MickeyBlog News for November 11th, 2024
This week in MickeyBlog News, the seasons change, and the holiday magic arrives at the parks.
We’ll talk about gingerbread houses, holiday parties, and much more.
So, read on to learn more about the happiest time at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Christmas in November
Anyone at a Disney theme park this past week already knows the deal.
Disney has converted from Halloween to Christmas throughout the parks, something you’ll notice as soon as you approach the front gates.
Here’s the majestic Christmas tree on Main Street, U.S.A., but you don’t even need to enter a park to see one at Walt Disney World.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Cast Members have placed the tree in front of the entrance.
So, you can just ride the bus to take pictures of it and never even have to walk into the park!
Our incredible team of park reporters spent the week exploring the parks to find all the new yuletide touches.
Jingle Cruise
We showed the photos of the 2024 version of Jingle Cruise, and we discovered Santa’s new spot at Storybook Circus.
We also found the Dapper Dans sporting their new holiday outfits, and we snagged some photos of the Toy Soldiers for you.
At Animal Kingdom, we captured images of the background for the Santa Claus character greeting.
Disney’s flair is on display everywhere, especially at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where Gertie has gotten the holiday treatment.
Gertie
You cannot help but notice the decorations as soon as you enter the park, and that’s true at Magic Kingdom as well.
In case you’re worried about DinoLand USA, I’ve got great news. It’ll go big with its holiday displays during its final year.
More about the Holiday Season
We’ve really just scratched the surface with everything holiday-related that happened at Disney this week.
On November 5th, Disney hosted the ceremonial Frozen Holiday Surprise Show at Magic Kingdom.
Frozen Holiday Surprise
I was one of thousands of guests who huddled as close as we could get to Cinderella Castle to watch the show and digital display.
Happy children gleefully waved at Anna and Elsa as they lit the castle with holiday decorations for the first time.
This was either the third or fourth of these I’ve seen, as we typically vacation at Disney World during the first week of November.
This year’s event was by far the most magical, as it seemed to strike a chord with kids more than usual.
Let’s just say that the bubble machines were working overtime in the crowds this lovely evening.
You’ll encounter so much of that vibe during a holiday Disney visit. It genuinely is the best time of the year.
Disney packs the parks with activities like Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt.
Then, you’ll find countless decorations so plentiful they’re nearly impossible to count.
Our staff highlighted Toy Story Land and Pixar Place, a Christmas tree in the middle of a lake, and even some Frontierland photos at Disneyland.
At the resorts, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has opened its iconic Gingerbread House store for business.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Gingerbread Castle
Similarly, the Gingerbread Castle store is up and running at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
We even caught a glimpse of the beloved Gingerbread Carousel at Disney’s Beach Club Villas.
The Christmas Parties Begin
I’m writing this a few hours before the second holiday after-hours party of the season begins.
On Saturday evening, Disney Jollywood Nights hosted its first night of its second year at Hollywood Studios.
Glisten! ice skating rink
The second iteration includes new amenities, most notably Glisten!, a skating show.
We watched as Disney added the ice rink in front of the Chinese Theatre.
Glisten! Ice Rink
Then, Disney introduced more elements for the show before its debut.
I’ll recap the show in its entirety next week, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
On Friday night, the big event was Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the annual tradition we all adore.
Our staff met Santa Claus, purchased the elusive Elf Mickey Popcorn Bucket, hung out with the Gingerbread Men, and danced the night away at Club Tinsel.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Picking a favorite is always tough, but you can never go wrong with the fireworks or Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
We also compiled a list of all the characters you can meet exclusively during the party.
And this brings us to an essential point. Opening night sold out, and we’ve tracked several other parties that have done the same.
This statement applies to Jollywood Nights as well. Everyone wants to attend these events. So, tickets go fast!
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Presuming you want to visit this holiday season – and you REALLY should! – you should speak with MickeyTravels immediately.
As you can see, tickets are selling fast, and I’d hate for you to get shut out.
Remember that MickeyTravels is a Diamond Level Authorized Travel Planner, identifying them as literally the best in the business.
Their services are entirely free of charge. So, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by shooting them a message!
Disney Miscellany
As usually happens when I have the audacity to take a vacation, Disney news went to plaid this week.
Let’s quickly highlight a few other major stories, starting with the water park one.
Disney World has performed its annual switch between Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach.
As of this week, Blizzard Beach is now open for business, while Typhoon Lagoon will remain closed indefinitely.
Disney hasn’t opened both water parks simultaneously since the pandemic and that appears to be the case for the foreseeable future.
The two other big stories this week involve Disneyland Resort. First, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will employ three virtual queues.
Photo: Disney
So, you’ll have a 50 percent better chance of riding when the attraction debuts on November 15th aka Friday.
Finally, Magic Key annual pass sales have returned at Disneyland.
Photo: Disney
As usual, we have no idea how sales will last or when the various tiers will sell out.
Currently, all three available to non-Californians show as available to me, but that could change by the time you read this.
If you want a Magic Key, you should act fast!
Back at Hollywood Studios, the other big news is that the patio seating area has partially reopened at Woody’s Lunch Box.
Disney has expanded this area to account for the restaurant’s popularity.
Woody’s has created a bottleneck since day one, a problem Disney is trying to solve.
Photo: Disney
Finally, if you’d like to spend New Year’s Eve at California Grill, you can, but…it’ll cost you.
Happy holidays, my many loves! And remember that it’s never too early to get a jump on your holiday viewing!
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
Feature Photo: Disney
