Tag Archives: Holiday Storytellers

Too Late for Holidays Around the World at Epcot? No Way!

Good morning, my friends!  How have you been?  Did you have a great Christmas break?  We certainly hope so!

Sorry for the lengthy absence.  To be honest, I needed a bit of rest, myself.  In addition, as you know, spending time with family is important, and I prioritized my opportunities!

Having said that, I’m not quite ready to let go of WDW’s Christmas just yet.  For instance, let’s visit Epcot’s Holiday Entertainers one more time, shall we?

Photos by John Peters

Photos by John Peters

From mariachis to Father Christmas, himself, World Showcase is packed with story and song.  My question, today, is simple.  Your task is equally easy.

Of the choices presented, below, what are your favorite Epcot Holiday Entertainers?  In this poll, you can make THREE choices!  Yes, three!

Go ahead, folks!  VOTE for your favorites!  One of these will become the WDW Fans’ Favorite Epcot Holiday Entertainer!

Enjoy the Epcot Holidays!

OK!  Enough “candlelight” already!  Actually, it’s time to present the “winners”!  So, here we go!

The first poll up was presented a week ago … our quest to choose the All in WDW Readers’ Favorite Epcot Holiday Storyteller!  Twelve days of Christmas and twelve choices.  I know.  It was tough.  And, probably, a bit overwhelming.

In the end, however, hailing from the fine country of Norway, Sigrid and Julenissen took the crown!  It was, by NO means, a unanimous decision.  In fact, for the most part, your votes were spread, pretty evenly, across the board.  For the final tally, stop back and look.

Norway - Sigrid

The “feature” poll came along a few days later when we tackled Epcot’s “centerpiece” holiday attraction – The Famous Candlelight Processional!

Again, it wasn’t a “runaway”, but it also wasn’t a surprise.  After gaining the most of our support, NPH – er, Neil Patrick Harris – lays claim to the title.  He IS the All in WDW Readers’ Favorite Candlelight Processional Narrator!

NPH at Processional

Finally, I tossed you, what turned out to be, a VERY difficult trivia question a few days ago.  I asked, “… who was Epcot’s very first Candlelight Processional storyteller?”  The vast majority of you picked Charlton Heston for that honor.

In actual fact, however, according to Intercot, “The Candlelight Processional and Massed Choir began in 1958 at Disneyland in California.  Thirteen years later, Walt Disney World presented its first Candlelight Processional in the Magic Kingdom with Rock Hudson as the guest narrator.”

Now, there!  We ALL learned something about one of Walt Disney World’s renowned holiday traditions with that trivia challenge.

Have a great day, my friends!

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!