Thursday, December 22, 2011
Florida Holiday 2011 Trip Report - Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney
Now according to Disney's official literature, the Magic Kingdom is essentially Christmas Central in all of Walt Disney World. I am going to argue against that, but that's tomorrow's post.
Magic Kingdom does probably get the most decorations per square foot of all the parks. The Castle Dream Lights are the flagship. They really are gorgeous in person.
From this angle, you can see how thew color-changing is achieved. (See the lights in the lower-right?)
And you may be able to see the giant sheets of net lights from this shot of the "backside" of the castle.
"See this? I did all this. Kinda. Okay, really, my brother did, but I came up with almost all of the ideas so there!"
Back at the beginning of Main Street, they had this adorable display with the toy soldiers from "Babes in Toyland". In the window, they had little animated picture windows showing scenes from "Mickey's Christmas Carol". I like how so much of the Magic Kingdom's Christmas iconography comes from films they hardly acknowledge now.
Another look at the super-cute soldiers. I love his constantly astonished expression.
We got to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade again and this Tinkerbell float is brand new... maybe. I may have not noticed it the last time. Speaking of things I hadn't noticed until now...
SOOOOooooooo many drug references...
On that note, let's go shopping in Downtown Disney!
To be fair, there aren't many references to more recent/more famous Disney holiday films either. The "Prep and Landing" series gets a brief nod here and at the Osbourne Lights (you have to listen for it though) and they still have a full room of "Nightmare Before Christmas" stuff in the Christmas All Year Long store here at DTD.
The centerpiece of Downtown Disney's decorations is Santa's house, pictured above. It's a cute touch.
I learned that Florida loves decorating with poinsettias. Nearly every part of Disney World had some variation on these poinsettia trees.
Dear Walt Disney World,
Hey, how's stuff? Listen, I'm not sure how to break the news to you but, you see, America is not in love with Duffy the Disney Bear. Like, at all. I know Mickey's little stuffed animal friend that he hugs tightly on lonely nights in his ship in the middle of the ocean (seriously) was a huge hit when he was introduced in Tokyo Disneyland. But when brought to America in 2011, he was greeted with many delighted cries of, "Who the hell is that?" and "Why is he everywhere?" And I'm not just quoting TV Tropes here to be cheap; they have him listed as The Scrappy for cryin' out loud! Please chill the heck out already. Thanks.
Love Always, Trish.
On the other hand, Raglan Road for the waffles! All of the waffles! ALL of them!
Eh... maybe minus one waffle.
Just keep walking fellow ArtEvolved guys. Don't look directly at it.
Holy crap, a "Runaway Brain" pin?!? I am mad at myself for not buying this.
Disney: "Oh, wait... some people don't celebrate Christmas do they? Let's acknowledge them once or twice ever."
See, I really wanted to get my cousin an Ariel tree ornament, but what you see is all they had. Who wants Ariel wearing a generic Princess dress and in her lousy human form?
On a positive note. I'd heard of these new LEGO sculptures outside the big LEGO store but I didn't realize they'd be this awesome!
And yes, YES! Disney Dollars are still a Thing! As a weird aside, you have to get these at Guest Services, and that was the most tedious line I stood in the entire trip.
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In our final post, we visit EPCOT center, which turns out to win at Christmas! On to the Grand Finale!