The Silly and Mischievous Canucks do Christmas - Dec 2015 PTR - Update 12/13

[Stretchy Shorts]

Lessa's mom

 

[emmaca]

Double Digits!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

So looks like everybody agrees that we should not walk to see the decorations at Fort Wilderness and that switching to AKL was a good choice!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Christmas at Epcot

I previously posted about the Christmas attractions at the Magic Kingdom that we want to check out and now I am turning my eyes to Epcot.

Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season. The past few years this musical group performed at the Fountain of Nations. Seeing this group perform would be a fun and upbeat Christmas celebration.

Of course, there is the Candlelight Processional. We are booked to have lunch at Via Napoli with the Candlelight package. Our seats are for the 8:15 show which is exactly what I wanted.

Holiday Storytellers - We will want to visit each of the Holiday Storytellers. I'll be most interested in the countries that talk about celebrations that are distinctly different from the traditional Canadian/American Christmas such as Italy, Japan, China, Norway. I have two afternoons planned for Epcot to make sure we have time to see all of them, our full day at Epcot and then our departure day to catch whatever we missed.

In Canada it looks like the previous storyteller has been replaced with a musical group, Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, who apparently sing "traditional Canadian Christmas music". In my experience our Christmas music is the same as what is heard in the States but I will be interested to check out this "authentic" Canadian music.

We will enjoy seeing all the countries decked out for the holidays and I will be keeping an eye out for holiday treats but that will be covered in a later post.

We will end our day watching Illuminations with the holiday add-on.

 

[dvc at last !]

Just found this - love it !

 

[Steppesister]

Christmas at Disney has never really appealed to me, mostly because of the crowd factor. But if I do get the opportunity at some point, the Story Tellers would be at the top of my list. Sounds like an all-around fun day!

 

[emmaca]

In my experience our Christmas music is the same as what is heard in the States but I will be interested to check out this "authentic" Canadian music.

I am interested in seeing too, I do not think that there are any Canadian Christmas carols or songs, unless the Canadians take a classic Christmas carol and add a twist to it like they have done with "Oh Canada" at Le Cellier or they sing it in French or it is downhome music and it is!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a2nvtsJcLQ . I love it!! I did a goggle search of Canadian Christmas music here are some links to some Canadian Christmas music that I found https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-yqalvjeh5zqqx1UQywNnysFH-cP2Hti and http://globalnews.ca/news/1040953/listen-24-holiday-songs-on-the-canadian-christmas-playlist/ something tells me that there will be no Justin Bieber, Sarah McLachlan, Rita McNeil, Diana Krall, Gordon Lightfoot, Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Bare Naked Ladies, the Rankin Family or Anne Murray. We are double digits today 99 days until our arrival at Disney. I am looking forward to all the festivities and decorations, not to mention that I have been losing weight only to only gain it all back with all the holiday treats along with the usual must have Disney treats I will be enjoying over the course of the week.

 

[vleeth]

Candlelight processional and the storytellers have been what I have wanted to see for many years. I only recently learned about these 'holiday treats.' The hot caramel drink in Germany sounds great.

 

[englishrose47]

View attachment 119725

Beth who is the extra doggie ??????

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Just found this - love it !

Welcome! I hope you got a few giggles out of my crazy indecisive resort changing.

Christmas at Disney has never really appealed to me, mostly because of the crowd factor. But if I do get the opportunity at some point, the Story Tellers would be at the top of my list. Sounds like an all-around fun day!

I hope it isn't too crowded while we are there since it will be more towards the beginning of December. Time will tell! I'm sure even if it is crowded we will deal with it we;;, we survived the Fourth of July afterall!

Candlelight processional and the storytellers have been what I have wanted to see for many years. I only recently learned about these 'holiday treats.' The hot caramel drink in Germany sounds great.

That does sound delicious!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I am flying off to visit my Dad the day after Labour Day and I am working everyday up to then starting on Tuesday. That means I should try and pack a bit tomorrow to see if there is anything I need to buy. I hate packing/unpacking, worst part of traveling. I'm going to try and do an update tomorrow as if I don't get it done then I won't have any major posts until the end of September! Dising after 12 hour shifts just does not tend to happen, too tired! Although maybe I will be able to sneak in some Dis time on my trip at nighttime once everybody heads to bed. Although all the hiking and wine drinking and fresh mountain air is also likely to leave me fairly wiped out.

I'll be heading out to the Okanagan Valley in BC where my Dad lives. There will be wine tasting and eating lots of delicious food at some of my favourite restaurants and then we will heading to Banff for 6 days to go hiking. I'm hoping that the smoke from the Washington fires is not too bad by the time I get there. Last I heard from my dad the air quality where he lives is terrible right now as the smoke is traveling up into Canada through the valleys/lowlands. I'm looking forward to this little vacation though as I will get to see my two favourite pups and I always love going up into the mountains.

Once I get back from my trip it will be time to really sit down and think out what we should book for FP+ as I get to book those on Oct 7th which still seems far away but really isn't!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[Steppesister]

I hope it isn't too crowded while we are there since it will be more towards the beginning of December. Time will tell! I'm sure even if it is crowded we will deal with it we;;, we survived the Fourth of July afterall!

You're a seasoned Vet and know all the tricks to avoid crowds if need be.

 

[englishrose47]

Have a great trip Lessa , I presume the Bros are going too!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Have a great trip! The smoke isn't too bad in Alberta at the moment, hopefully it will continue to clear. I hope you have a great time and get some well deserved R&R!

Thanks! Got an email from my Dad tonight saying there was snow today in the mountains near his home. I hope it doesn't snow on us in Banff! I know mountain weather is unpredictable but I am a klutz when it is dry I can only imagine how many times I would slip and fall if we are hiking in snow and slush!

You're a seasoned Vet and know all the tricks to avoid crowds if need be.

Here's hoping it isn't too bad!

Have a great trip Lessa , I presume the Bros are going too!!

Nope, it is just me going out. The boys are saving their vacation time for Disney and then Alek and I will be off to Turkey in the Spring.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

ICE!

Every time we go to Disney we drive past the Gaylord Palms Resort which is right before the welcome gates to WDW. We have always been a bit curious about this place and I remembered reading about a Christmas event they put on every year called ICE!

I decided to look it up and see what it is about and it actually looks really fun! Every year the resort puts on an elaborate ice sculpture display with games and ice slides and intricate themes. I think that we might plan to check it out on one of our free evenings.

http://www.marriott.com/hotel-info/...ristmas-at-gaylord-palms/csyr9pd/home-page.mi

Pictures are obviously not my own as I have not been before. Some that caught my eye when I did a google search.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[DisneyJo]

Wow those ice things look amazing

 

[Elevationist]

Wow... This is GORGEOUS!!! Are ya'll going to try to go see it for yourselves?

 

[vleeth]

Do you have to pay to see the ice stuff?