Disney Holidays

Guest Post: Trick-or-Treating in and Around Walt Disney World

30 October 2013 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

I would like to welcome guest author Michelle Rise who wanted to share her tips for spending Halloween in Orlando with all of you. Apologies for not posting this sooner, it’s been a busy month here in Zannaland – but this is great planning for last minute ideas this year or working on next year’s Halloween! Thanks, Michelle!

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October is here along with changing leaves, cool breezes and Halloween. Everyone enjoys the costume parties, parades and scary decor but what everyone really looks forward to is Trick or Treating. If you plan to be in Orlando for Halloween, you’re in for a treat. The holiday is celebrated with gusto throughout the month of October and nobody does it better than Walt Disney World.

Halloween at Walt Disney World is delightful. The decorations are colorful with just a touch of not-so-scary ghoulishness for that extra bit of fun. How do you trick or treat while vacationing in Orlando?

MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

Dress up in your favorite costume and attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom. Kids of all ages can trick or treat throughout the park and nobody cares if you go through a candy line twice. We counted over 30 different places to trick or treat spread pretty evenly throughout the park and I’ve been told there are actually more than that.

Tip
Bring a bag unless you want to use the plastic one given out by cast members. The plastic bag is cute but a lightweight pullstring backpack works better.

Naturally you’ll see a lot of princesses and pirates which is why dressing as Snow White’s evil stepmother or Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty is so fun. You’ll stand out from the crowd. Your costume doesn’t have to be Disney related. In fact, you may be even more noticeable in something non-Disney. But whatever costume you choose, definitely go costumed! It’s just more fun that way.

Surprise
You probably don’t want to spend all the party hours trekking around trick or treating. Most nights of the Not So Scary Halloween event, there are two parades. Candy and stickers are handed out by cast members during the parade so you’re still trick or treating but without all the tiresome walking.

Fireworks are a big hit during the party with special fall colors in the sparkles and some that are ghost or pumpkin shaped.

Don’t forget the rides and attractions. Many are open and waiting for fun with short lines. As the night goes on, characters come out to play and greet guests for photo opportunities.

TRICK OR TREAT AT YOUR HOTEL

If you can’t make the Mickey Halloween party or don’t want to stay out that late, check with the concierge at your hotel. Many hotels offer activities and events for Halloween, such as ghost stories, character visits, treats and costume contests. Most are held poolside or in the lobby at designated hours but it’s a great way to enjoy Halloween on the go. We enjoyed a s’more night one Halloween and were given a bag of various goodies and small games. After some quick research, Hawthorn Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa has a kids trick or treat through the resort area and the staff dress up every year including the General Manager. The other StaySky Orlando hotels typically have their employees dressed up and a bucket of Halloween candy at the front desk. Depending on the ages involved, a simple event is perfect. Kids still have fun and parents save money and get to bed earlier.

Either way, you’re sure to have fun and create great family memories in the process. Happy Halloween!

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Bio:

Michelle Rise is a homemaker and Mother of 5 and travel enthusiast. With many years of experience trekking through Disney parks with her Family, Michelle has become an expert on navigating families through Disney. She also enjoys travel to most other destinations worldwide and when not writing about her experiences or teaching her children to drive, Michelle can be found chasing the family dog up rainbow mountain with her husband of over 25 years, Ben. You can follow Michelle on Twitter, @Rise7Up, for all of her latest writings.

Top 5 Must-do’s at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

21 October 2013 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is one of my favorites each year, an annual tradition to kick off the Halloween season. I’ve written about the event each year that Zannaland.com has been around, and enjoying all the party has to offer never gets old. In fact, it only gets harder to fit it all in. If you have a family with varying age ranges, it may be a “divide and conquer” night to make sure everyone sees and does all they want to do. Because of that, I thought I’d write up a Top 5 this year, of my personal favorites.

1. Get there early. While the ticket for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (or MNSSHP for short) starts at 7pm, you can actually enter the park as early as 4pm, to get the most out of your night. The trick-or-treating and official events don’t begin till 7, but you can grab a bite and get on rides beforehand.

2. Get your Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom card. If you are a sorcerer and enjoy the game, there is a special card just for the event. You can pick it up at the Main Street Fire Station or the Liberty Square sorcerer’s desk. You must have both your wristband for the event AND your event ticket to get the card, so make sure your whole party is together for this. There is a limited amount for each party, so this should be first on your list!

3. Trick-or-Treat. This is what most people are here for. They dress up, yes, they see the parades and fireworks, ride on attractions with almost no wait, but this is FREE CANDY! And with over 40 different kinds this year, you are sure to get your fill. You can find all the treat locations on your MNSSHP map, or by looking for the giant light up treat location signs. Don’t forget the Treat Trails over by Splash Mountain’s queue and the walkway between Storybook Circus and Tomorrowland for the most treats per square inch. My favorite is always the Werther’s Caramel Apple candies over at Pinocchio’s Village Haus!

4. Try the event-specific treats too. This year, the food and beverage team really went out of their way to create some delicious treats for MNSSHP. Caramel Apple Slush, Candy Corn ice cream, Pumpkin Waffle Sundae and MORE! These new Halloween treats are so yummy, I wrote a whole post on them. But after trying the Candy Corn ice cream and the Pumpkin Waffle Sundae (which I’ve heard is now available full time at Sleepy Hollow Treats) I was in love. I shared both of these with my family at midnight sitting on the new castle wall area. Perfect ending to a perfect Halloween party.

5. Watch Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade and HalloWishes Fireworks Spectacular! The Boo-to-You parade is many people’s favorite parade at Walt Disney World, and I am no exception. It is hard to top the dramatic entrance by the Headless Horseman as he trots down the parade route while Flight of the Valkyries plays around you. The floats are top notch and the Haunted Mansion ballroom dancers and Gravediggers with their sparks are always a crowd favorite. There are two parades each party night, and the second always has less guests. And don’t forget HalloWishes! This is one of the most exciting fireworks displays of the season, with 360-degree perimeter fireworks around the park and your favorite villains and villainous songs.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party runs on select nights in September through November 1st. A few nights are already sold out, so check with DisneyWorld.com to purchase your tickets in advance. Some nights are available at a discounted rate of $62 per adult.

Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary tickets for MNSSHP for my family and me, but my opinions are my own.

NEW Ghoulish Delights at Be Our Guest Restaurant and Magic Kingdom for Halloween

10 September 2013 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

An instagram friend (@wibblywaffle-Rueben Gutierrez), who just happens to be a pastry cook at Be Our Guest restaurant, shared a photo this afternoon that I thought was good enough to get a whole post devoted to it. The enchanted chefs at Be Our Guest have come up with some sweet spells for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – a “Poisoned Apple Cupcake” and a “Blood Orange Cream Puff” and they sound delicious!

The Poisoned Apple Cupcake is yellow cake with green apple mousse filling, topped with buttercream, apple pie filling, crispy pearls and a chocolate witches hat. Spooky!

Be Our Guest "Poison" Apple Cupcake — Be Our Guest “Poison” Apple Cupcake photo by Reuben Gutierrez

The Cream Puff is chocolate with blood orange mousse, which sounds right up my alley. We’ll have a photo of that up soon! Guests visiting the Magic Kingdom for the Halloween Party should note that Be Our Guest restaurant IS open, so check for walk-in availability just in case. According to our chef above, they are not seating past 7:45 but would love to show off their new offerings!

In addition to these special event-only desserts for their dinner service, Be Our Guest is adding a new dessert to the regular menu…The Grey Stuff! A brand new lunch-only cupcake form of the Grey Stuff is available starting today. The cupcake is the same chocolate cupcake offered in the Triple Chocolate Cupcake, with Grey Stuff filling, Grey Stuff on top and silver crispy pearls.

A different dinner form of the dessert is also available now, which uses Grey Stuff on the tarts the restaurant previously made. Thanks to @wibblywaffle for the photo below:

Be Our Guest Grey Stuff cupcake – photo by Reuben Gutierrez

Are you heading to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? These new desserts have me excited to dine at Be Our Guest again during one of the party nights.

There are also some other Halloween treats available around the Magic Kingdom during the parties – thanks to DisneyLifestylers.com for the use of the photos below:

Pumpkin ice cream waffle sundae at Sleepy Hollow. Photo ©DisneyLifestylers.com

Candy Corn soft serve ice cream at Storybook Treats. Photo ©DisneyLifestylers.com

Hatbox Ghost Mickey popcorn bucket. Photo ©DisneyLifestylers.com

Disney Spring and Easter Merchandise!

26 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Disney Easter Merchandise — Eggs, Flowers and Bunnies Galore

With the weather getting warmer and the crowds in the parks getting larger you can clearly tell that spring and Easter has arrived here at Walt Disney World! With the season comes a lot of fun and bright spring and Easter merchandise. Egg, flower and bunny merchandise can be spotted almost in every store on property right now! You can even find some Easter goodies like cupcakes and cookies! And for all of you who come here to celebrate your Spring Break there is now a t-shirt for you to take home as a souvenir!

So how yummy doesn’t those Easter goodies look? The Easter Bunny Caramel apple is my favorite!

Sneak Peek at Sofia the First in the Disney Christmas Parade and In the Parks Too!

20 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

The Sofia The First character will make her Disney Parks debut in the 29th Annual “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” airing nationwide on Christmas Day, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., ET; check local listings) on the ABC Television Network. It was also recently announced that Sofia will be joining the Disney Junior – Live on Stage! show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure in early 2013 – joining Doc McStuffins as a new addition.

Disney’s first little girl princess, Sofia was introduced in the music-filled animated television movie “Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess” which debuted on November 18, 2012 and became the #1 cable telecast of all time in Kids 2-5 and Girls 2-5, and the #1 preschool cable TV telecast ever in Total Viewers and Women 18-49. A “Sofia the First” television series which continues Sofia’s journey as she learns how to adjust to royal life, premieres FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 on Disney Channel (9:30-10:00 a.m., ET/PT) and Disney Junior (5:30-6:00 p.m., ET/PT).

Epcot’s Candlelight Processional Adds a New Story to its Christmas Tradition

19 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

The beautiful and moving Candlelight Processional is now a favorite tradition each holiday season. Each celebrity narrator adds their own touch and something special to the Christmas story as they speak the words we all know so well. This year I was able to enjoy both Neil Patrick Harris and Lea Salonga, both very different, but wonderful in their own right.

In between the Christmas story pieces, the talented orchestra and Voices of Liberty singers join a Cast Member chorale and area high school students to bring traditional holiday favorite songs to life. The songs are a perfect mix of classics which move you and fill you with the spirit of the season. This year, a new story prefaced Silent Night, adding to the rich tapestry of the candlelight performance. We were told about a town without an organ and a man who wrote a poem to welcome the birth of Jesus. The man’s son could play the guitar, but only 4 chords, and thus Silent Night was born.

At the end of each performance, I am left filled with joy and appreciation for the true meaning of the holiday. It is a must-do for anyone visiting Walt Disney World during the holiday season. The best bet for guaranteed seats is purchasing a Candlelight Dining Package, available by calling 407-WDW-DINE. Several shows remain this season, be sure to head out to see this beautiful spectacle.

Disclosure: I was provided with Gold Badge seating for my family at the Lea Salonga performance. My opinions are my own.

PHOTO TOUR of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights!

13 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Walking around the corner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios onto New York Street and seeing the overwhelming amount of holiday lights displayed at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is one of those must-do moments for me, that takes my breath away every year. If I could figure out a way to move into one of those Brownstones on the street, I would pack up in a heartbeat. Heck, I’d even live above the T.P. Tree! 😉 It is such a gift that Disney gives us each year, the beautiful lights, the music, a way to pause and enjoy the wonder and spirit of the season. It’s impossible not to go home happy.

I have so many wonderful memories tied into these lights – with my dad, who loved them as much as I do and loved the Studios too, my mom, as we tear up remembering the times with my dad, my older kids when they were little – I can still picture my now almost-14-year-old son sitting in his stroller, reaching his hand out to catch the “snow” as it fell, and now my youngest gets to experience it all as well and more and more memories are made each year. The past few years I’ve added memories with friends and other locals too. It’s just such a great place to wander and hang out. No parades or fireworks to line up for, just relax and enjoy the sights and sounds that envelope you at every turn.

So without further ado, lets take a look at some highlights from my most recent visit:

Sid Cahuengas is always ready for Christmas!

One of my favorite Disney holiday displays!

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The T.P. Tree — The infamous Toilet Paper Tree!

Crowds love The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Blue canopy (yes, I guess I went overboard with canopy shots)

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Delivers Holiday Magic

29 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

One of the most common questions I was asked while on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, and still get asked today, has always been, “Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party worth the ticket price?” My answer has always been a resounding, “YES!” This season, my response is the same, it’s so worth it.

There are quite a few beacons which light the way to the holiday season: Starbucks serving their holiday flavors (pro tip: peppermint is actually available year round – shhh!), the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, showcasing the Radio City Rockettes and the famous Santa finale, and of course, the Magic Kingdom’s annual Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, where it snows on Main Street, U.S.A., hot cocoa and cookies are free throughout the park, and holiday magic swirls around you at every turn. Disney does magic better than anyone around, and during the holidays, the pixie dust is increased and the spirit of the season is everywhere.

This year, all the things that make the Christmas Party so great are back again:

Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade
Holiday Wishes Fireworks Spectacular and
Shows and dance parties at the Castle forecourt, Tomorrowland, and Frontierland
Special character meet and greets

My favorites the marching wooden soldiers in the parade, and the beautiful Holiday Wishes fireworks, which always bring a tear to my eye.

This visit, as locals who attend the party yearly, I decided to do something a little different and just roam around and check out the holiday extras around the park. As a result, we stumbled upon the group Rusty Cutlass performing outside of Pirates of the Caribbean. This jaunty band of pirate lads (and lass) were fantastic to experience. My four year-old absolutely loved watching and getting to participate by taking the pirate’s oath and dancing around to the music. They played a mix of holiday classics melded with a Caribbean twist and were just great fun. Be sure to keep an eye out for them on your next visit, and if you love acts like this, which really make Walt Disney World special, be sure to stop by City Hall or Guest Relations and let them know how much you appreciated the performances!

You can watch videos of the parade and party highlights from past years’ posts too. Here are some photos from this year’s party – click any photo to view as a slideshow:

Castle Dream Lights — Merry Christmas from the Place Where Dreams Come True!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets may be purchased online for select nights through December 21, 2012.

Disclosure: I was provided complimentary tickets to the party for the purposes of this post. My thoughts and opinions and love of Christmas are my own.

Disney’s Art of Animation Celebrates its First Christmas

27 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

With such a colorful entrance into the Disney resort family, Art of Animation resort was in my sights to check out for the holidays to see just what Disney had up its sleeve to decorate their newest resort. Being a Value, or Value Plus resort, of course the Christmas decorations will be a little more low-key than say the Deluxe resorts. Still, it was fun to see and the decor definitely fits into the resort’s capture of the animation process.

Like the overall theme of Disney’s Art of Animation, the Christmas decor starts off colorless, like a blank page, with sketches. As you progress through the lobby, color is added and as a fan of rainbow colors and white Christmas trees, I was in heaven! It’s a very fun, colorful display, that just makes you happy. All that’s missing are those fun rainbow candy canes my mom always used to get!

Here is a gallery overview of the holiday decorations and details of Disney’s Art of Animation resort – click any photo to view as a slideshow:

Disney's Art of Animation Christmas twinkling tree

Disney's Art of Animation Christmas — Looking back at the check-in area from Ink & Paint Shop

Cinderella Slipper Antenna Topper! (And Many More!)

24 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Disney antenna topper update, even though I’ve been collecting photos of them all along. I saw one today that gave me the kick I needed to get this post up to share with you all. Maybe I got that kick because this latest topper was actually a shoe! Not just any shoe of course, a very special, very glittery, sparkly, slipper – Cinderella’s famous slipper, in antenna topper form, for all you princesses and your pumpkin coaches!

Cinderella's shoe Disney antenna toppers — SPARKLY! How cute is this Cinderella slipper antenna topper?

Cinderella's slipper Disney antenna toppers — So many shoes, one is bound to fit, right?

Here are the rest of the Disney antenna toppers I’ve seen over the past couple of months – enjoy!