One thing you will notice when you visit Walt Disney World during the Holiday Season is that there are Christmas trees…..everywhere. Big ones, little ones, shiny ones, whimsical ones, classically beautiful ones, you name it, they’ve probably got a tree like it somewhere at the parks or one of the resorts. One of my favorites is always this one on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom that actually doesn’t get set up until after the taping of the Christmas Day parade in early December. Love those gingerbread ornaments!
What to Do at Disney World
Celebrating the New Year with the Disney World Crowds…and Why We’re OK With That
In ten days we will be at Walt Disney World, getting ready to ring in the New Year at 
the Happiest Place on Earth. We will, of course, have a lot of company, and I have written in the past about what the parks are like during this busiest week of the year. Yes, we know what to expect….and still we choose to go then, even though things would be much calmer, less crowded, and we would see/do a great deal more if we went at another time.
So if we know all this, why are we making a conscious decision to visit at this time anyway?
Well there are a couple of reasons. Partly it is because if we want to experience the wonderful Holiday atmosphere at Disney World as a family, this week is our best chance to do that, due to our daughter’s college schedule. And while we don’t go at Christmas every year, we try to visit at this time of year every few years if we can….and we miss Disney World a lot on the years that we don’t.
But there is more to it than that.
Honestly, to me, there is just no better place to say good-bye to one year and welcome a new one. There is something inherently hopeful about Disney World that makes people, no matter their age, believe in that happily-ever-after that seems so elusive in real life. And when that is combined with the hopes and dreams that everyone has when a new year begins, well it makes Walt Disney World a very special (and yes, magical) place to ring in that New Year…despite the crowds, and the noise, and the lines…..
And I have to say that my feeling about this somewhat stems from personal experience.
In 2003, just a few days after Christmas, my wonderful father was diagnosed with leukemia. He ultimately passed away just a few weeks later. During those weeks, as we struggled to comprehend and deal with this tragedy, we also struggled to provide care for my mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease. My dad had been her primary caregiver, and the loss of my dad took its toll on her health as well.
Not to overly dramatize the situation…I’ll just say that the New Year’s Eve that we observed that year was heartbreaking.
As the end of 2004 approached then, we were prepared for our Christmas season to be a difficult one, filled with some very sad memories. But we didn’t want to focus on the sad, we wanted to say good bye to that horrible year, and bring in the new one, in a way that focused instead on looking forward. We wanted to create new, happier memories…and we realized that for New Years, it was important for us to be someplace other than home.
The one place that we knew would help us create happy memories was at Walt Disney World.
So that year, New Year’s Eve 2004/5, we celebrated the holiday at Disney: we watched that terrible year end, and welcomed the start of a new one in a way that truly honored my parents, who always believed in the importance of faith, and belief, and hope, and optimism.
Always at its best when helping to create happiness, Walt Disney World remains for us, a place to focus on the joyful, the special, the hopeful, and the promise of something better. And that is why we are looking forward to ringing in the start of this next year in the best place we know to do so.
Wishing you and yours the most wonderful, magical, and hope-filled Christmas and New Year!
Wordless Wednesday: It’s All in the Details
I often feel when I am at Disney World, that I just don’t know where to look first, as there are a seemingly countless number of fascinating visual experiences, all competing for my attention. But I usually find that, if I can stop and take the time to *really look* at some of the most insignificant things, I am rewarded with some pretty cool surprises. Take the Christmas tree at Epcot’s World Showcase: what seem to be, at first glance, just a bunch of Christmas balls, are actually miniature globes, ornaments featuring the national flags of different nations, and my personal favorite, holiday greetings in many different languages. Next time you visit Walt Disney World, make it a point to check out those details: you may be surprised at what you actually find.
Wordless Wednesday: Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
A highlight of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the weeks leading up to Christmas is Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Disney does great parades, and this is no exception. Featuring many of your favorite characters in their finest holiday garb, you will also find ice skaters (yes in Florida, don’t ask, it’s that Disney magic 🙂 ), Marching Wooden Soldiers, and at the very end, Santa himself. And there are great holiday “smells” too…. Of course the castmembers are wearing appropriate festive attire too, including hats, scarves, and mittens, bless-their-overheated-hearts. If you want to see the parade, and will be there during Christmas week, you’re in luck because it is held every afternoon. Happy Holidays!
Travel Tuesday Tales: T-Minus 36 Days and Counting…
While our friend Brenda is enjoying her vacation in Walt Disney World, I thought I’d take today to 
provide a quick update to our Disney vacation planning. We leave for Disney World in 36 days, on December 30…and as always happens when you start planning so far in advance….I can’t believe that we’re about a month away!
I can’t believe it because I have quite a bit to do in the next month for this trip.
Oh yeah. And we’ve got a few holidays sprinkled in there as well. 🙂
First let’s start with an update to some previous plans: Instead of 4 going, there are now just 3, myself, my DH and our DD. So I have had a few changes to make in the past month or so, namely to all of our ADRs, and Candlelight Processional reservations.
I also have been regularly in touch with Disney Vacation Club (meaning *daily*), in the attempt to reduce the size of our accommodations from a 2 BR to a Studio or 1 BR. Knowing how crazy busy this week is at Disney, I’m not holding my breath, but it’s worth the try, so that we can save the points for another trip. (And isn’t that always the case: you start planning your next one before you leave on the current one? Or is that just me…. 🙂 ) In any event, currently we still have a 2 BR at Old Key West for the first two nights, and now have a 1 BR at Wilderness Lodge for the 2nd 2 nights. In addition to calling DVC, I’m also on the waitlist for something smaller, so we shall see what happens.
Now what is done so far?
- Accommodations (well sort of): check.
- Basic Disney Dining Plan added: check.
- Advanced Dining Reservations for all dinners: check.
- Flights booked: check.
And what needs to be done in the next few weeks?
- Tickets ordered: To Do!
- Magical Express contacted: To Do!
- Parking/transportation to and from airport: To Do!
- Check park hours: To Do!
- Any additional tours/meals/events booked: Research, maybe yes, maybe no.
- Check luggage situation and replace some suitcases: Research, but probably To Do!
- Check for new comfy walking shoes for me: Oh definitely To Do!!!!
This is, of course, in addition to getting ready for Christmas. Yeah, it’s gonna be a fun month! 🙂
Now you may notice that I don’t really have any itinerary planning on here, and I will say that is a benefit of many trips: for us at this point, we don’t worry about this as much as we would if we were still fairly new to Walt Disney World. Plus, and this is a biggie: there will be lots of crowds, and so we have learned that flexibility will be key during our time there over New Years. We have a few favorites at each park, and certainly know where we will be each evening (we decided that when making our ADRs). Beyond that, once I see the hours for each park, and see when the Holiday events will be ending, then we will narrow it down to which park we’ll go to each morning, and we’ll chat about if there are any Must-Sees for anyone on this trip. That will be about it for itinerary planning for this Disney vacation for us. (Note: it really helps here that we are 3 adults, so no little one meltdowns if we just can’t see something…..)
This weekend, DD will be home from college 🙂 so we’ll have a chance to talk a bit about if there are any extra things anyone wants to do, like doing a tour or something like that. We also need to decide if we want to get Park Hoppers for 4 days or 5, so I can order them from Undercover Tourist. And then I need to call Disney to arrange for Magical Express.
Oh, and before Black Friday, I’ll be looking at our suitcase situation, and my shoe situation, both of which are apparently necessary purchases….
And that will be it then, for a few weeks, as I get ready for Christmas………
…….until I start obsessing about the weather forecast. 🙂