Epcot. It’s so interesting to learn about how different countries celebrate this festive time of year, because while we may not all celebrate the same things, it really is a joyous time of year for all! Pair this up with the Candlelight Processional and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth with the Peace on Earth tag at the end, and you have one fantastic night!
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PotterWatch 2.0: Harry Potter Construction Update (11/23-25/2013)
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Construction continues on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion at Universal Orlando.
Welcome to the first installment of PotterWatch 2.0, Touringplans.com’s Harry Potter Construction Update. This recurring photo gallery series will follow the construction of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley in Unversal Studios Florida and other related expansion at Universal Orlando Resort. So grab your broomstick and sail with us to London!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley (Universal Studios Florida)
First up is Kings Cross station, departure point for the Hogwarts Express train to the other park.
A small section of train track is still visible between London and the Disaster! exit. Will this be blocked from view before opening?
A closer look at the train tracks.
The glass windows above the train station entrance are installed, and theming is progressing on the facade.
Looking a little further down the London waterfront, towards the entrance to Diagon Alley:
Ornamental touches like these are starting to be applied to the buildings.
The Wyndhams Theatre facade, based on a famous West End location.
The triangular frieze at that was being sculpted recently now appears covered up…
Grimmauld Place, home of Sirius Black:
Click to zoom and see the detail of crumbling bricks above the leftmost windows.
Finally, a look at progress on the back side of Diagon Alley, near Fear Factor Live (which has unfortunately returned to the park schedule post-Halloween). Much of this should eventually be obscured by a landscape berm.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure)
Hopping over to IoA, here a look at the limited progress made recently on the Hogsmeade train depot in what is currently Lost Continent.
The structure at the entrance of the path to the train station looks essentially unchanged from several weeks ago.
Exterior theming on the train station progressed beneath the scaffolding.
Textured faux-stone has been applied to the walls near the Dragon Challenge tracks.
We’ll conclude with a look at demolition on the funnel cake stand in Port of Entry, which is being replaced by a Starbucks.
Rumor Roundup
We’ll close out this edition with a couple of the latest Harry Potter construction rumors. As always, rumors are for entertainment purposes only; take these items with a large grain of salt:
According to online informant HateToFly, the Hogwarts Express trains have completed their first test voyage, successfully traveling from one station to the other. There is still much work still to do on the trains, especially the interiors.
Exactly which vendors are involved in Diagon Alley’s E-ticket Gringotts ride is a closely guarded secret, but after interrogating several important industry players at IAAPA last week, I’m willing to wager a nickel on the following: the ride’s roller-coaster track is provided by Intamin (California Screamin’), the ride vehicles and/or linear induction propulsion system is by Premiere Rides (Revenge of the Mummy), and the special effect Kuka arms and motion simulator bases are by Dynamic Attractions (Soarin’, Forbidden Journey).
Subscribe to our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar to get the best wait-time data and touring plans, and check back soon for the next Wizarding World of Harry Potter construction update!
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Get to Know Stormalong Bay: The Yacht & Beach Club Pool Area
By Erin Foster
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In my personal tally of how many times I’ve stayed at each Disney World resort, the clear winner, with more than 15 stays, is the Beach Club and Beach Club villas. There are many hotels we love, but we continue to circle back to the Beach Club for two reasons: the proximity to Epcot and the rockin’ awesome pool situation. Stormalong Bay, the pool complex shared by the Yacht & Beach Club, is 3+ areas of fun, nearly a waterpark unto itself. If you’ve got water lovers in your party, Stormalong Bay may be reason enough to make the Yacht or Beach Club your Disney resort of choice. Here’s a tour.
As a first step, take a look at our general guide to the Disney World pools. This covers things like lifeguards (there are lots), floatation vests (they’re free), towels (take as many as you need), and water temperature (warm)!
Moving on to Stormalong Bay specifics, this is the map you’ll receive during check-in. You can see that Stormalong Bay (those amorphous blobs in the center) is neatly centered between the Yacht & Beach Clubs. All guests of those resorts are entitled to Stormalong Bay access, even those staying at the Beach Club Villas. It’s worth noting that Stormalong Bay access is strictly limited to use by Yacht & Beach guests, you will need to show a valid room key or have your MagicBand scanned for access. They’re quite strict about checking.
Now let’s zoom in a bit and take a look at an aerial view from Google Maps. I’ve added some labels so you can get oriented. All those red dots are lifeguard station umbrellas.
On the left of the aerial view, you’ll see a huge shallow sand area. The maximum depth here is about two feet, but most of the area is more shallow than that, making it the perfect place for younger kids to hang out. The bottom of the sand zone is, you guessed, sand. You’re not going to feel any hard cement under your feet. There are also sand “dunes” in places, mounds where you can sit and build sand castles. This is my perfect version of the beach for little ones, all the fun stuff, but none of the worries that they’ll get knocked over by a wave, complain about sticky seaweed, or cut their foot on a sharp shell. From ages two to ten, I would have to literally drag my daughters out of the sand area at the end of the day.
Sand zone looking toward the Yacht Club
Sand area looking toward Hurricane Hanna’s
Chillin’ in the sand. The beach-like construction effectively makes this a zero-entry pool.
Hurricane Hanna’s Grill seating. You can watch the shallow sand area from here.
You’ll notice that many of the guests in the sand are using green buckets for their castle building. The buckets (new ones of course) are used as a serving container at the nearby Hurricane Hanna’s Grill. Rather than taking sandy buckets home, many choose to leave their buckets at Stormalong Bay, so there’s usually a supply available for anyone to use. If you want to add a bit more oomph to your structure, you can often find more elaborate sand toys available for sale in the gift shops at the Yacht & Beach Clubs.
Moving left across the map, you’ll see the “Lazy River.” This is a deep water zone (8+ feet) with an slow speed artificial current. If you wanted a heavy duty workout, you could try to swim against this current, but most guests grab a noodle or tube and drift along for a few laps. This is the very definition of relaxation.
Panorama look at the lazy river
Perfect for gentle floating
Grab a tube
Or a noodle.
Along the path of the lazy river, you’ll see an information booth. This used to be a merchandise sales location, but now it’s just a friendly cast member there to answer questions, tell you about the day’s activities, and lend out sports equipment.
Information booth. Restrooms are next door.
Typical poolside activity schedule
Above the Lazy River is an open swim zone. There are waterfalls and two hot tubs (spas) in this area. Generally, this open swim zone is a bit more quiet than the shallow sand. This is where you’ll find many adults that want to cool off.
General swim area.
More open swim. Note the waterfall on the right.
Just keep swimming.
There are multiple spas at Stormalong Bay
Just past the spas, you’ll find another set of restrooms, the Lafferty Place Arcade, the Ship Shape Health Club, and the Americana classic Beaches & Cream Soda Shop – home of the famous Kitchen Sink Sundae.
If you need a break from swimming, dive into the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream.
To burn off some calories, you may want to do some watersliding. There are two slides at Stormalong Bay. There are no particular age or height requirements for either slide, but riders do have to be able to go down on their own. No lap sitting is allow. Most guests on the junior slide will be about ages 2-9 and most guests on the large slide will be about 6-adult.
To access either slide, exit the main pool area and head toward the massive shipwreck – the area at the bottom of the Google map above. Along the way you’ll see a hair wrap stand and a pick-a-pearl kiosk. Both have limited hours but are generally open throughout the afternoon.
You enter the slide access area behind the shipwreck, near the beach.
You access the slides from the rear of the shipwreck, near the beach. The spiral staircase along the mast gets to to the main slide. The junior slide is below.
The junior slide is completely contained in the shipwreck zone…
Coming down the junior slide.
But to get to the main slide exit point, you have to cross back to the main pool area.
Main slide exit point, center.
In the same sub-pool as the slide exit, you’ll also find the whirlpool zone. This area has an artificial current turned up much stronger than the lazy river. You can do some quick spinning on your noodle here. It’s a particularly popular spot for middle grade boys.
In the area with the slide exit, you’ll also find the active whirlpool area.
I’ve given you a taste of Stormalong Bay, but even the photos don’t really do it justice. This is the perfect place to spend a non-park day, or days, during your vacation. And if you’ve got kids that love the water, it’s likely that they’ll remember Stormalong Bay as much, if not more, than any of the other attractions at Walt Disney World.
Have you stayed at the Yacht or Beach Club and enjoyed Stormalong Bay? What was your favorite part? Is staying at these resorts on your bucket list? Let us know in the comments below.
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November 26, 2013
Ask Jim Hill Ep 16 – What Is Disney’s Justification For Next Gen?
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Jim answers a viewer question about Disney’s justification for investing, designing, and implementing “Next Gen.” Hotel bookings? Crowd control? Find out what Jim thinks on this week’s episode.
New episodes are posted every Tuesday, so be sure to subscribe on YouTube!
If you would like to download an audio version of Ask Jim Hill, Episodes 1 – 9 are now available on iTunes.
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New Frozen Inspired Gallery Opens in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion
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©Disney
A brand new gallery called Norsk Kultur (meaning Norwegian Culture) has officially opened in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. Norsk Kultur was created in conjunction with the opening of the Disney movie Frozen. It can be found inside the Stave Church that’s located in the front part of the pavilion.
The artifacts found in the exhibit are on loan from the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, which is located in Decorah, Iowa. Twenty-one artifacts have been included in the new gallery, and they will be at Epcot for three years, according to an article in the Decorah Newspapers.
Items that can be found in the exhibit include:
an authentic hand-made bunad, the traditional costume of Norway
a hardanger fiddle, as well as other handmade instruments
hand-carved artisan furniture, including a carved wooden chair called a kubbestol
silver brooches
a small loom
a men’s Southern Sami outfit
examples of rosemaling (traditional Norse decorative painting)
©Disney
©Disney
Recently, a new Frozen meet and greet was added to the pavilion where guests are able to meet with the two female characters, Anna and Elsa. The two sisters are expected to remain meeting guests until January 4, 2014.
Frozen opens in theaters on November 27.
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2014 THEA Awards announced for Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room and other Disney Attractions
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Photo copyright Disney
On Tuesday, November 19, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) announced the recipients of its 2014 THEA Awards, which honor the best achievements in amusements and attractions, at the annual IAAPA convention in Orlando. Several notable Disney attractions were singled out for recognition.
The THEA Classic award will go to Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Also honored were Enchanted Tales with Belle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland.
Watch the entire 2014 THEA awards announcement from the floor of IAAPA in the following video. Awards will be officially handed out at the annual THEA awards dinner at the Disneyland Hotel on April 5, 2014.
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November 25, 2013
Run the World: Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter
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I had the recent pleasure of enjoying a short ‘racecation’ during the 2013 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Port Orleans French Quarter, one of Walt Disney World’s moderate resorts. It was a fantastic stay – I enjoyed everything, from the beignets at the bakery to the easy bus transportation, but what stood out to me as a definite winner were the running paths!
I had only stayed at Port Orleans once before – and this was long before my running days, so although I had my handy map (and was given a physical copy at check-in). I was just a little hesitant, as I have a tendency to get lost. My fears were cast aside rather quickly, however, as I set out on a pre-run walk around property to capture images of landmarks and waypoints to guide my run the following morning.
Let’s get running!
The best part about this run is that you don’t need to find an exact location to begin your run or jog – you can set off from wherever you are. In my case, I was staying in Building 3 of the French Quarter, and so meandered east to the river-side “Carriage Path” to begin.
“Streets” are marked.
On the French Quarter side of the resort, the walkways between buildings and attractions (such as the pool and laundry facilities) are clearly marked in gridded corridors, as if you are actually in a small city, making it very easy to navigate. This set-up allows for easy “add-ons” to your mileage in even, small lines and boxes…and another bonus? The area is almost completely shaded by lovely trees and complemented by quiet fountains and sitting areas. I found it to be very peaceful – both in my afternoon walk and my late morning run.
Running through Disney’s French Quarter.
Although I have never personally been to the Big Easy, running Disney’s version of the French Quarter is definitely a transportive experience! The only thing missing was some good Jazz music, as the pool loudspeakers only played recent pop music. Nevertheless, I adventured on down the Carriage Path to see what lay ahead of me.
Carriage Path toward Port Orleans Riverside.
This path is an unusual yet stable surface – kind of a hard, raised pebble, so despite its appearance of gravel, it’s very nice to travel on by foot.
The Bridge/Sign.
After traveling the path for just a few minutes, you will come upon a lovely bridge, and a sign marking your journey toward the Riverside area of the resort. Once under the bridge, the gleaming mansion buildings appear, along with trees lining the path – you may also notice guests kayaking the river, or the Water Taxi streaming by.
On the Riverside, you will encounter a large loop, in which you can travel either left, right, or through the ‘Old Man Island’ water area of the resort. I chose to travel around clockwise once, then looped around each smaller side turn.
Port Orleans Riverside: Magnolia Bend.
The waterway is a bit wider here, and there are several bridges to cross; back and forth, if you want to add some excitement and distance to your jaunt! I crossed over a few times on each.
Which way to go next?
Running toward the main building at Riverside, I coasted around the waterfront area, around the big water wheel, and toward Alligator Bayou. The walkways are wide there, so even if there are guests walking to the pool, or vehicles moving luggage to rooms, there’s plenty of space to share the ‘road.’ I loved waving at people, and, on my morning run, congratulating people with their medals around their necks!
After one thorough run through Riverside, I headed toward the end of Magnolia Bend before crossing the bridge back on the path toward French Quarter. I looked down at my Garmin and saw that I was at just around 4 miles, after meandering and zig-zagging, so after a loop through the streets on my side of the resort, I set out to hit a few more, to even out the run at 10K.
Seen on my run!
On my second loop back on the Riverside end, I concentrated more on the surroundings, as the first one had been my navigating loop. I checked out the meandering paths that led behind the buildings toward the parking lots (I love how they are set behind, so you don’t see them at all as you wander around).
Pretty archways
I noticed the beautiful architectural features too, as well as the way the sun poked through the trees onto the paths. It was very relaxing!
Curvy path back toward the French Quarter.
Sure enough, after my second loop out to Riverside and back, I had racked up 6.2 miles – a perfect distance to start out my magical last day on vacation!
As a Floridian, I appreciated the change of atmosphere on this run (plenty to look at) as well as the slight variances in incline/decline (running bridges) that presented themselves along the route. Another bonus? Since both Port Orleans resorts bookmark the run, should you need a restroom or water (ask for a free cup at the food court), those options are readily available and convenient.
I would definitely recommend Port Orleans to those visiting Walt Disney World who are looking for some extra outdoors-y time! In addition to fantastic paths, there are recreational options including fishing, biking, and other water sports.
Looking for more Disney running posts?
Where to Run at Walt Disney World
Run the World: Wilderness Trails
—
Where should we run next?
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Walt Disney World Crowd Report November 17 to 23, 2013
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November 17 to 23, 2013, ended up being a great week for low crowds at Walt Disney World. Our Crowd Calendar predicted low crowds all week with the exception of Saturday. In fact, wait times came in even lower than our predictions, including on Saturday. Although our predictions hit the mark at the park level for some days, in general we overshot by one index level. If you used our calendar and selected last week for your trip to Disney World, you experienced some of the lowest wait times of the year.
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report – November 17 to 23, 2013
On Sunday we predicted Epcot to be a ’4′ and Animal Kingdom to be a ’1′ while the opposite ended up occurring. Soarin’ averaged 50 minutes and Test Track 41 rather than the 67 and 53 we predicted, respectively. Those numbers translate to a ’1′ at Epcot. At Animal Kingdom it was Kilimanjaro Safaris hitting an average of 26 minutes and Kali River Rapids at 28 minutes that pulled that park’s level to a ’3′, still below average.
Both Epcot and Animal Kingdom bottomed out at a level ’1′ on Monday and were joined by Hollywood Studios. Magic Kingdom was not much busier, only reaching a level ’3′ on our scale, one under the predicted ’4′.
We accurately predicted that no park would exceed level ’2′ on Tuesday. In fact, according to our scale, only Magic Kingdom wait times reached a ’2′. That makes November 19 one of the slowest days of the year. For example, the average posted wait time between 10am and 5pm at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was 28 minutes.
Once again, low wait times abound on Wednesday with a level ’1′ resort-wide. We had predicted a ’3′ at the Studios as the highest park level, but even that park did not reach wait times higher than a park-wide ’1′. Even at a ’1′, the average posted wait time at Toy Story Mania was 60 minutes.
Predictably, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party brought low wait times through the day at the Magic Kingdom, but low waits were not exclusive to that park. In fact, all parks stayed at a level ’1′, bettering the low we saw on Tuesday. For your reference, Space Mountain had posted wait times averaging only 11 minutes during the middle part of the day!
Another Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on Friday kept wait times low during the day. We correctly predicted a level ’2′ during the day at the Magic Kingdom but slightly over-predicted each of the other parks by 1 index level.
We predicted that the wait times would pick up significantly on Saturday with a resort-wide ’5′ on the calendar for Saturday. In fact, we saw the resort-wide come in two points lower at a ’3′, thanks to surprisingly low wait times at Epcot and the Studios. We over-predicted, by a significant margin, the average wait times at Soarin’ (54 vs. 83 minutes) and Test Track (54 vs. 94 minutes), as well as at Rock ‘n Roller Coaster (51 vs. 84 minutes), but our predictions at the other two parks were very accurate for most attractions.
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What to Expect This Week
This coming week brings Thanksgiving crowds to Walt Disney World. Thanksgiving is the third busiest week of the year, behind Easter and Christmas. Wait times are closer to those of the busy Easter week than they are to the insanity that is Christmas week crowds. The influx for Thanksgiving week has already begun and is expected to continue until Sunday or Monday. To see Walt Disney World Crowd predictions for every day between 2006 and one year from today, check the Crowd Calendar.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party season continues at the Magic Kingdom this week, which means savvy planners who don’t mind the shortened park hours can experience low wait times during the day.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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November 24, 2013
Christmas at Magic Kingdom – November 22, 2013
By Daisy Lauren
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I decided to head over to the Magic Kingdom this afternoon to see the Christmas decorations in the lovely, Florida sunshine! It has been very gray and rainy lately. Today was the first day with perfect blue skies, so it was worth running over, even though the park closed early tonight for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
When I arrived at 3pm, tons of cast members were already setting up for the party. Several signs directed guests with party tickets to the park gates. I asked at the gate if they were already allowing guests with party tickets to enter and was told they would not be allowed to enter until 4pm. (Seems odd, though with all the signage already up, I wonder if people were being admitted?)
One clear benefit of arriving at this time on a party night is that the big planter in front of the train station is roped off. This allows for great photos without tons of people in the way. Still – the photo doesn’t do it justice! There must be 1,000 poinsettias in that flower bed. It is really amazing! I have to wonder how many poinsettias end up in the Magic Kingdom every year. They were just everywhere along Main Street.
After walking under the train station and emerging onto Main Street I started spotting all my favorite Christmas decorations back for 2013! One thing that is noticeably missing is the Christmas tree, which should take its rightful place on Main Street after the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade (which airs on ABC on December 25) is filmed the first weekend in December. Of course, Mickey wreaths line the lamp posts all along Main Street.
The Toy Soldiers are also back guarding the flag pole. While I like the “pumpkin people” that take over this area during Halloween, I just love the toy soldiers. I remember being a little girl and watching them stomp along Main Street playing horns. Sadly, the Christmas Parade is not included in general admission anymore unless you visit the week of Christmas. In order to see the toy soldiers in action, you’ll have to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Another cut in recent years is the option to meet Santa Claus. While the Candy Cane Garden is open to guests to take photos during the day, Santa doesn’t visit until the party starts. Of course, the full experience is available the week of Christmas, but the crowds are enormous then, making it difficult to tour the parks.
Here is the view down Main Street with the beautiful wreaths strung between the buildings. The two Christmas trees and toy soldiers in this photo seem like the hottest photo spot in the entire park! Especially once the guests attending the Christmas party started entering the park, the line was easily 25 parties deep. If you see this with a short line it is worth stopping to grab a quick photo.
The shop windows all along Main Street have also been updated to feature Christmas scenes. While it would have been impossible to photograph them all for you, I included one of my favorites below. If you’ll be visiting during the Christmas season be sure to check out the store windows at the Emporium. They tell the story of Mickey’s Christmas Carol from 1983. (Many copies of that VHS were worn out at my house!)
Garlands and wreaths continue down Main Street, with lovely red flowers in every flower box along the way. I took tons of photos, but I think this one gives the best perspective on what the buildings look like. They really do a great job of adding detail to every build along the way.
In front of the castle poinsettia trees have been placed in the flower beds surrounding the Partners Statue.
I always thought these were a strange addition. They aren’t really Christmas trees, and they must be tough to maintain. I can’t argue with the fact that they make for lovely photos, though! The red in the background makes this my favorite time of year to photograph the statues in this area.
Moving beyond Main Street you’ll be hard pressed to find many decorations at all. In Adventureland I didn’t find a single thing beyond the Jingle Cruise. Luckily, I was able to grab a poster for the Limited Time Magic that began today. The supply seemed plentiful, and for the few minutes I was there, I didn’t see people grabbing them by the dozen for ebay.
In Frontierland and Liberty Square there was rustic garland here and there, spread throughout those lands. However, it does blend in. From looking at the below picture you’ll see what I mean. You could almost miss it entirely!
Fantasyland has added a couple strands of garland and wreaths in the new section of Fantasyland, mostly in the Beauty and the Beast areas.
In Tomorrowland only one section of the park is decorated, and it might not be where you’d expect. These glittering silver decorations line the stage of the 626 Dance Party.
That pretty much sums up the decorations that you’ll find in the Magic Kingdom this year. Of course, this is just what there is to see during the day. The park comes alive at night with all the glittering lights on the Castle and down Main Street. But that is for another time! So I’ll leave you with one last view down Main Street.
What is your favorite Christmas decoration in the Magic Kingdom? What are looking forward to the most on your Christmas visit? Are there other things from the parks you’d like to see? Please let us know in the comments below, and – as always – thanks for reading!
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November 23, 2013
SATURDAY SIX: Top Six Reasons We Loved the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
By Derek Burgan
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This candy cane is a treat location icon, new for 2013
This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at the Top Six Reasons We Loved the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP). Recently, Kristina Murphy wrote a blog answering the question “Is MVMCP worth it?” Personally, I think the Disney hard ticket parties are the best way to experience the Magic Kingdom, especially if you take advantage of the fact that they will let you into the park as early as 4PM on party nights (the party official runs from 7PM-midnight). I think the parades are better, the fireworks are better, the characters you can meet are rarer, the lines for the attractions are generally much lower, and the overall atmosphere just feels special.
Regardless of whether you think the parties are worth the cost or not, there is no debate that they bring something unique to the table compared to an average day at the park. Today we’re going to look at what we enjoyed from this year’s MVMCP…
(Remember, you can click on any picture to see a full size version)
# 6 – Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
Santa’s reindeer having a good ol’ time during the parade
While many guests are looking forward to a much needed revamp of the normal Magic Kingdom parades, the holiday versions seem to be loved by everyone who sees them. We raved about the Boo to You! parade in our Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) and came away similarly impressed by Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Taking place at 8:15PM and 10:30PM each night, this is one parade worth going out of your way to see. Disney characters, toy soldiers, and Santa’s reindeer were the highlights (we’ll get to the big man himself later), but this is one parade that should put a smile on your face from beginning to end.
# 5 – The Cookies and Hot Cocoa
Hot Cocoa and Cookie displayed by professional hand model Krissy Murphy.
Ok, I get it. Just like the free candy during the MNSSHP, if you only came to the party for the cookies and cocoa, you’d actually be spending a lot of money in terms of what you’d pay outside the park. Mike Scopa of the WDW Today podcast has jokingly referred to MVMCP as “the $50 cookie” in the past. However, I look at the cookies and cocoa as the the proverbial cherry on top of the sundae that you are getting with your party experience. The hot cocoa can warm you up on a chilly night, and the cookies – thick and chewy, just how we like ‘em – were fantastic.
Look for the big Candy Cane treat icons located around the park, as they identify where you can pick up your complimentary cookies and cocoa. Here are your options (and the hours they are available):
Columbia Harbour House (7PM-11PM)
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (8PM-Midnight)
Crystal Palace (9PM-11PM)
Pinocchio Village Haus (7PM-10:30PM)
Sunshine Tree Terrace (7PM-Midnight)
Tomorrowland Terrace (7PM-12:30AM)
Tortuga Tavern (7PM-Midnight)
# 4 – The Exclusive Merchandise
The exclusive MVMCP ornament displayed by Magic Band wearing Brandon Glover
As a big fan of theme park merchandise, I’m happy to report there is a good variety of MVMCP merch this year – mostly in the form of shirts and pins – with the designs are very well done. I really liked the main t-shirt design (pictured) along with the limited edition “snow globe” style pins, one of which had Mickey and Minnie as snowmen. There was a special MVMCP ornament, which is a natural tie in for the party. The stores for merch include the Emporium, Heritage House, Mickey’s Star Traders, Big Top Souvenirs, and the Frontier Trading Post. The Emporium is of course loaded with other Christmas related items including a great Pluto-as-a-reindeer plush that reminded me of how The Grinch dressed up his dog Max in How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
# 3 – The Characters
Scrooge McDuck joining Donald and Daisy for pictures
Character meet and greets are getting more and more popular by the day, and just as the MNSSHP had characters you don’t see out in the parks often, so did this year’s MVMCP. New for this year’s party were Mary Poppins, Bert, and some penguins from the Mary Poppins film meeting guests in New Fantasyland. The Seven Dwarfs are back, and they are decked out in holiday gear. Scrooge McDuck can be seen with Donald and Daisy Duck. Several princesses can be seen with their princes, and many of your favorite characters will be wearing outfits you can only see at the party. Here is an article by Len Testa with some tips for meeting characters during MVMCP.
Speaking of Scrooge McDuck, did you know that Mickey’s Christmas Carol is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year? Seeing that movie was the first time I encountered the character Scrooge McDuck, who later would become possibly my favorite Disney character, thanks to the incredible comic books by Carl Barks (and Don Rosa) and the DuckTales TV show that was part of the Disney Afternoon.
# 2 – The Exclusive Treats
Chocolate peppermint cupcake (available at Gaston’s Tavern)
I was impressed with the overall quality of treats available during the party, especially the chocolate peppermint cupcake that you can get in Gaston’s Tavern. There was also a Gingerbread Waffle with soft serve ice cream in Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, a Demitasse Minnie or Mickey Milk Chocolate Cocoa with Cookies at Tony’s Town Square and Christmas themed treats at the Main Street Bakery. For theme park special event food this year, the snacks at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights are the winner, but I’m placing MVMCP in second place in that category.
# 2 (Tie) Holiday Wishes
Holiday Wishes as seen from New Fantasyland
Glow With the Show at MVMCP 2013
Disney’s nighttime spectaculars are the best in the business, and the hard ticket parties take the usual five star Disney fireworks display up to a new level. When the Magic Kingdom uses perimeter fireworks and seems to fill the entire sky with light, it is an experience like no other and almost impossible to describe the wonder displayed in front of you. I’m not sure which one to pick as my favorite, as the soundtrack for the Happy HalloWishes is better than the one for Holiday Wishes, but since I like Christmas more than Halloween as a holiday, I have to admit I was more drawn in by the red and green bursts in Holiday Wishes.
This was also the first time I had ever watched any version of Wishes from behind the castle in New Fantasyland. I actually liked this a lot, as I’m usually on Stress Level Midnight any time I have to deal with a crowd waiting for fireworks in front of the castle. The only negative to this experience was seeing the castle – which looks jaw droopingly good from the front – not be completely decorated with lights in the back. What’s up with that? Do we need to start a Kickstarter to get more lights?
# 1 – One word: SANTA.
Whoever is in charge of MyMagic+ is getting coal this year
When you take one of the world’s most iconic characters in Santa Claus and put him in the Magic Kingdom, one of the world’ most iconic places, you get magic. If you don’t get goosebumps seeing Santa on his sleigh, you may want to check your pulse or maybe have an intervention with Buddy the Elf.
Not only is the big man himself the centerpiece of the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, but you can also get your picture taken with Santa at the front of the park by City Hall.
Overall, a lot of fun was had at the party. The Jingle Cruise is running throughout the night, “snow” falls on Main Street, U.S.A., there are dance parties at Cosmic Ray’s and the Diamond Horseshoe, and there’s another exclusive Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom card that you can pick up at the Firehouse on Main Street or Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. It’s America’s greatest holiday (sorry, Groundhog Day!) combined with the world’s most popular theme park, and that’s one combination that can’t be beat.
See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six! If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories and Merch! articles, this Universal Character Breakfast review, or the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.
Special thanks to Universal NOW‘s Brandon Glover and Krissy Murphy for their assistance with this article.
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SATURDAY SIX: Top Six Reasons We Loved the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
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