Monday, December 8, 2014:  Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, & Candlelight Processional

On the first full day of our December 2014 Walt Disney World trip, I slept until 7 AM in the morning.  It was great getting some rest after being up so early on Sunday. Unfortunately it was a gloomy weather day at Walt Disney World as it had been raining off and on.


Disney’s Hollywood Studios was our first destination and upon arriving to the park we went to the animation area and got in line for the Big Hero Six meet and greet. The line started at 9:30 AM when the characters come out at 10:30. We got a place in line and then took turns going to see Minnie Mouse in her dressing room.


After meeting Minnie, and having to wait, we finally got to meet Hiro and Baymax. Baymax is so cool and he gives you a hug which is really funny because hes basically an inflated doll.  He was so squishy! They don’t sign autographs but the cast members give you a card with their “autographs as you enter the cue. We then went on the Great Movie Ride which is always a favorite of ours.  Im looking forward to the minor refurbishement this ride will get with the new sponsorship by Turner Classic Movies.


At this point we were hungry and got lunch at the ABC Commissary. For dessert we got the cupcakes as there was a Santa Mickey ears cupcake and an Olaf cupcake.


After lunch we used our fast passes for Star Tours. The sequence was: Millennium Falcon, Wookie Planet (Kashyyk), Admiral Ackbar, Boba Fett, Death Star & Rebel Ship.


Even though it was raining they did hold Lights, Motor, Action and we used our fast pass for the show. I was surprised they did the entire show including the fire scenes but the rain had died down by then. After that we took pictures of the nativity scene which is in a more prominent location this year.  A few years ago a cast member told me that the nativity scene that is put in Hollywood Studios each year along with the Osbourne Family Lights was Walts own nativity set that he personally picked out.


We stopped by a gift shop and I found the Happy Holidays t-shirt and hoodie in my size. I learned that if you see your size buy it or else you might not find it again.  Far too often with holiday shirts, they sell out the month prior to the holiday so to get these items was really cool


Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post was our next stop and just outside of it Santa Goofy was taking pictures so we got photos with him. Once inside Wandering Oaken’s I got the Aurasma picture with the trolls and Sven. I then bought the Christmas Olaf magic band.


Toy Story Midway Mania was our next stop with our fast passes. The game glitched at the end and didn’t let me shoot in the bonus round so my score wasn’t as good.


We ended our time at Hollywood Studios by going to Mickey’s of Hollywood where I found the Baymax limited edition magic band. Now mind you I don’t need another magic band but I bought it! I also bought some pins I don’t have and some Christmas gifts. I also traded for two pins I don’t have: a baby Peter Pan and a Duffy with Sultan hat pin.


I then headed back to the resort to drop off all of my loot I had bought before heading to EPCOT for dinner at the Biergarten.


After dropping my packages off back at the resort, I headed to EPCOT where we had 4:55 PM dinner reservations at the Biergarten. This included the Candlelight Processional package for the 8:15 show. We got to see the band perform at the Biergarten while we were there which was nice.


We attended the 8:15 PM Candlelight Processional which is always moving and well done. The narrator was LeVar Burton who did a tremendous job. After the Processional we called it a day as it was raining slightly and it had become quite cool out.



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