#50 - Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 6

Park: Hollywood Studios
Park Rank: 6

We start our 2nd ten with our first seasonal item.  This category obviously relates to things that are not permanent attractions, but come out at the same time each year.  Seasonal events are like Magic-squared, given that you get the overall magic of the park, as represented by all the things on this list, and add to it other special events AND the fun of that particular season.

Christmas, for example, is a unique experience all in of itself, and it represents half the seasonal events on this list.  And, that was somewhat of a slight, as there are many Christmas traditions in WDW that could easily find their way on a list like this.  Everything from the big trees that decorate each of the parks to the decorations at the resorts, to things like the gigantic gingerbread houses that sell gingerbread shingles... the World is an entirely different experience at Christmas time.

We have been to WDW three times during the Christmas season, so the seasonal aspects hold quite a bit of nostalgic longing for our family.  We consider it the best time to be in the park, and only part of that is because its the best time to avoid Iowa's weather.

One of the most unique items on our list is the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, proudly keeping the tradition of making the official title way longer than it needs to be.  The lights are a Clark Griswold-like display on the Streets of America within Hollywood Studios.  This display is set up in November and December only to coincide with the Christmas season.  There are lights everywhere except for the street you walk on, and they are all synchronized to blink to the different music (think the infamous Engineer's Christmas synchronized to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which launched the YouTube sensations and the subsequent reality shows).

This tradition came, not from the Osborne Family of Ozzy Osborne fame (thank goodness), but rather from Jennings Osborne and his family in Arkansas, which had been going full Griswold before there was a Griswold.  They "shared their magic with the world" in 1995, as the website proclaims.  And thank goodness they did.  The streets are rather barren otherwise, and looks amazingly empty and a huge waste of space the rest of the year.

A few thoughts about its ranking on this list:  It is easy to see how this item makes the list, as it is easy to recognize and remember.  It is unbelievably crowded when the lights show comes alive, as people love wandering the streets in wonder.  However... it is just Christmas lights, and while it is a memorable part of Christmas, it falls much more in the "yes, we need to see it to get our 15 seconds of wow completed, and then it is checked off our list" part of our itineraries.  And, as far as Christmas decorations go, I feel Hollywood Studios is much weaker than the other parks.  It's almost like they can't come up with any creative ways to implement Christmas other than that one item... as though it sucked up all their creativity (or electricity).

It is properly placed here at the back end of the top 60 list, since it is definitely memorable and has its place, but isn't a headliner item when it comes to thinking of WDW.  I think if given a sheet of paper, a pencil, and the order to write down the things that come to mind when thinking of WDW, this won't appear on your list until someone reminds you of it, and then you say "Oh yeah!".  However, because of the magnitude of the display and the fact that it appears next to very little else in the park, this event makes it over things like the Jingle Jungle Parade in Animal Kingdom or the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, which don't make it at all.

Our next item takes us back to an ambience, again within Epcot.  This one will be a bit of a surprise on the list, as it isn't that memorable to most people, but is one of my personal favorites.

#40 - Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 5

Park: Epcot
Park Rank: 6

Our next item is the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, the rare seasonal activity that isn't connected to a holiday.  Much like the Lawn & Garden Festival in the spring, the Food & Wine festival is a free event with the price of admission, though you do have to pay separately for any food that you purchase.

The Epcot Food and Wine Festival began in 1995, just finishing its 20th year this past fall.  The duration of the festival varies each year, as this past year's 53 days was a record length.  Throughout the world showcase, new venue booths are brought in to provide additional flavors of the world.  In addition, special shows for food preparation, demonstrations, book signings, or concerts are a common feature as well.

The Food and Wine Festival is a favorite of many adults, as many plan their annual trip to come specially for this event.  The variety is amazing and makes the park, already a bastion of multiculturalism, that much more so.  In terms of enhancing Disney's theme of "we are all one world", this event does it as good as any on this list.

For our family, the event is a bit of a mixed bag.  Having children, this is not a must-do item, as its value is lost on people who are more happy getting a hot dog than trying anything exotic.  The timing is not very good either, being during the school year.  And, we are not connoisseurs of wine, which is most of the appeal for the majority of adults there (as the increase in the number of drink around the world t-shirts can attest).  But, we do like food, so yeah.

Still, I can't help but assess this as truly a neat and exciting experience that WDW provides, and thinking about food festivals in general will make one pine for this event.  Perhaps the spectacle outshines the nostalgia here, resulting in its lower rank than other seasonal events.

We return to Magic Kingdom for #39 on our list; it happens to be a show that is an original attraction from the park's opening, featuring a variety of songs to sing along to.  And, there are no bears in it.

#27 - Mickey's Boo-to-You Parade

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 4

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 13

Our next entry will require us to make several distinctions.  The Boo-to-You Parade, the Halloween-themed parade, is a staple of the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (NSSHP).  The inclusion of a parade on this list requires us to determine what category it should go in, and if it is separate than the party itself.  I've gone with "seasonal" for the category, since it is only available at certain times during the year, and it is definitely different (and much better) than the typical Disney parade.  I could have gone with "show", since if a typical Disney parade makes this list, that is where it would be categorized.

I also decided to separate it from the party, which will have a separate spot on this list (spoiler).  While the party will also be categorized as "seasonal", it essentially would be an ambience, given the decorations and overall atmosphere present in the park.  Therefore, other seasonal shows (such as the Villains Castle show) would have their own separate spot on this list, but activities that are not attractions (i.e. trick or treating) do not.  Yeah, that's probably way too much thought on the rules of a made-up list, but if I don't have rules, I have nothing.  Well, except for achy knees.  I always have achy knees.

Anyhoo, this entry is about the parade.  I was under the assumption that the parade went on in Magic Kingdom throughout the Halloween season, and not just on party nights, which would be another reason to separate the two.  However, I'm not sure that is the case, as I haven't found the parade listed anywhere without being connected to the NSSHP.  For all my readers, please feel free to use the comments to let me know the truth on this.  Also, for all my readers, please do not steal the blankets tonight in bed.  (You see... this is a joke, because I have only one reader... ha... I love jokes).

In general, parades suck.  They really do.  I am getting grumpy in my old years, but I have always detested parades.  Sitting out in the heat on an uncomfortable picnic blanket getting baked, all while watching a super-slow procession of vintage vehicles and farm equipment is not fun in any setting.  Also, having kids kill each other over Tootsie Rolls thrown out by some Pork Princess, and having every politician in the state walking around, milking the event for airtime and causing a huge backup... also not fun in any setting.

Disney parades are different, however.  There is no candy being thrown out (a good thing, in my opinion).  The time is short (20 minutes), and the vehicles keep great pace.  You can take them or leave them, and there are plenty of places along the path to get a good view.  Plus, they have actual music, performances, and worthwhile "floats".  Granted, I don't look forward to WDW for the parades and in general avoid them, but I far from detest them.

The seasonal parades are different even more.  These actually have holiday-themed floats and music.  While Disney performers in general are very professional, they still seem to "get up" more for this event.  The Boo-to-You Parade features many of the things you would expect in a Halloween parade (skeletons, ghosts, pirates, etc), but all presented in charming, family-friendly manner.  The parade starts with a ride by the Headless Horseman (of Ichabod Crane fame), and several of the villains get top billing on floats.

There are several sets of performers that are quite fun to watch.  You can see chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins doing a number with their shovels, causing sparks on the pavement.  There are also a set of dancing ghosts from the Haunted Mansion ride, including the 3 Hitchhiking Ghosts doing a strange robotic dance on a float.  It is like an animatronic, being performed by a real performer.  My favorite is the skeleton band that performs near the end of the parade.  All of this is set to a song that doesn't grate on your nerves (check out the Electrical Parade for an example of grating).

Overall, this is a fun event, and it screams Disney.  They have the ability to take items like Halloween monsters and make it family friendly without being cheesy.  This is definitely one of the better attractions in WDW, and would rank even higher if this list was of my favorite attractions.  It loses a bit in terms of nostalgia, mainly because we were introduced to this parade on just our last visit.  Still, it will be hard to experience Halloween now without reminiscing of the park.

Since we have Halloween on our minds, we will stay in this vein with our next attraction, a slow ride from Magic Kingdom with another catchy tune, and 999 haunts as well.

#17 - Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 3

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 7

We come to our 2nd parade in our list, the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.  This parade takes place during the holiday season (November-December) at Magic Kingdom, and is a feature of the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  The parade starts off as a nighttime spectacle, but eventually has shows during the day as well.  That was the case when we went for our first day back in 2009.

Much like the Boo-to-You parade, it contains many festive floats, as well as several marching groups.  The tin soldiers, for example, are one of the better attractions in the parade.  But, you also have the dancing ice-cutters from Frozen as well as skiing elves.  Mix in all of your favorite characters from the movies, and you have a great time.

To give you a rating, this parade is great, much better than the regular parades, which in turn are better than the everyday parade.  And, no, not everyone loves a parade, but whereas I find the regular Disney parades somewhat tolerable, the Christmas parade is a must see.  But in all honesty, it isn't as good as the Boo-to-You parade, which is more innovative and a better song to boot.

So, why does this one rate 10 higher than the superior parade?  The main reason is the significance to our family.  Shortly after we arrived on our first day at the park, we ate and then wandered a bit.  At that point the parade was starting.  In essence, this was our very first attraction in all of our Disney experience.  I can still remember our location from within Frontierland (on the river side), with Hannah on my shoulders at the time so she could see the floats in the parade.


Those first few moments of any one's first Disney trip are the most magical, beholding the park for the first time.  Adding that to the magic of the holiday season, and you have quite a special event.  It is hard to think about Christmas without remembering that day.

We come back to our restaurant category, and we have yet another table service restaurant at #16.  This is also a favorite of ours that we have visited many times, and you will see a striking resemblance to the overall experience that Whispering Canyons provides.

#12 - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 2

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 6

We are in the midst of a Magic Kingdom lull, here.  This is one of two entries in a 16-entry run here, which is a bit of a surprise, since we had quite a few of them in the previous 16 entries.

And, what an entry it is.  The Not-So-Scary Halloween Party might be the best item on this entire list.  The party is a seasonal event that takes place every September and October at Magic Kingdom, and it features special decorations, events, and costumes.  Lots and lots of costumes.  Oh, and some trick or treating as well.  This special event requires its own entry (with its own fee), and doesn't start until 4:00 pm, at which point they start ushering out the individuals who were there during the day.

So, you could easily ask yourself, what other items on this list are you willing to pay $60 to go do?  The answer is, not many, if any.  That is why we can say is might be the "best" item here.

So, what makes this so special?  When you enter the park, you will notice the unique decorations everywhere.  There are pumpkins and fall-colored garlands and additional things like gravestones and such sprinkled around.  In addition, there are some special characters that only come out for meet-and-greets during this party, in addition to special Halloween-themed shows (even the fireworks show has a special Halloween theme to it).

The thing that truly makes this special is the costumes.  More than half the visitors are in them.  This includes adults.  In fact, it is like adults have waited the entire year to finally dress in that crazy costume they would have already if there weren't societal expectations against doing so.  Darn those societal expectations.

The costumes range from cheap, to inappropriate, to classic, to unbelievably creative and remarkable.  Some of the time spent on the makeup alone is considerable.  As you walk around the park, taking in the festivities, all the participants seem to be in a festive party mood, which you don't get at a normal amusement park.  It makes for a special visit.

We already had the Boo-to-You parade earlier, which takes place on non-party nights as well.  We are also separating out the special shows... those would have had to make this list on their own merits.  So, this may seem a high entry given that it primarily covers decorations, costuming, and trick-or-treating.  That is how electric the atmosphere is.

We move upwards to #11, and it features another park ambiance within Epcot.  This is our top land within Epcot, and its rank as the top is a bit unique.

#4 - Mickey's A Very Merry Christmas Party

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 1

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 4

If you are into nostalgia at all (and I hope for your sake that you are, or you will surely have found this blog to be an extremely dry read), then you will appreciate WDW at the holidays much more than at the regular times.  Yes, they are busier on the holidays themselves (though the seasons can extend for several weeks including times that aren't as busy), but the festivities bring the park to a whole new level.

Christmas is the granddaddy of all these.  We mentioned earlier the festivities flow over into the Osborne Family Lights and the Christmas parade, as well as all the decorations in the resorts and special events (like the Christmas program in Epcot.  It's like Norman Rockwell or something out of Clark Griswold's dreams.

The Very Merry Christmas Party (VMXP) is the top item from this time, however.  It brings together all the best of Christmas into one special night.  Much like the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, it is a special night admission, but there isn't a better spending of $60 that you can do (La Nouba would be a distant third).  The night has special shows, extra decorations, hot chocolate and cookies being served on the street, and oh... the gingerbread smells are pumped up to an 11.  We happened to go during a show that was signed (as in, sign language) by two of the most animated signers that we had ever seen; it was like they were more in character than the actual characters (and the characters are always in character).

The skeptic will suggest that the shows themselves are not that special (or qualify as thrills, thus being excluded from the list), and that the night isn't worth it.  Again, I'd say poppycock to that.  The greatest thing about the night is how great a mood all the parkgoers are.  Everyone is so festive and happy, that you forget theme parks can be miserable experiences.

We have only gone one time, and it was just Kristen and I who went (the nights are typically not conducive to a school calendar, so this was on our first adults-only trip).  And, it was a very magical night.  Extremely relaxed, getting into the holiday vibe.  You know, the Christmas season can be so rushed now that you rarely have a chance to enjoy the season for what it is.  So much so that I wish every Christmas season could feature a trip to this party.  Even if it was for this night only (which obviously would be cost prohibitive).

That's actually amazing when you think about it.  A party so memorable that you get depressed with your normal festivities during the Christmas season as you wish longingly to be there.

Other than the very first night at WDW, this was the most special night in all of our Disney experiences, and a special event for Kristen and I in our marriage.  While I recommend everyone take in at least one Christmas at WDW, I'd also encourage them to do this party as well.

We are movin' on up, not to the East Side, but to #3.  It is the most famous item on this entire list, and it will slightly surprise you that it is not #1.