Posts Tagged ‘parades’

It is a month of contrasts.  The beginning of December is a favorite of Disney veterans who take advantage of the great weather and lower crowds during the first couple of weeks.  The week between Christmas and New Year is the single busiest one of the year.  During this holiday period, it’s not unusual for the Magic Kingdom to reach full capacity and close the gates to new arrivals as early as 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.

It is festive and beautiful – perhaps the single most beautiful time of year to visit Walt Disney World – with parks and resorts dressed to impress and the daily schedules a whirlwind of special events, activities, and holiday performances.  There are so many different things going on it’s impossible to list them all!  As the calendar counts off the days until Christmas, each resort begins to add its own roster of special holiday happenings.

Fast Facts

Special Events: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party continues, typically until about December 19th, at which time the Christmas Parade replaces the daytime parade in the Magic Kingdom for the remainder of the season.  The Castle Dream Lights sparkle and Wishes becomes Holiday Wishes for a few special days.  There are regular performances of the Candlelight Processional and the storytelling of Holidays Around the World in EPCOT.  Visitors to Disney’s Animal Kingdom can enjoy Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.  The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights draws the crowds at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Festival of Seasons offers seasonal entertainment and Santa meet-and-greets.  In fact, Santa really gets around the Walt Disney World Resort!

The Voices of Liberty don their holiday finery for concerts of seasonal music at the American Adventure and many of the resort lobbies ring with good cheer as various choruses, choirs, bell ringers, soloists, and musical groups serenade guests.

Attendance levels: From the sublime to the ridiculous – expect lower attendance for the first couple of weeks escalating to the highest numbers of the year during Christmas week.  Guests visiting for the first time after the middle of the month should understand that crowds will be fierce.  The parks are crowded, the parking lots are jammed, the roadways are busy, the buses and monorails are full; it’s difficult to overstate just how massive the crowds are.  Expect long waits for attractions and transportation; be prepared to wait at every turn.  Be certain to make dining reservations well in advance and plan to visit with a relaxed attitude, knowing that this will be a time to slow down and enjoy each moment as it comes.

Weather: It can be breezy and balmy or crisp and cold.  In the past few years, the temperatures have climbed well up into the 80’s and crashed into the 20’s.  December of 2010 was the coldest ever recorded for this area.

Packing: If there was ever a time to pack for all possibilities, this is it.  As the departure dates nears, we suggest checking the ten-day forecast at weather.com!

I have no choice; I must use the most overworked word in the Disney vocabulary.  There’s simply no other way to describe SpectroMagic – it’s just plain magical.  We all have our favorites at Walt Disney World; sights, attractions, characters, shows; things that embody our personal experience.  This is mine.  It’s color and music, fun and excitement; it’s beautiful and imaginative and unforgettable.

Miles of fiber optics, holographic images, and more than a half a million lights produce a mesmerizing spectacle that winds its brilliant way through the Magic Kingdom, lighting up the night. The parade celebrates many of the most-loved Disney stories in music and light.  There are small one-man floats that twirl and twinkle, and characters’ costumes glow with lights.  The wings of butterflies sparkle and flowers bloom in shimmering white, then burst into a rainbow of color.

If you’re fortunate enough to visit when there are two parades scheduled, plan to watch the second one.  You can take advantage of shorter lines at the attractions during the first parade, and  the late-night showing is typically less crowded.   Arrive early to find a great viewing spot and “let pure enchantment light your way.”

SpectroMagic

Magic Kingdom

Check Times Guide for schedule

Approximately 20 minutes long

Park admission required