Ask Magically Speaking

In each issue we like to answer questions from you. What are your questions? Are you wondering about a certain attraction? Are you curious about a resort or cruise? Do you have some nagging little trivia question that you are just dying to know the answer to? If so, please send them to us. We have a great team of Disney experts and sleuths that would love to answer your questions! If you have a question, send it to us at magicallyspeaking@themouseforless.com.

Ask Magically Speaking is a regular feature in the Magically Speaking newsletter. The following Ask Magically Speaking was published in the June 4, 2007 issue
of Magically Speaking ISSN: 1556-3863

Q. We will be in Disney November 24 to Nov 30, 2007 and would like to know the hours and days of the Christmas party, light shows and other Christmas specials for that week.(Submitted by Fran S.)

A. Hi, Fran. Luckily, for your vacation dates, all of Disney World's holiday events will be up and running. Various holiday decorations and events start in early November, but by Thanksgiving, everything is going on full swing.

Tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) are currently on sale for the following dates: November 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30 and December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21. The party hours are from 7 pm through midnight, but you can enter the Magic Kingdom solely on your MVMCP ticket starting at around 4 pm. Adult (ages 10 and up) ticket prices are $40.95 each and child (ages 3-9) ticket prices are $33.95 each.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is set to open on November 12 this year and runs nightly. It typically begins around sunset (6 p.m., more
or less) and runs until park closing. For the entire duration, the Streets of America are filled with holiday music interrupted by lots of trivia about the lights. About every 20 minutes or so, the show really begins as every single light on the New York and San Francisco streets fade in and out in perfect synchronization with the music.

It's too early to officially say when special guests will pop up around the World Showcase in Epcot to talk about the holidays in their respective countries, but entertainment times will definitely be printed on the park's Times Guide when you get there. Holidays Around the World is unofficially slated for November 23-December 30, and includes plenty of extra seasonal touches, like Mickey's Tree Lighting Treat and the Lights of Winter at Showcase Plaza. The Candlelight Processional at Epcot, with its 50-piece orchestra, mass choir and celebrity narrator is a must for many families- be sure to watch for the announcement of celebrity narrators later this summer or early in the fall. A night at Epcot during the holidays ends with an enhanced showing of IllumiNations, with an extra finishing touch- don't miss it!

There are a couple of other special holiday events you may want to set aside time for. At the Animal Kingdom, the regular afternoon parade puts on seasonal garb and becomes Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade. Animal Kingdom hosts carolers, performing at Camp Minnie-Mickey and the Oasis. Guests can also experience an Animal Kingdom spin on the Santa photo op, in Santa Goofy's Wild Wonderland.

Finally, at Downtown Disney, you can get a jump on your Christmas shopping while enjoying yet another holiday-themed event, Festival of the Seasons. There's a more traditional Santa photo op, as well as displays of lights everywhere, special window dressing at stores, carolers, musical acts and performers. This isn't the must do experience of the parks' extra seasonal offerings, but if you need to get some shopping in anyway, enjoy!

One more thing- if you can fit it in, it's great to visit the Disney resorts, all decked out for Christmas. If time's limited (which always seems to be the case at WDW) maybe team up your Magic Kingdom visit with a monorail ride to the Grand Floridian's gingerbread house, your Epcot touring with a stroll to see the Epcot-area resorts' finery, and your Animal Kingdom day with a stop at Animal Kingdom Lodge to see their amazing Africa-themed Christmas tree. It's all good.

Q. Hi! On our last visit to WDW we stayed at the Pop Century Resort, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We hope to stay there again in the future. My question is, what is the latest on the construction on the second half of the resort? We saw the newly constructed buildings, but they were not being worked on. We would love to stay in the new buildings on our return trip, can you update us on the progress? When is the projected finish date? Thank you for your help. You are a wealth of information. (Submitted by B. Dvilinsky)

A. Thanks, and good question! The Classic Years side of Pop Century has been open and operating since 2003 and has recently been reported to always be at 95-100% occupancy. So what's happened to the Legendary Years side? The word is that after 9/11, tourism dropped so low that it just wasn't deemed as necessary at the time, so the construction was halted. Then it was reported that the integrity of the existing structures had been compromised due to a hurricane. Initially it was said that what had been constructed would have to be torn down and begun from scratch, but later reports indicate this would not necessarily be the case. The latest word is that depending on the success of the family suites at All Stars Music, the Legendary Years may become all suites itself. But nothing official has been announced lately.