Weekend Update

Just a few days ago we were thumbing our noses at winter, laughing that our chilly Southern California summer had been compensated for by a warm winter. Oops! Mother Nature just gave us the smackdown for our smugness. I'm putting the finishing touches on the Weekend Update as I shiver in front of the computer trying to get warm. I'd put on some gloves if I could type in them!

We have a wonderful Weekend Update for you this week filled with two of my favorite things – Disney and Christmas. And our first order of business will be to fly around the globe and visit the beautiful Christmas decorations at Tokyo DisneySea. These photos are brought to us by our newest Weekend Update crew member, Roger55. Roger is a Disney fan extraordinaire, and he has promised to share with us his pursuit of all things Disney right here in the Update.

Denise nbodyhome Preskitt brings us some of the Christmas activities in the Orlando area. She tells me that she has taken over 10,000 photos in the last few weeks. I didn't have room for all of them in the Update this week so she has chosen some of her best shots to share with you.

We love our vintage post cards from RegionsBeyond, but this week he has a great feature on Disney California Adventure. You'll have fun trying to figure out where these photos were taken. By the way, he has promised me more post cards next week.

Our theme park reporter from Australia, Rya86n, took a break from roller coasters this week and has sent us some beautiful photos of the Australian countryside. I wonder what the temperature is in Australia right now.

Finally, SummerInFL spent a recent winter weekend in Southern California, and we have the first group of photos from her trip.

I hope you'll get a kick out of our photo-filled Weekend Update this week. I know I did.

Now where are those gloves?...

Join our newest Weekend Update crew member, Roger55, as he shows us the holiday trimmings at Tokyo DisneySea

It's been a few weeks since my last trip to TDR, but since no one else has posted pictures from TDS Christmas Wishes, I thought I'd share a few. I did have to leave before the Christmas Wishes stage show began, so no photos from that show. Sorry.

As reported on other threads, Christmas decorations were a bit toned down this year. However, the park still had a wonderful holiday feel to it.

Starting off, here are some pictures of decorations in the Resort Line stations.

Park decorations were light but nice...

Pablo and the Snow Mice make an appearance in the American Waterfront.

Some banners in Lost River Delta.

Merchandise locations also had their decorations up.

I went in search of all the seven Christmas trees used for the "Seven Lights of Christmas" theme. The posters with the artistic depictions of the trees were in the American Waterfront area.

Under the usual American Watefront Christmas tree, there were decorations depicting each of the different "ports".

We'll have more from Roger55 in Tokyo next week!

Denise nbodyhome Preskitt takes us around Orlando town for some holiday activities

We went to the Gaylord Palms to see ICE!, which will now be a yearly tradition. After the Lights of Winter stopped last year, it was time to explore off property to see what else we could do that had the same holiday feel. It'd been a few years since I've been to ICE!, but I highly recommend it and won't let another few years go by again!

Here are five photos from ICE!:

This is our video of ICE!

It's been very cold here, so the decorative deer at the Grand Floridian look like they are in snow:

And a tradition here is to serve chestnuts roasted outside and hot cider to guests:

The Magic Kingdom tree is now up:

Stitch is part of the Boardwalk Resort gingerbread display:

Train set at the Yacht Club:

Kids in Mickey hats with a snowman on the train display:

Beach Club carousel:

Shelly, who has shells on her:

Our video of the Beach Club carousel:

Nutcracker at the German storyteller, Epcot:

Contemporary Resort gingerbread display:

I thought this was so neat and retro looking - a chocolate Contemporary Resort item that looks like a postcard:

Magic Kingdom train station:

Maria Menounos at the Magic Kingdom Christmas parade taping:

Phineas waves:

Maria Menounos again:

A few photos from Epcot:

Stitch topiary:

Keep up with Denise's movements around the Orlando theme park area on her website mousesteps.com.

RegionsBeyond treats us to the lesser known nooks and crannies of Disney California Adventure


I didn't really venture out anywhere exciting or special this week (too busy with finals) but thought I would share these photos as kind of an "alternate" look at California Adventure. Some of the pictured details are no longer there, or will be going away soon...strange to think of how much the park will have changed in it's first decade, even though Disneyland did the same and kept changing.

At any rate, enjoy these photos of the details of DCA, the smaller charms areas of the park had, especially since a lot has changed or will continue to change.

Rya86n takes a break from theme parks this week.


Last week I ventured away from the Gold Coast and Australia's theme park hub. I took a trip to the far south of the Great Southern Land to visit some friends. During our time in Victoria, we spent a great sunny day at The Grampians National Park. 235km West of Melbourne, the park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List in December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia.

Needless to say, it was a great place to pull out the camera!

Whilst driving the narrow, single lane highways of country Victoria, we passed this sign:

I was actually a little concerned, as I didnt really know what the alternative to a "live Koala" was. But we did stumble upon this "Giant" specimen:

SummerInFL spent a recent last weekend in Southern California. Here's part one of her Disneyland photos.


CA views from an airplane..

I can see the Matterhorn!

Looking for up-to-date reports from Disneyland
including photos, gossip, park schedules and more?

Visit these MiceChat columns each week:

Every Monday: Dateline Disneyland

Every Friday: In the Parks

And that brings us to the end of another week. Our photographers have just enough time to reload their cameras before we see you all again next weekend. Thank you to all of our wonderful readers, and as always, a huge thank you to our amazing team of global photographers, spies, and gossips:

Denise nbodyhome Preskitt mousesteps.com
SummerInFL (summerinfl.smugmug.com)
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
CaptPhoebus
Ian Parkinson and Richard Williams
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
Fishbulb
PhotoMatt
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
Ken Eslick (DisneylandPostcards.net)
ichigopara (TokyoDisneySweets)
Rya86n
Roger55

Your Editor - Rixter

Where have YOU been recently? We invite you to share your photos of theme parks or any other destination that may be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to contact me via MiceChat Private Message (screen name Rixter)
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