Living Angels
At first look this beautiful statue angel is a beautiful addition to the park but give her a moment. You’ll watch her shake hands and hug children. It always amazed me how people can stand so still
Busch Gardens Tampa, Florida
Tag Archives: christmas
One Word Photo Challenge: Attic
Stairway to the attic
Santa’s House, Busch Gardens, Tampa
Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge: 2015 Week 51
Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge: 2015 Week 48
Cee’s Fun Foto: Sense of Smell
Cee’s Fun Foto: Sence of Taste
Spotlight on a Florida Christmas: SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration
I’ve been going to SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration for years, even before Kai. It’s our must do Christmas activity every year. Here’s a highlight of what you’ll experience.
Here we have several shows: Santa’s Fireside Feast Dinner Show, O Wondrous Night and Shamu Christmas Miracles. (click each picture for full description)
Santa’s Fireside Feast Dinner Show. Enjoy dinner with Santa and Mrs Claus. All the elves are so helpful and Mrs Claus brings everyone a Christmas cookie. After dinner all the children get to meet Santa.
O Wondrous Night. Experience a traditional nativity play from the perspective of the animals.
Shamu Christmas Miracle. Enjoy performances by Shamu and his friends in this special Christmas show
Time to take a break, do some shopping or sit and relax with a nice cup of Crème de Menthe Hot Coco (my favorite) and some seasonal goodies in the Christmas Market. While you’re there enjoy dancing Christmas lights in the Sea of Trees show, listen to whimsical singers having fun with carols and get your photo taken with the local wildlife.
Christmas Market
Local Wildlife
Christmas Market
Whimsy Carolers
The Conductors
Sea of Trees
My favorite is Winter Wonderland on Ice – even though this is my first time to see it all. You need to arrive an hour and a half before the show starts to get a good seat. Years past I was always stuck behind some big piece of concrete or some big head. We got there early, fought with a very active three-year old, and watched the show from wonderful seats. This year they had a great opening act, an amazing acrobat.
What else is there? There’s a miniature train display so large it wouldn’t fit in my home. There’s the Polar Express Experience, a simulator based on the Christmas movie. I’ve been several times but not these past two years. I don’t feel right going without Kai, it’s one of his two favorite movies and he does watch it year round. Hopefully next year he’ll meet the height requirement. Oh, and yes there is snop.
Other activities include Elmo’s Christmas Wish and the Holly Jolly Railway at Shamu’s Happy Harbor. I haven’t been to these…maybe next year.
Finally we come to the end of the night with Holiday Reflections: Fireworks and Fountain Finale. Best viewing is from the Christmas Village.
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Spotlight on a Florida Christmas: Signs of the Times
Orlando like any other town prides itself in Christmas decorations and like any tourist area our businesses like to attract visitors with their holiday signs. I offer you a small sampling of holiday signs close to my home. All are on or near touristy “I-Drive” except The Holy Land Experience which is nearer to downtown.
If you’ll notice many of these hotels are named “Rosen” and these are not all that line International (“I”) Drive. Rosen hotels seem to dominate this landscape.
Here are a few just off “I” Drive. The two Marriott’s are across the street from each other. Not much competition there.
If you enjoy driving around to see Christmas lights and decorations like we do here are a few ideas of places of visit in central Florida.
Spotlight on a Florida Christmas: Busch Gardens Christmas Town
Every Thanksgiving weekend Busch Gardens Tampa transforms into a quaint Christmas village. Christmas decorations, entertainment, music, activities, light shows and special Christmas food is everywhere.
Take a ride on the on the Christmas Town Express and enjoy a traditional Christmas carol sing-a-long.
Christmas Town Express
Nairobi Station
Take a trip to the North Pole and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus at their home. Then later have dinner with Mrs. Claus at her family feast.
Enjoy the various displays such as this nativity scene and the beautiful angel. While she looks like a statue she’s actually a live lady, giving out hugs to all the children passing by.
Take a stroll through Christmas Town and enjoy some tasty treats such as freshly baked cookies, flavored coffees, hot chocolates and wine, specialty sandwiches and some elf food (caramel and chocolate popcorn). You can design your own cupcake and bring home a unique nutcracker or other holiday decoration.
Other activities and shows include: Elf Academy, Elmo’s Christmas Wish, Christmas Time Terrace Tree Show, Madagascar Live! Operation: Christmas Vacation, Christmas on Ice, Carol of the Bells light show, Hallelujah Showcase (local choirs), Christmas Celebration, Christmas from the Heart (gospel music).
Christmas Town is open Friday’s to Sunday’s and all of Christmas week until December 31st. This year the cost is included in the regular park admission.
Spotlight on Florida: Let it snow
You might think being just north of the tropics we wouldn’t have snow but it does snow down here in Florida. But a white Christmas?
Flowers and Snowflakes
First time in snow
And the culprit to all this snow….
a snow machine
So what is this snow? The snowflake, obviously lights, the snow village is more like ice and the falling snow, well that’s actually soap. Although we had fun it didn’t satisfied my desire to see mounds of the fluffy white stuff.
photos taken at: SeaWorld Orlando (Christmas Celebration), Busch Gardens Tampa (Christmas Town) and Rosen Shingle Creek Resorts (Winter Wonderland)
Geophilia Photography 
