The following photos capture the majestic Hogwarts castle rising steadily among the rest of Islands of Adventure’s buildings:

We’re all waiting excitedly and a little anxiously for Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open! I only wish we could get some more details- such as the opening date or some official construction photos. Although reports state the date is set to be this spring, many fans are certain it will be closer to summer before the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be open to visitors.

The story of Christmas is retold nightly at the American Gardens Theatre by celebrity narrators (listed below). You can pay to reserve a seat by calling Disney World Guest Relations; seats fill up very quickly. It is a tradition for my family to see it at least once every year, and has been since I was a small child.

It features Mass singers dressed in golds, whites, and green, with the center tier arranged in a green Christmas tree. It also featured a 50-piece orchestra.

The American Gardens Theatre is an outdoor stage, not cancelled by bad weather (so be sure to check weather forecasts and bring an umbrella if the occasion calls for it!).

You can also reserve dinner packages, though we always prefer to grab some fries and walk through the countries before and after the show.

(5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 8:15 p.m.)

12/03–12/05 — Steven Curtis Chapman
12/06–12/08 — Anika Noni Rose — NEW!
12/09–12/11 — Andy Garcia
12/12–12/13 — TBD
12/14–12/17 — Abigail Breslin
12/18–12/20 — Whoopi Goldberg — NEW!
12/21–12/23 — Brian Dennehy
12/24–12/26 — Edward James Olmos
12/27–12/30 — Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance

The decorations were all over the place even before we got through the line, with special touches added everywhere. We made a beeline for Adventureland, grabbing some orange and vanilla citrus-swirl ice-cream (it tastes far different now from when we used to get it when I was a child) and walking around, looking at the stands selling hats and jewelry and clothes. And of course, the stand that sells carefully-crafted hand-blown glass.

After finally dragging me away from the Beauty and the Beast rose replica (just like every time we visit), we walked past Splash Mountain and through Frontierland, making our way to the Carousel of Progress (located in Tomorrowland). It’s a classic ride, and one of my favorites, though it’s been overshadowed by other, newer rides. It follows the evolution of technology from the turn of the 20th century to the future.

We finished the day early, leaving the park so that the Christmas party could get started; the last thing we saw was the castle being decorated in icicles made of light and color; a beautiful ending to a very wonderful day at the Magic Kingdom.

The hotel I use most often is the Boardwalk Resort itself. It has gorgeous, themed decor from the inside out, and its Christmas decorations are unparalleled- from a gingerbread town made entirely of confections, to beautiful Christmas trees- lined, of course, with brightly-colored lights and Disney ornaments. Though to be strictly honest, my favorite part of the hotel is just beyond the front doors and before you reach the actual lobby- a giant, fluffy couch to jump on and sink into. What can I say, Disney always brings out the child in me!

On the latest trip, however, we decided to go through the Disney’s Beach Club Resort. True to its name, it is located directly in front of a ‘beach’- that is, a beautiful white-sand area on the lake that sits in the middle of the Boardwalk. After a short walk past the beach decor, you reach a beautiful, lush courtyard, and then another short walk brings you to the lake. On one side of the sidewalk is a large sandy area for guests to let go of some hyper energy and play some volleyball, soccer, or just tackle each other into the ground (much to the delight of the younger spectators and the mild amusement of the older family members).

A stroll past the lake brings you directly to the Epcot’s back entrance, which leads not to the futuristic half, but to the World Showcase- the best place to enjoy your day, since the other part of Epcot is prettier at night with all of the lights on. It closes earlier, so you can resample the world at night just before the famous fireworks (which can also be seen from the Boardwalk) light up the sky.

Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival finished yet another successful run yesterday, leaving many in anticipation for next year. I went to the Disney park Friday afternoon, not quite expecting the amount of people there but not at all surprised by the crowd.

If you’re a repeat visitor and don’t mind not seeing the main entrance, you may want to do what we often do and enter through the Boardwalk; this time, we parked at the Disney Beach Club Resort, which had beautiful blue decor all along the outside. The walk along the Boardwalk itself is beautiful- amazing hotels, restaurants, stores, a dance hall, and more line a large lake, and there are often performers and entertainers moving through the crowd and delighting even the oldest Disney fans.

Once inside Epcot, the fun and tasting began! The most popular areas were definitely the Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina stands, as well as the various pastry stands; Brazil in particular had an amazing passion-fruit pastry that was worth the $3. We tried a tuna dish from Japan- the Tuna Delight- to the sounds of authentic taiko (Japanese drum) performers, and a Mexican Tostada de Pollo (Chicken Tostada) that got several thumbs up. I’ll definitely make sure to try the suggested wines next year as well.

The weather was perfect for a stroll through the countries- a cool breeze mingled with the warm (but not hot!) Florida sun, and it got colder as the sun set brilliantly behind the lake’s waters. (Photos are actual, the rich colors and all!) I’m sensing a visit to Magic Kingdom in the near future.