We saw the tree-lighting at EPCOT, which was a nice little show. They have the dancing lights on the path leading up to the tree. (similar to the Osbourne Lights I think, I never got to see the Osborne lights though!) Everything's decked out, window displays are all holiday-themed. I'm sure the Voices of Liberty sing holiday music at the America pavilion. Holiday Illuminations is great, we never made it to a storyteller but we walked by them a few times. So even though we didn't make it a point to DO anything Christmas-y, you could definitely feel it all around because Disney definitely does Christmas and the holidays right! But I would still like to see the CP someday...
Wow - this all sounds great! I like the part where you don't have to make it a point to do anything Christmas-y and it just feels like that anyway!
I just wanted to add in my 2 cents about the CP. I really should start by saying that I have not experienced it at WDW, and I should also disclose that I'm not particularly religious. That said, I have watched the one at DL, and from what I've heard....THAT is the one to see. If you haven't seen the one here, it's really awe inspiring. The entrance of the choir alone is enough to give you goosebumps, but add in the trumpeters on the rooftop of the Train Station, the choir in the tree formation on the staircase up to the station, the band along Towne Square...it's all simply magical. Since I've had this experience, I honestly have no desire to see the one at WDW. You & I are in the same boat in that we're not really paying to be at DL the same way we're paying to be at WDW. At EPCOT, in order to get any type of decent view of the show it's going to require at least 1/2 a day AND cost more money on top of it. To which I say, no thank you. Like another poster said, you may just be better off enjoying your day at WS, and trying to catch a glimpse from afar in passing.
Whichever you decide, I hope you have a wonderful time!
p.s. I finally gave in to Twitter, so if you see comments from PenelopePeach on your page, that's me!
Welcome to the ranks of Twits! Er... Twitter-ers!
I really like your point about
Disneyland's CP. I have never done that one either, though I moved my birthday trip at D-land last year specifically to *avoid* CP b/c I'd heard the crowds at the show are crazy.
This was after I tried to buy dinner package tickets online and Disneyland's computers crashed because they use some crummy ticketing system that can't support as much traffic as their limited-availibility events generate.
I really would like to do it some time, though - maybe you can give me some tips for seeing it without a dinner package.
We saw a few of the storytellers last year. The one that really stood out for me was in Germany. She was very entertaining while also giving some nice history about the origins of modern Christmas traditions. Some of the storytellers were Santas from around the world, for example France had Père Noël and U.K. also had their version of Father Christmas (his costume was beautiful but we didn't get to stop and listen because we were dashing to the CP after our dinner at Le Cellier). Oh, and Santa and Mrs. Claus outside the American Adventure were amazing--very authentic looking. That's the best picture with Santa and my DD that we've ever gotten (and probably ever will) Hope that helps a bit
This is great info! With all these Santas, I sense a goofy photo essay in the making, a la
Drinking (Fountains) Around the World!
Oooh, another one, don't forget to see the giant gingerbread house inside the Liberty Inn.
Wha..? Where do they put it? Do they move the tables and chairs? This sounds cool!
Hi Carrie. We're back from our vacation. We were at DL on Wed last week. I kept thinking this one woman was you, and I'd stop and turn to look at her, then decide it wasn't you - I think after the 3rd time, she started looking at me with a "Are you looking at ME???" look! I should have worn a lime green T-shirt that said "DIS Stalker" on it! Good thing she didn't have a fabulous hat on, or I would have asked for her autograph for sure!
That's HIGH-larious - dang, I *wish* that woman had been me, cuz then I wouldn't have been sitting in my cubicle all day the way I actually was... Hope you had a great time!
There are story-tellers all around Epcot, they'll all be listed on the times guide.
If you want to do a tour, we did the Yuletide tour last year and had a blast. It takes you to their Holiday Department, around Epcot, the Studios, & MK. It lasts about oh, 4 hours-ish. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the tip! I will check out that tour. I like the idea of using the times guide to see all the storytellers in a row.
Okay, GREAT
D23 tour trip report. I was lucky and I went on the first one. My sister is a D23 member and let me be her +1. I didn't do a trip report and felt bad, now I don't have to since yours is SO much better than mine could EVER be. They got one thing wrong on the tour and I was forbidden from saying anything. My sister even said she heard my internal scream when they got it wrong but she congratulated me on keeping my fat mouth shut. I didn't wish to up-stage the tour guide. Let's just say that ADR Stages and Foley stages are NOT the same thing.
This is so funny, b/c when I was writing it, I was like "Oh man, HandBag Lady is gonna let me have it if I screw up any of my facts about the Disney Studios!"
As far as D23 goes, I have not yet joined. Like I said, I was a guest at the Studio Tour and my sister also lucked out and got us tickets for the Disney Family Museum opening in San Francisco. She tried to get the Disneyland event on 7/17, but it was "sold out" so fast! My niece did get in, however.
So, please don't give up hope yet even though they sell out fast. My sister doesn't have a fast connection so she just got lucky.
That's good to hear! Frankly, I think you should hold out on joining til you absolutely HAVE to.
I can't believe seeing the Candlelight Processional is so complicated! I have to say, when I'm at Disney with my husband and son, I want to RELAX. Like you've said in one of your posts, it takes several days to let the vacation mentality take hold--who wants that much extra stress just to do something that's supposed to be fun?
When I go to Disney, if I have to spend that much waiting time, additional money, and stress trying to figure out how to fit something into my vacation, I really think hard about including it at all. There's enough Christmas spirit to be had all over WDW without even trying! You could always nab yourself tickets to some fabulous holiday performance at Walt Disney Hall in LA and get your Christmas music fix that way (actual reserved seats in a cool Disney-related place!). Hope you don't mind; my two cents!
Thank you for saying that. You know, I completely agree! A Disney vacation should be fun and relaxing, not fun and stressful. I just seem to forget that a lot and let myself get worked up over making sure *everything is PERFECT*!
So this time I will try to remind myself that just being there is enough and we're going to have a good time regardless.
If I can stick to it, I think DH will thank me....
loved the D23 tour. Thanks for sharing.
I'm excited to be going back for
MNSSHP in Oct. I don't think I'll ever make it at Christmas or Tgiving like I want.
Well you're pretty dang lucky to make it to MNSSHP! October is next on my list - I'd love to do Food & Wine again and finally see MNSSHP. I'd better start thinking up my costume now...
For those of us who may not be diligently watching for hours and updating their PTR
, I just wanted to let them know December hours are officially unofficially posted.
You can find them in the first post of the thread below. It's just the hours through the
Disney Travel Agent site, but it's better than nothing.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2248412
Thank you SO much for posting this!
I was dying for hours to come out. Now I can do my own tentative ADR planning while I wait for TourGuideMike to release his Least Crowded Parks Charts from on high....
Amen!
Here's some more info about the storytellers around World Showcase:
Storytellers
As a PP said they are listed on a times guide you can grab when you first get to the park. Their performances are very frequent (I think something like every 15 minutes or half an hour) but I do believe they list the actual times online as it gets closer to November-December.
That's great info! I think we're going to try and do it like she did: start at WS opening and knock out the Santas all in a row!
Thanks for posting about the studio tour. I always find those things really fun and interesting. I love the old school hollywood & am finding that its not the same any more, at least when I worked in it. I have to say I would love to visit Disney studios, but I did have a "moment" when I was working at Kaufman Astoria studios-which is where the film Sesame Street. I got to go on set & also see all the characters. It was probably my best experience ever. I felt like I was 5 again. It was so amazing working there & seeing them all the time.
Wow - that is so cool! Patrick keeps saying if we ever go to New York, he'll ask Caroll Spinney (Big Bird) if we can see the set. I think I would feel just like you did - like I was 5 again!
I was thinking about the CP but not so sure now, the only reason I want to go is because a friend is performing in the cast member choir. I might have to just wait on line instead. I don't care about getting a spot for the fireworks as much as I just want to see him.
Can't wait for the official official hours, then I can plan our two days(I'm actually not going crazy and relaxing, its sooooo hard!)
How neat that you know one of the choir members - if I lived in Orlando I would do whatever it took to get into that thing. Surely they need a female tenor!
BTW, do you ever go back and re-read your TRs? I just read your entire wedding trip report again and I smile like an idiot the entire time (I know, totally creepy). Well, maybe not during the parts like the bikini wax
Worse - not only have I gone back and read them, I laugh at all my own jokes!!!
Terrible, I know.... someday I'm gonna figure out how to easily put those trippies and pix in a book - I just have to!
