12/19 Four Seasons, Fort Wilderness, Magic Kingdom Christmas and Polynesian Update

Hi everyone!

Saturday marked the first day of 2009 that the Magic Kingdom offered their Christmas shows and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Time parade to the general public (and not just during the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party).  We stopped first at Fort Wilderness, while taking photos of the Four Seasons construction along the way.

The Four Seasons construction area:

 

Osprey Ridge Christmas decorations:

 

A handful more photos of Christmas at Fort Wilderness – we also noticed some classic cars (including a few small ones), I’m not sure if there was a car show somewhere nearby:

Heading to the Magic Kingdom:

The Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party signs were gone from out front:

2010 merchandise:

A few other items in the stores:

The Casey’s line was out the door:

 

While waiting for the Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at Town Square (Christmas Tree Point),  I took these pics of Mickey and Minnie at the castle:

 

The crowds:

The Dapper Dans came out to sing:

Two high school bands played before the parade, but apparently the Main Street cast members hadn’t gotten the message.  There was a lot of scrambling to get guests on the sidewalk, and some were still in the street when the first band went by.  It is hard to see that in this picture, but guests are on the other side of the band, though shielded by cast members:

 

Cast members selling snacks and drinks on Main Street pre-parade:

 

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, which is mostly the same as during the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  A few differences included Donald Duck instead of Scrooge on a float, no carriage with Donald and Daisy, and Cinderella was on the princess float instead of in her carriage.  Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen are the only characters drawn by a horse. 

I’ve seen the parade a number of times this year, and this cast member on the lead float always looks so happy to be there!