Photo Flashback! Dapper Dans, Christmas Edition

The Dapper Dans crooning a carol on Main Street, USA.

Magical Blogorail: Dreaming of a Disney Christmas

Welcome to those of you joining me from A World View and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail.

This month our topic is "Dreaming of a Disney Christmas."  There are plenty of Disney touches in a Growing Up Disney Christmas.  Our favorite characters appear on Christmas jammies, as ornaments, lights and stockings, and of course in gifts under the tree.  But recently we had the chance to experience a little Disney Parks Christmas.  

We timed our fall vacation this year to give us both a taste of the Food and Wine Festival and a glimpse at the splendor of Disney's holiday finery.  In mid-November the parks were already decked out.  In a previous year, our vacation included Halloween and the poinsettias started going into flower beds on November 1.  

Magic Kingdom has to be fully ready first since the first Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was held this year on November 9.  Thanks to DisneyDad for these lovely images of Christmas decor on Main Street during the day.  Classic red and green look amazing with the nostalgic street.

I've shared pictures of the Castle Dream Lights before but it's just too beautiful not to mention again. 

I really like this tree as you enter World Showcase at Epcot.  It just seems to rise up forever.  Thanks to Ridge for these images.

Somehow three of the five adults in our group travel with "fancy cameras" and none of us managed to get a picture of the huge tree outside Animal Kingdom.  Guess we were all too excited to get to eat with Mickey at Tusker House to stop (or in my case too frustrated with the tram....just walk.)  Disney Dad did get this shot of Goofy from Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade.

The highlight of the Christmas fun for our family was the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  I don't see how you could go through this display of about 5 million lights and not enjoy yourself.  We danced and giggled, reached for "snow" and sang along with the songs.  I love traveling with my own PhotoPass crew.  Other than a couple of quick shots with the iPhone, my good camera stayed in the bag and I just enjoyed the time with my family.  (Disney Dad took these and more and Ridge got some really great shots.  Click here for Ridge's post full of images and video from the Osborne Lights!)

T

The Growing Up Disney family wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Red this month. We will be back Friday, January 18th with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney info, photos and stories. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs, as well as all our previous loops.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ My Dreams Of Disney
2nd Stop ~ Disney Donna Kay
3rd Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic
4th Stop ~ A World View
Final Stop ~ Growing Up Disney

A Walk Around The World With Ridge -- Merry Christmas with the Osborne Lights

Osborne Lights

 The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights happens every year from November to the first week of January. The lights are strung up on every building and take up all available space on all the building on the streets of America. I was there on November 14^th and it was my first time to see the lights since the houses on the back lot were still there…. I miss the Golden Girls house.

The lights themselves are an amazing set up. They are everywhere; there are moving decorations on the buildings and on the sidewalks. It’s like daytime on the street.  Every ten minutes the lights dim and music plays and the lights put on a choreographed show. Even the cast members get in on the act and will dance along line dance style.

 Walt Disney World has been the home of the Osborne Lights since 1995, when the Osborne's home town in Arkansas told them that they couldn’t make their display because it too big. It’s been at Disney ever since. It really is something to behold and to cap off a magical night in the lights…. It "snows."

Photo Flashback! Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

At 6:30 each evening throughout the holiday season, the Castle Dream Lights are turned on in a special ceremony.  The best part is, of course, the lights themselves.  Cinderella Castle is breathtaking while enrobed in thousands of tiny lights. 

I think this post may include images from all three photographers in the family.  I loaded all of Dad's and Chris' pictures to my computer before we left WDW and the files are intermingled now.  The star filter on the first shot tells me that was Chris (Ridge) and I know I took the ones of the lighting process.  I'm not so sure on the others, but aren't they pretty?  ~Amy
Update: DisneyDad said thanks for the credit but he wasn't able to shoot this night.  Chris' camera batteries were all dead and DisneyDad shared his.   Thanks to Deb for hosting another fun photo topic!

Simple Ribbon Valance

I'm not the least bit crafty and I know this is off-topic for my blog, but I wanted to share my latest project.  I'm writing this on Sunday and I am currently enjoying a little rare time alone.  Ridge is here visiting for the holiday weekend and he and my husband have taken the girls out for lunch and some sightseeing.  I finally finished the ribbon valance for Tink's room.  I'd hate to admit how long ago I started this.  

My original plan had been to cut lengths of ribbon, fold them over the curtain rod and then hot glue them.  I even bought a hot pink hot glue gun.  Well, it's still in its package.  I decided the other day that I had to make this happen.  I grabbed the ribbon, a pair of scissors, a tape measure and Tink's step for the bathroom sink.  I told my husband he was to keep the girls out of the room until further notice.  Since I had to work quickly and I was measuring on top of the changing table, the hot glue idea was chucked and tying was in.  I cut my ribbon to approximately 40 inches long and then looped it over the bar.  I really liked the effect but I had to buy more ribbon and now it is finally complete.

If you do this yourself, I'd suggest choosing a length that will allow you to maximize your spool of ribbon.  I ended up with a good bit of leftovers.   I thought I would share this because I'd love to see what ideas my crafty friends might have.  While I know I won't get to it, wouldn't this be cute to do for different seasons or for a favorite team during football season?  Before a Disney vacation, you could switch out some or all with ribbon featuring a favorite character.  The Disney ribbon was not on sale like the rest, but I did pick up one roll of Princess ribbon.  The wide ribbon looks a bit like a man's necktie, so I think this would be very cute in a baby boy's room too.

~Amy

Quick Tip: Christmas Cards and Vacation Postcards

I love getting Christmas cards from family and friends. Here's a lovely way to display them in your home.

I simply tied a long piece of red satin ribbon around a kitchen cabinet door. It is anchored by a bit of sticky tack (that gum-like stuff we all used to put things on our dorm room walls.) Wooden clothespins attach the Christmas cards to the ribbon.

I need to do another cabinet door for the other cards I have now and will add on as we receive additional cards.

I'm thinking about doing something similar in my laundry room to display photos of the girls, artwork, vacation postcards, etc. Since the cards or photos are held on by clothespins or other small clips, it will be easy to add or change the photo gallery.

For really crafty types, you could do this while on a Walt Disney World vacation. At resorts with kitchen cabinets, such as DVC, you could display the maps, stickers and other small items you gather each day. For studio-style rooms, tie or hot glue a section of ribbon on a small metal ring (or just tie one end of the ribbon into a loop.) Take along a Command hook so you can hang it without damaging the wall.

--Amy

Update: Here's the final result. I love seeing all these joyous wishes and cute faces while I work in the kitchen.