Watch the Grand Floridian Christmas Tree Go Up Overnight!
It’s a jolly holiday indeed! MickeyBlog was at the Grand Floridian last night when the magical holiday transformation began in the grandest of Disney lobbies!
While the amazing gingerbread house sweet shop opened to the public Wednesday morning, the Grand Floridian lobby’s full holiday makeover truly started late at night, when elves typically get to work!
A few Guests hung around to watch the magical overhaul.
Around 11:00pm Cast Members started wheeling in carts, crates and boxes full of Christmas greenery, balls and baubles.
We spotted the elegant gold tree decorations as well as some brighter, colorful ornaments peeking through. Everything is meticulously organized, labeled and coded.
The traditional gold tone of the tree is a nod to the classic victorian theme of the Grand Floridian itself. The little pops of color add a little modern Christmas excitement!
The central spot on the main carpet is perfectly designed to showcase this 40-feet tall tree in all its glory.
A project this size might be happening overnight but it is certainly an undertaking! Check out the size of that tree stand!
Cast Members worked hard to set this base up before the the first segment of the tree arrived.
It was installed around midnight and a pretty cool moment to watch!
Interestingly, this tree doesn’t assemble from the bottom up, it starts at the top! While some pieces are preassembled, much of the tree is compiled piece by piece, some even branch by branch.
The pre-decorated top portion of the tree was hoisted up by a hook and chain pulley system attached to a crane.
Cast Members attached pieces below the first segment as the tree grew to form from the top down.
Other holiday elves smartly laid out the branches and organized them while each piece of greenery waited its turn.
That’s no small feat with a tree this size!
Once the top of the tree was up, the process seemed to speed up a bit. By 12:20, we thought the grand golden tree had really taken shape!
But the joke was on us as suddenly the completed portion of the tree started rising toward the ceiling! It was like a Christmas stretching room!
What an intriguing process this was to watch!
After the completed portion of the tree rose toward the skies, assembly continued beneath it in a downward direction.
Meanwhile, on the upper levels of the atrium-style lobby, garlands were draped. The palatial tree may be the centerpiece of the lobby but there will be garlands around each floor railing and many smaller trees spread throughout the open foyers.
It truly is a sight to see, but that’s it for this sneak peak! You’ll have to come back to MickeyBlog later this morning, when we’ll bring you more photos of the beautiful finished product!
This is so exciting for current guests at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, who went to bed with a stately, classic lobby and will wake up to an elegant winter wonderland. There’s nothing better than that Disney magic!
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