Jambo my friends! Christmas is literally days away, and I hope you’re feeling festive. The December to remember blog series comes to a close with a park and a lodge that is off the beaten path; Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Although this park doesn’t decorate extensively, what you will find when you visit is a wonderful signature Christmas tree at the front of the park with wooden ornament masks representing various animals of the animal kingdom. The décor on the tree is beautiful with very lush natural and neutral color tones. A perfect backdrop for your holiday card if the typical Christmas color scheme of red and green isn’t your favorite, or if you’ve decided you’re taking a walk on the wild side.
If you’re looking to incorporate a Character dressed in holiday attire into your friends or family photo, Animal Kingdom is a great place to go. This park is often the least crowded during the holidays, so use this to your full advantage when seeking out Characters. Here is a rundown of the meet and greet spots that you’ll want to hit up:
- Santa Goofy and Donald Duck in DinoLand U.S.A
- Mickey and Minnie Mouse on Discovery Island
- Chip and Dale at Rafiki’s Planet Watch
- Baloo and King Louie in Asia
The Tusker House in the park has a gingerbread holiday display that is worth checking out, and could also provide a picturesque place to pose for pictures.
Outside of the park the Animal Kingdom Lodge is gloriously decorated for the holidays. The tree in the lobby of the lodge is by far one of my favorites because of its size and simplicity. If you’ve been following this series, I briefly discussed utilizing the resorts as photo locations, and I highly recommend making the trek out to the lodge, it’s just magnificent and you’ll most definitely want to see it for yourself. There you have it friends! A December to Remember with recommended spots for pictures and places that are sure to make your Christmas trip to Disney a memorable one. To add a little more holiday hoopla to your magical experience, I’ve created a FREE printable scavenger hunt across the parks and resorts. You create your own rules to the game, so you can make it points based, or use social media to capture the fun, there is even space to add your own scavenger hunt items. So without further ado, I’ve made the list and checked it twice, this activity is surely nice. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
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