The Grand Floridian<\/h3>\n
This is lovely as always. As stated before, I’m not a HUGE fan of Victorian opulence, so other than amazement and appreciation for the efforts that it takes to execute this display – it doesn’t make my heart sing.<\/p>\n
![\"Grand](\"http:\/\/www.extrawdwmagic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Grand-Floridian-Gingerbread-House-2013-01.jpg\")
<\/a>This is the 15th year for the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian, I’m not certain but I think it’s the oldest Gingerbread display at Walt Disney World<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>This gingerbread house is HUGE. Two stories tall with wrap around porches. AND a shop inside to sell you more gingerbread!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Santas and Toy Soldiers and Furniture were everywhere along this side. To me, it felt like all these extra elements were exam pieces for aspiring pastry chefs (they were so similar) – I understand about Victorian excess, but it would be nice to see more variety, maybe some Victorian Carolers on the porch?<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>This Santa was pretty big. You can see the windows into the shop from this angle<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Here’s the gingerbread shop earlier in the morning before they open for business<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Loads of detail. I like how they’ve showcased the gingerbread cookies they have to offer by stringing them up with the Christmas lights<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>closer view of the beautifully decorated gingerbread cookies (I can’t tell you how they taste \ud83d\ude42 but I remember that they use a very traditional gingerbread recipe that’s heavy on spices)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>even the counter area is heavily decorated with chocolate statuettes and icing flowers<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>along the side is a doorway for the Cast Members to enter the Gingerbread House – there are a few Hidden Mickey’s on this side (all of the Hidden Mickeys are gold stamped three circle Mickeys)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>We’ve nearly completed our tour around the outside of the gingerbread house<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Nick took this photo from the second floor of the Grand Floridian<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Santa and a chaise lounge with Mickey Mouse upholstery (a chaise lounge on a front porch during winter? I think not)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>this Santa looks a bit furtive<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>a little white chocolate Mickey Mouse with a wreath (looks a lot like a door knocker)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>a closer look at the little Mickey door knocker (these were on all of the shutters)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>These are actually pretty cute<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>now that you’ve seen something of the scale of the Grand Floridian Gingerbread House, you can better appreciate how large this chocolate Santa is<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>the area over the windows were each decorated with a chocolate painting\u2026 here we have Ratatouille all ready for Christmas<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>\u2026 and Stitch looks like he’s ready to lay waste to those Christmas packages<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>a Hidden Mickey! these aren’t typically THAT HIDDEN (after all, I think they want the kids to find them :))<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>not sure why, but I was fascinated by this door\u2026 There’s at least one Hidden Mickey in this photo<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>see, there it is!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>you can sort of see into the loft area<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>all of the gingerbread displays include information about the materials that go into its creation<\/p><\/div>\n
The Contemporary<\/h3>\n
I actually found some photos from the gingerbread and chocolate display in 2005. We had brought Dear Aunt to Disney World AND I had to have some photos because\u2026 IT’S Jiminy Cricket!!<\/p>\n
<\/a>Well, I suppose it’s supposed to be all about Pinocchio and his story (but there’s Jiminy!)<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>this was simply lovely and detailed – see Cleo, the goldfish?<\/p><\/div>\n
The last two years (2012 and 2013) – the display has paid homage to Mary Blair<\/a> and her lovely artwork that is so integral to Disney theme parks\u2026 This year, the display is even more in keeping with her artwork (think It’s a Small World and the mosaic at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World).<\/p>\n here’s what you need to make a Holiday Gingerbread Tree!<\/p><\/div>\n the toy soldiers are right out of the Christmas parades!<\/p><\/div>\n I’m not really sure what goes on in this little gingerbread hut (those soldiers are too big to fit inside!)<\/p><\/div>\n characters from It’s A Small World (actually they’re gingerbread cookies that you can buy) decorate the little shed\u2026 have you noticed the very smeared Hidden Mickeys?<\/p><\/div>\n close up – Hidden Mickey Fail<\/p><\/div>\n this one is slightly better executed<\/p><\/div>\n still smeared, but not as badly<\/p><\/div>\n I really like how this tree is so iconic – it sings “I’m part of Disney World!”<\/p><\/div>\n the sunburst at the top is a lovely touch (instead of a traditional star, but wait, the sun is a star!)<\/p><\/div>\n the clock hands twirl around, there’s a little door that opens and a gingerbread man comes out, and children from around the world hang out at the bottom of the tree<\/p><\/div>\n another look<\/p><\/div>\n Every year, the Beach Club does a Chocolate and Gingerbread Carousel. I suspect there’d be a huge uproar if it wasn’t there!<\/p>\n instead of a placard, we get a chocolate and gingerbread display of what goes into the gingerbread and chocolate display (I think someone already nicked a piece of that gingerbread man!)<\/p><\/div>\n a lighthouse very reminiscent of the one out on the promenade<\/p><\/div>\n each year, there’s a horse that isn’t on the carousel – this year, he’s pirate-themed (fitting for a Beach Club :))<\/p><\/div>\n an ocean themed white chocolate sculpture<\/p><\/div>\n Jingle (with Mickey and Minnie ready for a beach holiday)<\/p><\/div>\n Pixie (with Tinkerbell ready for the beach herself!)<\/p><\/div>\n Holiday (Goofy and Pluto are ready to meet the gang in the sand!)<\/p><\/div>\n Snowfia (and Donald is wondering where everyone is)<\/p><\/div>\n for the last two years (at least) there’s been a Gingerbread Booth off to the side of the Beach Club lobby – you could purchase gingerbread and other holiday items there – it’s not there in 2013 (we suspect it’s a victim of budget although the excuse is likely to be “fire hazard”)<\/p><\/div>\n Let me just say that we really liked the gingerbread display at the Boardwalk Inn in previous years. We’d stop by repeatedly trying to find all of the Hidden Mickeys. The coolest thing about this display was that it was the only one that was whimsical and humorous.<\/p>\n Oh, did you notice that I was using past-tense? That’s because it isn’t there this year …<\/p>\n Here are some photos from 2009…<\/p>\n Donald is having some trouble getting down the chimney<\/p><\/div>\n Stitch is cooking up trouble with marshmallows (I don’t even want to know!)<\/p><\/div>\n Daisy is perplexed by all that’s going on<\/p><\/div>\n a grand overview of the gazebo<\/p><\/div>\n chocolate stockings – we think that they’re labeled with names of all the chefs and cooks who participated in the gingerbread gazebo<\/p><\/div>\n From 2012…<\/p>\n In 2012, we get a gazebo (as usual) and a gingerbread house (where they’re selling gingerbread and stollen)<\/p><\/div>\n Donald’s having trouble with the chimney (as usual)<\/p><\/div>\n Stitch is creating havoc with the lights on top of the gingerbread stand & a Cast Member is demonstrating how they decorate the gingerbread houses for sale<\/p><\/div>\n Stitch, always getting into trouble<\/p><\/div>\n And in 2013\u2026 No gazebo, no Donald Duck, no Stitch, no demonstrations of gingerbread decorating…<\/p>\n Instead we have a more “permanent” structure (I was told that it was because the gingerbread sales place in 2012 was a fire hazard)…<\/p>\n this is well-themed to the Boardwalk Inn, well executed and quite pretty<\/p><\/div>\n nevertheless, the lobby feels bare compared to past years<\/p><\/div>\n If this had been in addition to the gingerbread gazebo, I’d have been pretty doggoned happy (yes, I’m not happy at the change)<\/p><\/div>\n the wreaths and swags are made of green salt water taffy (nice touch)<\/p><\/div>\n items that are for sale<\/p><\/div>\n what goes into making “Sweet Treats”<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>\u00a0The Beach Club<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>The Boardwalk Inn<\/h3>\n
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