Welcome to “Candlelight” Trivia!

Wow!  By now, both Gary Sinise and Neil Patrick Harris have already completed their 2013 Candlelight Processional performances.  Can you believe it?

It seems like it was just a few days ago that Epcot’s signature holiday performance debuted.  Oh, yeah.  It did!  Time flies!  Next up?  Ashley Judd makes her first appearance tonight!

Before we move on to trivia, I wanted to toss out one last reminder … VOTE for your Favorite Epcot Holiday Storyteller (Please VOTE here!) and your Favorite Candlelight Processional Narrator (Please VOTE here!).  I’ll close both polls tomorrow, folks, so register your choices quick!

OK.  Trivia.  You’ve seen the list of this year’s narrators.  But, answer me this … who was Epcot’s very first Candlelight Processional storyteller?

NPH at Processional

Getting into the Holiday Spirit!

I have so many polls open out there, I feel like it’s the first Tuesday in November as opposed to the beginning of December! I mean, the voting booths have been open forever!

If you missed it over the course of the last few days of turkey-eating and bargain-hunting, we threw out a couple of polls aimed at stirring us into the spirit of the holidays.

To choose your Favorite Epcot Holiday Storyteller, please VOTE here!

To choose your Favorite Candlelight Processional Narrator, please VOTE here!

And, if you’re a fan of All in WDW, please VOTE here! We’d love your support as we try to “climb the polls” on The Best of Disney!

There. Now that the business is done, let me stray from the beaten track for a few moments. Do you remember me saying that All in WDW’s new “tag-line” is All about “The World” … and much, much more!? Well, this is one of those “… much, much more …” moments!

What gets you into the holiday spirit?

I know what gets Mrs. All in WDW into a festive mood. She told me a few days ago … Christmas music. If you want proof, just stop over at our place and turn on a television. It will, undoubtedly, start up showing the holiday music “channel”. You know the one … Cable Channel 4567 (or some such)? All “Jingle Bells” … all the time. Oof.

For me, I know that the festivities are on their way when the Christmas tree goes up.

All in WDW's 2013 Christmas tree!  Small but festive!

All in WDW’s 2013 Christmas tree! Small but festive!

Ahh, the Christmas tree. I just love putting up the Christmas tree, don’t I, honey? Sculpting the branches “just so”. Making sure the lights cover the tree. Don’t you just love pre-lit trees, my friends? You know, the ones where the strings of lights are already completely entangled in the branches? The ones where when just one bulb burns out (like this year) the entire string goes dark? Or, the ones where ALL the lights die (like last year) causing you to take an unscheduled trip to Target to buy a new set of lights – or, a new tree!? Oh, and the garland. It ALWAYS goes on easily, doesn’t it?

Actually, I really DO enjoy putting up the tree, and it DOES get me into the holiday spirit. And, honestly, Mrs. All in WDW loves the lights and the ornaments so much, that it can’t help but make me happy. There, that’s what makes Christmas for me, dear. Hearing you “oooh and aaaah” over the Christmas lights each morning and evening. Frankly, just to hear that each day, left up to me, we’d leave the tree up all year round. It brings a festivity to our lives that is nearly impossible to match.

Of course, as we assemble, decorate, and place gifts around our “evergreen”, it’s also nice to ease our passage into the holiday season with a little taste of the best beverage ever created – Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale. Those of you from, or living in, Northeast Ohio know what I mean.

There's nothing like enjoying a GL Christmas Ale and ...

There’s nothing like enjoying a Great Lakes Christmas Ale and …

... pizza party as you build a Christmas tree!

… pizza party as you build a Christmas tree!

Actually, it can be found in quite a few places outside of Ohio now. You should look for some. It is, by far, the best seasonal beer we’ve ever found. Who am I kidding? It is THE best beer we’ve ever had! We found our “taste” in Kentucky a few weeks ago, but these States all sport an ample supply:

  • Indiana
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Virginia
  • Washington D.C.
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

Really, Great Lakes? Minnesota? North Carolina? You can get to Minnesota, but you can’t get to Georgia? Or Tennessee, at least? But, I digress.

When it comes down to it, now that we’re in the Deep South and don’t get to enjoy (?!) snow, we know that Christmas is close when the holiday music hits the airwaves, the tree brightens our living room, and Christmas Ale moves into our refrigerator.

So, I’ll go back to my original question … what gets you into the holiday spirit? Leave a comment and let us know!

The Famous Candlelight Processional!

While we’re in the “Epcot holiday” spirit, I thought we’d stick around to pick out one more “favorite”.

Oh, by the way, I left yesterday’s poll open. It has been a busy week … with turkey-feasts and Friday shopping sprees and all.  Plus, there are still 25 days until Christmas.  There’s no reason to rush ourselves to a conclusion. Besides, I wanted to give those of you who haven’t had the time yet a chance to vote!  Who is YOUR favorite Epcot Holiday storyteller?!  Vote HERE!

In the meantime, let’s address World Showcase’s centerpiece event – the famous Candlelight Processional.  Have you ever been?

Candlelight Processional

A holiday event held nightly at the America Gardens Theatre, this attraction entertains thousands with …

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Return of the Holiday Storytellers!

A few days ago, Shawn Slater of Disney Parks Blog pointed out that the holidays return to Epcot’s World Showcase today – November 29th. Or, should I say that he reported that the “Holidays Around the World” begin today?

I would venture to guess that many of us have enjoyed some aspect of Epcot’s tribute to the holidays at one point or another. For instance, have you witnessed World Showcase’s centerpiece event – Candlelight Processional?

Having said this, I would also bet that a lot of us have neglected the opportunity to watch the Epcot Holiday Storytellers tell their tales.  Who are the Epcot Holiday Storytellers?

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