By Dewayne Bevil
From Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Fla.—Santa Claus tends to roll out of Orlando’s theme parks and attractions on or around Dec. 24. Let’s just say he has a previous engagement, and he’s owed comp time anyway.
Festivities do go on beyond Christmas Day. Some parks wrap it up by New Year’s Eve, while some individual attractions are scheduled to be merry and bright a week or so into January.
Consider this your last yuletide call, a roundup of when attractions call it a (holi)day around here. But scheduling can be fluid, so double-checking before venturing out is a good practice.
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom ends Dec. 22, but it’s sold out. The first season of Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was completed Dec. 20.
- Sunset Seasons Greetings, the projection shows up on the exterior of the Tower of Terror ride at Hollywood Studios, can be seen through Dec. 31.
- At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Santa Claus Festive Flotilla – featuring a “jolly upbeat holiday soundtrack, Disney says—continues through Dec. 24. The Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla is scheduled to carry on through Jan. 1.
- At Magic Kingdom,“Frozen Holiday Surprise,” a new castle-lighting moment this year, happens through Dec. 31. Jingle Cruise, the holiday overlay of Jungle Cruise, puns through Jan. 8.
- At Disney Springs, the Christmas Tree Stroll stands through Dec. 30. Its street entertainment – icicle stilt walkers, etc. – fades after Dec. 24, although the DJ Sleigh glides on. Specialty food and beverages trickle out at Amorette’s Patisserie (through Dec. 31), Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar (Jan. 1), as well as Ganachery, Marketplace Snacks, Swirls on the Water, D-Luxe Burger and Dockside Margaritas (spiced cranberry Paloma alert) through Jan. 2.
- Universal Orlando’s holiday goings-on end Dec. 31, including the Grinchmas fare at Islands of Adventure and the nightly Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s balloons at Universal Studios.
- SeaWorld Orlando celebrates through Jan. 2 and throws in the New Year’s Eve countdown fireworks at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, naturally.
- The “ICE” exhibit, a frozen tribute to “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” continues at Gaylord Palms through Jan. 3.
- Legoland Florida adds a Kids’ New Year’s Eve angle for five days, with fireworks at 8 p.m. Dec. 26-31. (DJ Dance Party runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center’s Holidays in Space festivities go through Dec. 30. (But note that the attraction is closed Dec. 25).
- Fun Spot celebrates through Jan. 2 and has fireworks at Orlando and Kissimmee locations on Dec. 31.
- Holiday Nights, the lights display at Island H2O Water Park, runs nightly through Dec. 31.
- The movie for the final Beach Nights at Aquatica on Dec. 23 will be “Elf.”
- “Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando’s Underground” exhibit at Orange County Regional History Center ends its 15-month run on Dec. 31. The museum is closed Dec. 22-25, reopens Dec. 26-31, then is closed again Jan. 1.
- Orlando Science Center’s Dinos in Lights runs daily through Jan. 9. (The museum is closed Dec. 24-25.)
- Pirates Dinner Adventure keeps its holiday overlay on through Dec. 25. The attraction takes the day off Jan. 1.
- The Outta Control Magic Comedy Holiday Dinner Show remains on the schedule at WonderWorks Orlando through Dec. 31. Regular programming returns Jan. 1.
- Museum of Illusions Orlando keeps its holiday enhancements in place through Jan. 7.
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