Taking a Bath on Main Street U.S.A.

With a name like PixieDustPics you would think that every blog would have pictures in it. But really, how much fun would that be and what kind of a challenge to my descriptive skills? LOL Seriously though, let’s talk about snow in Florida. Yes, it does snow in Florida and it does so on a fairly rigid schedule. Of course, we’re talking about the “snow” that you see when you attend “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.” MVMCP is a wonderful holiday party in the same spirit as “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” that we talked about a few months ago. The party is hard-ticketed (read: additional cost) event that is held on particular dates leading up to Christmas.

2008 Dates:
November 30, 2008

December 2, 2008

December 4, 2008 - December 5, 2008

December 7, 2008

December 9, 2008

December 11, 2008 - December 12, 2008

December 14, 2008

December 16, 2008

December 18, 2008 - December 19, 2008

Just like the Halloween party, there are a limited number of tickets sold for each night which means lines will be shorter. You’ll also get to see the amazing parade that graces millions of television screens on Christmas morning each year. “Mickey's Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” is one of Disney’s best and will bring to life all of the characters both Disney and otherwise that we associate with the holidays. From Santa’s reindeer to Mrs. Claus to the toy soldiers and even the Jolly Old Elf himself, you won’t be disappointed in the star-studded cast. We’ve done a past blog on the parade so I won’t bury you in details here! There are also pictures to be taken and cookies to be had during the party which culminates in the “Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season.” fireworks show.

But, what about the weird title? I thought you’d never ask.

You may have heard of how that Disney magic that we all know and love is especially alive during the holiday season. Nothing is more proof of this than when, at a magical time during MVMCP, Disney and Santa breathe new life into Main Street as snow begins to fall! Imagine it, snow in Florida and on Main Street U.S.A. What could be more magical than that? The short answer is to see the magic as it falls slowly to the ground at your feet. Let the season fill your nostrils as you get a brief whiff of hot cocoa. Close your eyes and listen to the laughter of children, the whispered “I love you” of sweethearts and the Christmas Carols filling the air.

But….

…don’t, I repeat DO N-O-T open your mouth to TASTE the season. You may have memories of standing on a snowy day, your mouth open, eyes closed as you stick out your tongue to catch a snow flake and let it melt in your mouth. That is a beautiful thing, keep that memory close but keep your yap closed on Main Street because the flakes fluttering to the ground are SOAP. ; )

Christmas on the Beach

Well, we’ve talked about how grand the Grand can be during the holidays and how rustic and beautiful it is to spend Christmas in the Wilderness but what about the beach? Of course, by this we mean the Beach Club and its sister resort the Yacht Club. As with those we've already talked about, the amazing Christmas trees are plentiful in both of these resorts and are themed appropriately as well. We’re finally able though to talk about one of the things that draws people to some of Disney’s Deluxe resorts during the holidays: food. But no, we aren’t talking about food that you can buy or eat (at least without being arrested ; ) we are, of course, talking about the legendary edible displays.

Each year, WDW puts up an enormous and amazing carousel for the lobby of the Beach Club. This isn’t a normal carousel either boys and girls but one made entirely of edible ingredients. The culinary wizards of the Disney world slave to build this wondrous creation that consists of:

35 lbs. of honey

96 lbs. of bread flour

100 pints of eggs

10 lbs. of different spices

10 quarts of syrup

100 lbs. of icing

50 lbs. of dark chocolate

10 quarts of egg whites

100 lbs. of confectioners sugar

Naturally, the most fun thing about the carousel is the seven Hidden Mickeys that can be found in, on and around it. Make sure to stop by and see how many you can find!!!

This brings us to the Yacht Club. During the holiday season the Yacht Club sports a gigantic, beautiful miniature railroad that is crafted by the Disney team as well. The display is extremely detailed and a lot of fun for both railroad enthusiasts and children of all ages to enjoy and explore. Trust us, it’s easy to lose yourself and realize that you’ve spent thirty minutes or even an hour making slow circles around this tiny town as you keep discovering new things (look for tiny signs for the different shops in the hotel!).

So where should we go next to look at decorations? I guess you’ll just have to join us next Sunday to see!!!

Christmas in the Wilderness

When it comes to the “Wow” factor of a lobby, you can’t get any better than walking through the doors into the Wilderness Lodge. The immense lobby is breathtaking and something that every Disney fan should experience at least once. When you couple its awesomeness with the Holiday Season though, it takes things to a whole new level. Trust me, you haven’t experienced Christmas quite like this anywhere else. The lodge is known for its rustic décor and the Christmas decorations that adorn it during the holidays are no exception. The tree is enormous….so enormous in fact that it’s hard to fit it into frame when taking a picture! You think it stinks cleaning up after your tree, imagine dragging this bad boy through the front doors!

But don’t just look at the size of the tree, take a few steps in and start checking out the decorations. Just like anything with Disney, they are themed to their surroundings too!

From the awe-inspiring tree to the smaller ones surrounding the lodge and even the wreath above the fireplace the holiday spirit is everywhere for you to enjoy! We all love the parks and the decorations are amazing but don't forget to spend some time checking things out resorts like the Wilderness Lodge too. You'll be glad you did!!!

A Very GRAND Holiday!!!

One of the best things about Christmas is, of course, decorating! No one likes dragging and heaving all of those boxes out of the attic, basement or closet but we do it because the end result is just so awesome! As we’ve talked about before, when Disney does something, they do it right. Holiday decorations at the different resorts throughout WDW property are no exception. We’ll touch on several resorts as we make our way towards Christmas but we’ll start with one of our favorites: The Grand Floridian. The Grand is one of Disney’s flagship resorts with its deluxe accommodations and gorgeous Victorian theme. In true Disney style, holiday transformations happen overnight in most cases. As you walk into the Grand during the holidays you’ll be greeted with two larger-than-life decorations, the tree and the gingerbread house.

During the holidays, the Grand Floridian features a 50 foot Christmas tree that is befitting its large, grandiose lobby. This tree will consume you from the moment that you walk into the lobby and for good reason; it’s H-U-G-E!!! Remember kids, this enormous tree goes up overnight. Those staying in the resort wake up one morning and it’s just THERE! Not far from the “Tree of Wonders” (my name, not Disney’s ; ) is the legendary gingerbread house. This gingerbread house is life-sized and serves as a retail shop selling gingerbread cookies and much smaller, portable (as in take ‘em to your room and demolish them) gingerbread houses!

The 10,000 pieces of gingerbread used to build the house are made from:


- 1,050 lbs. honey
- 600 lbs. powdered sugar
- 35 lbs. spices
- 800 lbs. flour
- 140 pints egg whites
- 180 lbs. apricot glaze

There are SO many more amazing decorations and displays that go up every year at WDW and we’ll get to them soon enough. For now though, check out some of our pictures of the gorgeousness of the Grand Floridian during the holidays!!!

Holiday Storytellers at Epcot

As we’ve talked about before, there are TONS of ways to celebrate the holidays at WDW. Well, we all know that Santa visits our chimneys every Christmas Eve without fail but have you ever wondered if Santa might be a little different to those who live in other countries and cultures? Disney has done a great job of answering that question, at least for the countries throughout the World Showcase at Epcot.

At various times throughout the day, each country hosts its very own Holiday Storyteller on a small stage. Some of these storytellers are somewhat similar to the Santa Claus that we know and love and get to meet as Canada’s storyteller. France’s Pére Noel bears a striking resemblance to a thin Chris Kringle and the UK’s Father Christmas is our lovable, jolly old elf in traditional green robes. Where we really get to learn and experience something new is seeing China’s Monkey King as he tells his story or Julenissen, Norway’s mischievous elf as he causes trouble and imparts his tale as well. Inside of the American Adventure you can also learn some of the customs of Hanukkah and an area to learn the traditions of Kwanzaa is typically located near the shops in the American pavilion.

So many people from so many different walks of life come to visit Disney each year. It’s great to know that, no matter what your beliefs or how you celebrate the holidays you can still learn a little something about how others celebrate them as well!!!