There is one comforting port in the impending storm — the annual Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Today, it opened to guests with all its holiday festiveness and delicious treats!
We stopped by to catch a little holiday spirit and see one of Disney’s popular holiday offerings.
This year’s gingerbread house, which still has theming and decorations celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World, is on the east side of the resort. Guests will get the full effect of it when they arrive from the front entrance or from the second floor after exiting the monorail. Well, that is until the grand Christmas tree dominates the center of the lobby.
The gingerbread house shop is open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
The nearly life-sized gingerbread house stands approximately 7′ tall and 12′ wide. According to a poster, located on the side, this year’s house is made from 1,050 pounds of honey, 140 pints of egg whites (approx.: 1,960 egg whites), 600 lbs of confectioners sugar, 700 lbs of chocolate, 800 lbs of flour, 35 lbs of spices… and, of course, immeasurable amounts of creativity and time.
The Victorian-style house has gabled roofs, dentils, decorative scrollwork, shutters, and more. Many of the decorations have EARidescent shades of blue and gold. Even the gold ribbon wraps found on the turrets of Cinderella Castle are on the home’s chimney stack.
The sides of the house are covered in gingerbread siding, and the roofs have snow-dusted gingerbread shingles. Above the windows are decorative elements, including slates with Disney characters in various holiday scenes. Here Mickey, Minnie, and Donald are enjoying a day out in the snow.
On the upper window from this side, the Frog and Princess Tiana are in their holiday finest. On the lower window is Belle and the Beast. Garlands of flowers in shades of blue accent the awnings with snowflakes, and golden candy canes dot the side of the building.
The house is beautifully landscaped with greenery and variegated poinsettias.
The entrance to the house has two porches with gold railings and trim. Chocolate Santas, snowmen, and nutcrackers are alongside miniature snow covered trees.
At one end of the display is an information board showing photos of how the house was constructed.
On this side of the house, which could be considered the side of the house, is a smaller sitting porch. The upper deck has a bay window with multiple trees and a large Santa Claus.
Above the window on this side are Chip and Dale playing around with a large Santa hat.
On the lower window are Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. The frosted windows are framed in gold and have gold shutters with small candy wreaths hanging from each side.
The large triple windows on this side, give guests a glimpse of inside the shop as the elves (Cast Members) busily work selling treats.
Reflecting the spirit of the 50th Anniversary, this gorgeous chocolate Santa Claus is sporting an ice blue Santa suit trimmed in white fur cuffs and hem. He is surveying the lobby, looking for those who are naughty and nice.
From this view, guests have a better view of the gold ribbon crisscrossing the chimney.
On the backside of the house, facing the gardens and lagoon, is the actual bakery where guests can purchase treats to snack on or take home for gifts.
If you’re looking for a perfect shot of Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa Gingerbread House, this it is. It will be a perfect backdrop for a holiday card photo or just a pleasant memory from your trip.
To the right of the bakery window is a digital screen showing images of various gingerbread houses throughout the years. The first house was constructed in 1999.
As many people have asked, there is a slide presentation of what happens when they take the gingerbread house down after the Christmas holidays.
As seen here, the house is transported to the Walt Disney World Tree Farm, where it provides some much-needed energy and food for already endangered honeybees.
While you and your family are munching on gingerbread men and shingles, you can all look for the 23 golden Mickey heads hidden throughout the house. Hint: there’s one in this photo!
Now, what you’ve been waiting for… on to the treats!
Holiday Treats at Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa’s 23rd Annual Gingerbread House
Although you cannot walk through the house, you can enjoy delicious treats, many made from the same ingredients as the house. It gives new meaning to being eaten out of house and home!
There is a price list prior to walking up to the counter. There are also menus at the window. As you can see, no discounts will be applied for any of these treats.
Marshmallow Lollipop – $4.00
Three soft, fluffy marshmallows are dipped in white chocolate and decorated with stripes of blue and purple colored white chocolate and accented with 50th Anniversary holiday sprinkles.
M&M Sugar Cookie – $4.00
A large, thick sugar cookie studded with M&M candies.
Gingerbread Man Lollipop – $5.75
A dark and white chocolate gingerbread man lollipop – a perfect stocking stuffer or gift for holiday guests as they sit at the dinner table
50th Celebration Cookie Pop – $5.75
This 50th Celebration Cookie Pop has an edible plaque with the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary logo. It comes packaged in cellophane with a purple curly ribbon bow.
Brownie Tree Pop – $7.25
This generous brownie tree pop is dipped in dark chocolate. Green-colored white chocolate is at the bottom and “garland” strips of green chocolate drape across the tree with multi-colored sprinkles as holiday decorations. It is packaged in cellophane and tied with a lavender grosgrain ribbon.
Gingerbread Man Cookie – $7.50
Whether you’re getting this for yourself or leaving it out for Santa on Christmas Eve, this gingerbread man has white chocolate eyes and mouth, and two red candy buttons.
Happy Holidays Mickey Face Lollipop – $8.00
This is a generous solid chocolate Mickey face lollipop with “Happy Holidays” and snowflakes in blue covering the front of the treat. It is wrapped in cellophane with a vibrant blue bow.
Gingerbread Latte Whoopi Pie – $8.50
A twist on an old favorite — this is a cream-filled gingerbread and latte whoopie pie with a “GF” Grand Floridian chocolate medallion on top.
Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge Bar – $10.00
It wouldn’t be the holidays without fudge, and this one hits the spot. A generous bar of milk chocolate fudge with pecans and 50th Anniversary holiday sprinkles on top.
Gingerbread Shingle with Dark Chocolate – $11.00
If there is any treat that is a must, it’s this one. After all, it’s the reason for the house in the first place — a gingerbread shingle. It’s a delicious, well-spiced cookie that is only made better by the bottom being dipped in chocolate.
Gingerbread Mickey Ears with Earidescent Chocolate – $11.50
This is a generous Mickey head gingerbread cookie that is dipped in dark chocolate, and the Earidescent ears are coated in blue-tinted white chocolate.
Gingerbread Sweetheart Ornament – $13.00
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary, this gingerbread cookie ornament has Mickey and Minnie sharing a kiss under fireworks. The edge of the cookie is completely covered in anniversary sprinkles.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bag – $14.00
Perfect with a cup of hot chocolate is this bag of peppermint chocolate chip cookies.
Gingersnap Cookie Bag – $15.00
There is enough of these gingersnap cookies to share – or to eat on your own on a bench overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Peppermint Bark Bag – $15.00
Aside from gingerbread, the other popular flavor of the season is peppermint. These shards of peppermint bark of dark and white chocolate with crushed peppermint candies sprinkled on top – will hit the spot.
Hot Chocolate Bomb Gift Set of 4- $20.00
Speaking of having a cup of hot chocolate – make it easy and delicious with this set of four hot chocolate bombs. Put one of these in a mug and pour over hot milk or if you really want a decadent cup of hot chocolate — light cream — and wait for the magic to happen.
Signature Stollen Bread with Marzipan – $25.00 (in red box)
Although it is hidden underneath the Gingerbread Latte Whoopi Pie, this stollen bread with marzipan is another holiday tradition.
This traditional German Christmas bread is typically a fruit bread of nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar and often containing marzipan. During the Christmas season, the cake-like loaves are called Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen.
Red Velvet Holiday Yule Log – $30.00
The traditional yule log cake is a sponge cake filled and rolled with buttercream. It is coated with more buttercream. One end is cut off and placed on top to resemble a cut-off branch. It is then decorated with powdered sugar and meringue mushrooms.
It goes by a couple of different names, depending on which country is serving it, either a Yule log or Bûche de Noël. It is a traditional Christmas cake, often served as a dessert near Christmas, especially in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and several former French colonies such as Canada.
The Disney Pastry Chefs version is a red velvet cake covered in dark chocolate buttercream. Red poinsettia flowers and a “Happy Holidays” placard decorate the top.
Grand Gift Box – $60.00
The Grand Gift Box will include many holiday favorite treats in one beautifully decorated box.
50th Gingerbread House – $85.00
If you don’t want to make and construct your own gingerbread house – let Disney do it for you. This beautifully decorated gingerbread house has assorted treats surrounding the house and icing snow on the roof. Santa’s head decorates the roof, and a large Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary medallion is featured on the front.
Is visiting the Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa a holiday tradition? Do you buy any of the treats when you’re there? If so, let us know in the comments below.
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