Living near Walt Disney World brings the special ability to be at the theme parks during Christmas time. As my family and I were planning our holiday activities I began to think of all the people who would be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day… especially the cast members! If you have ever visited one of the Disney Parks during Christmas you know how magical it is and how all the extra hours you can play make it even more special. What you may forget is that cast members are working hard to bring that magic and many have to work extra hours and days to make the “show” a success. So my family decided we would visit the Disney Parks on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and hand out candy canes just to say thank you to the cast members. No rides, no snacks, just thank you and Merry Christmas!
Christmas Eve really wasn’t crowded at all in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
We were giving out candy canes left and right. Telling all the cast members thank you for working and Merry Christmas! My favorite story of that night was when my husband handed a candy cane to a cast member directing Osborne Light traffic. As we walked off I turned around to see her face…she was jumping up and down, smiling and holding that candy cane to her heart. I kid you not, it was like she got the best Christmas present ever! It did my heart well and I thought we have to go buy more candy canes…lol!
So Christmas morning we head to Magic Kingdom. I know what you’re thinking…are you crazy!
Yes, we are crazy but what is a little traffic….
and a little line…..
when you get to see this Christmas Day!
Most cast members were in great spirits as were most people! Many of them showed disbelief at what we were doing, but all them smiled when we presented the candy cane. It was so fun being Santa’s little elves. We still had a few candy canes left and it was beginning to get really crowded…
so we headed to the exit to hand out the last of the candy canes. Then some Christmas magic happened to us. We were approached by two cast members who wanted to thank us for being so thoughtful. They handed us a fastpass to any ride of our choosing and a free ice cream bar each! How magical was that! We decided on Peter Pan and off we went.
This was such a wonderful Christmas morning for me and my family. I want to encourage you wherever you are next Christmas to share your smile and gratitude to those working during the holidays. A little thank you goes a long way!
Oh and a little side note…if you plan to visit any Disney Park on Christmas Day get there EARLY! By 10am the crowds were getting impossible and as we left Magic Kingdom at 11am this was the line being turned away at the gate.
I hope you and your family had a Merry Christmas and may your New Year be blessed!
~ The Pennell Family