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Arrived at Orlando International airport just after 5am and was walking through the terminal around 5:30am.
A large Christmas tree in the center of the airport.
All quiet at the stores at this hour.
The rest of our group was on a slightly later flight so we went to the food court to wait for them.
Everyone arrived, ate breakfast, and we were checking in for Magical Express at 7am.
All was still quiet here.
A bus waiting for us. Thanks to no one else showing up we had a private motor coach this morning.
7:30am arriving at Walt Disney World.
This will be the new entrance roadway for the studios. The road will pass over Victory Way.
Through those trees is the Studios parking lot expansion and beyond that the original parking lot.
On the other side of the road, looking toward the sports complex.
You can see some supports and another overpass under construction on this side.
On Victory Way heading toward Art of Animation/Pop Century, they had it down to one lane this morning.
Arrived at Disney's Boardwalk Resort at 7:40am. This is where I will be staying for the next week.
The lobby features a gingerbread recreation of the Boardwalk this year.
A quick first look at the gingerbread creation.
You can sign up to make your own gingerbread house.
Boardwalk lobby Christmas tree
Changed clothes and checked our bags. Now walking over to Epcot.. it is only 8:20am. The Yacht Club across the lake.
The AP line at the International Gateway seems odd right now with the low number of guests entering most of the time.
A coach for a wedding crossing over the bridge this morning before the park opened. They held us all at the top of the walkway today.
A few minutes before 9am they let the assembled group start to walk. A large majority of the guests were on their way to Norway and Frozen.
The coach had pulled up in front of Canada.
The wedding party was still in Canada taking pictures and had not come down to the coach yet.
First monorail sighting of the morning..
A new bar in Mexico has opened recently.
Passing by Mexico.
In line for Frozen. It was 9:05am and the line stretched to Mexico.
Wait times said 35 minutes.
A cast member heading toward the end of the line, a little late as it wrapped and continued on toward Mexico still.
This was my first time in the Standby queue. All other visits I used FastPass+
Luckily there were not that many FastPass+ returns so the line kept moving this morning.
Finally onboard. Took about 30 minutes.
A Festive Center has taken over the Odyssey. I was really hoping they would still have the Epcot 35 display.
The cover has yet to return to the Test Track structure. It was removed for the hurricane.
Used a FastPass+ for Test Track, first time in a while designing a car.. usually I use single rider and skip that step.
Passing by the entrance after riding.
Next up a FastPass+ for Mission Space. Not needed but I booked it anyways.
Went for the Green Mission, which is new since my last visit.
Sad to see Universe of Energy behind walls.
Went to find out if the Muppet Mobile Lab was performing today. They were not.
Wanted to clear my third FastPass which was for Spaceship Earth. The return line and stand by line were both long.. it took nearly 30 minutes to get through the queue and attraction this morning.
The signs have not been updated yet. Siemens did not renew their sponsorship and it has ended.
It was just before noon and time to head out for lunch. Stitch saying goodbye.
Arrived at Disney's Saratoga Springs about 30 minutes later.
Walking to Disney Springs, I will visit the Christmas trees after lunch.
My destination.. the Boathouse.
Went for a lighter lunch today.. sliders and fries.
It was a bit cloudy this afternoon.
The Town Center Christmas Tree
Amorette's Patisserie features a recreation of some Disney Springs sights.
A Monorail Snowflake in the World of Disney window.
Christmas decorations.. not sure what you would want to call them. Peanut dogs?
The future home of the Star Wars VR Experience.
Marketplace Christmas Tree
The old bus loop is once again a Christmas Tree Trail.
Santa has relocated to the Christmas Tree Trail this year. He is meeting with a paging system again.
Time to explore the trail.
A tree representing all the merchants of Disney Springs.
Mickey & Minnie's Tree. This made me miss the trees that used to be in Camp Minnie Mickey at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I thought those character trees were more detailed.
Pluto had his own tree.
On each tree was a featured ornament you could purchase in the gift shop.
Princess and the Frog Tree
The Little Mermaid Christmas Tree
Sleeping Beauty Christmas Tree
Beauty and the Beast Christmas Tree
Signs up on the walls throughout the area. This one near the Frozen Tree.
The Frozen Christmas Tree
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Christmas Tree
Cinderella Christmas Tree
A merchandise and food location in the middle of the trail this year.
Pinocchio Tree
101 Dalmatians Tree
Fantasia Christmas Tree
Villains Christmas Tree
Robin Hood Christmas Tree
Tangled Christmas Tree
Dumbo Christmas Tree
Santa Claus is in the middle of the Christmas Tree Trail this year.
Muppets Christmas Tree
Mulan Christmas Tree
Mary Poppins
Alice in Wonderland Christmas Tree
This wraps up my walk through the Christmas Tree Trail.
Penguins as I walked to catch a bus, they were near STK.
The view from our room today at the Boardwalk.
Just after 5pm and on my way to the Magic Kingdom. Traffic backed up on the new by pass road. Buses no longer go through the toll plaza.. you turn off just before it and then have to make a left at a light. This is what is backed up.
To the left across the road you can see the new overpass construction status. Eventually buses and cars going to the resorts will use this and go over the cars entering the Magic Kingdom Parking lot.
Here you can see the new overpass supports just beyond the Monorail beam as the sun was setting.
The reflection of the setting sun as I ws trying to grab a picture of the Contemporary Christmas tree as we drove by.
Arrived at the Magic Kingdom at 5:30pm
Town Square.
Main Street USA this evening as the lights were coming on.
Main Street USA at 5:48pm
Looking toward Town Square.
75 min standby posted for Buzz this evening.
This mob of guests is the Peoplemover queue.
There is still a dance party in Tomorrowland, but no characters.
The outside patio expansion at Cosmic Rays is complete.
The Diamond Horseshoe was open this evening.
A look inside the Diamond Horseshoe
The Jingle Cruise FastPass+ return was really backed up this evening.
Cinderella Castle this evening.
Back in Tomorrowland. Even the Carousel of Progress had a fair number of guests tonight.
Iron Man merchandise in Tomorrowland (not a lot of Marvel in the parks here due to Universal)
Decided to walk out and catch the train. What a mistake.. the nice quiet walking path had probably 20-30 people smoking in several locations along it.
The moon tonight.
Made what may have turned out to be the worst decision of the trip. Stopped by Sleepy Hollow for a corn dog. Should have gotten my money back and not eaten it since it was not fully cooked. But I was in a hurry and ate some anyways before going to find a spot for fireworks. Turns out I would pay for this for the next several days...
Due to my poor experience at Sleepy Hollow I was late to find a spot for Happily Ever After and was stuck about 1/2 down Main Street and off to the side.
Now a random selection of pictures from Happily Ever After at the Magic Kingdom.
This was my first time seeing the show so my timing was a bit off.. but here you can see some of the lasers.
More lasers and lights.
Random Christmas decoration picture..
After the show a majority of the crowd seemed to be heading for the park exit.
I moved to the hub to find a spot for Once Upon a Time (yep that runs after Happily Ever After).
This wraps up my first day. After this I moved through the crowd and headed for the bus back to Boardwalk to call it a night.