MUST SEE during Christmas...

[BAD311]

What are the MUST see places during Christmas at Disney World?
Obviously we'll be going to MK, HS, AK and EP but is there anything specific we need not miss? Grand Floridian for the gingerbread house? anything else? should we focus on the countries in Epcot? Are there special foods (snacks, cakes, JUNK FOOD) for Christmas? I want to insure we can see/do as much as possible and not leave something off the list because I didn't know about it.

We depart today for Disney, yay!!!!!

 

[nickys]

What are the MUST see places during Christmas at Disney World?
Obviously we'll be going to MK, HS, AK and EP but is there anything specific we need not miss? Grand Floridian for the gingerbread house? anything else? should we focus on the countries in Epcot? Are there special foods (snacks, cakes, JUNK FOOD) for Christmas? I want to insure we can see/do as much as possible and not leave something off the list because I didn't know about it.

We depart today for Disney, yay!!!!!

Resorts - I would say as well as GF, the Carousel at the Beach Club, YC, WL and AKL. You can do a monorail loop and hop over on the boat to WL. BC &YC are an easy walk from the IG.

The story telling around Epcot is lovely. You probably need to plan it over 2 days to do them all, because the timings don't work out very conveniently. Or pick and choose 3/4/5. La Befana in Italy was great fun, Norway, US and Germany were among my favourites , didn't see them all.

The new stuff at DHS look s fun. We missed Jingle Bam last year, saw Star Wars instead. I think for you, JBJB may be the only one showing. But the ToT projections seem cool too.

The Coca Cola bear in DS! Gutted we forgot about him.

 

[Courtney6682]

Following...

 

[OsbourneCox]

My family and I went to the "Dearth" Vader Studios Fri night specifically to see this touted Christmas overlay for Sunset Blvd and it was nothing special. We expected so much more and all we got were 2 monitors showing unimaginative cartoons, few decors and that tired video projection technology only this time victimizing the Tower of Terror. The snow flakes were the best part of the Blvd.

 

[OsbourneCox]

. But the ToT projections seem cool too.

You have got to be kidding, no? I guess you really are serious.
Wow! The things people are impressed with continue to amaze.

When I keep seeing this tired video style overlays in every park I see cheap. It just screams a lack of imagination and penny pinching delivery.

 

[nickys]

You have got to be kidding, no? I guess you really are serious.
Wow! The things people are impressed with continue to amaze.

When I keep seeing this tired video style overlays in every park I see cheap. It just screams a lack of imagination and penny pinching delivery.

No idea, never seen it lol! The idea seemed cool, and initial impressions from those who have seen it were favourable .....

You weren't impressed then? As in not Christmas-y, or poorly done or what? I hoped it would be similar to the Tree of Life at dusk / sunset.

 

[POLY LOVER]

Nice job at DHS Hollywood Blvd. I wish they would have used more lights from the Osborne Christmas show. Maybe they will do the buildings next year. I would say go see it and note the throwback Christmas lamp hangings around the lake.

 

[OsbourneCox]

No, I was not impressed whatsoever. Wife didn't care either way about the overlay; perhaps a way of saying she was slightly bored, newborn daughter I have no idea what her opinion was, Brother deemed non repeatable, Sis in law saw it as a small uninspiring diversion, my mom was more interested in knowing what time we all plan to leave the park. Nobody in our party gave it a "WOW" or "THIS IS TOTALLY COOL" .

I was not impressed because it was hyped and touted and there were too few Christmas props and decors. Designers stupidly relied on blasting that Tower with the same rehash video we see in every park, nothing new or imaginative here.

Video on Tower is one brilliant cliche. Boring to be sure unless you love recycled, over used things.

 

[nickys]

I was not impressed because it was hyped and touted and there were too few Christmas props and decors. Designers stupidly relied on blasting that Tower with the same rehash video we see in every park, nothing new or imaginative here.

Video on Tower is one brilliant cliche. Boring to be sure unless you love recycled, over used things.

In every park? Wasn't aware of video projections being used in this way except in MK and DHS.

Thing is though, I guess it depends what you're looking for. I go once every 3 years, only been once at Christmas and loved everything about Christmas at Disney. So anything like this is new to me, and no chance of it being jaded. And from the sounds of it, the OP hasn't been at Christmas time before either.

Now fireworks? I can take or leave them really, I'll watch them "live" once on a 2 to 3 week trip, otherwise I'll watch them from TOTWL if we're there. I'm spoilt for fireworks and stunning backdrops at home.


Oh yes, to OP. Not sure if it's too early for the sleigh rides at FW. Or for a cheaper option, take the horse and cart ride. They'll take you around the loops where people have put up lights and decorations.

 

[OsbourneCox]

Yes, every park. And sometimes more than once in a park.

Magic Kingdom: castle
Animal Kingdom: tree of life and Rivers of Light
Epcot: geosphere on special occasions.
"Dearth" Vader Studios: Star Wars nighttime show and Tower of Terror Sunset Blvd.

 

[nickys]

Ah well, clearly we're never going to agree. That's fine!

ROL, Tree of Life is not projecting onto a building, nor is Illuminations. I thought by "same rehash video" you meant it was the same idea, as in Disney film clips being projected onto a building. Star Wars combines projections, live action and fireworks into a show.

I have seen some amazing shows which essentially involved projecting images onto buildings around the world, combining light, sound and images. The pyramids, Egyptian temples, Sydney Opera House, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, chateaux in France, Versailles, countless shows in cities around the world. I would never claim them to be " same old rehash".

 

[EOD K9]

I have one. The Osborne Fam..........wait......never mind.

 

[BAD311]

So we hit up MK on Sunday and Epcot Sunday evening and wasn't very impressed with the Christmas decorating at MK... Main Street USA is decked out, but beyond that, not much of anything else is decked out. Jingle Cruise was cool but not as decked out as others have implied. I guess I was reading posts with folks saying "it's amazing!" and my expectation is much different. Animal Kingdom... meh... of course we didn't stay the evening at either park. Tuesday we're staying at MK for MVMCP so I'll report back on that. It seems HS only has a small section for Christmas... MK for the most part is, I'd say 95% normal... 5% decorated for Christmas... Epcot, however, although not as impressive as Main Street USA, has a better experience I believe, especially going to each country, seeing each country decorated, the stores are festive, everything at Epcot is pretty much festive (except the rides)... So far we've enjoyed Epcot the most.

 

[OsbourneCox]

Star Wars combines projections, live action and fireworks into a show.

I have seen the show two times and I don't remember live people or animals in it. "Live action"? Are you sure about that? If there are live actors where are they in the Star Wars Nighttime show? Maybe my vantage point was blocked by trees or buildings or other guests or I looked away at the wrong time and I missed them.