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Making Merry with Mickey
Walt Disney World at the Holidays
By Lyn Mettler
Lots of the park's most popular rides like The Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are open, and visitors can also take in a variety of holiday shows. One of my favorites was Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade complete with gingerbread men, toy soldiers and all of Disney's cast of characters including, of course, Mickey Mouse and Santa himself as the finale.
There's lots of holiday cookies and hot cocoa (yes, it can get chilly in Florida!), and each family gets a souvenir photo and button with the price of admission. And the night wouldn't be complete without fireworks!
Of all the Disney parks, Epcot is probably my favorite – not only do you get to have fun, but you learn something, too!
Epcot's prime attraction for the holidays is its annual Candlelight Processional, a retelling of the Christmas story by celebrity narrators accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir. Upcoming narrators for 2006 include Kirk Cameron, Gary Sinise and Marlee Matlin. We saw actor Edward James Olmos of Miami Vice fame the year we went, and he was truly spectacular. The show is quite moving, and you will hear some of your favorite holiday songs like "What Child Is This," "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Joy to the World."
Guests can make an entire evening of the Candlelight Processional with special dinner packages at a select Epcot restaurant. (Call 407-WDW-DINE for more information or to make reservations.)
The CandlelightProcessional is part of Epcot's "Holidays Around the World" celebration, which hosts observances of Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah throughout the World Showcase. You can also check out a variety of holiday story times hosted by different countries, as well as visit Santa by the U.S.A. pavilion.
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