Tip Tuesday: Christmas in July

Merry Christmas (in July!!)

As we start counting down the days to Christmas, I thought I'd take a quick moment and share some places at Walt Disney World where you can get a little piece of the Christmas season, even as you sweat it out during those hot July days.

Just about every park at Walt Disney World has its own Christmas shop.  In the Magic Kingdom, the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe located in Liberty Square -- in Epcot, Die Weihnachts Ecke store is located in the Germany pavilion, selling different styles of German glass ornaments (naturally).  At Hollywood Studios there's a small shop called It's a Wonderful Shop located in the back corner near Muppets 3D and Mamma Melrose's restaurant.  There isn't a year-round dedicated Christmas (or other winter holiday) shop in Animal Kingdom.

Of course, there's also the 365 Days of Christmas shop in Downtown Disney, which is simply huge.  See if you can find all 12 Days of Christmas.  Trust me, you'll know what I'm talking about when you step into the store.

Aside from shopping, there are several other ways to get a Christmas fix in July.  It's always Christmas in the final scene of the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland and then there's the final scene of Soarin' where we fly over Disneyland at Christmastime (you can see the Christmas parade going down Main Street).  At Hollywood Studios, a rather heat-resistant snowman stands guard just outside the It's a Wonderful Shop store.

Perhaps my most favorite Christmas in July spot is the Winter Summerland miniature golf course near Blizzard Beach.  Here you can enjoy two fun 18-hole courses (one dedicated to Santa during winter, the other themed to Santa's off-season in summer).  There are all sorts of gags and jokes for kids and adults.  Oh, and watch our for some spraying water.  You never know when you might get wet.

No matter when you visit Walt Disney World, there's always the spirit of Christmas in the air -- because Walt Disney World is all about magic and happiness and giving.

It may seem early, but Merry Christmas!

Tip Tuesday: Winter Summerland

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

As the days get hotter and hotter, many of us are looking for things to do in the evenings when the weather's a bit (and only a bit) cooler.

One fantastic evening activity at Walt Disney World is miniature golf.

Disney has two courses: Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland. Fantasia Gardens is located next to the Swan resort while Winter Summerland, appropriately, is located next to Blizzard Beach.

Recently my family and I had the chance to play a round at Winter Summerland.

I was pleasantly surprised with Winter Summerland. There are two courses, winter and summer (obviously). We played the winter course, which featured various winter scenes, some of which featured different classic Disney characters.

Like everything at Walt Disney World, there's a story to Winter Summerland:

Late one moonlit Christmas Eve, as Santa was flying over Florida on his way back to the North Pole, he glanced down and could not believe what he saw. Santa found snow in a place that is usually hot. After surveying the strange location, he decided to build a vacation destination for his off-duty elves -- a Winter Summerland.

The only thing Winter Summerland lacked was a golf course. So the elves divided into two camps, one that enjoyed the warm Florida sun and another that preferred the snow and cold of the North Pole. In this Winter Summerland, the elves built two distinctly different 18-hole golf experiences -- a summer course and a winter course.

There are plenty of interactive elements, such as the squirting snowman (see above) that will squirt players if they step on a certain unmarked spot, which just happens to be very close to the hole. Other elements include special pop-up characters if a player putts their ball through a special opening. One particularly neat effect is hole #14 (The North Hole). If a player can putt their ball into a special opening at the base of the North Pole, the ball will be transported up through the poll and drop onto the green below.

Winter Summerland also features Santa's "Winterbago," a converted travel trailer that houses the starter booth, and small snack and gift shops. For a great photo opportunity guests can sit behind the reigns of Santa's sleigh or gather in front of the "surfing" Santa statue, an elf-made tribute to jolly old St. Nick.

Throughout both the summer and winter courses, Disney has added special Santa-themed touches. Both courses come together at the end at Santa's lodge, complete with Christmas tree and Santa making his way up (or down) the chimney.

Another nice part about both Winter Summerland and Fantasia Gardens is the cost, especially for Annual Passholders. Adults (ages 10 and up) cost around $12 for 18 holes, while children (ages 3-9) cost around $10. Annual Passholders get a 50% discount (at least they did as of this post -- be sure to ask). There may be additional discounts (AAA, DVC, etc.), so be sure to ask when you arrive.

My family and I had a fantastic time at Winter Summerland. It was nice to be able to do something fun together for an hour or so in the evening without the hustle and bustle of watching a nighttime event, such as Illuminations.

Give Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland a try during your next trip -- it's worth the effort!