Let It Snow!

As the calendar inches ever closer to spring, visions of the Flower & Garden Festival are dancing in our heads. But lest we get too far ahead of ourselves, nature does have a way of reminding us that it is indeed still winter. As we dig out from our latest batch of snow here in the great northeast, I thought this would be an appropriate time to reflect on our favorite snowy moments in Walt Disney World. Wait…did I say snow? True, the average yearly snowfall in Orlando is precisely zero inches, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some snow throughout the parks. And even better, there’s probably more snow to be found than you might think!

Welcome to the Himalayas!

We’ll start our list off with probably the most obvious place you can find snow at Walt Disney World, and that would be at the frosty peaks of Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As you race through the snow-capped peaks of the Forbidden Mountain, that Yeti can’t be far behind. But this isn’t the only reference to the Himalayas that you’ll find in the Disney universe.

Dr. Stephen Stephen found himself marooned near the summit of Mount Everest when the Ancient One took him there in a moment of tough love as she forced him to concentrate and learn how to use his sling ring. Tough love? Oh yes! For not only did she transport them both to the barren, freezing mountaintop, she abruptly left him there to fend for himself. Thankfully though he figured it out. Still, we think that was a mean trick!

But going back to that fearsome Yeti at Expedition Everest, Pixar fans will surely remember the not-so-scary Yeti from Monsters, Inc. As Mike and Sulley are banished to the snowy landscape, the Yeti offers a friendly greeting by shouting “welcome to the Himalayas!” That was very nice indeed, as well as his offer of lemon snowcones. And yes, thankfully they were indeed lemon.

The Dawn of Time

One of my favorite snowy moments can be found on Spaceship Earth, right as you set off on your journey through time. The very first scene you come up on is that of a blinding blizzard, where prehistoric hunters have surrounded a mammoth, with wind and snow whipping all around them. This scene is especially nostalgic, for this was the moment when we would hear Jeremy Irons say “Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time, and for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers.” Ah, the memories!

Speaking of memories, do you remember the original version of Club Cool in Epcot? It was known as Ice Station Cool once upon a time, and to enter you had to make your way through the entrance of a snowy cave right next to a giant snow vehicle at the front of the pavilion. This wasn’t just a visual effect either, you actually walked through a snowy passageway, with cold blasts of air making you feel like you were in the frozen tundra. Better still, this was the home of Refreshus Maximus, a frozen caveman who was unearthed after thousands of years. As you entered Ice Station Cool, there he was, clutching the first ever Coca Cola enjoyed by humans. Refreshing indeed!

Let It Snow

Before we get to our final selection for favorite snowy moment in Walt Disney World, here are a few honorable mentions:

For true wet, wild, and snowy adventures, nothing beats Blizzard Beach for some chilling watery fun. The home of Summit Plummet has a whimsical (but fictional) back story, taking you back to the time when Florida was hit with an honest to goodness blizzard. Sensing an opportunity, the proprietors created Florida’s first ski resort, and it was a big hit. Unfortunately, this is Florida, and those wintry conditions didn’t last long. When the sun came out and that familiar heat returned, those snowy slopes melted and became torrential waterfalls and raging rivers. And thus was born a new water park, Blizzard Beach. If you visit, don’t forget that you can find even more snowy fun at the Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course right next door.

While we’re on the topic of whimsical winter fun, be sure to look on the left side of the final room in Journey Into Imagination with Figment. There you’ll find the word ‘Adventure’ spelled out in snowcapped mountains, with Figment climbing to the peak in his best mountaineering gear. If you look closely, you’ll even find a Hidden Mickey concealed in the snow!

For our last honorable mention, we’re actually going to combine three cinematic moments into one entry, all of which can be found in World Showcase. Reflections of China takes you on a tour of this beautiful country, from the Gobi desert to the wintery landscapes of Heavenly Lake. At Impressions de France, you’ll get to see a group of skiers swooshing their way across a pristine snowcapped mountain. Finally, fans of the previous O, Canada film will remember the introduction, where a deep, booming voice told us how cold it was in Canada, and how it snowed 365 days a year. This of course is when Martin Short ran onto the screen in protest, letting everyone know that that’s not how Canada actually is, before taking you on a tour of HIS Canada.

And finally, it’s on to our final snowy stop! I’m guessing that this was the one that first popped into your mind when you started reading this, but our absolute favorite winter moment takes place on Main Street, U.S.A. during the holidays, when snow actually falls on the Magic Kingdom! There’s nothing quite like being there on a Christmas party night, with old-time Christmas carols playing in the background, and every building decked out in Christmas lights, including those memorable Dream Lights of Cinderella Castle. But the true magic came when you saw the wondrous sight of snowflakes swirling all around you. No matter how many times we experience this, it’s just as magical as the first time we saw it.

Even though the snow won’t be returning to Main Street for another year, we can still enjoy some of these other winter wonderland moments throughout the rest of Walt Disney World. But if you’ve had quite enough of winter at this point, don’t fret. Those colorful blooms of the Flower & Garden Festival are just around the corner!