I will try to refrain myself

From playing Christmas Carols before Thanksgiving.  However, since watching watching the snow fall on Main Street during our visit to the Magic Kingdom, I’m already smitten with the Christmas Spirit.

Sadly, there was no Spectromagic parade the night of our visit.  (Disney has a magical way of incorporating the word magic into every word they can find…“And, now, the doors will autoMAGICALLY open!” If you’ve never been there before, you’ll get used to it.) Visitors, always check the calendar in advance to make sure the glittery parade will take place on the day of your visit. If not, change your visit dates!

“SpectroMagic” borrows from the prismatic holographic industry, military lighting developments, electro-luminescent and fiber-optic technologies, and tosses in light-spreading thermoplastics, clouds of underlit liquid-nitrogen smoke and good old-fashioned twinkle lights. The visual spectacle is choreographed to music produced for the show and presented over an array of 204 speakers with 72,000 watts of power.

Our visit coincided with the Disney-Christmas kick-off; the park closed at 7 p.m, and for an extra $59 (per person!!!), the park would re-open to let the special ticket holders in to see snow on Main Street, the Christmas lights, and the Spectromagic Parade would commence, welcoming Santa. Did I mention the free cookies and hot chocolate?

Just as night fell, we were making our way to Main Street from the Buzz Lightyear Star Command ride, when I looked up in the sky to look to see Cinderella’s Castle transform from this

to this.

The Magic Kingdom icon was bathed in more than 200,000 tiny white lights. It was Fanmagical. Then, Burl Ives began to sing, the crowd of lucky $52-ticket holders began making

their way into the park with tickets for the parade.

We lingered in this magiconfectionery shop,

while the boys tried to decide on a souvenir.

By the time they picked out their Disney Hot Chocolate Mugs, snow was falling on Main Street.

We left, missing the parade. But now I can’t get those Christmas songs out of my head.

In the spirit of Christmas, I’m giving away the new Christmas DVD, The Flight Before Christmas, starring Emma Roberts. To enter to win, click here:

Also, don’t forget to enter the contest for a year’s supply of Scott Towels, here.