I saw on twitter this morning the 2013 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Guide Map posted

[Dan Murphy]

So many great photos, Ray, thanks for sharing.

 

[RaySharpton]

So many great photos, Ray, thanks for sharing.

You're welcome, Dan. I got my love of WDW photos from you over the decades. I still visit them in your signature.

 

[RaySharpton]

 

[RaySharpton]

1,300 decorated trees throughout property

25 feet in diameter wreath is adorning the Cirque du Soleil building at Downtown Disney West Side

10 miles of twinkling rope lights in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

150 semi-trailer truckloads of decorations for 24 resorts, 4 theme parks, Downtown Disney and other locations

15 miles of garland strung and 1,314 wreaths hung throughout the Vacation Kingdom

300,000 yards of ribbon and bows draping over Christmas trees across property

8.5 million lights strung throughout Walt Disney World Resort

98 percent of the lighting used for holiday décor is LED, 2 percent is compact florescent

11 countries dressed for Holidays Around the World at Epcot World Showcase

800 performers each night during Candlelight Processional at Epcot

200 guest choirs during the entire run of Candlelight Processional

26 feet wide base is on the Christmas tree in the Magic Kingdom

1 70-foot-tall tree takes center stage in Disney’s Contemporary Resort entrance lobby featuring nearly 35,800 white LED lights

365 days of the year that guests can shop for holiday merchandise at the Disney’s Days of Christmas shop in Downtown Disney Marketplace

100 percent chance of snow flurries during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, taking place on select holiday evenings in Magic Kingdom

6 life-sized creations cooked up by Walt Disney World pastry chefs, including:

1 16-foot-tall gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa baked with 1,050 pounds of honey and involving more than 160 hours of decorating

1 life-size gingerbread carousel at Disney’s Beach Club Resort featuring ponies made of chocolate and fondant, giant candy cane poles, handcrafted poinsettias and hand-painted portraits of famous Disney characters

from Disneybythenumbers.com

 

[RaySharpton]

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party from Disneybythenumbers.com

300,000 cookies are consumed each night of the party.

1,200 gallons of hot coco are drunk each night of the Christmas party.

5500 lights are hung on each icon Christmas tree in each park or resort for the holidays.

70 ton crane is used to position the theme park Christmas trees into place each year.

1500 decorated Christmas trees are placed thought the entire WDW property.

8.5 million lights are hung to decorate the WDW property for Christmas.

15 miles of garland are used to decorate the WDW property for Christmas.

300,000 yards of ribbon are used to decorate the WDW property for Christmas.

164 performers appear in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.

 

[RaySharpton]

Cinderella's Castle from Disneybythenumbers.com

200,000 LED Dream lights adorn the castle which made their debuted in 2007

500 strobes are used to help create the sparkling lighting effect

32,000 square feet of fish netting was used to help hang the LED lights on the Castle

15 miles of cable were used to hang all the lights and netting, which was also dyed to match the Castles colors

 

[RaySharpton]

Disney Hollywood Studio's Osborne Family Spectacle of Christmas Lights from Disneybythenumbers.com

1995 was the first year of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

3.5 million lights were used in the Original family display of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

5 million plus lights are use in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights display.

500,000 strands of lights are used

100 bulbs are on each strand used

80,000 lights are on the 70 foot tree with 3 layers of color

40 snow machines use 100 gallons of snow fluid each night

40 hidden Mickey's are used in the display 2010

50 hidden Mickey's are used in the display 2011

100 lights are in each strand used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

35 miles of electrical wiring is used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

4 moving trucks originally used to move all the family lights and displays to Walt Disney World

25 to 35 hidden Mickey’s are in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

70 foot Christmas tree is used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

30 technicians work from setup the lights from August thru mid November for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

10 miles of rope light is used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

21,000 hours and 10 weeks of setup are needed to install the 5 million lights at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney Hollywood Studios.

350 miles of Christmas lights wrap around the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights display. Don't forget the 71 miles of extension cables, either!!!

1 million and more tie wraps are used to setup the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

800,000 watts of electricity are needed to light the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights display.

32.2 miles of extension cords are used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights display.

150 angels are used in the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights display.

 

[RaySharpton]

Josh at easywdw.com just posted info on the Magic Kingdom Cinderella's Holiday Wish and Castle Dream Lights for 2013.

Link, photos, quotes below

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...ream-lights-2013-at-magic-kingdom/#more-12476

Cinderella’s Holiday Wish is Magic Kingdom’s seven-minute-stage-show-prelude to the Castle Dream Lights.

The show is scheduled nightly at 6:15pm through December 31st. Unofficially, the show is typically extended into the first week in January and I would expect to see it through January 5th. Holiday Wish is actually one of Disney’s least advertised holiday happenings, perhaps because they want you to assume it’s only scheduled on Christmas Party nights or only viewable by those who have paid the upcharge. Unfortunately, anyone trying to see the show during the Party will find out they’ve arrived too late.

The show happens on the Castle Forecourt Stage, which is the same one used for Dream Along with Mickey during the day. Crowds are generally thin in front of the stage up until 6:10pm. With little kids, you may want to hang back from the stage a bit so they have an opportunity to see over the heads of the taller people in front. You’ll also have a better view of the full Castle for the lighting ceremony. Closer isn’t necessarily better.

Disney’s Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party is usually scheduled at 5:40pm

This is beneficial for a couple reasons. First, it cuts off a lot of traffic to the area in front of the stage, which means few people arriving before about 6:05pm. It also entertains guests as they wait for Holiday Wish. If you’re planning to see the Parade, consider viewing down in the Hub area. After the Parade marches back through Main Street, you can find a good spot in front of everyone headed over from other Lands.

The show lasts seven minutes and features Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Cinderella, Prince Charming, and Fairy Godmother. If it’s raining or otherwise deemed to be inclement weather, there is an abridged show with just Fairy Godmother lighting the Castle.

The Castle remains lit for the rest of the evening.

.

 

[RaySharpton]

From WDW Shutterbug.

 

[Planogirl]

How did WDW Shutterbug get an amazing picture like that! Wow.

 

[RaySharpton]

How did WDW Shutterbug get an amazing picture like that! Wow.

I don't know. Maybe he is a castmember. Maybe it is one of the toy solders on a wheels that was placed temporarily on Mainstreet.

It is pretty though.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ray

 

[RaySharpton]

Photo by Tom Bricker on *****************.com .

 

[xApril]

How did WDW Shutterbug get an amazing picture like that! Wow.

My boyfriend and I have been getting some shots like that. We just have iPhones though. If you're one of the last few people in the park, it's easy to get shots like that.

 

[RaySharpton]

From DisneyParksBlog.com,

...Prince Eric’s Castle in New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park!