It’s no secret that the Walt Disney World Resort makes the holiday season a very special celebration throughout all of the parks and the hotels. The parks have their own way of spreading their holiday cheer as each one offers their own unique way of decorating and celebrating the holidays. The Holidays Around the World at Epcot offers guests an inside look at international traditions with ongoing holiday celebrations featuring festive food, fun and entertainment from a variety of exciting cultures worldwide.
Holiday Storytellers
From November 28 through December 29, Epcot celebrates the diverse international traditions and holiday celebrations from around the globe. Holidays Around the World rings in the season with holiday traditions, folklore, legends and customs in each one of its international pavilions. The traditions come alive as Holiday Storytellers share their heritage and wondrous tales from other nations. With festive decorations and live entertainment, Holidays Around the World offers guests yuletide celebrations from Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa and the Chinese New Year.
Each one of the 11 international pavilions around the World Showcase offers a representation of holiday traditions with amazing and entertaining stories. This year, Epcot has added a few new storytelling shows to a few of the pavilions, including Mexico, Morocco and China. Here is a sampling of what to expect in each pavilion during the holiday season.
Mexico: ¡Feliz Navidad! New this year, Mexico features an upbeat Mariachi Band and festive dancers to their traditional holiday fiesta.
Norway: Delight in the stories of Sigrid as the hilarious tales of Julenissen, the Christmas Gnome
China: Also new this year, the Chinese Lion Dance brings good fortune and happiness to celebrations such as the Lantern Festival and the Lunar New Year.
Germany: Join Helga as she tells the delightful story of the first Christmas tree, her first Nutcracker and German holiday traditions.
Italy: Here is where you will meet, La Befana, the kind-hearted witch who tells the tales of arriving on the eve of the Epiphany to provide gifts to the good girls and boys.
American Adventure: Enjoy the tales of a traditional american Christmas and meet Santa and Mrs Claus as you enjoy the sweet sounds of the Voices of Liberty Dickens Carolers. Take in Hanukkah traditions and the spirit of Kwanzaa as well.
Japan: Celebrate the customs of the Japanese New Year as the tales of the Daruma Doll fascinate and entertain.
Morocco: A Moroccan storyteller tells her tales of festivals, holiday traditions, and celebrations that are like the “spice of life”.
France: Père Noël brings the joy of the season as he reads a Christmas letter from a child.
United Kingdom: Join Father Christmas as he tells the vivid tales of Christmas in the United Kingdom, some dating back to the 15the century.
Canada: Join the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs as they take you on a musical tour of our neighbors in the Great White North as Papa Noel tells of Canadian holiday traditions.
Flavors of the Holidays Around the World
In addition to the holiday storytelling, guests also get to sample some of the traditional holiday flavors from around the world. Special tasting areas are set up around the World Showcase and offer international samplings found only during the holiday season.
The special tasting areas around the World Showcase will include:
American Adventure: Freshly baked gingerbread men, chocolate chunk cookies and sugar cookies, hot chocolate, hot apple cider and peppermint bark
Canada: Pecan-maple bark
China: Kaikouxiao – happy face fried cake from The Joy of Tea
France: Bûche de noël au chocolate – a chocolate yuletide log from Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie and Glace au apin d’epices – gingerbread ice cream from L’Artisan Des Glaces
Germany: Stollen fruit cake and glühwein – hot spiced wine
Japan: Teriyaki Chicken Karaage – crispy fried chicken bites with teriyaki sauce
Mexico: Sweet tamales from La Cantina de San Angel
Morocco: Honey Walnut Baklava (a favorite at the Food & Wine festival) found at Morocco’s juice bar.
Norway: Traditional Rice Cream from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
Promenade Refreshments: Turkey Waffle – a sweet potato waffle filled with roast turkey, gravy and a traditional green bean casserole. This is a holiday meal all in one and can be found right at the entrance to the World Showcase
United Kingdom: Hot applejack cider spiked with whiskey and seasonal spices.
Candlelight Processional
Also taking place in the World Showcase is the Candlelight Processional, a holiday tradition that will grace the stage of the American Gardens Theatre once again this year. Join celebrity narrators as they tell the biblical tale of the savior born in Bethlehem while accompanied by a mass choir and a 50-piece live orchestra in an inspirational performance. The Candlelight Processional 2014 at Epcot is steeped in holiday tradition and is a special event you won’t want to miss if you are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort for the Christmas season.
The Candlelight Processional takes place from November 28th through December 30th. Three performances are held each evening at the American Gardens Theatre located in front of the American Adventure Pavilion. Performances are at 5:00 pm, 6:45 pm and 8:15 pm.
This year, the celebrity line up lending their voices to this holiday tradition is sure to please. Several new celebrity narrators will join the list of returning guests and include:
- 11/28 – 11/29 Jodi Benson
- 11/30 – 12/2 Neil Patrick Harris
- 12/3 – 12/4 Jonathan Groff (New this year!)
- 12/5 – 12/6 Whoopi Goldberg
- 12/7 – 12/9 LaVar Burton
- 12/10 – 12/11 Edward James Olmos
- 12/12 – 12/14 Joe Morton
- 12/15 – 12/17 Chita Rivera
- 12/18 – 12/20 Ana Gasteyer (New this year!)
- 12/21 – 12/23 Marlee Matlin
- 12/24 – 12/25 Isabella Rossalini
- 12/26 – 12/27 Blair Underwood
- 12/28 – 12/30 Steven Curtis Chapman
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth Holiday Presentation
No evening in Epcot during the holiday season would be complete without experiencing IllumiNations’ holiday spectacular. During the Holidays Around the World, this special holiday presentation of the stunning nighttime extravaganza celebrates the spirit of humanity and the nations of our world through laser lights and pyrotechnics and ends with a musical finale that includes “Let There Be Peace on Earth”. The special holiday presentation can be seen anywhere around the World Showcase lagoon.
Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season
Over in Future World, the celebration of the season continues with “Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season.” Joyful! uniquely blends the soulful expressiveness of Gospel and Inspirational music with the sounds of Jazz, R&B and urban music. Guests can enjoy Joyful! daily at the Future World Fountain Stage at 1:15 pm, 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm, 4:15 pm.
Visit www.capturing-the-magic.com for a preview of the stunning coffee table book, Capturing the Magic and purchase your copy today.
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