Day 1071: Missing Christmas

As the song goes, "I'll be home for Christmas," but as a Disney fan that lives miles and miles away from home, I don't really feel that way at all.

To be fair, I've never actually celebrated Christmas itself at Disney World (or Disneyland for that matter). We have responsibilities here at home. Plus, who in the world would want to go now when I can go in a few weeks when it's much less busy. I have, however, celebrated many Christmas seasons at Walt Disney World, usually around Thanksgiving. In fact, a large chunk of my trips have been during the holiday season, to the point where I take in the holiday traditions as just a regular part of my year.

When I'm far away, on the other hand, things get a little tricky.

There's a Garden of Lights in my area that pretty much everyone gets to during the Holiday season, and I'm always asked about going. I usually turn everyone down though, citing the fact that "it's no Osborne Lights," but truthfully, I think the real reason I turn everyone down is because it only makes me miss home more. And now, with the lights leaving for good after this holiday season, I can't help but wish a bit more than I was home this Christmas.

But that's not all. We can't forget the decorations around the Walt Disney World Resort, or the Gingerbread Singles that are sold at the Grand Floridian (pretty much the only thing I want for Christmas this year). There's the dream lights on the castle, and Holidays around the world at Epcot, plus the holiday tag on IllumiNations that's pretty much my favorite thing during the holiday season.

And yes, I can make my own Gingerbread and put up my own decorations, time my own Christmas lights to "Christmas is Starting Now" or watch the Holiday IllumiNations online, but none of it is quite the same as experiencing it for myself. It's honestly one of the many reasons that I don't have a problem with the prospect of working on Christmas in the future, as long as I'm working at Disney. Yes, the parks are crazy and it's a stressful day, but at least I'd be home for Christmas, and that's really all that matters, right?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 23).

Day 984: Hitting the Switch

A lot of the news we get out of Disney these days seems to be...well...bad. I guess it's not really "bad," per say, but there have been a lot of closings, and a lot of people are unhappy. There's one pretty big one that I've been anticipating though, and I've definitely thought a lot about it.

Disney announced recently that they're hitting the switch on the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a holiday tradition that's gone back and forth from my favorites and "not so favorite" list for years. It used to be one of the huge reasons I wasn't a fan of the park, at least after they moved it off of Residential Street to put in LMA and onto The Streets of America. Since then, as I slowly grew to appreciate the park again, I found myself enjoying the lights a bit more every time I saw them, and now that they're leaving for good, I have to admit that even I am a bit sad.

I remember talking with Megan and Ashley about the lights before our January trip, and the excitement when we realized that we would catch one of the last nights of the season. You can watch the vlog from our trip to see the lights right here:

I guess it's making way for some pretty great stuff, Star Wars Land included, but I do wonder if the lights will come back in some form in the future. For now, I guess I'll just have to listen to Carol of the Bells and Christmas is Starting Now on repeat while I wait for Christmas to actually start. 

Are you sad to see the lights go? 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 25 due to a tight schedule).

Day 701: 30 Days

Here we are again, at the one month mark before my next trip to Walt Disney World. It's been a really odd schedule for my family in recent years, with odd summer trips thrown in, and then that trip in March and the band trip in June. Normally we head down in November-January, but that hasn't happened for me since 2012. I guess that means I'm excited to head back in a month that I'm totally used to, even if it will be strange going so early in January. We're starting off 2015 with a bang I guess.

The funny thing is planning for this trip has been a big odd. We knew we were going in January before we even left in June, and then when we got back from the band trip, first Ashley joined on, followed by Megan, and now all six of us are headed down. It'll be a new experience for every single one of us, and I couldn't be more excited, hence the fact that I haven't stopped talking about it on the blog for months.

But it also means that waiting for this trip to get here has been a long wait. Countdowns started the second we got back in June, and with each passing day I can't decide if I get more homesick or excited. Granted, according to the order of Disney depression, right about now is when my homesickness gets pretty bad, at the six month point (we would have returned from Disney just under six months ago when I'm writing this). And editing excessive amounts of band trip video hasn't helped that homesickness either.

However, there are a few things that I'm really excited about on this trip, especially when it comes to sharing with my friends:

1. The Osborne Festival of Dancing Lights

I'm not sure why this is even here. I guess the last time we saw the lights they made a good enough impression for me to eagerly await a return trip to see them. As I blogged about over a year ago, I never really liked Hollywood Studios (even back when it was still MGM). Maybe it's because it's one of the Christmasy things we get a chance to do, even though it's the very, very end of the Christmas season (We're actually seeing them on the last day before they take them back down), or maybe it's just because it's something they had no chance at all to see in June, but it's still something I've talked endlessly about over the past few years. Who knows.

2. Dapper Day

Dapper Day usually occurs right when we're not in Florida, meaning that we don't really get a chance to participate. Oddly enough, however, it was my brother who brought the idea up to me a number of weeks ago, that we make our own Dapper Day during the trip. With a bit of careful fastpass arranging, I made it possible for us to dress a bit more dapper on a day in the middle of the trip. Have I spent a huge amount of time trying to figure out what it is that I'm going to wear on Dapper Day? Yeah, maybe I have, but it'll be worth it.

3. Food

We hit a few restaurants in June, but there are a ton that they've yet to experience, and I'm pretty excited about sharing some of them. For instance, there's still some first experiences Ashley and Megan have to have, such as their first character meal (we actually have two planned!), their first time at Garden Grill with the moving restaurant, and, of course, their first chance to experience a restaurant outside of the parks. Which leads us to the next thing...

4. Resorts

Disney World is home to so many different and completely unique resorts, of which I talk endlessly about. They've come to accept my lingo (OKW-Old Key West) as part of my language, and they make notes to remember what it is that I'm talking about when I use GF in a sentence about Disney (Grand Floridian). Luckily we have time planned in specifically to go and see some of the resorts, plus we get to stay at one that not even I've stayed at: Saratoga Springs!

5. First Plane Rides

Honestly, I hate planes. I had a bad experience a number of years ago (no, not a crash or anything like that. I was sick, it didn't end well), and so I get extremely anxious whenever I fly. I suppose I'll get used to it eventually, considering I'll probably fly more often in my future than I have so far in my life. However, I do, for some reason, like airports, and anxiety aside, I'm excited that I get to take two of my best friends on their very first plane ride, and in the case of Megan, I'm excited to show her MCO, which is yet another term she's come to understand. It was one of those Proud Moments of Lizzie's Life. And Ashley? Don't worry. You'll make it through the plane ride in one piece and we'll have a wonderful time at Disney!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 19 due to finals).

Day 700: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Time for another one of those great blog posts where you get to listen to a song while you read whatever it is I have to say!

Are you listening? Good. (If you're not listening...well..this is awkward). 

Anyways, we all have our favorite Christmas songs, and I happen to know that I definitely have a few. There's the classic Sleigh Ride, and more modern stuff like "Christmas Is Starting Now" from the Phineas and Ferb Christmas special, and the list just goes on and on. 

But if there's one song that I can apparently identify from a mile away, it's Carol of the Bells by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I don't really know why this one gets stuck in my head so often aside from one simple fact: It's been a part of the Osborne Festival of Dancing Lights for as long as I can remember, and we all know what happens when I'm able to identify something directly to Disney. 

So as I prepare for Christmas and my next trip to Disney, I'll just sit here listening to this lovely song day and night. Just kidding, I've got a really big playlist I'm listening to right now, including Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, Christina Perri, Into the Woods and, of course, Disney and Christmas music. 

However, I'll bet you right now that Trans-Siberian Orchestra is one of the most played. 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 19 due to finals).

Day 355: A Few of My Favorite Things: Christmas Edition

The last time I did a Favorite Things Post, I got really hungry while talking about some of my favorite Disney Foods. This time things are going to get a bit more Jolly, since I'm talking about some of my favorite Christmas traditions and events at Walt Disney World.

I've been to Disney World during the Holiday season several times now. I remember going as a kid and going to the Christmas Party for the first time (ok, I honestly don't remember the first time, but I remember going to it when I was still a kid). I remember when the Osborne Lights were still on Residential Street, with all the houses completely lit up like it was when the tradition first started. And I remember, of course, the many many Christmas Trees that decorate the resort. And the giant Gingerbread house, of course. There's that too. But we'll get to that.

Favorite Christmas Tree:

While I absolutely adore all the Christmas Trees at Walt Disney World, I'm pretty sure my absolute favorite takes it's place at Disney's Animal Kingdom Main Gate. I love all the different ornaments on it, and how they're this perfect mixture of Mickey Mouses and the animals that you can find in the park. Honorable mentions for Favorite Christmas Tree include the Tree at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa as well as the Tree on the opposite side of the Lagoon outside Disney's Contemporary Resort.

Favorite Wreath:

There are a lot of wreaths all around Walt Disney World. Big ones, small ones, hanging ones, ones attached to walls...and this giant one. While there are many many wreaths that line the halls o the Disney Resorts and Parks, this giant Mickey that hangs on the Contemporary is most certainly my favorite. I love walking through inside the resort and standing and just looking up at the giant thing. I have it in plenty of pictures from over the years too.

Favorite Christmas Decorations:

Seriously, this one is really hard. All of the decorations at the resorts are beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Each fits in perfectly with the different themes of each resort, and that's why it's so difficult to pick a favorite. I mean, I love the Gingerbread House at the Grand, but I also love the different chocolate decorations over at the Yacht & the Beach Clubs. They have beautiful work put into them. So I guess those three tie for this one. Gosh a shingle from the Gingerbread House sounds good right now.

Favorite Holiday Addition:

I wasn't really sure what to title thing, but my favorite of the "Holiday Specific Things" would have to be the Illuminations "Peace on Earth" tag. I remember a number of years ago when I went in December instead of November, and every night you knew exactly what time it was because at 9:15 or so there would just be thing giant bang letting you know that all the extra fireworks went off. And you could hear it from just about everywhere on property. I mean, I love Holiday Wishes as well, but this just makes me happy.

Favorite Holiday Special Event:

For this one you've got just about three options, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, The Candlelight Processional and the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Now, if you had asked me a couple years ago what my favorite was, it would most certainly be different from the answer I am about to give you. I'm going to have to pick the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. When I was a kid it was the whole street, with all the houses, and I really miss having all of that, but I do really love Carol of the Bells, and when I went last year to the lights it was just kind of cool to see people in the street dancing and stuff. It was cute, and that's one of the reasons that I think it's gone up on my list.

Honestly that's about all I can think about for categories of favorite holiday things. I guess you could add in Holiday Parade, but there's only two of them, and one of them you have to go to the special party to see. Overall, I just love Christmas at Walt Disney World, and I really can't wait for the day I get to go out to California to see Disneyland at Christmsatime too, because I'm pretty sure it's just as amazing out there!

Here's today's Disney History: 1936: A baby girl named Sharon Mae is born. Less than two weeks later she will be adopted by Walt Disney and his wife Lillian.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 30 due to time restrictions).

Day 334: End of Frump...Again

It is the end of yet another month (can you believe that it's been 11 full months since I began this blog?), and that means, sadly, that it is the end of another month of Frumpstagram. Just as the last time, I had a grand time doing all the different pictures. I mean, I love posting Disney Pictures on my instagram. It's also made me realize that I need more pictures of WDW. We'll get there eventually though, I suppose LOL. Someday I'll have just tons of pictures to post.

Anyways, here's a recap of this month's Frumpstagram!

And finally we have the last day of Frumpstagram, It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas! Lately I've been seriously obsessed with the Osborne lights, which is weird because I generally haven't really liked them. I guess last year just got me out of the Grinch Zone. 

Next month I'll be doing another Disney Picture thing on Instagram, but I won't post them daily here like I have done Frumpstagram. Don't worry, I'll post them all at the end of the year in a blog post similar to this one. This time it's not Frumpstagram though, it's WhimsicalDisneyGram! It should be a merry time though! (See what I did there?)

Here's today's Disney History: 1835: Writer & Humorist Mark Twain is born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in the small town of Florida, Missouri. Walt Disney admired Twain's writing and so the famous author's name and image can be found scattered throughout Disney theme parks all over the world. 

Have a magical day!