A few Xmas-time questions

[Peabody]

Thanks for your help in advance...I searched around but there's some things I didn't find:

First, my son just turned 2, goes to sleep at 8 and I don't feel the need to spend $100+ for MVMCP until next year when he will really "get it" (and stay up)...so I'm exploring our "free" options. (Especially photo-ops since I'm going to get a photo-cd)

1. I heard Santa is out in DTD and the American Pavilion. Does he show up in MK during regular park hours? (Or other parks?)

2. Son just got over fear of characters. Any place to get to characters dressed up in holiday garb outside of MVMCP?

3. Castle-lighting ceremony happens on non-MVMCP nights, right? We plan on seeing that, the candlelight processional/Christmas around the world, and the Osbourne Family lights. Any other cool Christmastime things maybe more obscure out there? I want to hit some resorts like GF and walk around.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Captain Hank]

Thanks for your help in advance...I searched around but there's some things I didn't find:

First, my son just turned 2, goes to sleep at 8 and I don't feel the need to spend $100+ for MVMCP until next year when he will really "get it" (and stay up)...so I'm exploring our "free" options. (Especially photo-ops since I'm going to get a photo-cd)

1. I heard Santa is out in DTD and the American Pavilion. Does he show up in MK during regular park hours? (Or other parks?)

2. Son just got over fear of characters. Any place to get to characters dressed up in holiday garb outside of MVMCP?

3. Castle-lighting ceremony happens on non-MVMCP nights, right? We plan on seeing that, the candlelight processional/Christmas around the world, and the Osbourne Family lights. Any other cool Christmastime things maybe more obscure out there? I want to hit some resorts like GF and walk around.

Thanks so much for your help!

1. Yes, I believe Santa Claus appears in Town Square at the Magic Kingdom. However, I'm pretty sure it's only a Christmas-week thing (I'm having trouble accessing the websites where I usually check these things)

2. Yes. Many (though not all) characters will be in Holiday costumes. In particular, I've met the Fab Five in wilderness-style Christmas gear at Disney's Animal Kingdom--they came out and did a meet-and-greet in front of the ticket booths just after closing.

3. Yes, Cinderella's Holiday Wish happens every evening at 6:30.

Most resorts--particularly Deluxe resorts--have amazing decorations. The Grand Floridian often has a CM roasting chestnuts on an open fire (okay, a BBQ grill) near the main entrance to the resort--and they're free. You didn't specifiy when you're going, but between the date of the last MVMCP and the day before New Year's Eve, most of the MVMCP entertainment is offered to regular day guests, including the parade and fireworks.

 

[Peabody]

Thanks for your help!

We're local (Ocala) and go all the time, so we have plenty of time to do whatever we want. (Though I need to get all my photopass photos before 11-30...I know we can get Santa at DTD starting Sat, and pics in front of lit castle soon too)

I suspected we might have characters in Christmas dress at AK. I was with my son there and went to the regular meet and greet gazebos and all the characters were in their "haloween costumes"...the Fab 5 plus Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore. It was cool getting my son's pic with them in "special" costumes. I hope to for Christmas as well!

 

[7swans]

Wilderness Lodge has great Christmas decorations.

Epcot has different Santa's, I believe there was a schedule listing when they would be out, we enjoyed seeing Canada's, I wish we had seen some of the others.

Candlelight Processional was wonderful, might be a bit long with a youngster though.

 

[krankenstein]

1) If I remember right, Santa is available on Center Street for the entire month of December. I might wrong about the enter month thing, but I am 99.99999% sure he is down Center Street.

2) I've seen the characters dressed up in holiday garb at DHS in front of The Hat. Including my personal favorite, Santa Goofy.

3) As was stated the lights on the castle come on at 6:20pm. Make sure you check out the gingerbread house at the GF. Another good place to go look around at is WL. It is gorgeous at Christmas.

 

[eroyee]

theres a chocolate carousel horse at Yacht and Beach club...

 

[marcriss]

Epcot has a tree lighting ceremony with the characters in between WS & FW in the 6 o'clock area as well, and they light the arches then too. It's very cool when the arches are lit.

The Beach Club has a Gingerbread Carousel, the American Pavillion usually has a life-size gingerbread house with people selling gingerbread. The American version of Santa can be visited at the American Pavillion too. (Pere Noel comes out to talk in France).

The YC has a large train set up in the lobby (the set up is large the trains are small). I'm not sure what the schedule will be this year, but they also have a Santa look a-like who reads a story very similar to the Polar Express and he hands out bells to the children. He is fantastic!!! The adults are always choked up when he's finished, that's how good he is!

 

[Peabody]

That's so great....thanks for the great info everybody!

 

[Disneychild92]

youve all made me want to go there now

 

[tracyandalex]

Epcot's tree lighting ceremony is great, so are the different santas at all the countries.
Animal kingdom has the meet and greets at the camp minnie-mickey. also they have a bunch of trees decorated for different characters.
hollywood studios has the osborne lights which are amazing!!!
the grand floridian, contemporary, beach club, yacht club, and boardwalk hotels all have awesom christmas displays/gingerbread sculptures.

any more questions feel free to pm me. we haven't been since 2006 (for christmas anyways) but i'm happy to help any way i can

have fun :sohappy:

tracy