Guide to Christmas in Disney
- Thread starter PlutoTheDog89
- Start date
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
SERIOUSLY! I sat down and helped my mom book reservations last night. Not only were we shocked with how many places are booked already, but there was a point we looked at each other and said "Wow, four months!"
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
In a previous post, I wrote about how crowded the parks can get during Christmas week. Because of this, I recommended arriving at the parks early in the day, and leaving around the afternoon.
While the park is where the magic truly happens, there are many activities and sights to see in Disney during Christmas. Just because the lines for rides are too long, it does not mean you cannot enjoy the Christmas spirit at the Disney parks and resorts.
Each park offers a unique experience. Lets start with the highlight of all the parks:
The Osborne Family Christmas Lights
Imagine Clark Griswalds house in Christmas vacation coming to life. Located at Hollywood Studios, the spectacle has become one of the most popular attractions during the holiday season. Initially constructed by an Arkansas businessman as a gift for his six-year-old daughter, the display is made up of over 10 miles of lights and connected by 30 miles of extension cords. Choreographed to various holiday music, the dancing segments cycle roughly every 40-60 minutes.
It truly is one of the coolest displays at Disney. Stop by at night and enjoy the show, and snow!
Main Street and Wishes
There truly is not a better place to find the magic in Disney than Main Street. A true staple at Disney, Main Street comes alive during Christmastime. Upon entering the park, you see Magic Kingdoms gigantic Christmas tree, decorated with tons of lights and ornaments.
When you arrive at Main Street, all five senses are met with a holiday overload. You see the streets filled with wreaths and Christmas decorations, and the light-filled glittering castle in the distance. You instantly smell the aroma of warm baked treats from the Main Street Bakery. The smell of hot fresh cinnamon buns reminds you of breakfast on Christmas morning. Of course, your taste buds will go crazy over the hot buttery goodness of a warm cinnamon bun! With the sound of bells and Christmas-themed Disney music, you cant help but smile! And of course, being in Disney makes you feel like a kid again!
At night, just before Wishes begins, head down to Main Street. Home of the best view to see the fireworks, Main Street has a little more magic to share with you. As you approach Main Street, you are instantly greeted with something so bizarre. But its 60 degrees, how could this be? you ask. It is snowing on Main Street. A regular occurrence each night, Main Street fills the air with tons of snowflakes just before the fireworks (and Tinkerbell) take flight. How does Disney create snowflakes on a mild Christmas night? Magic.
The Wishes Holiday Fireworks show is a lot like the original Wishes, with a holiday twist. The fireworks light up the sky and the castle comes alive. Along with the festive music, is a narrator that reminds you of your grandfather reading you Christmas stories on a cold winter night.
Deluxe Resort Decorations
While all resorts have special decorations that fit with the theme, the deluxe resorts truly go above and beyond.
Take the Monorail Tour, stopping at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary. The Contemporarys lobby could be mistaken for The Plaza hotel in Home Alone 2. The towering Christmas tree, with a backdrop of crystal chandeliers and fresh white painted walls offers a truly elegant Christmas picture. Be your own photographer, or grab a family photo from one of Disneys photographers. Make sure to stop by the giant Gingerbread house, created by Disneys top chefs. While you can not eat the house, Disney offers Gingerbread pieces, freshly baked.
As you ride into The Contemporary, look for the giant Mickey-shaped wreath. This is the first of many decorations at the resort. Walk the grounds outdoor and see the Christmas tree and Mickey-shaped poinsettias, or go inside and see the gingerbread Christmas tree display.
The dark ambience of The Polynesian resort adds to the brightness of the Christmas lights. Walk the grounds and enjoy the view of Magic Kingdom in the distance, or go inside and see the multiple Christmas trees.
Other resorts that offer great Christmas decorations include The Fort Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Yacht and Beach Club. The Wilderness offers a multiple-story tall tree. Enjoy the tree, while smelling the amazing barbeque at Whispering Canyon. With multiple fireplaces, it really feels like a cozy cabin! The Yacht and Beach Club offer a Marthas Vineyard-style Christmas. With a nautical themed Christmas tree, you can enjoy your gingerbread with a water view. Lastly, venture over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. With their Christmas tree in the middle of the lobby, the backdrop is a floor-to-ceiling window looking out into the safari.
Fort Wilderness Sleigh Ride
Step aboard a horse-drawn carriage and tour the Christmas decorations at Fort Wilderness. Many people camp out for more than a month on the campgrounds at Disney. They decorate their campgrounds with lights and decorations, which offers a very cool experience. It is definitely something to check out at night, after you check out the Wilderness Lodges lobby!
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney is full of decorations and photo opportunities! Stop by for some last minute Christmas shopping, a bite to eat, or just to walk the area along the water.
Stop by Ghiradelli for a hot chocolate, or to sample their Peppermint Bark. There are carolers that perform on the stage, and Santa is at the entrance by the main store.
On NYE day, walk the area over to Pleasure Island. It is a very cool environment as everywhere is being set up for the NYE festivities. They also have many picture opportunities and cutouts set up for pictures.
Parades
While you will certainly not avoid the crowds during parades, they are all Christmas themed and worth seeing! Magic Kingdom offers Mickeys Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Mickeys Jingle Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom are both worth fighting the crowds for.
While the park is where the magic truly happens, there are many activities and sights to see in Disney during Christmas. Just because the lines for rides are too long, it does not mean you cannot enjoy the Christmas spirit at the Disney parks and resorts.
Each park offers a unique experience. Lets start with the highlight of all the parks:
The Osborne Family Christmas Lights
Imagine Clark Griswalds house in Christmas vacation coming to life. Located at Hollywood Studios, the spectacle has become one of the most popular attractions during the holiday season. Initially constructed by an Arkansas businessman as a gift for his six-year-old daughter, the display is made up of over 10 miles of lights and connected by 30 miles of extension cords. Choreographed to various holiday music, the dancing segments cycle roughly every 40-60 minutes.
It truly is one of the coolest displays at Disney. Stop by at night and enjoy the show, and snow!
Main Street and Wishes
There truly is not a better place to find the magic in Disney than Main Street. A true staple at Disney, Main Street comes alive during Christmastime. Upon entering the park, you see Magic Kingdoms gigantic Christmas tree, decorated with tons of lights and ornaments.
When you arrive at Main Street, all five senses are met with a holiday overload. You see the streets filled with wreaths and Christmas decorations, and the light-filled glittering castle in the distance. You instantly smell the aroma of warm baked treats from the Main Street Bakery. The smell of hot fresh cinnamon buns reminds you of breakfast on Christmas morning. Of course, your taste buds will go crazy over the hot buttery goodness of a warm cinnamon bun! With the sound of bells and Christmas-themed Disney music, you cant help but smile! And of course, being in Disney makes you feel like a kid again!
At night, just before Wishes begins, head down to Main Street. Home of the best view to see the fireworks, Main Street has a little more magic to share with you. As you approach Main Street, you are instantly greeted with something so bizarre. But its 60 degrees, how could this be? you ask. It is snowing on Main Street. A regular occurrence each night, Main Street fills the air with tons of snowflakes just before the fireworks (and Tinkerbell) take flight. How does Disney create snowflakes on a mild Christmas night? Magic.
The Wishes Holiday Fireworks show is a lot like the original Wishes, with a holiday twist. The fireworks light up the sky and the castle comes alive. Along with the festive music, is a narrator that reminds you of your grandfather reading you Christmas stories on a cold winter night.
Deluxe Resort Decorations
While all resorts have special decorations that fit with the theme, the deluxe resorts truly go above and beyond.
Take the Monorail Tour, stopping at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary. The Contemporarys lobby could be mistaken for The Plaza hotel in Home Alone 2. The towering Christmas tree, with a backdrop of crystal chandeliers and fresh white painted walls offers a truly elegant Christmas picture. Be your own photographer, or grab a family photo from one of Disneys photographers. Make sure to stop by the giant Gingerbread house, created by Disneys top chefs. While you can not eat the house, Disney offers Gingerbread pieces, freshly baked.
As you ride into The Contemporary, look for the giant Mickey-shaped wreath. This is the first of many decorations at the resort. Walk the grounds outdoor and see the Christmas tree and Mickey-shaped poinsettias, or go inside and see the gingerbread Christmas tree display.
The dark ambience of The Polynesian resort adds to the brightness of the Christmas lights. Walk the grounds and enjoy the view of Magic Kingdom in the distance, or go inside and see the multiple Christmas trees.
Other resorts that offer great Christmas decorations include The Fort Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Yacht and Beach Club. The Wilderness offers a multiple-story tall tree. Enjoy the tree, while smelling the amazing barbeque at Whispering Canyon. With multiple fireplaces, it really feels like a cozy cabin! The Yacht and Beach Club offer a Marthas Vineyard-style Christmas. With a nautical themed Christmas tree, you can enjoy your gingerbread with a water view. Lastly, venture over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. With their Christmas tree in the middle of the lobby, the backdrop is a floor-to-ceiling window looking out into the safari.
Fort Wilderness Sleigh Ride
Step aboard a horse-drawn carriage and tour the Christmas decorations at Fort Wilderness. Many people camp out for more than a month on the campgrounds at Disney. They decorate their campgrounds with lights and decorations, which offers a very cool experience. It is definitely something to check out at night, after you check out the Wilderness Lodges lobby!
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney is full of decorations and photo opportunities! Stop by for some last minute Christmas shopping, a bite to eat, or just to walk the area along the water.
Stop by Ghiradelli for a hot chocolate, or to sample their Peppermint Bark. There are carolers that perform on the stage, and Santa is at the entrance by the main store.
On NYE day, walk the area over to Pleasure Island. It is a very cool environment as everywhere is being set up for the NYE festivities. They also have many picture opportunities and cutouts set up for pictures.
Parades
While you will certainly not avoid the crowds during parades, they are all Christmas themed and worth seeing! Magic Kingdom offers Mickeys Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Mickeys Jingle Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom are both worth fighting the crowds for.
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
Disney Dining
Many will tell you that the Disney Dining Plan is not worth the money. I would disagree, however. The meal plan provides a sense of direction. With all meals already accounted for, the meal plan gives the feel of an “all inclusive” vacation.
During the holidays, the dining plan can be incredibly useful. With Christmas week being so packed, it is useful to have your reservations and meals in check. Not only this, but it is also more cost effective. My family books our vacations through AAA. As a result, we are allowed to pay off our vacation with monthly installments. With Christmas week being one of the more expensive weeks at Disney, the monthly installments allow us to better manage our costs. Having the meal plan be part of those monthly installments is much more effective than paying for all meals at once.
The meal plan can be used to your advantage, and wind up being incredibly valuable if used correctly. To enjoy the benefits of the meal plan, my family plans our meals accordingly:
For an eight-day trip, each family member is given one table service meal, one quick service meal, and one snack.
Not all meals and snacks are created equal, however. Sure, it may seem easy to use a snack for a soda in the park. However, you are not using the snack to the best of its ability. Compare the $2-$3 soda to a Dole Whip, which is just above $4. Or, use your snack as a meal! While my family will use a few quick services on breakfast; breakfast does not have as much value for a quick service when compared to lunch or dinner. Use a snack credit for a morning bagel before boarding the bus to the park, or sit along the water in EPCOT, while enjoying a buttery croissant from Boulangerie Patisserie in France. Couple that bagel with a coffee using your refillable mug, and you’ve got yourself a great breakfast!
Using the Quick Service for lunch or dinner is much more cost-effective. A quick service meal comes with an entree, a refillable fountain drink (to be used at the same location), and a dessert. Quick service meals usually have more of a fast food or cafeteria feel to them. However, when you are constantly on the move, sometimes a fast meal works best.
Table Service credits are to be used at Disney’s sit-down-style restaurants. At the sit-down restaurants, your meals consist of the same items the quick service does – entrée, non-alcoholic drink and dessert – just a higher quality. Table Service restaurants usually require a reservation, but walk-ins are welcome. During Christmas, however, I would not recommend chancing a walk-in. It is hard enough to get a reservation for days like Christmas and New Years Eve and Christmas day. And, with such high crowd levels, it is recommended that you set your reservation as soon as possible.
You may set up a reservation for Table Service as early as 180 days prior to the date of your reservation. If you have not yet made your reservations for Christmas week, I recommend that you stop reading this post, and do so NOW.
Made your reservations? Great, I’ll continue. My family was late to book our trip this year. With everything booked last week, we went ahead and booked our dining reservations last Wednesday night. While we are fully aware of how crowded Christmas week gets, we were surprised of just how many restaurants were unavailable on the dates we wanted them. Disney’s Signature Dining restaurants are just about booked on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. As a result, we missed out on our preference, Narcoossee’s, and had to book it for a later date during our stay.
Here is a link to all the information you need for Disney’s Dining Plan.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/m...alog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/2013Dining.pdf
My family usually books the regular dining plan with a snack, table and quick service. I feel like the Deluxe (includes appetizer) is too much food. That’s my personal opinion, however.
Where to Book Reservations
I can go on for days recommending restaurants in Disney and explaining why I love the place. During Christmas week, however, there is a method to booking reservations. Sticking with the theme of these posts (if you have not caught on, I’m teaching you how to manage the crowds and plan ahead) I will explain how to pick restaurants.
Let’s assume for a moment that, like my family, you will be at Disney from December 24th to January 1st. When you begin to choose your restaurants, put every date out of sight and mind except December 24th, 25th and 31st. These dates require the most planning.
Get ready, I’m about to go all “R.L Stine Choose Your Own Adventure” on you…
Okay, so let’s say you get to Disney early in the day on December 24th.
Do you have park access? If so, the possibilities are endless. Choose a park you would like to go to for Christmas Eve, and book a reservation there or in the area. My family usually goes to EPCOT, and as a result will be going to Chefs de France for a nice Christmas Eve dinner. If you would like to go to Magic Kingdom, choose a restaurant there or at a nearby hotel. For example, set a reservation at The Contemporary’s “Wave”, then head over to Magic Kingdom after.
If you do not have park access, you are not only limited to your hotel. While it would work in your favor to book something at your hotel (then rest and prepare for Christmas), you can go to any hotel and eat at their restaurant. Just keep in mind going from hotel to hotel is not an easy bus ride. You must take a bus to a park or DTD, and then transfer to the hotel’s bus (unless you’re a monorail hotel.)
For Christmas day, I would recommend eating at the park or a nearby hotel. With the crowds increased, it could be hard to get around and travel times could increase. Last year, we ate at Narcoossee’s then took the monorail over to Magic Kingdom for the night. Aside from the fact that I ate so much and couldn’t move, it was an incredibly stress-free night. We went to the park in the morning, left and went back to the hotel to relax, then went to Narcoossee’s. After Narcoossee’s, we enjoyed the entire night at Magic Kingdom.
New Years Eve requires the most planning. For this night, I would recommend keeping it simple. Eat at your hotel, go to a park and stay all day (eating there), or eat nearby the park at which you intend on being. It is incredibly crowded, traffic is horrendous, and it could take over an hour to get to a park. As a result, I would first recommend eating at a park if you are brave enough to stay there all day. Last year, we did the Turf Club and got to the park much later than we wanted. We were staying at Port Orleans, so we had to transfer buses, which took much longer than anticipated. I would recommend choosing your park and either eating there or eating within walking distance.
EPCOT/DHS – Eat at park or at Boardwalk
MK – Eat at park or at a monorail hotel
We will be spending the afternoon at Downtown Disney, eating at Portobello, and then taking the bus over to the Boardwalk. After arriving at the Boardwalk, we will most likely walk through the back entrance of EPCOT. I know this sounds complicated, but given the restaurant availabilities, it was the only decision. And, we know better than to take a bus to EPCOT that late.
After that, you are free to pick your other reservations. I would definitely recommend booking those three days, then building around them. I will answer any questions you may have about reservations or recommend some good food places in Disney. I also have an upcoming post highlighting the best holiday snacks in Disney. Stay Tuned!
Almond Cheesecake at Narcoossee's
Pasta Bolognese at Tutto Italia
Napoleon at Boulangerie Patisserie (THIS IS A SNACK!)
Many will tell you that the Disney Dining Plan is not worth the money. I would disagree, however. The meal plan provides a sense of direction. With all meals already accounted for, the meal plan gives the feel of an “all inclusive” vacation.
During the holidays, the dining plan can be incredibly useful. With Christmas week being so packed, it is useful to have your reservations and meals in check. Not only this, but it is also more cost effective. My family books our vacations through AAA. As a result, we are allowed to pay off our vacation with monthly installments. With Christmas week being one of the more expensive weeks at Disney, the monthly installments allow us to better manage our costs. Having the meal plan be part of those monthly installments is much more effective than paying for all meals at once.
The meal plan can be used to your advantage, and wind up being incredibly valuable if used correctly. To enjoy the benefits of the meal plan, my family plans our meals accordingly:
For an eight-day trip, each family member is given one table service meal, one quick service meal, and one snack.
Not all meals and snacks are created equal, however. Sure, it may seem easy to use a snack for a soda in the park. However, you are not using the snack to the best of its ability. Compare the $2-$3 soda to a Dole Whip, which is just above $4. Or, use your snack as a meal! While my family will use a few quick services on breakfast; breakfast does not have as much value for a quick service when compared to lunch or dinner. Use a snack credit for a morning bagel before boarding the bus to the park, or sit along the water in EPCOT, while enjoying a buttery croissant from Boulangerie Patisserie in France. Couple that bagel with a coffee using your refillable mug, and you’ve got yourself a great breakfast!
Using the Quick Service for lunch or dinner is much more cost-effective. A quick service meal comes with an entree, a refillable fountain drink (to be used at the same location), and a dessert. Quick service meals usually have more of a fast food or cafeteria feel to them. However, when you are constantly on the move, sometimes a fast meal works best.
Table Service credits are to be used at Disney’s sit-down-style restaurants. At the sit-down restaurants, your meals consist of the same items the quick service does – entrée, non-alcoholic drink and dessert – just a higher quality. Table Service restaurants usually require a reservation, but walk-ins are welcome. During Christmas, however, I would not recommend chancing a walk-in. It is hard enough to get a reservation for days like Christmas and New Years Eve and Christmas day. And, with such high crowd levels, it is recommended that you set your reservation as soon as possible.
You may set up a reservation for Table Service as early as 180 days prior to the date of your reservation. If you have not yet made your reservations for Christmas week, I recommend that you stop reading this post, and do so NOW.
Made your reservations? Great, I’ll continue. My family was late to book our trip this year. With everything booked last week, we went ahead and booked our dining reservations last Wednesday night. While we are fully aware of how crowded Christmas week gets, we were surprised of just how many restaurants were unavailable on the dates we wanted them. Disney’s Signature Dining restaurants are just about booked on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. As a result, we missed out on our preference, Narcoossee’s, and had to book it for a later date during our stay.
Here is a link to all the information you need for Disney’s Dining Plan.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/m...alog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/2013Dining.pdf
My family usually books the regular dining plan with a snack, table and quick service. I feel like the Deluxe (includes appetizer) is too much food. That’s my personal opinion, however.
Where to Book Reservations
I can go on for days recommending restaurants in Disney and explaining why I love the place. During Christmas week, however, there is a method to booking reservations. Sticking with the theme of these posts (if you have not caught on, I’m teaching you how to manage the crowds and plan ahead) I will explain how to pick restaurants.
Let’s assume for a moment that, like my family, you will be at Disney from December 24th to January 1st. When you begin to choose your restaurants, put every date out of sight and mind except December 24th, 25th and 31st. These dates require the most planning.
Get ready, I’m about to go all “R.L Stine Choose Your Own Adventure” on you…
Okay, so let’s say you get to Disney early in the day on December 24th.
Do you have park access? If so, the possibilities are endless. Choose a park you would like to go to for Christmas Eve, and book a reservation there or in the area. My family usually goes to EPCOT, and as a result will be going to Chefs de France for a nice Christmas Eve dinner. If you would like to go to Magic Kingdom, choose a restaurant there or at a nearby hotel. For example, set a reservation at The Contemporary’s “Wave”, then head over to Magic Kingdom after.
If you do not have park access, you are not only limited to your hotel. While it would work in your favor to book something at your hotel (then rest and prepare for Christmas), you can go to any hotel and eat at their restaurant. Just keep in mind going from hotel to hotel is not an easy bus ride. You must take a bus to a park or DTD, and then transfer to the hotel’s bus (unless you’re a monorail hotel.)
For Christmas day, I would recommend eating at the park or a nearby hotel. With the crowds increased, it could be hard to get around and travel times could increase. Last year, we ate at Narcoossee’s then took the monorail over to Magic Kingdom for the night. Aside from the fact that I ate so much and couldn’t move, it was an incredibly stress-free night. We went to the park in the morning, left and went back to the hotel to relax, then went to Narcoossee’s. After Narcoossee’s, we enjoyed the entire night at Magic Kingdom.
New Years Eve requires the most planning. For this night, I would recommend keeping it simple. Eat at your hotel, go to a park and stay all day (eating there), or eat nearby the park at which you intend on being. It is incredibly crowded, traffic is horrendous, and it could take over an hour to get to a park. As a result, I would first recommend eating at a park if you are brave enough to stay there all day. Last year, we did the Turf Club and got to the park much later than we wanted. We were staying at Port Orleans, so we had to transfer buses, which took much longer than anticipated. I would recommend choosing your park and either eating there or eating within walking distance.
EPCOT/DHS – Eat at park or at Boardwalk
MK – Eat at park or at a monorail hotel
We will be spending the afternoon at Downtown Disney, eating at Portobello, and then taking the bus over to the Boardwalk. After arriving at the Boardwalk, we will most likely walk through the back entrance of EPCOT. I know this sounds complicated, but given the restaurant availabilities, it was the only decision. And, we know better than to take a bus to EPCOT that late.
After that, you are free to pick your other reservations. I would definitely recommend booking those three days, then building around them. I will answer any questions you may have about reservations or recommend some good food places in Disney. I also have an upcoming post highlighting the best holiday snacks in Disney. Stay Tuned!
Almond Cheesecake at Narcoossee's
Pasta Bolognese at Tutto Italia
Napoleon at Boulangerie Patisserie (THIS IS A SNACK!)
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
rackerlee92
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2008
Loving this thread!! Thank you!
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
POA: Animal Kingdom
As I have cited many times before, Disney crowds are at their peak during the week of Christmas. Because of this, substantial planning goes into the vacation, especially the parks. Parks are subject to be more crowded on certain days. And, because of attractions, there are certain ways to tackle the parks.
Between now and Christmas, I will walk through each parks Plan of Action, or POA. Each POA is designed to help you make the most of each park and plan accordingly.
I decided to start with Animal Kingdom, as it is the easiest park to cover. Animal Kingdom holds the reputation as the little brother park. I will cover one park each month, leading up to December. Next month will be either Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, and Magic Kingdom will be right after Thanksgiving.
Park: Animal Kingdom
Opened: April 22, 1998
Interesting Fact: At 580 Acres, it is the largest single Disney theme park.
Areas:
- Oasis
- Discovery Island
- Camp Minnie-Mickey
- Africa
- Rafikis Planet Watch
- Asia
- DinoLand U.S.A
Top Ride(s):
- Expedition Everest
- DINOSAUR
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
Like its counterparts, Animal Kingdom has a wagon-wheel layout. This means there is a main attraction at the center of the park, with multiple paths leading out to other areas. The park is anchored by the Tree of Life, a 14-story artificial tree with more than 300 animals carved into its trunk. The tree hosts the popular 3D show Its Tough to Be a Bug.
Unlike the other parks, Animal Kingdom does not stay open into the night. The park closes at dusk. During the Christmas season, it begins to get dark around 6pm. If Extra Magic Hours are offered, they are typically in the morning. If you are not a morning person, you will have to rely on Animal Kingdoms normal hours of operation.
We are not the biggest Animal Kingdom fans. We usually only spend a half day at Animal Kingdom, and have even considered not going at all. I understand we may be in the minority, as many people love AK, and even spend more than one day there. However, after the safari and Mount Everest, we feel that Animal Kingdom does not have as much to offer as the other parks. However, we usually arrive at the park upon its opening, go to the main attractions, and then head back to the hotel.
Upon entering the park, you are in the Oasis. You are met with a few different paths leading to the park, the lockers and restrooms, or guest services. If you continue to the park, you will cross a bridge-like path. When leaving the park at Dusk, many times the area around the bridge is packed with birds. With the sun going down and the dark sky, it almost looks like something out of a Hitchcock movie, and offers an awesome photo opportunity.
Once past the bridge and into the park, you are met with a sign pointing to different areas of the park. Here is where you need to make a decision. What ride or attraction is most important to you? If you really want to see a Bugs Life, head to the Tree of Life. However, because it is a continuous show, wait times will only be around 30 minutes. I would recommend having Everest, the Safari and DINOSAUR atop your list, as they are the most popular rides and will have the longest wait times.
Each of these three rides is in different areas of the park. As a result, it requires significant planning. The Safari usually seats a large amount of people and boards on a continuous basis. While DINOSAUR is still one of the most popular rides in the park, it is not the first destination many people head to upon entering the park.
I would make Everest your FP Ride. This is the ride you walk to immediately upon entering the park, and request a Fast Pass. If you are early enough, your FP will require you to come back within an hour or so. If it requires you to come back somewhere between 12pm-2pm, even better. Once the FP time creeps into the 3pm and later time, I would recommend checking the wait time. If the FP time is later in the day and the wait time is less than 45 minutes, I would say to wait on line. You will not see Everest or many other main rides under 45 minutes, so take advantage.
So lets assume you got to the park at rope drop. You went immediately to Mount Everest and got your Fast Pass, which requires you to return between the time of 10:30am and 11:30am. It is now 9:35am. Having securing your Fast Pass for Everest, head over to the Safari. With it still being early, I would say the wait time is between 30-45 minutes. By the time the Safari is complete, it is now around 10:30am, and time to head back to Everest. By around 11am, you have completed two of the major rides at the park.
The next move will set the tone for the rest of the day. You should head over to DinoLand and check the times for DINOSAUR. If the wait time is less than 45 minutes, go ahead and wait on line. If not, I would predict the FP time is somewhere in the mid-afternoon. Lets assume the FP time is around 3:30pm. You secure your Fast Pass, and continue to walk around DinoLand. The Primeval Whirl is a 30 minute wait, so you decide to wait and ride. After this, it is around 12:15pm, and you are getting hungry. Here is a list of the top quick service options at Animal Kingdom:
- Yak & Yeti
- Flame Tree BBQ
- Tamu Tamu Refreshments
- Restaurantosauraus
- Pizzafari
After eating, it is now around 1pm. You remember that there is a parade at 1:30pm, so you line up early and get your spot. The parade passes through around 2pm. There is still time to kill before returning for your DINOSAUR FP. I would suggest taking in a show, or seeing Its Tough to Be a Bug. The wait time for Bug is around 45 minutes, so you decide to wait. Following the show, it is now ~3:15pm. You kill some time, and at 3:30pm,, you board DINOSAUR and after the ride, youre exhausted, the kids are screaming, and its near impossible to walk around comfortably.
Now, this is how my family operates to ensure an efficient and fun time at the park. While everything sounds overly planned, it is a recipe for success. Without a plan, you wind up walking around aimlessly in the park. Then, you are discouraged when you finally find Everest and see that there are no Fast Passes left, and its a 2 hour wait.
Maybe rides are not your forte, or the reason you go to Disney. Maybe your times are better spent seeing shows, meeting the characters, or just sight seeing. If this is the case, I would recommend scheduling your day based on the more popular shows.
Festival of the Lion King is probably the most popular show at Animal Kingdom. It is a Broadway-style show that runs for 30 minutes. It usually runs every hour, beginning around 10:30am. Because it runs every hour, I would recommend getting there around 30-45 minutes early. If the line does not seem very long, you can kill some time by meeting the characters outside the show. Mickey, Minnie and all his pals are in the area, dressed in Safari gear.
Depending on your preferences, there is something for everyone at Animal Kingdom, While my family is old fashioned, and would much rather spend time at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, it really is a fun park.
If you have any questions about the week of Christmas, feel free to ask! Its coming up fast!
As I have cited many times before, Disney crowds are at their peak during the week of Christmas. Because of this, substantial planning goes into the vacation, especially the parks. Parks are subject to be more crowded on certain days. And, because of attractions, there are certain ways to tackle the parks.
Between now and Christmas, I will walk through each parks Plan of Action, or POA. Each POA is designed to help you make the most of each park and plan accordingly.
I decided to start with Animal Kingdom, as it is the easiest park to cover. Animal Kingdom holds the reputation as the little brother park. I will cover one park each month, leading up to December. Next month will be either Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, and Magic Kingdom will be right after Thanksgiving.
Park: Animal Kingdom
Opened: April 22, 1998
Interesting Fact: At 580 Acres, it is the largest single Disney theme park.
Areas:
- Oasis
- Discovery Island
- Camp Minnie-Mickey
- Africa
- Rafikis Planet Watch
- Asia
- DinoLand U.S.A
Top Ride(s):
- Expedition Everest
- DINOSAUR
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
Like its counterparts, Animal Kingdom has a wagon-wheel layout. This means there is a main attraction at the center of the park, with multiple paths leading out to other areas. The park is anchored by the Tree of Life, a 14-story artificial tree with more than 300 animals carved into its trunk. The tree hosts the popular 3D show Its Tough to Be a Bug.
Unlike the other parks, Animal Kingdom does not stay open into the night. The park closes at dusk. During the Christmas season, it begins to get dark around 6pm. If Extra Magic Hours are offered, they are typically in the morning. If you are not a morning person, you will have to rely on Animal Kingdoms normal hours of operation.
We are not the biggest Animal Kingdom fans. We usually only spend a half day at Animal Kingdom, and have even considered not going at all. I understand we may be in the minority, as many people love AK, and even spend more than one day there. However, after the safari and Mount Everest, we feel that Animal Kingdom does not have as much to offer as the other parks. However, we usually arrive at the park upon its opening, go to the main attractions, and then head back to the hotel.
Upon entering the park, you are in the Oasis. You are met with a few different paths leading to the park, the lockers and restrooms, or guest services. If you continue to the park, you will cross a bridge-like path. When leaving the park at Dusk, many times the area around the bridge is packed with birds. With the sun going down and the dark sky, it almost looks like something out of a Hitchcock movie, and offers an awesome photo opportunity.
Once past the bridge and into the park, you are met with a sign pointing to different areas of the park. Here is where you need to make a decision. What ride or attraction is most important to you? If you really want to see a Bugs Life, head to the Tree of Life. However, because it is a continuous show, wait times will only be around 30 minutes. I would recommend having Everest, the Safari and DINOSAUR atop your list, as they are the most popular rides and will have the longest wait times.
Each of these three rides is in different areas of the park. As a result, it requires significant planning. The Safari usually seats a large amount of people and boards on a continuous basis. While DINOSAUR is still one of the most popular rides in the park, it is not the first destination many people head to upon entering the park.
I would make Everest your FP Ride. This is the ride you walk to immediately upon entering the park, and request a Fast Pass. If you are early enough, your FP will require you to come back within an hour or so. If it requires you to come back somewhere between 12pm-2pm, even better. Once the FP time creeps into the 3pm and later time, I would recommend checking the wait time. If the FP time is later in the day and the wait time is less than 45 minutes, I would say to wait on line. You will not see Everest or many other main rides under 45 minutes, so take advantage.
So lets assume you got to the park at rope drop. You went immediately to Mount Everest and got your Fast Pass, which requires you to return between the time of 10:30am and 11:30am. It is now 9:35am. Having securing your Fast Pass for Everest, head over to the Safari. With it still being early, I would say the wait time is between 30-45 minutes. By the time the Safari is complete, it is now around 10:30am, and time to head back to Everest. By around 11am, you have completed two of the major rides at the park.
The next move will set the tone for the rest of the day. You should head over to DinoLand and check the times for DINOSAUR. If the wait time is less than 45 minutes, go ahead and wait on line. If not, I would predict the FP time is somewhere in the mid-afternoon. Lets assume the FP time is around 3:30pm. You secure your Fast Pass, and continue to walk around DinoLand. The Primeval Whirl is a 30 minute wait, so you decide to wait and ride. After this, it is around 12:15pm, and you are getting hungry. Here is a list of the top quick service options at Animal Kingdom:
- Yak & Yeti
- Flame Tree BBQ
- Tamu Tamu Refreshments
- Restaurantosauraus
- Pizzafari
After eating, it is now around 1pm. You remember that there is a parade at 1:30pm, so you line up early and get your spot. The parade passes through around 2pm. There is still time to kill before returning for your DINOSAUR FP. I would suggest taking in a show, or seeing Its Tough to Be a Bug. The wait time for Bug is around 45 minutes, so you decide to wait. Following the show, it is now ~3:15pm. You kill some time, and at 3:30pm,, you board DINOSAUR and after the ride, youre exhausted, the kids are screaming, and its near impossible to walk around comfortably.
Now, this is how my family operates to ensure an efficient and fun time at the park. While everything sounds overly planned, it is a recipe for success. Without a plan, you wind up walking around aimlessly in the park. Then, you are discouraged when you finally find Everest and see that there are no Fast Passes left, and its a 2 hour wait.
Maybe rides are not your forte, or the reason you go to Disney. Maybe your times are better spent seeing shows, meeting the characters, or just sight seeing. If this is the case, I would recommend scheduling your day based on the more popular shows.
Festival of the Lion King is probably the most popular show at Animal Kingdom. It is a Broadway-style show that runs for 30 minutes. It usually runs every hour, beginning around 10:30am. Because it runs every hour, I would recommend getting there around 30-45 minutes early. If the line does not seem very long, you can kill some time by meeting the characters outside the show. Mickey, Minnie and all his pals are in the area, dressed in Safari gear.
Depending on your preferences, there is something for everyone at Animal Kingdom, While my family is old fashioned, and would much rather spend time at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT or Hollywood Studios, it really is a fun park.
If you have any questions about the week of Christmas, feel free to ask! Its coming up fast!
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
Nice thread! We will be down for Christmas week this year. We love going, and I say that as someone who abhors waiting and cannot stand crowds. While I fully agree that Christmas Week can be nutso, it is so do-able if you march to the beat of a different drum. A few recommendations for touring that week:
* Switch your days & nights. This is probably harder with kids, but we generally arrive at a 7/8AM rope drop and are OUT by noon. We take a massive nap, head back to the parks around 8, and stay until close. Headliners are ridden in the first and last 2-3 hours. We typically cover 8-9 experiences (at the MK, other parks proportionately fewer) in each shift. Yes, this means we only sleep 3-4 hours a night, but with a 5-6 hour nap, it actually works really well. I have copious amounts of EMPTY park pictures, taken as a counterpart to crazy-crowd photos taken during the day.
*If you don't care about the shows, do AK at night. It is generally open until 8 Christmas week. We arrive at 6 and walk onto everything - everyone leaves after the parade. If you want to do shows, check out the LAST show times and catch them... then do rides afterwards. Also check the time of the last safari and arrive in time for that, if it is important to you. I *think* it is usually 5:30 or 5:45. Don't forget to allow time to walk back there! If it was a 5:45 last safari, I would plan to enter around 5:15. The walk is long, the queue is (physically) long, and someone will inevitably need to potty.
I promise, successive night rides on Everest - limited only by park close - are worth it. (My roomie is saying it's more like 4:30 in the winter, so definitely check!)
*Be willing to pay for premium experiences. I know it already costs five bajillion dollars to go this week (trust me, I know,) but adding another 1% of it can make the trip go from "We spent a ton and were miserable" to "We spent a ton, but had a blast." We did the dessert party for Dec 30 last time and it was the BEST decision of the trip. This year, we are renting BLT points because we finish almost all nights at MK - the time savings to walk vs bus means more sleep, means happier people.
By the way, totally agree about watching the prices for snacks. A Dole Whip is now $5.32, and that is a much better value than the $1 nacho dip for your pretzel! Lol! Although the DDP generally does not work well for us, I have used it in the past and we definitely watch the value.
* Switch your days & nights. This is probably harder with kids, but we generally arrive at a 7/8AM rope drop and are OUT by noon. We take a massive nap, head back to the parks around 8, and stay until close. Headliners are ridden in the first and last 2-3 hours. We typically cover 8-9 experiences (at the MK, other parks proportionately fewer) in each shift. Yes, this means we only sleep 3-4 hours a night, but with a 5-6 hour nap, it actually works really well. I have copious amounts of EMPTY park pictures, taken as a counterpart to crazy-crowd photos taken during the day.
*If you don't care about the shows, do AK at night. It is generally open until 8 Christmas week. We arrive at 6 and walk onto everything - everyone leaves after the parade. If you want to do shows, check out the LAST show times and catch them... then do rides afterwards. Also check the time of the last safari and arrive in time for that, if it is important to you. I *think* it is usually 5:30 or 5:45. Don't forget to allow time to walk back there! If it was a 5:45 last safari, I would plan to enter around 5:15. The walk is long, the queue is (physically) long, and someone will inevitably need to potty.
I promise, successive night rides on Everest - limited only by park close - are worth it. (My roomie is saying it's more like 4:30 in the winter, so definitely check!)*Be willing to pay for premium experiences. I know it already costs five bajillion dollars to go this week (trust me, I know,) but adding another 1% of it can make the trip go from "We spent a ton and were miserable" to "We spent a ton, but had a blast." We did the dessert party for Dec 30 last time and it was the BEST decision of the trip. This year, we are renting BLT points because we finish almost all nights at MK - the time savings to walk vs bus means more sleep, means happier people.
By the way, totally agree about watching the prices for snacks. A Dole Whip is now $5.32, and that is a much better value than the $1 nacho dip for your pretzel! Lol! Although the DDP generally does not work well for us, I have used it in the past and we definitely watch the value.
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
Disney Christmas Treats
I had a scary thought this morning. Last night, I was talking about how there are only 15 weeks until Christmas. This morning, I realized that in those 15 weeks, my vacation would already be three days in!
My two favorite days at Disney are Christmas and New Years Eve. Christmas is much more enjoyable, as it is our first full day at Disney. We arrive Christmas Eve day, usually relax a bit, and then get dinner at one of the parks. Last year we ate at Tutto Italia. This year we will eat at Chefs de France.
Christmas day, I wake up and feel like a kid again. The last time I woke up on Christmas morning feeling legitimately excited and antsy was when I was about 12 years old. Waking up and trying to rush your parents out of bed, so that you may see what Santa brought you, always got me excited. Being in Disney brought that feeling back. For one, it was the happiest I had been all year to wake up at 7am. I would rush my family along, in hopes of getting to Magic Kingdom at least a half hour early to experience morning EMH.
New Years Eve is a little different. While we go to the parks no matter what on Christmas day, the parks are unbearable NYE day. We usually wait until night to enter the parks. I like NYE because its bittersweet. It is usually the end of the trip, however, you know the first few hours of your year are going to be filled with happiness and magic. Think about it, is there a happier place to ring in the new year? My sister and I have a tradition each year. After the clock strikes 12, we ride RocknRoller Coaster. Its a fun tradition, and hopefully one we celebrate again this year.
I love everything about the Christmas season and holiday, especially the food and snacks. At Disney, Christmas does not last just one day of our vacation, but every day; which works well, because there are too many snacks and goodies to enjoy in one day!
My Christmas vacation does not begin without a peppermint mocha latte from Starbucks. Usually, I hop off the plane at Orlando International, and the Starbucks is right by the gate. I order a Grande before heading to get the luggage and board the Magical Express. I usually watch my diet before the trip, so this really gets me into the Christmas spirit. I am really excited about the Starbucks in Magic Kingdom and now EPCOT for this reason. I cant wait to enjoy a peppermint mocha or a gingerbread latte while walking down Main Street or around the world!
Lets start with the most popular Christmas snack at Disney, gingerbread. Gingerbread is in full force around Disney World, and you can find it pretty much anywhere. As I wrote in a previous post, many of the deluxe resorts have gigantic gingerbread houses. While you cannot eat the gingerbread from the house, the resorts sell gingerbread shingles and gingerbread people.
The Grand Floridian has one of the nicest Gingerbread displays. The 16-foot tall gingerbread house is available between mid-November and December 31st. Freshly baked items include shingles, miniature houses and baked cookies. Keep an eye out, as well, for the chocolate-dipped gingerbread cookies!
If you plan on arriving at your resort Christmas Eve or Christmas day, cast members can be found in the lobby handing out free lemonade and sugar cookies. While I have seen the CMs pouring Minute Maid into the lemonade dispensers (sorry to kill the magic,) the sugar cookies taste homemade. It almost feels like arriving at a relatives house for the holidays, and they have cookies and juice waiting for you!
I went into last trip on a mission to try all of the holiday treats at Disney, or at least the ones my stomach could handle!
Gibson Ice Cream Parlor
The peppermint ice cream here may be a limited time offering. When I finally got there to order a peppermint ice cream sundae, it was already December 27th or 28th, and they no longer had it available. If you cannot find the peppermint ice cream here, try the Art of Animation Food Court . While they do not have peppermint ice cream, they do have candy cane gelato.
On our first trip, we got the famous hot chocolate float from Gibsons. Unfortunately, I do not believe they offer this anymore. However, my sister and I frequently return to see if they have it available. It really is mind blowing.
Cupcakes
On our last trip, I tried the Gingerbread cupcake. I had heard about it on disneyfoodblog.com, and knew I had to try it! The cake is incredibly moist, but still tastes just like a gingerbread cookie. On top is a tall heaping of creamy, rich cream cheese frosting, decorated with sprinkles and a Mickey Santa hat. I would definitely recommend trying it on your next trip. The Gingerbread cupcake can be found at Starring Rolls, as well as the Studio Catering Co. in Hollywood Studios.
I cannot speak for the other cupcakes, but DFB has an awesome post about them. Check it out here: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/12/18/food-challenge-the-2012-dfb-holiday-cupcake-crawl/.
Cinnamon Rolls
Okay, so cinnamon rolls are offered year round, I know. But, my family had the cinnamon rolls last year for our first time. We had arrived early to Magic Kingdom and after going on a ride or two, we waited on the long line to get cinnamon rolls. The wait was completely worth it. The cinnamon rolls scream Christmas morning breakfast. They are usually the first thing you smell when you arrive at the park, and you instantly think of waking up on Christmas morning and smelling breakfast.
They are warm, soft, buttery, and gooey. They go perfect with a hot coffee. Nothing beats sinking your teeth into one, as you sit outside and look at the castle. Theres Christmas music being pumped throughout Main Street, and you are instantly transformed back to 50s America. I would definitely recommend passing on breakfast and using a snack on one of these Christmas morning. While I do not believe you can get them at Main Street Bakery anymore (as it is now Starbucks,) you can get them at Gastons Tavern in Fantasyland. They are made slightly different, as these cinnamon rolls are topped with a maple glaze, rather than the traditional topping.
Earl of Sandwich Holiday Sandwich
If you do not have normal access to an Earl of Sandwich, then it should definitely be on your list of places to stop. Located at Downtown Disney, Early of Sandwich specializes in luxury chain sandwiches. Meaning, yes, it is a chain; but the quality of the sandwiches are much better than a Subway or Blimpees. Earl of Sandwich has a sandwich right around the Holidays called the Holiday Sandwich. It has turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and all the other fixins found at the Thanksgiving table. It is savory, sweet, and delicious!
Stollen Bread
Stollen Bread is a traditional Germany cake, containing dried or candied fruit, nuts, spices, and topped with powdered sugar or icing. When served at Christmas, it is designated Christstollen or Weihnachtsstollen. If you are interested in an International Christmas, I would definitely recommend snacking around the world and stopping at Germany!
Yule Log Cake
I saw the Yule Log cake on Guy Fieris Disneyland special last year. I was surprised to find it at EPCOTs Sunshine Seasons. The log is a sponge cake, usually coffee flavored, that has been rolled up with chocolate icing. The outside is thick chocolate ganache type frosting. Ridges are made in the frosting to give it a wood appearance. It is decked with leaves, holiday sprinkles, and edible glitter.
When I got it at Sunshine Seasons, it was later in the night, as we had a late dinner. I was a little disappointed in that it tasted a bit stale, like it had been sitting out for a while. I would definitely recommend it, but earlier in the day.
Peppermint Bark
Make sure to swing by the Ghiradelli store at Downtown Disney around Christmas for free samples of their peppermint bark. The entire area around Ghiradelli smells like chocolate. They have a regular store, where they sell some of their beloved chocolate bars, as well as an ice cream shop next door. Stop by for a sample or to pick up a last minute gift, or enjoy a treat!
New Years Eve Drinks
We had amazing weather last year for New Years Eve day. It was in the mid 70s and sunny outside. We enjoyed most of the day at Downtown Disney, then went to Hollywood Studios that night. In the day time, we stopped by Splittsville for a drink. I tried the Grain Train. It was delicious, but one drink had me knocked out for an hour. I'm by no means a "lightweight," but I'd recommend ordering with caution.
At night, I had a Lightning Lemonade. The drink was the perfect way to ring in the new year!
What are your favorite Christmas treats at Disney World?
I had a scary thought this morning. Last night, I was talking about how there are only 15 weeks until Christmas. This morning, I realized that in those 15 weeks, my vacation would already be three days in!
My two favorite days at Disney are Christmas and New Years Eve. Christmas is much more enjoyable, as it is our first full day at Disney. We arrive Christmas Eve day, usually relax a bit, and then get dinner at one of the parks. Last year we ate at Tutto Italia. This year we will eat at Chefs de France.
Christmas day, I wake up and feel like a kid again. The last time I woke up on Christmas morning feeling legitimately excited and antsy was when I was about 12 years old. Waking up and trying to rush your parents out of bed, so that you may see what Santa brought you, always got me excited. Being in Disney brought that feeling back. For one, it was the happiest I had been all year to wake up at 7am. I would rush my family along, in hopes of getting to Magic Kingdom at least a half hour early to experience morning EMH.
New Years Eve is a little different. While we go to the parks no matter what on Christmas day, the parks are unbearable NYE day. We usually wait until night to enter the parks. I like NYE because its bittersweet. It is usually the end of the trip, however, you know the first few hours of your year are going to be filled with happiness and magic. Think about it, is there a happier place to ring in the new year? My sister and I have a tradition each year. After the clock strikes 12, we ride RocknRoller Coaster. Its a fun tradition, and hopefully one we celebrate again this year.
I love everything about the Christmas season and holiday, especially the food and snacks. At Disney, Christmas does not last just one day of our vacation, but every day; which works well, because there are too many snacks and goodies to enjoy in one day!
My Christmas vacation does not begin without a peppermint mocha latte from Starbucks. Usually, I hop off the plane at Orlando International, and the Starbucks is right by the gate. I order a Grande before heading to get the luggage and board the Magical Express. I usually watch my diet before the trip, so this really gets me into the Christmas spirit. I am really excited about the Starbucks in Magic Kingdom and now EPCOT for this reason. I cant wait to enjoy a peppermint mocha or a gingerbread latte while walking down Main Street or around the world!
Lets start with the most popular Christmas snack at Disney, gingerbread. Gingerbread is in full force around Disney World, and you can find it pretty much anywhere. As I wrote in a previous post, many of the deluxe resorts have gigantic gingerbread houses. While you cannot eat the gingerbread from the house, the resorts sell gingerbread shingles and gingerbread people.
The Grand Floridian has one of the nicest Gingerbread displays. The 16-foot tall gingerbread house is available between mid-November and December 31st. Freshly baked items include shingles, miniature houses and baked cookies. Keep an eye out, as well, for the chocolate-dipped gingerbread cookies!
If you plan on arriving at your resort Christmas Eve or Christmas day, cast members can be found in the lobby handing out free lemonade and sugar cookies. While I have seen the CMs pouring Minute Maid into the lemonade dispensers (sorry to kill the magic,) the sugar cookies taste homemade. It almost feels like arriving at a relatives house for the holidays, and they have cookies and juice waiting for you!
I went into last trip on a mission to try all of the holiday treats at Disney, or at least the ones my stomach could handle!
Gibson Ice Cream Parlor
The peppermint ice cream here may be a limited time offering. When I finally got there to order a peppermint ice cream sundae, it was already December 27th or 28th, and they no longer had it available. If you cannot find the peppermint ice cream here, try the Art of Animation Food Court . While they do not have peppermint ice cream, they do have candy cane gelato.
On our first trip, we got the famous hot chocolate float from Gibsons. Unfortunately, I do not believe they offer this anymore. However, my sister and I frequently return to see if they have it available. It really is mind blowing.
Cupcakes
On our last trip, I tried the Gingerbread cupcake. I had heard about it on disneyfoodblog.com, and knew I had to try it! The cake is incredibly moist, but still tastes just like a gingerbread cookie. On top is a tall heaping of creamy, rich cream cheese frosting, decorated with sprinkles and a Mickey Santa hat. I would definitely recommend trying it on your next trip. The Gingerbread cupcake can be found at Starring Rolls, as well as the Studio Catering Co. in Hollywood Studios.
I cannot speak for the other cupcakes, but DFB has an awesome post about them. Check it out here: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/12/18/food-challenge-the-2012-dfb-holiday-cupcake-crawl/.
Cinnamon Rolls
Okay, so cinnamon rolls are offered year round, I know. But, my family had the cinnamon rolls last year for our first time. We had arrived early to Magic Kingdom and after going on a ride or two, we waited on the long line to get cinnamon rolls. The wait was completely worth it. The cinnamon rolls scream Christmas morning breakfast. They are usually the first thing you smell when you arrive at the park, and you instantly think of waking up on Christmas morning and smelling breakfast.
They are warm, soft, buttery, and gooey. They go perfect with a hot coffee. Nothing beats sinking your teeth into one, as you sit outside and look at the castle. Theres Christmas music being pumped throughout Main Street, and you are instantly transformed back to 50s America. I would definitely recommend passing on breakfast and using a snack on one of these Christmas morning. While I do not believe you can get them at Main Street Bakery anymore (as it is now Starbucks,) you can get them at Gastons Tavern in Fantasyland. They are made slightly different, as these cinnamon rolls are topped with a maple glaze, rather than the traditional topping.
Earl of Sandwich Holiday Sandwich
If you do not have normal access to an Earl of Sandwich, then it should definitely be on your list of places to stop. Located at Downtown Disney, Early of Sandwich specializes in luxury chain sandwiches. Meaning, yes, it is a chain; but the quality of the sandwiches are much better than a Subway or Blimpees. Earl of Sandwich has a sandwich right around the Holidays called the Holiday Sandwich. It has turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and all the other fixins found at the Thanksgiving table. It is savory, sweet, and delicious!
Stollen Bread
Stollen Bread is a traditional Germany cake, containing dried or candied fruit, nuts, spices, and topped with powdered sugar or icing. When served at Christmas, it is designated Christstollen or Weihnachtsstollen. If you are interested in an International Christmas, I would definitely recommend snacking around the world and stopping at Germany!
Yule Log Cake
I saw the Yule Log cake on Guy Fieris Disneyland special last year. I was surprised to find it at EPCOTs Sunshine Seasons. The log is a sponge cake, usually coffee flavored, that has been rolled up with chocolate icing. The outside is thick chocolate ganache type frosting. Ridges are made in the frosting to give it a wood appearance. It is decked with leaves, holiday sprinkles, and edible glitter.
When I got it at Sunshine Seasons, it was later in the night, as we had a late dinner. I was a little disappointed in that it tasted a bit stale, like it had been sitting out for a while. I would definitely recommend it, but earlier in the day.
Peppermint Bark
Make sure to swing by the Ghiradelli store at Downtown Disney around Christmas for free samples of their peppermint bark. The entire area around Ghiradelli smells like chocolate. They have a regular store, where they sell some of their beloved chocolate bars, as well as an ice cream shop next door. Stop by for a sample or to pick up a last minute gift, or enjoy a treat!
New Years Eve Drinks
We had amazing weather last year for New Years Eve day. It was in the mid 70s and sunny outside. We enjoyed most of the day at Downtown Disney, then went to Hollywood Studios that night. In the day time, we stopped by Splittsville for a drink. I tried the Grain Train. It was delicious, but one drink had me knocked out for an hour. I'm by no means a "lightweight," but I'd recommend ordering with caution.
At night, I had a Lightning Lemonade. The drink was the perfect way to ring in the new year!
What are your favorite Christmas treats at Disney World?
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
POA: EPCOT (Part 1 of 2)
As I have cited many times before, Disney crowds are at their peak during the week of Christmas. Because of this, substantial planning goes into the vacation, especially the parks. Parks are subject to be more crowded on certain days. And, because of attractions, there are certain ways to tackle the parks.
Between now and Christmas, I will walk through each parks Plan of Action, or POA. Each POA is designed to help you make the most of each park and plan accordingly.
Next up is EPCOT. EPCOT has become one of my favorite parks at Disney (outside of Magic Kingdom, of course.) Each park at Disney is great for something. Animal Kingdom is great for those looking for a day at the zoo type atmosphere, or for site-seeing. Hollywood Studios is known for its thrill rides, Rock n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. Magic Kingdom, of course, is the classic. It is the most popular park in the world, and offers sentimentalism and fun for the kids. EPCOT, to me, has always been the grown up park. It is dedicated to technological innovation, international culture, and human achievement. It is often referred to as A Permanent Worlds Fair.
Park: EPCOT
Opened: October 1st, 1982
Interesting Fact: EPCOT is an acronym for Experimental Prototype of Tomorrow
Areas:
- Future World
- World Showcase
Top Rides:
- Test Track
- Mission: SPACE
- Soarin
I was not a fan of EPCOT as a kid. Nothing really stood out that made me enjoy it. There was too much walking, and I was more interested in seeing characters and going on rides than exploring the countries. Now, older and wiser, I love the World Showcase for the different food and [alcoholic] drinks.
EPCOT, like the three other parks, has a wagon-wheel layout. Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere that also serves as an attraction, anchors the park. Spaceship Earth is the first thing you see as you pull into the EPCOT parking lot.
Upon entering the park, you are in Future World East. Future World East is home to Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Innovations, and Universe of Energy. You can also find a wide assortment of stores, including Mouse Gear, the largest Disney souvenir shop in EPCOT. Mouse Gear is a one-stop shop for all of your souvenirs: toys, pins, clothes, home décor, and accessories.
At Future World West, you can find Soarin, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, a Character meet-and-greet, Figment, and Captain EO. It is also home to the Coral Reef, one of the most popular restaurants in Disney. Coral Reef allows you to watch over 4,000 sea creatures while you dine. It is also home to the popular Full House episode.
My favorite part of EPCOT is the World Showcase. You can enter the World Showcase from Mexico or Canada. Mexico is closest to Future World East. Canada is closest to Future World West.
The countries in EPCOT include (in order, from Future World East):
- Mexico
- Norway
- China
- Germany
- Italy
- The American Adventure
- Japan
- Morocco
- France
- United Kingdom
- Canada
Rides:
The World Showcase is not known for its rides. The two rides that are really worth going on are Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico and Maelstrom in Norway. Both are boat rides. Maelstrom can be a little scary for kids, but it is a fun scary.
Food:
The best part of the World Showcase is the food and drinks.
My sisters favorite snack in EPCOT is the nachos from Mexico. In my opinion, Mexico is the weakest country for snacks and food. It is difficult to literally eat around the world. But, if you must stop at Mexico, I would go for the nachos or the Churritos.
Norway is home to one of the most popular snacks in Disney, School Bread. I am yet to try School Bread, as I had read about it after my last trip. It is definitely on my To-Do list for food this year. Skolebrod, Norwegian for School Bread, is a snack in Norway that parents usually give with lunches, hence the name. It is a sweet and soft bread filled with vanilla crème custard and topped with shredded coconut. Think of a Boston Crème Donut topped with coconut instead of chocolate. You can use a snack credit for School Bread, and it is definitely worth the value!
China offers two options: Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream and another ice cream. Especially on a colder day in December, China may be the country to skip. Toward the back of China, you will find pot stickers and pork buns. Skip the pot stickers. The last time I had them, they were too doughy and gummy. The pork buns, however, has a good ratio of bread and sweet and sour pork barbecue filling.
Germany. Ah, weve arrived at my favorite country at the World Showcase. My favorite option at Germany is the soft pretzel. To the naked eye, they look like ordinary pretzels. They taste, however, like Auntie Annes on steroids. Paired with a dark beer, they are really divine.
A new favorite in Germany seems to be Karamell-Küche. A newer offering at EPCOT, Karamell-Küche offers caramel apples , chocolate cookies filled with caramel, apples, popcorn, pure caramel, and more. All are made with Werthers Chocolate. My personal favorite is the Caramel Milk Chocolate and Sea Salt bar.
Italy is another favorite. Because of the amount of Italian pastry shops here in New York, I seldom stop in Italy for a snack. The gelato is extremely tasty. You can even get a homemade ice cream sandwich. Make sure to inspect the cookies, as some may be hard or burnt.
There is also a cart near Tutto Italia that serves Cannoli and Tiramisu. I have never eaten from the cart, but I did have Tiramisu at Tutto Italia last year and it was delicious.
American Adventure is home to the funnel cake. If you are there in the Fall, make sure to check out the pumpkin funnel cake. I have only tried the original, but I can only imagine how good that the pumpkin would be. You can choose options for your funnel cake, such as ice cream and chocolate syrup. I prefer mine plain, however.
Another great option is at Liberty Inn. The Smores Mousse Brownie is basically a cupcake, but it looks heavenly.
My favorite here was the Green Tea Ice Cream from Kabuki Café. It tastes like a cross between vanilla and green tea. You can also find sushi here as well. While it may not be on par with California Grill, it is still very tasty.
Tangerine Café in Morocco is great for food, but I was unimpressed with the desserts, especially with France right next door.
France may be my second favorite behind Germany. I love Germany for my traditional beer and the pretzel. I love France, however, for the desserts. The best option in France is Boulangerie Patissere. I tried the bakery for the first time last year and got a Napoleon. I opted for the Napoleon because it had powdered sugar, rather than the marble topping found at most Italian New York bakeries. It was simple delicious. The layers were fluffy and soft, yet crispy on the top and bottom. The cream was the best part. When you would cut pieces off the napoleon, the powdered sugar would mix with the cream for a sweet and creamy bite. It was one of the best napoleons I have ever had.
A solid tip would be to stop by here toward the end of your night (not literally at the end of the night.) Pick up some croissants or baked goods for the morning. That way, when you wake up, you have breakfast-on-the-go waiting for you. You will save yourself about 30 minutes, and have a delicious treat to wake up to that is, if you dont eat it that night!
Right over the bridge is the United Kingdom. The UK has some delicious fish and chips, and of course beer. Other than this, I feel that France is really the last stop for great snacks.
Canada marks the end of the World Showcase. Canada stopped selling Beaver Tails a while ago. Unless you have a reservation at Le Cellier, you can keep walking to Sunshine Seasons for your food fix.
Next week, we will cover Part 2. Ill talk about Christmas and year-round attractions, NYE, where to catch Illuminations, the best drinks at EPCOT, and of course, a plan of action! More to come in Part 2!
As I have cited many times before, Disney crowds are at their peak during the week of Christmas. Because of this, substantial planning goes into the vacation, especially the parks. Parks are subject to be more crowded on certain days. And, because of attractions, there are certain ways to tackle the parks.
Between now and Christmas, I will walk through each parks Plan of Action, or POA. Each POA is designed to help you make the most of each park and plan accordingly.
Next up is EPCOT. EPCOT has become one of my favorite parks at Disney (outside of Magic Kingdom, of course.) Each park at Disney is great for something. Animal Kingdom is great for those looking for a day at the zoo type atmosphere, or for site-seeing. Hollywood Studios is known for its thrill rides, Rock n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. Magic Kingdom, of course, is the classic. It is the most popular park in the world, and offers sentimentalism and fun for the kids. EPCOT, to me, has always been the grown up park. It is dedicated to technological innovation, international culture, and human achievement. It is often referred to as A Permanent Worlds Fair.
Park: EPCOT
Opened: October 1st, 1982
Interesting Fact: EPCOT is an acronym for Experimental Prototype of Tomorrow
Areas:
- Future World
- World Showcase
Top Rides:
- Test Track
- Mission: SPACE
- Soarin
I was not a fan of EPCOT as a kid. Nothing really stood out that made me enjoy it. There was too much walking, and I was more interested in seeing characters and going on rides than exploring the countries. Now, older and wiser, I love the World Showcase for the different food and [alcoholic] drinks.
EPCOT, like the three other parks, has a wagon-wheel layout. Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere that also serves as an attraction, anchors the park. Spaceship Earth is the first thing you see as you pull into the EPCOT parking lot.
Upon entering the park, you are in Future World East. Future World East is home to Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Innovations, and Universe of Energy. You can also find a wide assortment of stores, including Mouse Gear, the largest Disney souvenir shop in EPCOT. Mouse Gear is a one-stop shop for all of your souvenirs: toys, pins, clothes, home décor, and accessories.
At Future World West, you can find Soarin, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, a Character meet-and-greet, Figment, and Captain EO. It is also home to the Coral Reef, one of the most popular restaurants in Disney. Coral Reef allows you to watch over 4,000 sea creatures while you dine. It is also home to the popular Full House episode.
My favorite part of EPCOT is the World Showcase. You can enter the World Showcase from Mexico or Canada. Mexico is closest to Future World East. Canada is closest to Future World West.
The countries in EPCOT include (in order, from Future World East):
- Mexico
- Norway
- China
- Germany
- Italy
- The American Adventure
- Japan
- Morocco
- France
- United Kingdom
- Canada
Rides:
The World Showcase is not known for its rides. The two rides that are really worth going on are Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico and Maelstrom in Norway. Both are boat rides. Maelstrom can be a little scary for kids, but it is a fun scary.
Food:
The best part of the World Showcase is the food and drinks.
My sisters favorite snack in EPCOT is the nachos from Mexico. In my opinion, Mexico is the weakest country for snacks and food. It is difficult to literally eat around the world. But, if you must stop at Mexico, I would go for the nachos or the Churritos.
Norway is home to one of the most popular snacks in Disney, School Bread. I am yet to try School Bread, as I had read about it after my last trip. It is definitely on my To-Do list for food this year. Skolebrod, Norwegian for School Bread, is a snack in Norway that parents usually give with lunches, hence the name. It is a sweet and soft bread filled with vanilla crème custard and topped with shredded coconut. Think of a Boston Crème Donut topped with coconut instead of chocolate. You can use a snack credit for School Bread, and it is definitely worth the value!
China offers two options: Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream and another ice cream. Especially on a colder day in December, China may be the country to skip. Toward the back of China, you will find pot stickers and pork buns. Skip the pot stickers. The last time I had them, they were too doughy and gummy. The pork buns, however, has a good ratio of bread and sweet and sour pork barbecue filling.
Germany. Ah, weve arrived at my favorite country at the World Showcase. My favorite option at Germany is the soft pretzel. To the naked eye, they look like ordinary pretzels. They taste, however, like Auntie Annes on steroids. Paired with a dark beer, they are really divine.
A new favorite in Germany seems to be Karamell-Küche. A newer offering at EPCOT, Karamell-Küche offers caramel apples , chocolate cookies filled with caramel, apples, popcorn, pure caramel, and more. All are made with Werthers Chocolate. My personal favorite is the Caramel Milk Chocolate and Sea Salt bar.
Italy is another favorite. Because of the amount of Italian pastry shops here in New York, I seldom stop in Italy for a snack. The gelato is extremely tasty. You can even get a homemade ice cream sandwich. Make sure to inspect the cookies, as some may be hard or burnt.
There is also a cart near Tutto Italia that serves Cannoli and Tiramisu. I have never eaten from the cart, but I did have Tiramisu at Tutto Italia last year and it was delicious.
American Adventure is home to the funnel cake. If you are there in the Fall, make sure to check out the pumpkin funnel cake. I have only tried the original, but I can only imagine how good that the pumpkin would be. You can choose options for your funnel cake, such as ice cream and chocolate syrup. I prefer mine plain, however.
Another great option is at Liberty Inn. The Smores Mousse Brownie is basically a cupcake, but it looks heavenly.
My favorite here was the Green Tea Ice Cream from Kabuki Café. It tastes like a cross between vanilla and green tea. You can also find sushi here as well. While it may not be on par with California Grill, it is still very tasty.
Tangerine Café in Morocco is great for food, but I was unimpressed with the desserts, especially with France right next door.
France may be my second favorite behind Germany. I love Germany for my traditional beer and the pretzel. I love France, however, for the desserts. The best option in France is Boulangerie Patissere. I tried the bakery for the first time last year and got a Napoleon. I opted for the Napoleon because it had powdered sugar, rather than the marble topping found at most Italian New York bakeries. It was simple delicious. The layers were fluffy and soft, yet crispy on the top and bottom. The cream was the best part. When you would cut pieces off the napoleon, the powdered sugar would mix with the cream for a sweet and creamy bite. It was one of the best napoleons I have ever had.
A solid tip would be to stop by here toward the end of your night (not literally at the end of the night.) Pick up some croissants or baked goods for the morning. That way, when you wake up, you have breakfast-on-the-go waiting for you. You will save yourself about 30 minutes, and have a delicious treat to wake up to that is, if you dont eat it that night!
Right over the bridge is the United Kingdom. The UK has some delicious fish and chips, and of course beer. Other than this, I feel that France is really the last stop for great snacks.
Canada marks the end of the World Showcase. Canada stopped selling Beaver Tails a while ago. Unless you have a reservation at Le Cellier, you can keep walking to Sunshine Seasons for your food fix.
Next week, we will cover Part 2. Ill talk about Christmas and year-round attractions, NYE, where to catch Illuminations, the best drinks at EPCOT, and of course, a plan of action! More to come in Part 2!
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Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
