Happy holidays! Here at Dole Whipped, we believe there’s no other gift like the gift of travel. In order to help with that, we’ve come up with some ways you can put a Disney vacation under your tree. From scavenger hunts, to balloons, we’re sure you can find a really fun and special way to let your family know you want to spend quality time with them at The Happiest Place on Earth!
Happy listening!
Mickey Gingerbread Cookies via Disney Family Recipes
The holiday season is filled with joy and tradition, but we Disney fans really know how to do it up, am I right? We have some great ideas that you can use to get your halls decked in a way that would make Uncle Walt proud!
Ornaments
As I’m sure you know, Disney has some amazing ornaments that you can purchase at their parks as well as online. No matter what your style, you can find something amazing that fits your holiday decor.
Shop the Disney Store’s ornament selection here.
Stockings and Tree Accessories
Everyone needs a fancy sock to hang for Santa to fill with goodies, right? Might as well make it a Disney one! Disney Store online has some really cute ones that you can even personalize.
Disney Store online stockings.
Maybe you need a new tree skirt? Try the Mickey and Minnie Victorian tree skirt. It’s a gorgeous rich red that feels very much in the Christmas spirit.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse Victorian Holiday Tree Skirt
Holiday Food
If your family is anything like mine, the holidays just aren’t the same without lots of good things to eat. The Disney Family website has lots of Disney inspired recipes that will help you share your love of Disney and the holidays in the most delicious way possible. Whether you’re in the mood for sweet or savory, they have something that will make your tummy happy. They also have lots of recipes that are allergy friendly.
Disney Parks Travel
Now, we realize that this is not the norm as far as holiday gift giving is concerned, but if you really want to blow your kids’ minds, give them a Disney vacation under the tree this year. Hear us out. If you know you’re going to be visiting a Disney park within the next 6 months why not just put it under the tree? All it takes a refundable $200 deposit and you can have a lifetime of family memories all in one place. You can even video your kids’ reaction as they open a box that says “You’re going to Disney!” inside. That’s half the fun! You can check Pinterest for some really creative ways to give them the news.
The Dole Whipped group will be sharing some of their favorite Disney holiday traditions with you on the Facebook page as well as Pinterest so keep your eyes out for that. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Disney has just released additional names of narrators for this year’s Candlelight Processional at Epcot. From November 27 until December 30 you can catch a lovely retelling of the Christmas story with a full orchestra and choir at the American Gardens Theater in Epcot. Showtimes are at 5:00pm, 6:45pm, and 8:15pm nightly.
Disney does have a disclaimer that they are subject to change without notice to be sure to check before you arrive.
And you can also purchase Candlelight Processional Dining Packages for lunch and dinner where there is availability.
Who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Here is your September 2015 Disney news round up!
The biggest news this week is that this will be the final year for The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. While it will be very sad to see them go the best part is that Disney is giving notice. So if you had wanted to see them one last time or for the first time this will be your last chance. The Osborne Lights start in early November and will conclude on January 3, 2016. This change is due to the upcoming Toy Story Land and Star Wars themed land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Photo via Disney Parks Blog.
If you are coming to see the lights there are two new seasonal offerings. The first is the Merry & Bright Dessert Party from November 6 to December 30. This will include holiday themed desserts. Next is the Merry & Bright Dinner Reception which is January 1-3, 2016. It will feature a selection of small bites like beef, shrimp, and turkey as well as beer, wine, and specialty beverages. Reservations can be made starting September 16.
Let’s hop over to the west coast with news of a new Frozen inspired stage musical for Disney’s California Adventure Park. This show it due out in summer 2016 at the Hyperion Theater. Which means this show will be replacing the current Disney’s Aladdin- A Musical Spectacular” much to the sadness of many Disney fans. Aladdin will be finished on January 10, 2016.
Photo via Disney Parks Blog.
If you have ever been to Walt Disney World for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival and enjoy cooking, I have the thing for you! A cookbook for the last 20 years of Food and Wine Festival. Disney has even posted some of the recipes on their blog if you would like to try out a few of them before buying! http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/09/new-cookbook-celebrates-20-years-of-epcot-international-food-wine-festival/
Lastly, there is a new special event at Walt Disney World, Ferrytale Wishes: A Fireworks Dessert Cruise. This cruise will take in the Wishes fireworks from a ferry on the Seven Seas Lagoon and feature plenty of sweat treats taken from resorts and the parks with the music piped into the ferry. It finishes with a toast of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in a souvenir glow glass. Prices are $99 for adults and $69 for children 3-9 and reservations are available.
Photo via Disney Parks Blog.
The dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015 have been released. Tickets will go on sale in April.
November
8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29
December
1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a hard ticketed event on select nights starting in November. The party takes place in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. During the party there are special fireworks, parades, rare character meets and cookies and hot cocoa. The number of tickets is limited so be sure to order early as the can and will sell out.
This week we discuss ways to incorporate Disney into your holiday! We talk about ornaments, little family traditions and making Disney recipes. Just to warn you, there is candid talk about Elf on the Shelf, so make sure your kids are out of earshot for that part!
Happy listening!
This week the whole gang gets together to discuss what we’re thankful for, Disney-style! This is a very special and emotional episode so if you’re looking to get into the spirit of the holiday, you don’t want to miss this!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Disney has released the dates and celebrity narrators for the 2014 Candlelight Processional at Epcot. Candlelight Processional takes place in the American Gardens Theatre and is a narration of the Christmas Story. It is accompanied by a 50 piece orchestra and choir and is sure to get you in the spirit of the holiday season.
Photo courtesy of Disney.
Celebrity narrators tell the biblical story of the birth of Jesus to a packed audience starting November 28 and ending December 30, 2014. There are also American Sign Language interpreters so that all may enjoy. On days that the show is on there are 3 different showings at 5pm, 6:45pm, and 8:15pm.
As the rest of the narrators are announced we will update the list. In addition you can purchase the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package. Similar to the Fantasmic Dinner Package you will pay the price for your dinner or lunch and get preferred seating with no extra cost. This saves having to get in line early for the Candlelight Processional as seating is first come first serve. A large number of the restaurants in World Showcase participate in this dinner package. To see a list go over to Disney’s website to check availability.
The rumors that Maelstrom in the Norway Pavilion in Epcot was going to be changed into a Frozen attraction have proved to be true. In a statement made by the Disney Parks Blog, Maelstrom will be sailing on its final voyage October 5, 2014. The new attraction is slated to open early 2016. The Norway Pavilion will also have a royal meet and greet with the sisters from Frozen (yes another meet and greet for Anna and Elsa!). In the meantime the pavilion will still be open during construction.
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Because of the popularity of the Frozen Summer Fun Live at Hollywood Studios some aspects of this are being extended. For the First Time in Forever: A ‘Frozen’ Sing-Along Celebration, is presented up to 10 times per day at the Premiere Theater on Streets of America. This fun and interactive show has been extended indefinitely. Another item extended is Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Frozen Funland. It will move September 28, 2014 from Soundstage One to a new location in Streets of America near the exit of the Backlot Tour. The new location will allow the play area to be much larger. This is also the place to get your frozen merchandise as well.
If you are going down for the Christmas holiday season you will be able to see some of the Frozen characters at the Magic Kingdom. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf will be in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade as well as some ice cutters and ice skaters. This parade runs during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights in November and December and then daily from December 20-31, 2014.
Starting November 5, 2014 and running through the end of the year, Anna and Elsa will be in a new show in front of Cinderella Castle, showing nightly. This will feature Queen Elsa using her powers to transform the castle into an ice palace.
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