Disney during the holidays isn't always how you imagine it. Sometimes, there are long lines, too many people, and prices that will break the budget, but this year, Disney surprised me by pulling out all the stops and making me believe in the magic of the Christmas spirit, even when it's 80 degrees outside.
My best friend Tory and I took the leap and decided to visit all four parks and experience Disney during the Christmas season. Each park represented the holiday cheer differently and gave us something we couldn't have expected.
Although we really only went to Hollywood Studios for Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster, we encountered a true embodiment of the Christmas Spirit. While standing in line trying to figure out how to get fast passes for the only two rides we cared about, a cast member generously offered us a free pass that would allow us to skip the line for either of the roller coasters. This pass allowed us to skip a 50 minute line, and gave us enough time to ride Tower of Terror twice!
We knew the day we went to Animal Kingdom would be great from the very beginning when we parked in the third row of the parking lot, and arrived at the gates before the park was even opened. After taking a couple selfies with the giant Christmas tree to send to Nana, Tory and I waltzed right into the Kilimanjaro Safari line and within five minutes we were sitting in the truck ready for a wild ride. There were so many active animals that morning and the weather was perfect. The rest of the day, the lines were short which allowed us to ride Expedition Everest (my favorite ride) and Kali River Rapids twice. Even though Animal Kingdom is not the most visited park at Disney, we truly enjoyed the short lines and fun rides.
Epcot was an adventure. The Holidays Around The World festivities were in full swing, and each country was a new experience. The passport included each country's specialties including Morocco's Chocolate Honey Baklava, Italy's Panettone, France's bûche de Noël, and many other delicacies.
Each country embraced the holiday spirit with their own unique twist, giving us a taste of their special traditions. We even made a reservation at the German restaurant, Biergarten. We had no idea how the restaurant worked when making the reservation, but we soon found out that it was buffet style, and that we would be sitting with other families. The food was so yummy, and we were able to meet some wonderful people while we ate. As we were devouring our German delicacies, a band of men in lederhosen began singing Christmas songs in both English and German. Needless to say, it was an experience that we will not soon forget.
Last but not least, the Holy Grail of Christmas Spirit is embodied in the Magic Kingdom. Seeing Cinderella's castle lit with Christmas lights literally brought Tory and I to tears. The castle might be the single most beautiful building on the entire planet, and I felt so lucky to experience it.
After visiting two other parks, we arrived at Magic Kingdom at 8:00 P.M., patiently awaiting the fireworks at 10:00 P.M. We got an amazing spot, which is difficult to do, and we stayed there for two hours patiently awaiting the festivities. My phone had died earlier that day, and I was really counting on my camera to take pictures of the show. Luckily, we spoke to the man sitting next to us, a retired police officer who wanted to photograph the magic. After some conversation, he asked us if we would be taking videos, and when I told him my phone was dead, he offered his mobile charger to me! I was so thankful that a stranger had so kindly offered his charger to me, even when I could only offer him some almonds. His kindness allowed me to capture a stunning video, which serves as a beautiful memory of the trip.
Although to some the holidays are stressful and maddening, I was overjoyed to experience the stunning kindness of others and true Christmas cheer at Disney.
