Tree Lighting Ceremony

[Serenity]

Need info from any December vets out there. What can you tell me about the Tree Lighting Ceremony? Does each park have a ceremony? Where is the main tree for each park? What time is this usually done? Is it only on certain days or everyday from Nov 30th to Jan 1st? Is it anything special or just a simple lighting of the tree?

Any hints would be great.

 

[disney queen]

yes, each park has a tree. mgm and AK trees are outside the parks. MK and epcot are inside. i have only seen the lighting ceremony at epcot. nice ceremony. it is held nightly usually around 6:00. here is a helpful link http://allearsnet.com/tp/holiday.htm enjoy!

 

[Pattymouse]

I would love more details too please! Will be there 11-27 through 12-06. First winter trip to Disney (or Florida for that matter).

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Simba's Mom]

I can tell you about the tree lighting ceremony at Epcot. It was every day last year, and it lasted around 20 minutes (WDW seems to make a big ceremony out of so many things!) There was a stage in front of the tree where the characters (I think Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, don't remember who else) sing a multitude of Christmas carols. If you want to see the characters, stand in front of the stage (along with the hundreds), but if you're like me and want to see the tree lighting, the best shot is from the benches by the 2 gift shops on the WS side. Also, when the characters are done performing, their bus it parked over there and you can see them up close. I loved the tree lighting-one of the most emotional things!

 

[DebbieB]

MK has a nice ceremony too, the characters are up on the train station. I think it's at 5:30 since the park closes many nights at 6:00 for MVMCP.

I don't think MGM has one, they have the Osborne Lights. AK is closed before dark.

 

[linda_pizzuro]

I am very interested in this also. We will in MK on 11/30 for MVMCP and would love to seethe tree lighting. We have dinner PS at LTT for 4:30 and would hate to miss this. Do they light it during the MVMCP or do they light it before?

 

[Serenity]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Disney Queen,
You mentioned that the trees at MGM and AK are outside the park. Where are they and do they have tree lighting ceremony? Thanks for the link. I saw something there that said they have "citizens of Hollywood Tree Lighting" at MGM. What do they do? Do you exit the park for the tree lighting and then just re-enter? I didn't see anything about AK so guess they don't have one.

Simba's Mom,
You said the best place to see the actual tree lighting is from bench by gift shop on WS. I am trying to figure out where the tree is to help me picture which shops you are referring to. Where is the tree? Do the characters hang around after for autographs and pictures? Are they in holiday attire? It sounds great - 20 minutes! My kids are going to love this.

DebbieB,
You said the characters at MK are up on the train station depot. So is the tree in the square at the beginning of the main street? I don't know why, I just thought it would be by the castle. So much for assuming.

Pattymouse,
This is our first December trip as well and we just can't wait. I am really looking forward to seeing all the decorations.

Thanks again for all the help so far. Any responses or anyone else with answers to my numerous questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[padisneylover]

Last year we were lucky enough to see both the tree lighting in EPCOT and MK. The EPCOT tree lighting was really nice with all the characters and the little skit they put on along with the singing of carols. We stood right up by the stage and when the lights in the park go down then the lights on the pathway to the tree lights up till the tree finally lights. The archway that lights runs from Future World to the countries across the bridge closests to Mexico. It is truly the best tree lighting ceremony of the two.
The one in the MK is on the little grassy spot that is right by the flag pole. We sat on the bench in front of the building right by the bathrooms on the right hand side as you enter. It was a great view and if you time it for a night they have Spectro, which was Wed last year for us then you are all set to watch that right after the tree lighting. If you go early they take the flag down and it is a very nice ceremony as well.

The tree lighting in EPCOT was at 6 PM nightly and the show actually started about 5:30 or 5:45. In MK the tree lighting ceremony was nightly at 5:30 except for Saturday when they didn't have it, or so my schedule says from last year. I kept my park guides since I plan on going again this year to help plan.

Looking at the guide for AK I don't see any tree lighting ceremony at all on the schedule. The tree was just to the left of the little gift shop outside of the park. It was a nice tree with some really neat animal ornaments of course.

The tree at MGM was also right outside the park as you entered. I don't see on the guide for there as well any tree lighting ceremony.

Last year at this time was our first and was well worth the trip. The decorations and festivities are well worth it.

 

[Serenity]

Thanks Padisneylover. I have seen the arch in Epcot in Jan before they took all the decorations down. It will be great to see them light that.

Sounds like the Tree lighting at Epcot is something not to miss and the one at MK would be good to see too.