OhioStateBuckeye
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2007
'Tis the season to be jolly and joyous
With a burst of pleasure we feel it all right
It's a season when the Saints can employ us
To spread the news about peace and to keep love alive!
It’s a holly jolly Christmas death match in this trip report! Wait a minute, Christmas isn’t about Death Matches?! Hmm, you guys have never been to one of my family Christmases, where it isn’t Christmas until somebody cries.
I finally went off the Disney deep end and scheduled two Disney trips within the same month. One to Disneyland in mid-December on the Adventures by Disney Backstage Magic trip which was planned years ago. Then a trip to Disney World in early December, which was a last minute decision made over the summer so that I could attend the DISapalooza private party at Diagon Alley. We ended up having annual passes to WDW, so that trip was mostly Disney with just the palooza party thrown in at Universal.
So where does the Death Match come into play? Well, I decided to do a trip report on how both parks do Christmas. Everything is a competition, of course, so we'll have to see which park wins!
At the end maybe everyone can help me decide which I liked better.
So what is ahead for my readers? I’ll list some of the holiday highlights:
Disney World:
-Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
-DISaplooza private party at Diagon Alley with the Podcast team
-a quest to see all the Epcot World Showcase Holiday storytellers
-the Osborne Lights
-newly opened Star Wars Launch Bay
Disneyland:
-ride overlays: Jingle Cruise, Christmas Small World, Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion, Hyperspace Mountain
-special behind the scenes tours from the Adventures by Disney trip (will mostly likely try to make these spoiler friendly somehow so people don’t need to spoil the surprise of what happens on the trip if they don’t want to)
-a new highlight of my life meet and greet with an impossible to find character (in which we become best friends)
-the Force Awakens Hollywood premiere
Before I get started I’ve gotta do a cast of characters:
I’m Rachel. I now live in Austin, Texas (recently moved from Columbus, Ohio and still no closer to Disney. Sigh). Then there is my long suffering boyfriend, Brian. We both like to watch football (Ohio State Buckeyes and the Steelers), obsess over Star Wars, play video games and go hiking and camping.
Stephanie, Brian's younger sister, joined us for the WDW portion. She likes Clemson football, sewing costumes and obsessing over RunDisney.
And our furry little companion, Sirius. He enjoyed multiple staycations here in Austin at his boarding place.
He doesn't take good pictures. I am of the belief that he thinks the camera is going to steal his soul.
Last trip report I did a little questionnaire that everyone seemed to enjoy. So I’m going to do a Christmas one, hope you haven’t had Christmas overload yet. Feel free to copy and paste in your own responses!
No, really, please do. I can get very unmotivated if people don't chime in on my trip reports (I'm looking at you Jeremy!) and I really want to write about these amazing adventures.
Don't be a grinch/silent lurker.
Join in the Christmas cheer with the Whos. It is fun in Whoville, I promise. We have roast beast.
Favorite Christmas Movie or Special: Muppets Christmas Carol and Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
I could quote Aunt Bethany all day long, and I frequently do. 'Don't throw me down, Clark'. 'I'll try not to, Aunt Bethany'.
Favorite Christmas song: Oh Holy Night and One More Sleep Til Christmas (from Muppets)
Favorite Reindeer: Vixen. So far as I know, he isn’t featured in any Christmas song, movie or special. I like a bit of mystery.
Favorite Christmas decorated Disney park: DCA. The creativity of the Carsland decorations can't be beat.
Favorite Disney Christmas Tree: The Animal Kingdom tree and the Be Our Guest tree.
Favorite Disney Christmas decorated resort: Grand Californian
Favorite Ride Overlay: Disneyland Jingle Cruise
Favorite Disney Christmas special: Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Now Brian's answers:
Favorite Christmas movie or special: Die Hard and the Grinch cartoon
Favorite Christmas song: Charlie Brown song at the end of the special
Favorite Reindeer: Chet from the Santa Clause 2
Favorite Christmas decorated Disney park: Disneyland
Favorite Disney Christmas tree: The Jingle Cruise tree
Favorite Disney Christmas decorated resort: Grand Californian
Favorite ride overlay: Jingle Cruise at DL, but he said it should be the Country Bears, except they don't do that anymore. He is a touch bitter.
Favorite Disney Christmas Special: Tale Spin Jolly Molly Christmas
First up:
Put on your favorite ugly Christmas sweater, we are about to experience arrival day at WDW!