Well Christmas is here again and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year for 2011. Glad to say that Florida is not having the snow that the UK is having with more than a foot falling. Although I have been told it has been a lot cooler this year than past years…

I hope that everyone who has been lucky enough to go to Florida, this Christmas was able to get there without too much trouble or with any flight delays or cancellations.

 For us - we are here in the UK for the 1st time in 5years – How lovely. Sure I would have much rather been in Florida Never mind.

Let’s just hope that you have your Holiday well planed if it is over the Christmas and New Year time – lots of places such as “Old Town” and Celebration will have free entertainment.

At Celebration they have a band playing which you can sit and listen to or you can walk around the stalls and shops Celebration also has wine bars and restaurants open till late – a good selection of shops with plenty of extra Christmas ideas and that little something special to take back home with you - they have the Snow fall on the hour, which is entertainment in its self. With horse and carts rides - The little train which will take you around Celebration and then there is the water shoots for the children to play in- remember to bring a change of clothes for them or a towel to dry off with. And of course there is Santa to see – he and his helpers will be found down by the lake, a great opportunity to have a fantastic family photo.

If you’re planning to go to the parks be sure to get there early – once the parks are full they will close the gates to you. I have known this to be as early has 10.00am in the morning be prepared for a long day!!   Eat well and drink plenty. All well worth it – the fireworks are fantastic and the atmosphere is thrilling.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New year to you all!

The time flies by and it is already time for the Special “Mickey Nights” over the coming holiday periods. They are so popular with regular visitors and a big hit with first timer’s we would like to bring the event scheduels to you all.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held on select dates in Magic Kingdom. You have to buy an additional event admission ticket to attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The evenings will be held from 7pm-12am.

Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes but buy these at Walmart before you go into Disney as they are much much cheaper. Also you should load up with your Trick or Treat goodies before you go. It really is a Great Family night. There are special entertainment features at certain Disney attractions. Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade—including Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion. The parade begins with a spook-tacular ride by the Headless Horseman.    Happy HalloWishes, a spectacular fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky. Many favorite Disney Characters and Disney Villains in special Halloween costumes. The special lighting, music and theming effects transforms special areas of Magic Kingdom theme park into happy haunted hollows. However, typical Disneylike the tone of the event is, well, “Not-So-Scary” and is appropriate for children of all ages. Dates:- Monday October 11,

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Friday, October 29, 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Monday, November 1, 2010

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is probably the most popular and the most spectactular, also at The Magic Kingdom. Again, there is an extra charge for the Special nights. The Christmas festive celebration is filled with extra live entertainment, spectacular fireworks and an extra special holiday parade. The enchanted Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella’s Castle are absolutely breathtaking, make sure you camera batteries are charged. Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, complete with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself. Live entertainment featuring Disney Characters and more chances to meet and greet your own favourites. Make the most of a rare Dieney Freebie with Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa before the  magical snow fall on Main Street.

Dates Monday, November 8, 2010

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Friday, November 12, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Friday, November 19, 2010

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Friday, December 3, 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Friday, December 10, 2010

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Friday, December 17, 2010

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Both Specials are good fun and value but because of Cinderella’s Castle and the Snow on Main Street, Mickey’s Christmas nights are our favourite and not to be missed.

Happy Holidays

Mary & Larry 

Our flight arrived early at JFK airport and it then took 2 hours in a crowded and stuffy immigration hall to get through. We had a booked a shuttle bus to get to our hotel in Manhattan that was easy enough but by the time he had set off, come back to the airport to pick up more customers and picked up more on the way it was rush hour and it took another 2 hours to get to the city, 15 miles away! So an inauspicious start but once we got there it was fantastic.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on W 45th Street which couldn’t have been better placed for Times Square and 5th Avenue. The rooms were a little smaller than usual so with four of us in there it was a bit of a crush but we only slept there so it was fine.

We had 2 great days sightseeing both on the open top bus and on foot. We went to the Top of the Rock which was amazing, you could see the whole city for miles around, we also went on a boat trip around the island so we could see it from the East River and the Hudson River. It was very, very cold! You really do need thermal underclothes. The Christmas decorations and shop window displays were awesome, very impressive.

We also visited Central Park and watched the ice skating. Then on the Saturday before Christmas it was time for the Orlando part of our holiday and we were all ready for some sunshine. Unfortunately when we got to JFK all flights had been cancelled due to the incoming bad weather, there wasn’t a flake of snow at that point. Again we stood in line for 2 hours to be told we had been allocated a flight on Monday morning. Bad news but at least we weren’t on standby.

We then had to find a hotel and it really was a case of there being no room at the Inn. The only room we could get was at La Guardia airport 6 miles away which we took. Another 2 nights of sharing a room, eating takeaway food as there was nowhere to go and just kicking our heels in Queens! Actually there was a shuttle bus to a shopping mall so at least we got out for a while, by that time the snow had arrived and it was bad everywhere.

We finally got to our villa in Florida on Monday afternoon, greatly relieved to have actually got there and to feel the warm sunshine. Although the weather in Florida this winter has been colder than usual, for us at was positively balmy!

Christmas is a quite place in the summer, but bustles with activity prior to the Christmas holidays.  People line up to mail their Christmas cards and letters at the post office, to obtain the unique postmark of ‘Christmas, FL’

The post office is small, but modern and is located on the right, not long after the green ‘Christmas’ sign at the entrance to the town.  Year round, the post office is decorated with a wreath on the outside and a Christmas tree in its entrance.

Originally the town was called Fort Christmas, named when 2000 US Army Soldiers and Alabama Volunteers arrived on December 25th 1837 to construct the fort.  However, when the first post office opened in 1892, ‘fort’ was dropped from the name. 

The town has a small Christmas gift shop, and a Circle K convenience store.  For travellers, there is a choice of the Christmas RV Park, or the primitive camping site at Tosohatchee Reserve State Park.  For more comfortable accommodation, the nearest hotels are in Orlando or Titusville.

Capitalising on the name, there is a large Christmas tree marking one intersection, and on the top of a building in the RV Park is Santa’s reindeer and sleigh.

A replica of the original fort built in 1837 during the Seminole Indian War, is located a few miles north of the main highway, at the Fort Christmas Historical Park. The park also features a traditional Florida ‘Cracker’ house, a sugar cane mill, seven pioneer homes (showing life from the 1870’s through to the 1930’s) and historical farming equipment.  There are also picnic pavilions, themed children’s playground, a baseball diamond, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.

Opening Hours: (Closed Mondays)

Museum:   10.00am – 5.00pm

Park:

Summer: Tuesday – Sunday          8.00am – 8.00pm

Winter:    Tuesday – Sunday         8.00am – 6.00pm

(Hours change when the clocks change)

Admission Price:   FREE

Further Information:

Christmas Post Office
23580 East Colonial Dr.
Christmas, Florida 32709-9998

Telephone: (800) 275-8777

Fort Christmas Historical Park

1300 Fort Christmas Road (C.R.420)
Christmas, Florida 32709

Telephone: 407-568-4149

During the holiday period at Epcot, from November 27th - December 30th. the Park is transformed into an International Celebration of Christmas traditions from throughtout the World. It is highlighted by the Candlelight Procession with the live entertainment and decorations a sight to not to be missed.

Candlelight processional is held on Selected Nights at The American Gardens Theatre, telling Christmas stories narrated by Celebrity Speakers, accompanied by a 50 piece orchestra and a Full Mass Choir. Whoopi Goldberg is one of the narrators this year. It is very popular, as you can imagine and fills up very quickly, so you need to get there early. You can pre book with a meal package which guarantees your seat at the show and the fireworks. (We didn’t and took our chance by getting there early). 

It is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit and to see and share the magic feelings with people from all over the world but most importantly, your own family. It is truely an amazing atmosphere which we will share again when our next visit takes in Christmas.

Add this to you “Must Do” list, not forgetting The Osborne Lights.

Have a great Christmas at Disney

Mary & Larry