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In December 2006 we packed up and moved from New Jersey to Florida, if only temporarily. Disney World is my family's home away from home and, believe me, we feel it every time we return to "The World" thanks to the smiling faces and welcoming greetings of all of the Disney employees we meet. What made that particular trip different was that, for the first time, we were experiencing Disney in a whole new way: under the festive, sparkling lights and decorations of the holiday season. It was a trip we would all never forget. One that would set the benchmark for all future trips to Disney World to come; a trip that had to be experienced to believe. If you're a Disneyphile, like me, and you enjoy Disney World during the summer months, also like me, I can honestly tell you that you have not seen Disney World until you've visited during the holidays. I know Disney World inside-and-out. Being the one who plans our trips to Orlando, I have read countless travel guides, planned dinner reservations eight months in advance and designed our daily itineraries down to the minute. Alright, so maybe I get a little too carried away, but the point I'm trying to make is that, when it comes to all things Disney, I'm the resident expert. My wife, Kayce, is quickly gaining on me, having just graduated from the College of Disney Knowledge, but I'm not ready to give up the crown just yet. When we arrived at Disney World in December 2006, our jaws collectively hit the floor. Practically everything was decorated for the season, from the street lights lining Main Street U.S.A. to the topiaries, lobbies and restaurants at the various resorts to the individual characters' costumes and CSR outfits. For the first time on a Disney vacation, I was at a complete loss over what to see and experience first. There was just so much to take in; everything felt new and fresh, as though we had never been there before. We were, in fact, utilizing some Disney services and options we had never used before and, for us, these made our vacation extra memorable. These options come highly recommended by myself and, for Disneyphiles, are a complete must. They are not only enjoyable and save you time and money on your trip, they help better immerse you and your family in the holiday spirit and Disney experience by removing certain barriers that may have stood in your way during past trips and carving new experiences you may not have otherwise had. Disney's Magical Express Disney had just rolled out their Magical Express shuttle service and we were anxious to give it a try. If you're not familiar with Magical Express, the way it works is this: Disney provides you with special luggage tags prior to your trip that you attach to your checked luggage. After arriving at the Orlando airport, there is no need to visit luggage claim. Instead, you line up in an area of the Orlando airport reserved for Disney guests for Disney's Magical Express bus shuttles that deliver you to your resort. Your luggage follows you separately and is delivered right to your room. Upon departure, the shuttle collects you and your luggage and returns you to the airport for your journey
home. The buses are clean and comfortable and have LCD monitors replaying Disney cartoon classics and providing informative news and tips about your upcoming trip to Disney World. Disney's Magical Express is a free service for resort guests flying to Orlando using select carriers. Disney's Dining Plan Also new was Disney's Dining Plan, which provides guests with daily credits for meals and snacks. Being a budget-conscious family of five, taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan allowed us to experience upscale restaurants we might have otherwise avoided. It removed one more troublesome aspect from our experience: the search for food. Because we didn't have to worry about where we ate due to price, we were able to research and make dining reservations at various restaurants agreeable to the entire family months in advance. Being able to stay away from fast food options, we found that we also ate better and healthier. We experienced Character Dining for the first time, and even ate Christmas dinner with Mickey and his pals at Chef Mickey's. Disney's Dining Plan was offered to us for free because of the time we booked our trip, and it has been offered as a free component to certain guests during the non-peak travel months of August through December ever since. Disney has recently modified the tier structure of its dining plan, allowing for more affordable options, and it's a worthwhile addition for resort guests. I highly recommend it, especially during the holiday season, when Disney provides special meals you won't find on their menus at any other time of the year. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party During select days in November and December, Disney World opens its gates for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. These events are not included in the regular cost of admission and tickets must be purchased separately from your individual park passes. For a family of five, the cost can be rather steep (current prices are $52 p.p. ages 10 and up and $46 p.p. ages 3-9, plus tax), but we found the experience to be worth the cost. Select rides are open to ticket holders and it gave us a great opportunity to visit attractions without a wait time. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas parade was quite a spectacle. Everyone loves a parade, and Disney really pulls out the stops with this one, every year delivering the only snow storm to hit the Orlando area. Our kids really enjoyed visiting restaurants for free cookies and hot cocoa and a special Holiday Wishes firework spectacular capped off our extra special evening. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights I can count on one hand the number of times I've been left dumbstruck to the point of being unable to speak in my life: Once when I married my beautiful bride, the three times she gave birth to our fabulous children and the time we saw The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. I can't even adequately convey in words the experience we felt watching this event unfold. Think about watching millions of synchronized lights bespeckling buildings as far as the eye can see moving in seamless patterns to holiday music and you won't even begin to comprehend the magic this event provides. The Osborne Family Spectacle of lights takes place on select days during November through January in Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is included in park admission. Candlelight Processional On certain nights during November and December, be sure to see the Candlelight Processional, a Christian-themed telling of the story of Christmas, held at the America Gardens Theater in Epcot. Each show has a special guest narrator (ours was Neal Patrick Harris, who will forever remain Doogie Howser to me) who introduces themes then told through a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra. Admission is free, but be sure to plan to be near the America Gardens Theater well
ahead of time; the line begins to form late in the afternoon and only a select number of guests can attend. If you have young children, the majority of the show will be lost on them, and the orchestra can get extraordinarily loud, so sit near the back if they're sensitive to loud noise. Holidays Around the World While you're in Epcot, be sure to visit Holidays Around the World and learn about holiday traditions from other countries. Walk under the dazzling synchronized Lights of Winter to the World Showcase and visit the tree lighting ceremony, which takes place nightly. As with everything else, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is appropriately themed for the holidays, lending a new vision to the fireworks display at the end of every evening. There is just so much to see and do at Disney World during the winter holidays. You'll no doubt be impressed and even awed at the special touches Disney puts on practically every aspect of your holiday vacation, from the modified parades and firework shows to the giant Christmas trees and wrapped presents placed in the parks, to the twinkling decorations spilling out over the buildings and decor. I have barely touched on all you'll see and do and can not even begin to truthfully render the experience we, like so many families who have traveled to Disney World during the holidays, have had. As with most things in life, to experience Disney during this special time of the year, is to truly believe. But now is the time to act: Disney is offering some very special pricing if you book your trip soon. You too can experience all of the memorable things I've mentioned, and more. And, once you've arrived at Orlando International Airport, itself decked out in the spirit of the holidays, you too will believe.
Ed Spader Clamshell Vacations Specializing in family vacations to Walt Disney World®, Mexico and the Caribbean. [http://www.clamshellvacations.com]
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