This Epcot International Holiday Festival preview event was sponsored by Disney.
The world is separated by two people, those whom say you can’t celebrate Christmas until after Thanksgiving , and those who don’t care what those people say. In all reality you can’t start watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music if you never really stopped. And why stop when the holidays, at least for me, are full of my favorite things, family, food, color, lights, gift giving, less humidity (let’s face it, Miami doesn’t get a winter wonderland) and perfectly predictable happy endings in movies that have all of those favorite things. It’s a pretty magical time of year.
Disney, on the other hand, is bursting with “magical” YEAR ROUND. So when Disney celebrates the magic of the holidays, you can guarantee that you’re getting as close as you can to the perfection and warmth of living in a real-life a made-for-TV Christmas movie.
Come November 29, that magic will be overflowing from every end of the World Showcase and throughout The Land. Living with the Land is already so festively decorated for the season. We were able to catch a sneak preview but it officially opens on the 29th. Before Disney, who knew hanging vegetables could be so festive?
The Candelight Processional is also a BIG MUST. If you haven’t heard the Nativity Story narrated by someone famous with the voices of a choir comprised of what I can only believe are real angels in the background, accompanied by an orchestra, have you really heard the Nativity Story? Probably yes, but this is really amazing too. Just to point it out, Neil Patrick Harris will be narrating December 2-5. For a list of the rest of the schedule, click here. The Processional fills FAST. I’d strongly consider a Processional Dining Package. With shows starting at 5:00 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:15 PM, you have the option to eat dinner before or after.
Speaking of dinner, there’s no place like home for the holidays. Which is why the World Showcase will be providing a special Holiday taste from the homes of several different countries, from potato dumplings and pork shnitzels in Germany, pastelóns and coquito in the Caribbean, Maple Bûche de Noël and wild rice and mushroom soup with the most perfect pretzel roll in Canada, and travel all the way back to the America Pavilion for slow-roasted turkey and stuffing. There will also be LOTS of latkes at the L’Chaim Holiday Kitchen, you can stick with an original potato latke or have the smoked salmon but really, there is no losing. I could have easily eaten 37 of these potato latkes.
Whether you’re full or not, MAKE ROOM for the Chocolate Peppermint Shake at the Feast of the Three Kings in the Caribbean.
You’ll need to eat as much as possible for energy because you’ll not only be hunting along the world showcase for Chip and Dale’s cookies, but you’ll also be dancing and singing along to all of the live musical performances and the individual traditions performed throughout the World Showcase. We had a special preview of JOYFUL! and seriously, you can’t NOT dance and sing along. Think Sister Act, how could you not sing along? But if you really wanted to NOT sing along for some reason, you can always keep your mouth full of holiday cookies.
There are FIVE official cookie stroll locations:
- Germany: Bavaria Holiday Kitchen- Linzer Cookie
- America: American Holiday Table- Gingerbread Cookie
- Canada: Yukon Holiday Kitchen- Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie
- Mexico: Feast of the Three Kings- Chocolate Crinkle Cookie
- Morocco and France: L’Chaim Holiday Kitchen- Black-and-White Cookie
This Cookie Stroll jar is adorable, we can’t keep cookies around long enough for them to make it into the jar, but I’m sure Disney won’t get mad if I use it for other things, right?
While you collect cookies, join in on Chip & Dale’s Christmas Tree Spree along the World Showcase after you pickup one of these cute maps at Pin Central, Disney Traders or World Traveler at International Gateway . Then “hunt” for ornaments throughout the different pavilions. If you turn it in completed, you get a “festive surprise”. I don’t quite know what it is but with all of the holiday gear, I’m guessing it might be one of these cute paper ornaments.
If the paper ornaments aren’t enough, there are more holiday ornaments and plenty of holiday shopping to do!
Without a doubt, I highly recommend a holiday visit to Epcot and the other Disney parks. The only questions I have is how many cookies can I fit in my mouth at the same time and where is Neil Patrick Harris eating for dinner when he’s there? If you watched my stories you know that I asked that last question but the information was withheld. I’ll keep you posted if I figure it out. I don’t find him, I’ll just hang with my best friend Goofy Santa.
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