Xmas In Florida

[richard3330]

Hi everybody,

Although I have 4 months until I go to Florida I was just wondering if anybody knew what
Universal Orlando/ Sea World/WDW/Busch Gardens, etc. did for Xmas. I have never been to Florida at Xmas time before and hope some of you can help!

What parades are disney doing and is anything special happening?

What does Universal Do?

Any Xmas experiences please share!...


Thanks

 

[Janice]

Hi Richard

We have been to Florida at Christmas and New Year a few times now - it's the only place to go!

It is wonderful. The atmosphere in all the parks is great - not just the Disney parks either - but everywhere.

We spent Christmas Eve at Kennedy Space Centre - it was a real fun day, everyone was on a high because they were having their Staff Christmas Party that evening and there was a buzz everywhere - and without fail - every member of staff you passed, wished you Happy Holidays!

We have been to Busch Gardens on Christmas Day - brilliant. Not too busy - so much time to get round all the rides and not long lines either. The one drawback of going this time of the year though is that some of the big rides may be down for Refurbishment but you can normally find this out before you go.

Our favourite place for New Years Eve is Universal Studios. We saw in the New Millennium there and it was just awesome (to coin a phrase!) We preferred Universal over Disney because our party was all adult and the lads wanted to have a drink or three and the girls wanted to boogie!

My trip reports from the Millennium are on the Trip Report Index - you'll find they are quite long - but I am told, worth reading.

Hope this helps - any more questions just ask.

 

[Mazzy]

Hi Richard

We too are going to WDW this Christmas, well we will arrive there on Boxing Day but I'm sure it will still feel Christmassy! We are staying at the Dolphin for 15 nights

IOA will have a Grinchmas event, which sounds brilliant, it has been on for the last 2 years and had some good reports on the DIS Universal Boards, if you do a search for Grinchmas you will find them - there are some good photos in the posts - the Who's look fabulous if a little strange!

Magic Kingdom will have it's Christmas Parade until New Years Eve. They also have Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party which you have to buy tickets for in advance. Deb Wills has a great information section on Holiday Events and Happenings on her site at www.wdwig.com

At MGM will be the Osborne Lights which look spectacular, entry to the lights is included with park entry.

EPCOT has Holidays Around the World, with a santa in each pavilion relevant to that country, and also Candlelight Processional in the evenings which is included in the park ticket price, but you can prebook a Dinner Package if you want, info on this also on wdwig.

I believe there will be a special character breakfast at Animal Kingdom at Restaurantasausus 'Deck the Halls with Donald' which Santa Goofy will attend.

I have done lots of research as we were meant to go last year but we had to cancel due to my foot problems, so if you have any specific questions fire away and I will try to help.

If you are making PS for restaurants you will need to start booking soon, especially if you are there Xmas Day and New Years Eve.

What dates are you going and where are you staying? I would love to hear your plans!

 

[UKANGEL]

Christmas in Florida is wonderful!
The Grinchmas at IoA is fantastic, 'real' snow for kids to play in and amazing decorations. Universal too has wonderful decorations and atmosphere, all the parks have the most enormous trees decorated.

My favourite experience though was the Osbourne lights at MGM....pure magic!

Mickeys Christmas party at MK was fun with the parade, snow and free cookies and hot chocolate.

SW had a lovely atmosphere and a 'different' tree made of poinsettias! The sky tower is all lit up with stars and look beautiful......


Loads of other things...have fun!

 

[richard3330]

Thanks everybody for your help.

UKAngel : What is Osbourne Lights at MGM?


Hi Mazzy,
Thank You very much for your help. We are staying at The Wilderness Lodge (1st time!) as we thought it would be really nice at Christmas time. We are leaving on the 14th December and staying for 7 nights there and then we are moving to The Poly for another 7 nights. We can't wait!, we have only ever experienced DLParis at Xmas time so we excpect we are going to really enjoy WDW at christmas!

 

[Mazzy]

Hi Richard

I'm sure you will enjoy Wilderness Lodge as it is apparently the best decorated Resort and has an enormous tree in the foyer so it sounds the best place to be on Xmas Day.

We went to DLP early in January this year, so saw the Xmas parade and decorations, but it was freezing! Surely it will be warmer for us in Orlando, but then stranger things have happened in the past so we will be taking shorts AND wooly gloves!

 

[richard3330]

LOL mazzy!

Some frineds of ours told us that the WL was wonderful at Xmas and we love the idea of warm log fires at Xmas time - even if it is florida!.

It was the same with us - when we visited DLP at Xmas it was FREEZING!.

Have fun at Xmas, I think we will

 

[Janice]

I think you'll be wise with the woolly gloves Mazzy! After the temperatures drop, even on a warm day - it can get quite cold, especially round World Showcase whilst your waiting for Illuminations to start! We just used to leave all our warm fleeces and stuff in the lockers and pick them up when needed.

Richard:

The Osborne Lights is in MGM - here is the info we have on the Dis about it :Osborne Lights Info

It really is an amazing display and I have seen it a few times now. When you go - make sure you get some 3D Glasses from one of the CM's - they are usually all around handing them out - and when you put them on and look at the lights through them, the lights are all turned into different objects. We have had "Snowflakes" and "Angels" on different occassions.

As you wander towards the Lights, the street before has 'Snow' coming down from the roof tops - Hot Chocolate is a must - and I am sure they even put the cold blowers on to chill the air! LOL

A spectacular sight and most definetly not to be missed.

 

[richard3330]

Thanks Janice!

The Osbourne Lights display sounds magnificent - even more excited now!

 

[UKANGEL]

Yes Richard, as Janice has said...they really are magical...I especially enjoyed seeing the 'Angels' 'flying' around us!

 

[Janice]

LOL Mandy!

I was just going to scan some pictures to show you Richard what you have to look forward to - but thought I better ask in case you would rather me not?

Let me know

 

[richard3330]

Yes, Janice it would be great to see some pictures if you wouldn't mind.

 

[Janice]

These dont really do the whole look justice, but it will give you some taster of what you're in store for!

In the third pictures, look at the childs trycicle! It's even decked in lights!

The whole thing is pretty amazing - when you first see it, you just cant quite believe it!

Enjoy.

Oh..........and you will see what I mean about the warm clothes! This was a day or two after the New Year in 99/2000

 

[richard3330]

Thank - You very much, it looks amazing!

 

[Mazzy]

Thanks for posting the piccies Janice, they're great! And yes the gloves and fleeces will be going on holiday to Florida too!

Great Stuff!