Let's Just Not Talk About It AND WDW Events

Don't you just love the way deadlines go whooshing by? I can only excuse my complete procrastination on an alarmingly busy school year and I will endeavour to do better this year.

On a more positive note, I start at Disney World on June 5! This means more regular and in-depth planning ideas. Ideally, I'll be back with Orlando Informer around this time as well. I'm also playing around with some ideas for a side project which I'll throw out some sneak-peeks of before then.

I won't bore you with any more excuses or news. Let's just get on to the good stuff!

EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival 2009

 Making a Disney Trip Even More Special: Festivals and Events

Several times throughout the year, Walt Disney World hosts festivals and parties throughout their property. While every Disney vacation is special, visiting while these events are taking place can offer up some great memories and a different experience than just visiting the parks during the normal season.

Christmas

There is so much to do around the parks at Christmas time. Starting in mid-November, Disney's Hollywood Studios lights up with music and 16km (about 10 miles) of Christmas lights at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. EPCOT takes a quieter approach with the Candlelight Processional where guests can watch celebrity narrators tell stories of Christmas from around the world while backed by a full orchestra and choir. Of course, Magic Kingdom gets in on the holiday fun too. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is held after-hours on select nights throughout the Christmas season and brings out a special Christmas parade, fireworks display, and live entertainment.

Pros: There is so much to do around the Disney property during the holiday season to really get you into the celebrating mood. Christmas in Disney is enough to make you not miss having a white Christmas... although, sometimes Mickey works his magic to bring snow to the Magic Kingdom!

Cons: The parks are absolutely packed around this time of year and, since it's peak season, hotel and meal plan prices are at their highest.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

In full force by early October, Magic Kingdom hosts a special Halloween party after-hours. Guests get to dress up and go trick-or-treating throughout the park while taking in a unique fireworks show and parade. Famous Disney characters will be there with you as well, dressed in their Halloween-finest.

Pros: The not-so-scary part of the party is certainly well earned. For young children, this event is a must-see. No scary monsters will pop out and chase you. It's just happy family fun in that classic Disney style.

Cons: For very young children, the best parts of the party might run a bit late. The parade runs twice, once around 8pm and again around 10pm, while the fireworks usually begin somewhere in-between. A well-timed nap might keep cranky children going a little longer to make the most of the night.

EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival

For about three months every spring, EPCOT hoists in 100 topiaries along with gardening experts and 'Flower Power' bands from the 60s and 70s to bring spring to Walt Disney World. Wander the park and gaze at professionally crafted topiaries in the shape of some famous Disney characters, take in a gardening seminar, or sit down at rock out to a fantastic concert series.

Pros: The parks aren't particularly busy this time of year and the weather is usually amazing. It can get a bit rainy, but that just helps to thin out crowds even more.

Cons: Young children and teenagers might not think this is the most exciting thing available at WDW. If you're after a family day, you might want to skip some of the seminars.

EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

From September to November, EPCOT's World Showcase brings in dozens of vendors offering up appetizer-sized plates of food and drink from around the world for reasonable prices. A concert series featuring world artists and seminars covering everything from cooking to wine tasting top of the festivities.

Pros: Like the spring, the parks are fairly empty this time of year so line-ups are minimized. This can also be a fun way to get the picky eater in your group to try something beyond burgers and fries.

Cons: The festival sits right around hurricane season. Although central Florida isn't hit as bad as the coast, you can expect more rain than usual. You may also find yourself with unused dining plan meals if you've bought a plan. Festival food isn't covered on the dining plan.


♥ Rhys