Holidays Around The World At Epcot Part III
When you visit Epcot and the World Showcase during the Christmas Season, you realize that not all of the countries in the world celebrate Christmas. As part of Epcot's Holidays Around The World storytellers from each World Showcase pavilion relay some of their countriy's traditions whether it relates to Christmas or the celebration of the New Year.
Today we will look at 2 of the countries that have rich traditions for celebrating the New Year.
Japan
In Japan the storyteller is a Daruma Vendor. The Daruma doll is an important symbol of the Japanese New Year and a good luck charm.
The Japanese New Year's celebration is called O-Shogatsu, which lasts from January 1st through January3rd. It is considered a time for reflection, family, friends, food, and fun!
Today we will look at 2 of the countries that have rich traditions for celebrating the New Year.
Japan
In Japan the storyteller is a Daruma Vendor. The Daruma doll is an important symbol of the Japanese New Year and a good luck charm.
The Japanese New Year's celebration is called O-Shogatsu, which lasts from January 1st through January3rd. It is considered a time for reflection, family, friends, food, and fun!
The storyteller reveals that the Daruma doll has no pupils in its eyes. During the O-Shogatsu celebration, you make a wish as you paint in the left pupil on your doll. If the wish comes true before the end of the year you get to paint in the right pupil.
China
In China you will meet See how kong, the Monkey King. Here he will tell his tall tale about the Chinese New Year.
As the story goes, he was a monkey raised by humans that single-handedly defeated a terrible monster. He then gained incredible powers when he obtained a Magic Stick that had been guarded by the Dragon King.
He started to use his powers to look for adventure and mischief. Buddha was not pleased with his abuse of his powers, so he decided to seal him in a mountain for eternity.
The Monkey King quickly realized the error of his ways. Thang Seng believed that there was good in the Monkey King and asked Buddha to release him. The Monkey King then joined Thang Seng on a journey to India to retrieve Buddha's original teaching tests.
The Monkey King proved to be a loyal comrade to Thang Seng on his journey.
Holidays Around The World
At Epcot's Holidays Around The World there are many great stories to be heard. Take the time and learn about the wonderful traditions and celebrations that occur this time of year around the world.
Happy New Year!
Make An Intergalactic Phone Call In The Magic Kingdom
It's always fun to find something new. It's even more fun when it is something that not everyone else knows about.
There are many unadvertised features to be found in the theme parks at Disney World. Today we will look at one that can be found in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom.
Once you have reached Tomorrowland, head to Rockettower Plaza near The Lunching Pad (which is underneath the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Entrance). Here you will find a futuristic looking phone booth amongst the tables set up in the plaza.
Although you may not spend a lot of time at the Metrophone, it is probably one of the features of Tomorrowland that kind of blended in with the surroundings and you never even noticed that it was there.
Take the time during your next visit to impress your family by pointing it out and going over and making a few calls. It will not only be fun for you and your family, it will increase your credibility as the family Disney World expert because you knew all about the Metrophone, one of the Hidden Secrets of Disney World.
There are many unadvertised features to be found in the theme parks at Disney World. Today we will look at one that can be found in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom.
Once you have reached Tomorrowland, head to Rockettower Plaza near The Lunching Pad (which is underneath the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Entrance). Here you will find a futuristic looking phone booth amongst the tables set up in the plaza.
The Metrophone is not your ordinary phone booth. This is a very special phone brought to you by the GCN (Galactic Communications Network, in case you are not familiar with the GCN).
Here you can make calls "Toll Free from anywhere in the Galaxy." To make a call just enter the Metrophone booth and press a number on the keypad. You will then be connected to an amusing recording on the other end. Try a few different ones while you are there!
Take the time during your next visit to impress your family by pointing it out and going over and making a few calls. It will not only be fun for you and your family, it will increase your credibility as the family Disney World expert because you knew all about the Metrophone, one of the Hidden Secrets of Disney World.
A Glimpse Inside Disney World's Space Mountain With The Lights On
At the Magic Kingdom in Disney World, Space Mountain is king of the fabled triple mountains made up of Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The thrill of Space Mountain is the unknown. With the cloak of darkness covering the tracks, you rocket though the mountain not knowing what comes next. This certainly heightens the experience.
Although I wouldn't want to ride Space Mountain with the lights on, I have always wanted a better look at the track and how it is configured.
Recently, while riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) I had my opportunity. Space Mountain was experiencing some technical difficulties, so the inside lights were turned on, exposing the seldom seen tracks to lucky passersby.
I apologize for the photo quality, but I had only one chance to get these pictures from the moving TTA vehicle. The gleaming track still shines of the newness from the recently completed renovation.
For those of you that have always wanted a glimpse inside the contraption that brings all of those wonderful thrills, enjoy!
The thrill of Space Mountain is the unknown. With the cloak of darkness covering the tracks, you rocket though the mountain not knowing what comes next. This certainly heightens the experience.
Although I wouldn't want to ride Space Mountain with the lights on, I have always wanted a better look at the track and how it is configured.
Recently, while riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) I had my opportunity. Space Mountain was experiencing some technical difficulties, so the inside lights were turned on, exposing the seldom seen tracks to lucky passersby.
I apologize for the photo quality, but I had only one chance to get these pictures from the moving TTA vehicle. The gleaming track still shines of the newness from the recently completed renovation.
For those of you that have always wanted a glimpse inside the contraption that brings all of those wonderful thrills, enjoy!
Tags:
Magic Kingdom
,
Space Mountain
Celebrating Christmas On A Small Scale At Epcot
Christmas at Disney World is celebrated on a grand scale. Sometimes it is hard to believe the extent of the details that are carried out to fully decorate for the Christmas Holidays.
At Epcot in the Germany Pavilion, you can even see the decorations in the miniature village that is part of the train display.
Actually this village is quite the festive area as it is known to celebrate many of the different seasons and special events happening at Epcot. Previously, Only WDWorld posted pictures showing how the village was decorated to celebrate the annual Food and Wine Festival.
For the Christmas Holidays, the tiny village goes all out. You will see decorations and Christmas trees everywhere. Even the trains get into the act to celebrate the season.
In the last picture Santa himself makes an appearance on the balcony, preparing to put a gift under the Christmas tree.
No Detail Too Small
The Imagineers and Cast Members at Disney World love to add those little touches to add to the "story" that they are telling. Most visitors to Epcot will never notice these little extra touches, but I am so glad that they took the time to place them there.
The next time that you visit Epcot, make sure you look closely at the village in the train display to find out what they are celebrating.
At Epcot in the Germany Pavilion, you can even see the decorations in the miniature village that is part of the train display.
Actually this village is quite the festive area as it is known to celebrate many of the different seasons and special events happening at Epcot. Previously, Only WDWorld posted pictures showing how the village was decorated to celebrate the annual Food and Wine Festival.
For the Christmas Holidays, the tiny village goes all out. You will see decorations and Christmas trees everywhere. Even the trains get into the act to celebrate the season.
No Detail Too Small
The Imagineers and Cast Members at Disney World love to add those little touches to add to the "story" that they are telling. Most visitors to Epcot will never notice these little extra touches, but I am so glad that they took the time to place them there.
The next time that you visit Epcot, make sure you look closely at the village in the train display to find out what they are celebrating.
Storytellers From Holidays Around The World At Epcot Part 2
If you visit the Walt Disney World Resort during the Christmas Season you will have many opportunities to enjoy a wide variety of Christmas lighting displays, wonderfully decorated Christmas trees, and a variety of beautiful ornaments and Christmas decorations.
Despite all of the incredible lights and Christmas decorations, I believe that Epcot is the best place to see at Disney World during Christmas Time. At Epcot you can see the Candlelight Processional where you will hear the Biblical Christmas story read by a celebrity narrator and Christmas Carols sung by a mass choir backed by a 50 piece live orchestra. This is a powerful and memorable experience.
You can also see and listen to the story tellers in each of the 11 World Showcase countries talk about their Holiday traditions and customs.
Here are 3 more countries and their story tellers:
France
In France you will see Père Noël. He will tell the story of Babette and the letter that she wrote to him. You will hear about the magic of Christmas from a child’s perspective as told by the French version of Santa Claus.
Canada
In Canada we meet Nowell, the Canadian lumberjack. He tells the story of the customs of the Canadian children during Christmas time. We also see Nowell transform during his story telling from Lumberjack to Santa Claus. This is a very engaging presentation.
Germany
Helga greets us in Germany and tells us of her childhood in Germany and the traditions that she had with her family.
She tells us about the first Christmas trees and how according the German legend Martin Luther, the great Reformer, is credited with starting the idea of chopping down a fir tree and bringing it indoors to be decorated. These trees were referred to as Tannenbaum.
You will also hear about the legend of the Nutcracker and you will get to meet a Nutcracker that has come to life.
Holidays Around The World
The story tellers in each of The Epcot World Showcase countries do a great job of sharing their respective countries traditions. It is a marvelous way to spend part of the Christmas season, learning how others celebrate it around the world.
Storytellers from Holidays Around The World At Epcot
A Disney World Christmas vacation is not complete without visiting the Holidays Around The World at Epcot.
Here each of the 11 countries represented in the World Showcase have storytellers that share how either the Christmas or New Year's Holidays are celebrated in their respective countries. You will get to hear about the traditions in an engaging live presentation that occurs throughout the day at Epcot.
Mexico
In Mexico you will get to meet Los Tres Reyes Magos, otherwise known as the Three Kings or Three Wise Men. They will tell their story and they will tell how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico including the importance of the Poinsettias.
Italy
In Italy you will meet La Befana, the Good Christmas Witch. She will tell her story of how she remembers the Epiphany and the first Christmas over 2000 years ago.
Norway
In Norway we meet Sigrid and Julenissen. Julenissen is considered to be the mischievious Christmas gnome.
He is the guardian of every Norwegian family's welfare, so Norwegian children are taught to leave a steaming bowl of porridge for Julenissen during the Christmas Holiday to thank him.
Holidays Around The World
At Epcot you will not only be entertained by the great storytellers, you will be able to learn more about these great countries and their cultures. November and December brings many great opportunities at the Walt Disney World Resort to celebrate the Christmas Season and Epcot is the one place that showcases the true meaning of Christmas.
Get A $750 Gift Card FREE With A 5-Night/6-Day Disney World Deluxe Resort Package
Act now to take advantage of a great new package discount offer at the Walt Disney World Resort.
If you book a 5-night / 6-day Package at a Disney World Deluxe Resort between now and March 27, 2010 you will receive a $750 Disney Gift Card for FREE at check-in!
This Disney gift card can be used for Dining, Special Event Tickets, Tours, merchandise, and more at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Details:
You must purchase a non-discounted 5 Night/6 Day Walt Disney World Resort Package including a Deluxe Resort room and Magic Your Way Park tickets for the length of your stay.
The offer is good for the following dates:
Valid for arrivals on 1/3-1/11/10, 1/19-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10.
You can book your stay online , or call (407) 939-7939 or your Travel Agent today and ask for booking code QGX.
Get A FREE $500 Gift Card With 5-Night/6-Day Disney World Moderate Resort Package
Act now to take advantage of a great new discount at the Walt Disney World Resort.
If you book a 5-night / 6-day Package at a Disney World Moderate (Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Coronado Springs, or Caribbean Beach Resorts) between now and March 27, 2010 you will receive a $500 Disney Gift card for FREE at check-in!
This Disney gift card can be used for Dining, Special Event Tickets, Tours, merchandise, and more at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Details:
You must purchase a non-discounted 5 Night/6 Day Walt Disney World Resort Package including a Moderate Resort room and Magic Your Way Park tickets for the length of your stay.
The offer is good for the following dates:
Arrivals on 1/3/10, 1/10-1/12/10, 1/18-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10.
You can book your stay online , or call (407) 939-7939 or your Travel Agent today and ask for booking code QGX.
Get A $300 Gift Card FREE With Disney World 5-night/6-day Value Resort Package
New Disney World Resort Package Discounts are now available!
If you book a 5 night / 6 day package at a Disney World Value Resort at the non-discounted price you will receive a FREE $300 Disney Gift Card at check-in.
This gift card can be used for Dining, Special Event tickets, Tours, or merchandise at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Details:
This offer can be booked between now and March 27, 2010. To qualify you must purchase a 5-night / 6-day Package including a Disney World Value Resort (All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, or Pop Century) room and Magic Your Way Park tickets for the length of your stay.
The offer is good for arrivals on the following dates: 1/3/10, 1/10-1/12/10, 1/18-2/9/10, 2/15-3/27/10 and 4/11-6/3/10
You can book your stay online, or call (407) 939-7939 or your Travel Agent today and ask for booking code QGX.
Money Saving Tip: Some Things Are Still FREE At Disney World
When you are looking to save money during your Walt Disney World Resort Vacation it is important to know as many tips as possible.
Here is one tip that can save you a lot of money during your next Disney World Vacation:
At all Disney World Quick Service Restaurants you can order Ice Water (Tap water in a cup with ice) instead of a soft drink and save over $2 per person. The Ice Water is not on the menu, but it is available and the best part is it's FREE.
This is not a rumor, but a real tip. See the picture below showing an actual Disney World receipt from the Pizzafari in Disney's Animal Kingdom last week. The Regular Cup Of Water is shown for $0.00.
If you are looking to be healthy and avoid the soft drinks anyway, this is a healthy alternative. You do not have to resort to the expensive bottled water, you can drink the tap water with ice.
Over the length of your vacation this can really add up to a lot of savings, especially if you were planning on drinking water anyway. If you eat 2 Quick Service Restaurant meals per day during your trip, you could save $5 per person each day. For a family of 4 over a typical 6 day trip, you could save as much as $120.
That is a lot of money spent on soft drinks!
So keep this tip in mind during your next Disney World Vacation and don't be afraid to ask for Ice Water, so you can spend your money on something else!
Here is one tip that can save you a lot of money during your next Disney World Vacation:
At all Disney World Quick Service Restaurants you can order Ice Water (Tap water in a cup with ice) instead of a soft drink and save over $2 per person. The Ice Water is not on the menu, but it is available and the best part is it's FREE.
This is not a rumor, but a real tip. See the picture below showing an actual Disney World receipt from the Pizzafari in Disney's Animal Kingdom last week. The Regular Cup Of Water is shown for $0.00.
If you are looking to be healthy and avoid the soft drinks anyway, this is a healthy alternative. You do not have to resort to the expensive bottled water, you can drink the tap water with ice.
Over the length of your vacation this can really add up to a lot of savings, especially if you were planning on drinking water anyway. If you eat 2 Quick Service Restaurant meals per day during your trip, you could save $5 per person each day. For a family of 4 over a typical 6 day trip, you could save as much as $120.
That is a lot of money spent on soft drinks!
So keep this tip in mind during your next Disney World Vacation and don't be afraid to ask for Ice Water, so you can spend your money on something else!
Osborne Family Lights At Disney's Hollywood Studios Adds Hidden Mickeys
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios uses over 4 million lights in one truly amazing dispay of Christmas Holiday splendor.
As you walk through the Streets of America section of this Disney World theme park, you cannot help but be in awe.
Recently the Imagineers at Disney have been looking for ways to Plus (Disney Imagineer speak for finding a way to make an attraction even better than before) this seasonal attraction. In recent years they have continued to add lights, and more recently added music from the Trans Siberian Orchestra that the lights "dance" to approximately every 10 minutes.
This year they have added 36 Hidden Mickeys to the display. So as you walk around with the artificial snow falling from the sky, you can seek out these Hidden Mickey images. Some are easy to spot, others are much more difficult, taking the trained eye to see.
Here are some examples to enjoy and there are still plenty more to find for yourself if you get the opportunity:
Rayovac Powers Your Imagination at Disneyland
Rayovac has a great new commercial showing the Magic of Imagination and Disney featuring a little girl dressed as Cinderella at Disneyland.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Beautiful Christmas Trees Galore At Disney's Animal Kingdom
When visiting the Walt Disney World Resort this Christmas Season, don't forget to visit Disney's Animal Kingdom to see the beautiful Christmas Trees that they have decorated.
Many visitors to the Animal Kingdom will miss out on seeing these specially decorated trees, due to the fact that they don't take the road less traveled towards Camp Minnie Mickey.
If they do head that way they most certainly be rewarded.
Camp Minnie Mickey, not only has 20 uniquely decorated Christmas trees, but it is also the place that you can meet and greet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in their Holiday attire.
Enjoy the pictures of these beautiful Christmas trees.
Merry Christmas!
Many visitors to the Animal Kingdom will miss out on seeing these specially decorated trees, due to the fact that they don't take the road less traveled towards Camp Minnie Mickey.
If they do head that way they most certainly be rewarded.
Camp Minnie Mickey, not only has 20 uniquely decorated Christmas trees, but it is also the place that you can meet and greet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in their Holiday attire.
Enjoy the pictures of these beautiful Christmas trees.
Merry Christmas!
