For me, Christmas has always meant gray skies and cold air, wood smoke and pine trees, home-cooked meals with hot chocolate, and, with a bit of good luck (or bad luck, if you’re the one doing the shoveling), a bit of snow. But how does Christmas in Disney compare? In some ways, the two are not that different.

All Walt Disney World fans will understand the excitement of a new opening in the parks. While projects are still underway in Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom, one new location, at least, is open for business. The Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen is as much an attraction as a dining experience. This new eatery will be a nostalgia-fest for all Disney park fans who remember the S.E.A., or Society of Explorers and Adventurers, at the Adventurers Club.

Off Season Magic

When the summer crowds, spring and fall festivals, and holiday bustle has died down, work at the Walt Disney parks swings into full force.

An exciting new addition to the parks has now officially opened - the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! The final installment in the major Fantasyland expansion, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a mild coaster that takes you through the story of the Seven Dwarfs, is highly anticipated and has great expectations attached to it. Does this new ride measure up?

It seems the nation has been caught up in a Frozen frenzy. Frozen is the highest grossing animated film of all time, the songs are everywhere, and it has become difficult to speak the phrase “let it go,” without prompting a resounding chorus from all those nearby.

While there’s no denying that Disney vacations are magical experiences, they’re also pricey ones. Between tickets, hotel stays, transportation, and food, a single trip can quickly get out of hand – and out of budget – for many visitors to the parks. Purchasing souvenirs in addition to the necessities can be overwhelming.

For me, one of the most special things about Disney World are the little surprises that can pop up when least expected.

A new parade has taken up residence in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Known as Festival of Fantasy, it features figures from princess movies, tales of adventure, and the Storybook Circus in New Fantasyland. Come see Rapunzel, Peter Pan, Dumbo, and a host of other fantastical characters!

When my family and I thought “overnight train ride,” visions of Orient Express-like train cars danced in our heads. We were unpleasantly surprised.

Walking on Water, by Eleanor Goodall, is a novel following the story of a college girl spending a semester in Venice with other students from around the world. Through her interactions and experiences, the reader is taken on a journey in Venice through the eyes of a newcomer eager to learn and equipped with a sense of adventure.