Here's the round-up, for your holiday vacation planning:
Walt Disney World
The holiday season starts at Walt Disney World on November 8, with the debut of The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios and the hard-ticket Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom.
On Nov. 26, the Holidays Around The World and Candlelight Processional get underway at Epcot and Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade returns to Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party runs selected evenings until December 19. The Epcot events run through Dec. 30, and the other events continue until January 3, 2011.
All events except Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party are included with park admission. For more information, visit disneyworld.com/holidays.
Universal Orlando
Universal's actually holding off until after Thanksgiving for its celebrations, in deference, I suppose, to its premier attraction, the Macy's Holiday Parade, being the focus of New York's Thanksgiving celebration. The Macy's parade runs daily at Universal Studios Florida from Dec. 4 through Jan. 1, 2011.
Over at Islands of Adventure, Grinchmas runs for those same days, featuring the Grinch and Whos from Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in stage shows and meet-and-greets.
In addition, Mannheim Steamroller will play at Universal on Dec. 4, 11 and 18. All events are included with park admissions.
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando debuts a new "Sea of Trees" Christmas tree display and Christmas Market shopping area this year. The park also returns its many holiday attraction overlays:
In addition, SeaWorld is offering the Makahiki Christmas Luau, which requires a reservation and additional charge. All other holiday events are included with park admission. The holiday shows take place Friday through Sunday, Nov. 26-Dec. 12, and then daily from Dec. 17-Jan. 2.
Disneyland
The holidays start on Nov. 12 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Highlights include the "it's a small world" Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday overlays, as well as the Christmas Fantasy Parade, "Believe in Holiday Magic" fireworks and the crystallized Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle. Big Thunder Ranch transforms into Santa's Reindeer Round-Up, where the kids can queue up for a visit with Santa.
All events are included with park admission and run through Jan. 2, 2011.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood will again truck in several tons of real snow for its annual Grinchmas celebration, which runs Dec. 11 and 12 and continued daily from Dec. 18 through Jan. 2, 2011. The park will also offer meet and greets with the Whos and the Grinch, a nightly tree-lighting ceremony and celebrity readings of Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Visitors on the park's Studio Tour will ride past the original movie sets where the "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" movie was filmed.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
The Virginia theme park reopens as ChristmasTown, starting the day after Thanksgiving and running Friday through Sunday through Dec. 12 and daily from Dec. 18 through Dec. 31.
New at the park this year is the Miracles show in Il Teatro di San Marco. The Deck the Halls, O Tannenbaum and Rejoice shows also return, as do holiday lights displays throughout the park. (Many regular attractions are open, too.)
Busch Gardens Williamsburg opens for ChristmasTown 3 pm to either 9 or 10 pm. Tickets are $21.99 and are available online. (Passholders can get a 50 percent discount.)
Dollywood
Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas runs from Nov. 6 to Jan. 1, 2011. This year marks the final season for Dollywood's Babes in Toyland show. In addition to the Polar Express Experience and Lighted Christmas Parade, the following shows also return this year:
Visitors who purchase a full-priced one-day ticket online will receive a free meal voucher, valid anytime after 3 p.m. at Hickory House BBQ, Victoria's Pizza, Red's Diner or the Sweet Shoppe.
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If you were unable to go for the first year of Christmastown I would highly recommend it as the park is beautiful lit up for Christmas and they even have a marketplace in the Germany section where you can buy product from vendors from throughout the state of Virginia.
To me, this also indicates a general appreciation of the customers. From a business standpoint, Christmas should start in November after the Halloween rush is over, and end on January 2 as the crowds from Christmas and New Years have mostly vanished. This seems to be Disney's sentiment. Universal, conversely, starts the festivities after Thanksgiving, which is still a bit early but a definite improvement, and ends after Little Christmas. They won't attract any extra customers with the January festivities, but they keep the decorations up, regardless.
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