Tree Lighting Ceremonies

[KSgirl]

I think I remember reading about tree lighting ceremonies at MK and Epcot during the holiday season. I am a Christmas NUT and I am very interested in finding out more information. Does anybody know....

1) Where the trees are located in the parks? And do AK and Disney Studios have trees?

2) What time the tree lighting ceremonies begin, respectively?

3) What exactly takes place during a tree lighting ceremony?

Thanks for your help in my planning our Disney in December trip

 

[ead79]

Let's see, I will tell you what I know.

1) Where the trees are located in the parks? And do AK and Disney Studios have trees?

Yes, all 4 theme parks have trees, as does Downtown Disney Marketplace and the resort hotels (the trees at the Grand Floridian and the Wilderness Lodge are particularly impressive)

2) What time the tree lighting ceremonies begin, respectively?

I'm honestly not sure, but I think I might've watched the Epcot tree lighting ceremony at around 6 pm. I'm not sure if Disney Studios and AK have lighting ceremonies, as their trees are located just outside the entrances to these parks. Last year the MK, Epcot, and Downtown Disney all had ceremonies, though I've only seen the Epcot one.

3) What exactly takes place during a tree lighting ceremony?

At the Epcot ceremony, they played Christmas music and slowly lit the tree from the bottom up. I have to admit that it was neat and made me a little teary eyed.

 

[DebbieB]

I've seen MK's and Epcot's, they are big productions. MK has the "mayor" up on the train platform with the characters. Epcot has music by a brass bell group before.

 

[DemonLlama]

When we were there this past Christmas, a CM advised us to hang around the tree at the the front of Main Street at 5:00 because the CMs who pick kids to be a part of the ceremony are chosen there. At 6:00 all the lights are out and there is a big production with Mickey and Minnie and the mayor and some of the charaters in the Christmas parade up on the platform with the kids and they count down to the lighting.

The lighting is not just the tree but all of Main Street at the same time -- it's pretty breathtaking!

 

[KSgirl]

Thanks for all the information!

So, I gather that the trees for AK and Disney Studios are located a outside the entrance and that MK tree is located at the beginning of Main Street. Sounds like the MK ceremony would be really wonderful to see....

Does anyone know where the tree in Epcot is located?