Hi there, Mary, from a fellow Illinois gal! How lucky that you will be escaping our cold weather here in just about a week.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is one of the most gorgeous resorts at Walt Disney World, in my opinion. I try to visit the giant Gingerbread House there each holiday season. This year, the house has some gorgeous blue trim, to go along with the 50th Anniversary colors and theme. I know you will love seeing all the decorations in the lobby as well.
I have SO many MagicBands, and on every vacation to The Most Magical Place on Earth, I bring an assortment of them to coordinate with my daily outfits. MagicBands were introduced in 2013, and since then, I have acquired quite a collection. The official word from Disney is that the battery in a MagicBand lasts for about two years. But, I know I have older bands that still work just fine.
When you arrive to your resort, you can head to the front desk and ask them to check your bands. Otherwise, you can check them yourselves by trying to use them on your room door. Should your bands not work, you can use your
MyDisneyExperience mobile app to open your door and also for entry into the theme parks.
When you are at EPCOT, take a quick detour over to Disney’s Beach Club Resort to see the amazing Gingerbread Carousel. This year’s theme is The Little Mermaid, and there are 21 hidden golden Mickeys all around the carousel. We managed to find 20 of them on our visit last month. We also had a bite to eat at
Beaches and Cream Soda Shop. The food was surprisingly good and of course the ice cream was the best!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Happy Traveling,
Tracy