Chime in on Holiday Happenings at the Resorts

[zulaya]

Please comment on your favorite Christmas decoration, activity or event at the Disney Resorts. Will be taking the in-laws for thjeir first visit to the world this December and want to whet their appetite with what's in store for them when we do a little resort hopping. Not looking necessarily for Christmas Trees as I know GF, WL, etc have great ones, but chime in those if you want, but loooking for other special things as well. Thanks!

 

[BounceyOne]

The GF has the most awesome gingerbread houses, they have a huge one that they sell smaller ones from. The sales person actually works inside a gingerbread house

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I hope you get lots of response on this thread. I just asked the same question yesterday, although worded differently and not nearly as creative. Maybe between both of our threads, we can find out all there is to know. For all of you in the know, pleeeeease feel free to respond to both. My thread was asking mostly about events, but I want to know it all!

 

[BethC1952]

Thanks for posting this! We're doing something similar--taking Grandpa for his FIRST EVER vacation to WDW in December. He loves all things that have to do with Christmas, so we really want him to be prepared. I have my own pictures from Christmas at WDW more than 20 years ago, but there weren't as many places to decorate then!

Beth

 

[disney queen]

the wilderness lodge! fabulous! as is the already mentioned grand floridian. some of the not to miss attractions in the parks are candlelight processional at epcot, MVMCP at MK, osbourne lights at MGM, and tree lighting ceremonies at the parks. we like to couple the candlelight processional w/a dinner package. of course you do not have to do this to enjoy the performance, but it does make for a lovely evening out. MVMCP is just the first weeks of december actually starting after thanksgiving. as far as the individual resorts having activities, you would almost have to have a schedule from each resort. some will have local choirs or choral groups or cast member choral groups, others might have story-telling times, and still others might have cookie decorating activities. hope this helps. december is a wonderful time to visit.

 

[NHMickey]

My wife and I LOVE to go around the holiday season. We try and go every year at the end of Nov begining of Dec. We love to take the Moorail around to the resorts and just soak up the decorations. We sit in the Grand Floridian and listen to the singers and drink a cup of Hot Choc... We try and hit as many resorts as we can to see the different decorations. I remember one year they all did a Ginger Bread display and even some of the pavilions in epcot did it. They were huge and all fantastic. Some still do this. We just love the Holiday season at WDW...

 

[jaguar9748]

We spent Christmas 2001 at Disney. My favorite activity was the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. We did the dinner package - you can either eat and then go to the show OR go to the show and then eat. The price of the package depends on the restaurant you wish to eat at (there are 3 packages available). We went to the early show (5:00, I think) and because we had bought the package, we were able to sit in the reserved seating section. Then we had dinner at The Garden Grill in The Land after the concert. The concert was excellent - a musical performance with a celebrity narrator of the Christmas story. Our celebrity narrator was Gary Sinese (Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump). Other activities that were memorable - the Osborne lights, the Christmas parade in MK, and the decorations at the resorts and in the parks. It was quite simply our best Christmas ever!!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We went in early December but got the perks of the holiday decorations without the crowds. As already stated, do not miss the GF or WL. Every resort, it seems, has a great tree. You can see MKs tree lit up from the Poly, where we were. We also walked in to see what BWV looked like, and did MVMCP, Osborne lights and the Candelight Processional with Phylicia Rashad.
I don't know if I'll be able to do the holiday season again until I retire (I teach and used up my personal days doing a 4 day weekend) but I'm glad I got to do it and take the kids at least once.
Robin M.
Poly 6/2000
BWV 6/2001
Poly 6/2001
BWV/Poly/VWL 7/2002

 

[zulaya]

If anyone has stayed at a resort over the Holidays and can comment on what their resort looked like, what was special about the decorations, if they had any fun holiday activities, that's the kind of stuff I am looking for.

Everything so far has been great...keep it coming.

 

[jaguar9748]

POR - beautiful tree in the main building. Decorations throughout the main building. Christmas plants throughout the grounds.

WLV - was there on Christmas Day. Each room received a bag of gifts - candy. The villas had a beautiful tree and beautiful wreaths everywhere. The lodge itself has a huge tree in the lobby. However, there were smaller trees tucked into corners, and wreaths all over the place. At the boat dock, there was a beautiful wreath.

Contemporary - beautiful tree in the resort. Wreaths and other holiday displays throughout the resort.

GF - gorgeous decorations! Gorgeous tree, gingerbread houses, very Christmasy. Even if you don't stay at the GF, make a point to visit and see the decorations!

AKL - huge tree in the lobby. Smaller tree by the store. Christmas decorations throughout the resort.

I am constantly amazed at how all of the decorations match the theming of each resort!!

One thing we were surprise at, in MK the decorations on Main Street were gorgeous, but there was very little decoration on or around the castle.

 

[Grumpy92]

Xmas Suggestions:

1. Candlelight Processional, dinner pkg. Worth every cent for the best show at WDW. If this show doesnt get you in the xmas spirit nothing will.

2. Osbourne Lights. Make you feel ashamed of your yards decorations. Not to mention snow in Florida.

3. Caroling in the GF lobby. Every evening the CMs gathering in the lobby to sing xmas carols. We stay for tea or a drink and enjoy the band as well.

4. Take the Yultide Tour. See an overview of how WDW decorates for the holidays. You learn the various traditions, visit three theme parks, the WL and get a full tour of the xmas warehouse where they work on the holiday all year.

5. Meander the loops of FW. Many of the campers go all out decorating there sites. They are incredible.

6. Enjoy the holiday traditions of other countries. The storytellers in each of the countries are really great.

 

[DisDee]

Thanks for all this great info. We have booked our visit for the first week in Dec. For those of you who have done the CP dinner package, tell us more about it. It sounds like the way to go. Epcot is my favorite park, and I'm sure this would make it even more special. Thanks! Denise

 

[living la vida mickey]

Absolutely, positively DO NOT MISS the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. Do the dinner package, it's worth it. Make sure that you see the Osborne lights at MGM. Go to GF - it's beautiful.

 

[slimplaw]

CM's at WL also sing carols in the lobby. We really enjoy the Christmas storytellers in Epcot. Each country's Santa figure tells about the traditions of their country. They are dressed in their county's Santa outfit. Don't miss any of them. If you have a car and some free time at night, take a drive to Celebration-the community started by Disney. It "snows" there nightly. There are shops to look around in and they have a depot type building with Santa. It is nicely decorated also.

 

[kylara]

Also, I know in the past that the Beach Club has had Christmas story telling in the lobby.

Also don't know if they still do it, but POFQ use to have roasted chestnuts and hot cider along with caroling.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Grumpy92,
Can you tell me more about the Yuletide Tour? I've never heard of this. How far ahead can I book it? How much is it? Where do I call to book this? This definitely sounds like something I would like for my family to do. Thanks!

 

[DisneyaHolic23]

When we have gone the last two years at Christmastime, we did not miss:
1. Candlelight Processional - it is very inspirational, the music is wonderful, and buying the dinner package justifies eating an appetizer AND dessert!!
2. We took lots of pictures in holiday locations: Donald's Tree Lot, the sleighs on Main Street, in front of the poinsetta trees at MGM, in front of every resort tree...
3. Osborne Lights - they are awesome! The glasses they give you create designs in the lights (the first year we went it was snowflakes, last year it was angels...)
4. Epcot Christmas stories - we tried to take pictures of each Santa or Christmas figure (in Mexico it was the Three Kings) and listen to their stories in each country.
5. In the Dolphin they have a mini tree lighting ceremony each night, where a little kid gets the honor of lighting the tree - not a huge deal, but if you are in the area.
6. They also have a tree-lighting ceremony in Epcot each night, just through the light arch.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head........ All I can say is, Have a Blast!!! Wish I were going Christmas 2002!!