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The Grand Floridian, Minnie Vans & Monorails


Sunday December 2nd 2018

A Minnie Van, the Grand Floridian, a Ride on the Monorail into the Contemporary Hotel and Fireworks!

After leaving the Christmas Tree Trail, we took a Minnie Van to the Grand Floridian to see the giant gingerbread house and Christmas decorations and a couple of drinks at Mizner's Lounge. The Minnie Van rides are like Uber or Lyft rides except they are specific to Disney World properties and are driven by Disney World employees. While our experiences with other ride operators have been iffy, the Minnie Van rides have been very nice. Get the app. Enjoy the ride. 

The gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian is always impressive. It is a Christmas tradition with the Grand Floridian and it takes them months to plan, prepare and build their Christmas gingerbread house each year. In the picture above, you can see the roof of the gingerbread house over Kevin's shoulder. They really put a great deal of thought and effort into this house. Add it to your annual calendar for next year if you cannot catch it this year.

We walked around the lobby, took pictures with the Christmas trees and had a round of drinks at Mizner's Lounge before hopping in a Monorail car over to the Contemporary. I love going to Mizner's Lounge. It is on the second floor of the Grand Floridian and on the back side of the band which plays overlooking the gingerbread house on the first floor. We caught a few Christmas songs with the band before they took their break. We finished our drinks and headed over to the Contemporary.


Grand Floridian Christmas Tree
Noah, Maureen, Kevin, Carolyn
Gingerbread House in the right background.

Grand Floridian Christmas Tree and Me!

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House
Noah, Maureen, Carolyn

Gingerbread House
Noah, Maureen, Carolyn, Kevin
Kevin's shot of the Gingerbread House and Shop

Gingerbread House
Grand Floridian Christmas Tree

Mizner's Lounge

Grand Floridian Lobby
Christmas Tree and Gingerbread House
View from the Second Floor Balcony


To get to the Contemporary, we took the Monorail. Carolyn had never ridden the Monorail. It may not have been there when she took her last trip to Disney World when Kevin was two years old. It was a good ride. She got to see Magic Kingdom and Space Mountain along the way. Here are a few pictures from the ride.


Kevin and Carolyn
Disney World Monorail
Grand Floridian to Contemporary Hotel

Monorail Ride to the Contemporary Hotel (seen out window)
Kevin and Carolyn

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail Station at Magic Kingdom

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail in front of Magic Kingdom

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail passing Magic Kingdom

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail passing Magic Kingdom

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail passing Space Mountain

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail passing Space Mountain

Carolyn and Kevin
Monorail passing Space Mountain

The next page wraps up our first night at Disney World and covers the Contemporary Hotel, Outer Rim and fireworks.

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Sunday
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The Grand Floridian, Minnie Vans & Monorails

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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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