Kissimmee Extravaganza Christmas Festival: Saturday, 12/9/2006
12 noon - ???

Have you heard about this awesome festival and just not gotten down there? It's awesome. It can be FREE if you bring your own snacks along.

It's located in the Lake Toho area of Kissimmee, along their waterfront. Parking on the outskirts/side streets is your best bet for getting out of there easier. They also have a pick up spot at Albertsons grocery store on John Young Parkway/Bermuda Avenue. Check the newspaper, too.

SNOW PIT: It's free! They have a snow pit where the kids can go in for a certain amount of time and play in the snow. Some make snow angels, others make snowballs, and sometimes they have workers helping out with slip n' slide. For those kids who've never seen snow, this event is a Kodak moment.
TIP: Kids - wear gloves. Parents - bring change of clothes for kids, just in case there's a need to change out of, perhaps, wet clothing.

FREE "RIDES" - Bounce houses, huge air-filled slides, train rides - all compliments of the town's utility department. And, free hot chocolate.

ENTERTAINMENT: On stage, there are a variety of performances that go on throughout the day. Dancing, singing, comedy, and sometimes Radio Disney.

PAY AREAS: There are plenty of food & game booths that help support their different causes. BUT, you can keep your costs down to a minimum if you take advantage of all the FREE they offer.

PARADE: When dusk falls, there is a nice, long parade. Celebrities, characters, floats, music, and candy.

Pack some warmer clothing and gloves if you plan to stay for the parade.

Christmas Activities

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Weekends in Celebration

It does just this on Market Street, located at the center of town.
On the hour, every hour.

TIP: The snow is made of some kind of dish detergent bubble. It CAN damage certain types of fabrics, so don't have the kids wear their very best if they might rub their hands on their clothing.

Visit Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus in the town's Gingerbread House.
Take your own pictures, or let them. The photographic company posts them for you on the internet and allows you to purchase.

Take a sleigh horse-driven carriage ride around the town's market area (small fee.)

There's also entertainment to enjoy which include shows in the center court showcasing talent from dancers, singers, and a lot more.

The stores are all open to peruse, browse, or purchase very special holiday items for yourself or loved ones.

So, take a drive over to Celebration, located off the 192 in Kissimmee, Florida. Free parking is available in the marketplace's large parking lot, or you can park along the street. Don't forget to admire the gorgeous light displays present on most homes in that area.

Downtown Orlando

Downtown - Fun? Free? Well, yes. You have to look around, but you can do things for free if you have the time, and the patience to get a parking spot.

If you can't find a parking spot for free up and down the side streets, you will have to pay with change in the meters or timed change under the bridge.

- Lake Eola is a great place to have a nice walk around the lake, have a picnic and bond with your friends & family, or take the kids to the playground.

- Visit the City Hall.

- Walk up and down Church Street and see what's there. It's kind of fun and will amaze you at how different it is from how it used to be. You'll feel educated.

More to come....

Ride the Monorails or Ferry Boat

You can do this by parking at a Disney hotel that gives you access (see other information.)

Park your car, walk through the hotel if you have to, and get on the monorail to Magic Kingdom. Then, take one over to Epcot, or take the Ferry Boat to and from Magic Kingdom.

It's fun and free.

Nightly Adventures

I-Drive Fun in Orlando

THE MERCADO
On International Drive, in Orlando, there is an entertainment shopping complex called The Mercado. Did you know that they have nightly entertainment in their courtyard area?

Yes, they have a nightly band who plays music, and you can dance if you want to. There are tables and chairs to sit at. It's free, unless you want to buy snacks or drinks. But, you CAN bring your own.

Mostly kids get up and dance, but sometimes the tourists do, as well as visiting wedding parties. During the band's breaks, you can walk around and browse the unique stores.

Hotel Fun - Awesome Stuff

Hotels have some of the best free entertainment around. But how can you enjoy the fun without reservations or a room key?

First, you have to go through the security gate. They will ask for your license and some might wonder why you are there. But they want you to visit. Tell them you are checking out the place for visiting relatives, you're going to have a meal, you want to buy something in one of the stores. They will welcome you. Some give you a window pass for a certain amount of time, others don't. Chances are you will do some of this anyway.

Basically, you can go to any of the hotels and really have a great time admiring the expertise that went into the themed resorts. Get ready to have fun. And don't forget, every hotel has a pool and almost all of them have a playground and arcade.

Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground - On certain nights, they show Disney kid movies. You park your car and take a bus to the area of the campground where the movies are shown. They usually start at about 8 pm, but you can call ahead to find out. It's an outdoor Flintstone-type theatre. Chip 'n Dale begin with a s'more roasting. Bring your own marshmallows and crackers.

Later, you can bus down to "the other action." Sit on a rocking chair at Davy Jones' restaurant, watch the Disney boat parade from the beach, have the kids play at the playground. If you're there before dark, there's a petting farm.

Peabody Hotel - International Drive - At 11 a.m. each day and 5 pm, go to the lobby area and watch the Peabody Ducks waddle out of an elevator, onto a red carpet, and into the fountain. Very fun to watch.

Nightly fireworks and Magic Kingdom boat parades are viewable from the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Ft. Wilderness.

Disney's Polynesian Hotel - Besides above, the beach area is fun for the kids, and for the adults, as well. There are hammocks and swings to enjoy. You can sit in a covered cabana and enjoy the festivities. Call for times, but usually around 8 pm or so.

Disney Boardwalk - Wow! 4 hotels around one lake. And, guess what, you CAN watch the Epcot fireworks at 9 pm from the bridge. Lots of people do. Besides that, the Yacht & Beach Club have a kids pool slide - beachside. The beach is a playground/rest stop in itself. The Boardwalk offers all kinds of talent acts going on - juggling, knife swallowing, card tricks, you name it. This is all FREE! There's also a really cool couch to sit on, roller coaster replicas from long ago. It's a good walk around the place, too, so get some exercise in during your day or night.

Marriott - This huge complex on the 535 (?) (on your way to theme parks, back I-Drive) is fun just to ride the elevator up and down...

Nickelodeon Hotel - Sometimes you can get in, sometimes you cannot. But, if you do, I hope you have your bathing suits. They have two water park-type pool areas with slides and all. Plus, they have "Nick" people there playing games with the kids. Lots of fun. Maybe you can say you're going to eat there and get in or visiting a friend/relative. Have your license ready at the booth.

Disney Resort Hotels - Park and ride the monorail, or swim in their pool. Just don't cause a scene.

Hard Rock Hotel - If you've never been there, it's an adventure of sorts. There's cool stuff to look at in the lobby and stores. Rock 'n Roll memorabilia and museum-quality pieces. The pool area is nice, too.

Grande Vista Marriott - Located off the "back" I-Drive (south of Central Florida Parkway) offers pool entertainment, such as hula hoop contests, live music, and nightly entertainment near their small sand beach.