Magical Moments - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Last week was the start of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, we had the pleasure of attending on Friday night. If you have an opportunity to attend than don't miss it. This is one of the best events of the entire year at WDW.

Magic Kingdom has never looked more beautiful than it does for Christmas. Cinderella Castle is covered with thousands of LED lights giving the impression it is covered with ice. Wreaths, garland, Christmas Trees and life size toy soldiers adorn Main Street USA. With the help of some Disney Magic it even snows on Main Street. It's an incredible sight to behold. Classic Christmas music (Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Perry Como, etc.) is played throughout the park.

Holiday themed shows are held on the Castle Forecourt Stage in front of Cinderella Castle and in Tomorrowland on the Rockettower Plaza Stage. There are character dance party's held in The Diamond Horeshoe with characters from Toy Story and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe with Goofy, Pluto and Chip n' Dale. Complimentary snacks (cookies, hot cocoa, apple slices, juice, etc.) are give out at designated areas (check the guide map). These are all great but for me the highlights of the party are:

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade- all of your favorite Disney Characters appear dressed in their holiday finest atop Christmas themed floats. The whole parade is choreographed to classic Christmas songs. The parade is performed twice (8:15 & 10:30) and starts in Frontierland and heads to Main Street, the second show is much less crowded.

The Magic, The Memories and You (Holiday Edition)- this is a projection show in which pictures taken of guests that day appear on Cinderella Castle. Words cannot do justice to this show. It is trully amazing the way the images appear on the Castle. At one point the whole castle is made to look as if it is made of gingerbread. This is not to be missed! Main Street USA is a great viewing spot.

Holiday Wishes-Celebrate the Spirit of the Season- The fireworks are choreographed to Christmas music. This is one of the few times in which the parameter fireworks are utilized. Anywhere on Main Street is great for viewing.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party does require a separate admission but it is worth every penny. Check the official WDW website for dates and prices. The first weeks of the party are usually the less busy, the crowds increase the closer we get to Christmas. You can check out pictures of the party of the D-Luminations Facebook Page. If you do attend we hope you have a great time, and Merry Christmas to everyone!

Magical Moments - 36th Festival of the Masters

As we noted in the last post the Holiday Season is fast approaching. Cast members at WDW are busy preparing the resort for the various holiday celebrations (which we will talk about in future posts) that will take place throughout the season. There is one event coming up that isn't part of the holiday festivities but shouldn't be missed and that is the 36th Festival of the Masters, presented by Michaels, which takes place at Downtown Disney.

Running from November 11-13th the Festival of the Masters is an open air fine arts show (ranked one of the best in the country) featuring more than 150 award winning artists. As you stroll through The Market Place, Pleasure Island and The Westside you can browse one of a kind paintings, photography, sculpture, jewlery and more, or just enjoy the live music, specialty foods and other activities taking place.

The Michaels Design Team will be on hand offering interactive craft experiences including designing your own friendship bracelet, learning how to make a custom frame for your art, and collaborative painting. Twice daily there will be a craft show on the Waterside Stage featuring ideas and tips for the crafter in your family. Times are 11am and 5pm Fri and Sat, and 11am and 4pm on Sunday.

One of my favorite things to do at the festival is to watch the members of the Florida Chalk Artists Association turn over 3000 square feet into a giant canvas. There will be 75 chalk artists participating and it's truly amazing to see the elaborate works of art created. Be sure to check this out in The Market Place.

Admission to the event is free. 11/11 and 11/12 the hours are 10am-5:30pm and 11/13 10am-5pm. The weather this time of year is great with the high in the upper 70's and a very little chance of rain. If you are visiting WDW at this time be sure to check out the Festival of the Masters, we highly recommend it.

Attractions - The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Driving backstage at WDW recently I was able to see the Christmas decorations being prepared so that the parks can start being decorated for the holidays. It's hard to believe it's that time of the year again, but in a few short weeks the holiday festivities will begin all over WDW. One of my favorites and one that starts the earliest is The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios, which goes from November 10th to January 7th (there is no performance on 12/8, the park closes at 5). If you have an opportunity to go to WDW make sure this is near the top of your list of things to do.

Jennings and Mitzi Osborne lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1986 their daughter asked that their house be decorated with lights for Christmas, which Jennings and Mitzi did, stringing 1000 lights on the house. Every year afterwards the display got bigger and bigger eventually encompassing the two surrounding properties which the Osborne's purchased. By 1993 the display became so big and was visited by so many people some neighbors filed a law suit to end the display, complaining that it had become a nuisance. The case went all the way to the Arkansas Supreme Court who ordered the display be taken down permanently in 1995. This is when Disney stepped in and moved the display permanently to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Originally presented on the "Residential Street" in the backlot section, the display is now seen on the "Streets of America". With over 10 miles of lights it is truly a spectacular sight. The lights turn on and off automatically and are choreographed to the music giving the appearance that the lights are dancing to the music. After each performance the lights remain steady for about 10 minutes before the next performance. Some of the selections that the lights "dance" to are; Jingle Bells (Barbra Streisand), Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano) and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Andy Williams). Along with the lights and music, "snow" falls during the performances.

Sadly Jennings Osborne passed away earlier this year, but it's nice to know that something he loved so much and put so much effort into continues to bring joy to thousands of people each holiday season. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is not to be missed! Keep in mind that Thanksgiving week and the weeks before and after Christmas are some of the busiest all year long, I try to see the display its opening week or the first weeks of December to avoid the crowds.

Magical Moments - An Update from the Food & Wine Festival

If you're heading to the 15th Annual Food & Wine Festival at Epcot this year you may notice the large crowds gathered in the area between Future World and World Showcase. A popular new exhibit has been created this year, a cranberry bog, built in partnership with Ocean Spray. The display celebrates "the taste, health and heritage of the cranberry" and contains more than 1,500 pounds of cranberries.

If you've never seen a cranberry bog before, and most people haven't, now is your chance. Cranberries do not grow in water, when it is time to harvest them the fields are flooded with water and machines knock the berries off the plants. The cranberries float to the top and are then corralled. The process takes one or two days, but the cranberry bog at Epcot will remain throughout the Food and Wine Festival.

The bog itself is quite beautiful, with the crimson of the cranberries surrounded by the green vines. Actual cranberry farmers (and also WDW cast members) will be standing knee deep in the bog answering any questions guests may have. If the sight of the cranberries whets your appetite, you'll be in luck; samples of Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries will be given out from a kiosk next to the bog. Make a point to stop by this unique display, you will be glad you did.

Magical Moments - Romantic Disney

Just imagine it, Mickey and Minnie holding hands while they watch the fireworks over Cinderella Castle. That's about as romantic as a cartoon mouse can be; right?

Actually, Walt Disney World offers a number of ways to experience the resort as the center of a romantic getaway that rival those found on the Disney Cruise Line. And, because they are Disney related, these experiences offer uniqueness that is, well, magical.

Now, you may be asking "What might those ways be exactly?". So, for those of you who seek to take a romantic journey through Disney, here we go.

Taking into account all that Disney has to offer in Orlando, I decided it would be best to write this post in a form similar to an itinerary. Consider it my gift to those husbands who are tired of being called unromantic, but don't know anything to do about it beyond ordering flowers.

For the sake of planning, let's say this is a three-day weekend. If you are flying in, remember to take the Disney Magical Express from the airport. Sure, you could get a limo, but for a 33 mile trip, that money will be better spent later.

You will then arrive at your Disney Resort. I recommend Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. "What?", you might exclaim aloud, knowing my aversion for zoos and the like; but yes, I recommend this resort. First, the Grand Floridian was the obvious choice, but we aren't going for obvious; we are going for romantic and unique. Second, this is the most secluded resort on property. Third, it has great subdued colors and decorations. The darker, earthy tones set a mood. And, you will be setup for a nice moment later.

Since you have called ahead and spoken with the Disney Dream Makers (407-WDW-GIFT), your wife will find her very own glass slipper as she opens the door to the room. There are actually many things she could find, however, inside every woman desires to be treated like a princess. So, this weekend, your Cinderella will have her own 5" glass slipper sitting on a pillow of carnations and pearls. The best part is that you have become her Prince Charming.

You may spend the day in the Magic Kingdom, so your Cinderella can admire her castle, but don't overdo it. From here, you might leave the park and hop the monorail for the Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club where your Cinderella will be treated to a deep tissue massage. Unfortunately, the spa will be closed until 2013 for refurbishments. So, you'll take the bus (though slightly less romantic than the monorail) to Saratoga Springs Resort, where she will partake in a personalized firm pressure massage as well as a spa manicure and pedicure.

From there, your evening will end atop the Contemporary Resort, where a meal for two at the California Grill will be an almost perfect end to the day. Once your meal of Seared Rare Tuna or Grilled Pork Tenderloin is finished, you will walk out to the balcony where you will catch a special view of the Wishes fireworks spectacular over her castle.

The next morning, you will attend the Around the World at Epcot Segway Tour. You will be a part of a small group, but this is a very unique way to explore the world showcase before it is open to the general public. It makes for nice photos and it is a fun, memorable activity that will last 2 hours. The remainder of the day can be spent enjoying Epcot. Plan to depart the park in time to catch dinner at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios. A nice meal would be the Cobb Salad (originating from the Brown Derby) or the Duck Two Ways. Sharing the Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brule would be a nice way to finish the meal.

When you make your reservation, be sure to get the Fantasmic Dining Package. This allows you to take advantage of special seating for this wildly popular fireworks show without requiring you to arrive 3 hours early. After Fantasmic finishes, you will return to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and sit together on the Arusha Viewing Area, rocking and talking into the night.

On your last morning, you will wake and attend the Sunrise Safari Breakfast Adventure at 7 am. Apparently, animals are extra cute or mysteriously exotic shortly after dawn. Either way, it is a memorable way to spend the morning. Spend the remainder of the day enjoying the park and the shows - I highly recommend Nemo - before you depart for home.

Have suggestions on other romantic ways to enjoy the parks, let us hear them. Add suggestions in the comments area below, or send a complete post of your own to DLuminations@gmail.com.

Disney Dining - Victoria and Alberts

The best dining experience that I have ever had in my life was at WDW, I am talking about Victoria and Albert's located at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. If you are looking for a place to celebrate a very special occasion this would be my recommendation. V&A's featured the best food, atmosphere, and service of any restaurant that I have been to, in fact V&A's is the only AAA Five Diamond Award winning restaurant in Central Florida.

The restaurant consists of three dining areas: the Main Dining room, the Queen Victoria Room (a private dining room with space for 8) and the Chef's Table. Entering the foyer you are immediately greeted by the fragrance of fresh cut roses that fill the entrance to the restaurant. We ate in the Main Dining room which consists of 18 tables and seats 60. The room is elegantly decorated with walnut walls and silk drapery that sets the stage for your enchanted evening. Depending on the night entertainment will be provided by a classically trained harpist or vilolin player.




The menu is prepared by Chef Scott Hunnel and changes daily depending on what is fresh in the market place. Featured is seafood, poultry, red meat, veal and lamb. There are also choices of soups, salads and desserts. Our meal consisted of Golden Osetra Caviar, Elk Tenderloin, Grilled Prime Filet, assorted cheeses, and Poached Pear. Dessert was a delicious Kona Chocolate Souffle with a vanilla bean center. All was accompanied by a wine pairing especially selected for the evening. There are over 700 wines on the menu and another 4000 in the wine cellar.




Service is, of course, perfect with a very high ration of cast to guest. All cast memebers at V&A's are incredibly knowledgeable about tastes and ingredients and ask many questions to determine what would be the perfect choice for each guest. At the end of your dining experience you will be presented with a personalized menu with your dinner selection, Ladies will also be presented with a long stem red rose.




A few tips: V&A's does have a dress code, jacets for men and evening attire for women. I would not recommend V&A's for small children, but children under 10 are allowed at the Chef's Table. There are two seatings per evening, 5:45-6:30 and 9:00-9:45, plan on spending at least 2 hours savoring the tastes of this special evening. Victoria and Albert's is consistently rated one of the top restaurants in the country and is perfect for any special celebration you may be planning.

Attractions - Main Street USA

So, you might be thinking "Main Street USA, an attraction? You don't ride it. You don't stand in line for it. Disney doesn't refer to it in 'ticket terms' like 'E-Ticket Attraction'. Why are you counting Main Street USA as an attraction?" The answer, for us, is a simple formula; Attention to Detail + Immersive Experience = Attraction.

Main Street USA is the opening scene in Walt's vision for a park. It is the destination for a nostalgic journey into the idyllic days of yesteryear. A place where memories of what was and what one might imagine was, are blurred just enough to create magic. Though, technically, it is a themed land, it is also every bit of an attraction.

Stepping onto Main Street USA is a magical experience in a very real sense. Looking around to see buildings representative of early 20th-century America, seeing a horse drawn trolley and hearing the music piped in all around you completely immerses you in another time and place. I can't help but feel like Terrence Mann stepping onto the Field of Dreams, surrounded by players like Shoeless Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver, waving my hand in front of my face as I hear the crunch of the warning track below my feet; reminding Ray Kinsella that the memories will be so thick, people will have to brush them away from their faces.Much like Terrence Mann's speech in Field of Dreams, guests come in droves and they return to a childlike innocence, longing for the past, and dipping themselves in the magic waters offered in a way that only Disney can provide.

As your feet carry you from the past and toward timeless fantasy, don't allow them to move you too quickly. Take a moment to take in the sights, sounds and smells that blanket you on Main Street USA. Allow the sounds of "Goodbye My Coney Island Baby" and the smell of popcorn take you back to eternal childhood. And as you walk, take in the detail of the buildings around you.

The buildings lining either side of the street not only represent those of the early 20th-century, but they model the design magic of Disney Imagineers. Using a technique called forced perspective makes the buildings look taller than they are. This illusion not only gives the impression that the buildings on Main Street are much taller than they are, but as a result makes Cinderella Castle ever the taller. Forced perspective works by making each story shorter than the one below it.

The buildings also hold, quite literally, windows into Disney history. Take time to note the names on the fictitious businesses. These give nods to those cast members and Imagineers whose contributions have made Disney what it is. From those who designed costumes, and attractions, to songwriters, and even Walt himself; each window tells a part of the Disney story and serves as credits to the Walt Disney World movie line.

Not only are the buildings along Main Street USA a wonder to observe, but they house a myriad of shops, bakeries, restaurants, and even a barber shop - where you may truly take part in a magical moment.

Main Street USA holds a different feel throughout various times of the day. Arriving in the morning, as you are among the first to enter, gives the impression of the dawning of a dream. A mid-afternoon parade is like a perpetual 4th of July or Christmas Day celebration. And lastly, standing on the train station platform and looking out over the street at night, as it is all aglow with 60,000 lights, captures a romantic feel that lies in the heart of all timeless memories.

What is your favorite part of Main Street USA? When is your favorite time to visit this area of the Magic Kingdom? What part brings back the most memories; sights, sounds or smells? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.