Under the Rooftop

The lodge at the center of Winter Summerland is truly Santa's home away from home. It's here that he can relax on vacation, or even catch up on a little North Pole work when need be. The lodge is beautifully decorated, bringing together the best of both winter and summer. From the Surfing Santa weather vane and sleigh pulled by flamingos on the roof to the smallest ornaments woven into the garland, dozens of details help tell the story of this place.

With a job like Santa's, he has to stay connected even when he's on vacation. Luckily, his computers are hooked up to the Winternet, so he can see who's on the Nice and Naughty Lists with the help of a mouse.

When packages need wrapping, there's plenty of paper and ribbon to do the job:

Over at the fireplace, where the flippers have been hung with care, you might even catch St. Nick practicing his chimney slide. Look closely, and you'll find some Hidden Disney here as well. There's a Mickey-shaped ornament on the wreath and Donald Duck and Goofy nutcrackers on the mantle. Even the gingerbread boy cookie in the flipper stocking has Mouse ears!

Above another fireplace is a pair of paintings that perfectly sum up the beauty of Winter Summerland. In them, we see that Santa is able to go from snow skiing to water skiing in seconds. What could be better?

The walls of the lodge are adorned with pictures and postcards from other vacation spots Santa has visited over the years, everywhere from Rio de Janeiro to Las Vegas. The New York City shot is particularly fun, with Santa delivering a giant banana as a gift for King Kong.

Yes, Santa and the elves have had fun pretty much anywhere they've gone, but there's "snow" place like Winter Summerland at the Walt Disney World Resort. It's become their favorite spot to return to year after year. After a round of golf there with your family, a visit may become an annual tradition for you as well.

Dashing Through the Sand

While the elves at the North Hole are enjoying skiing, sledding and snowball fights, the gang over at the South Hole is thrilled to be able to take advantage of Florida's sub-tropical climate. Here, it's all about fun in the sun, and the Ol' Swimmin' Hole is a great place to splash, swim or just float lazily. Of course, safety is always a priority. There's a Lifeguard on duty (sipping a fruity drink with a Christmas tree umbrella), and strict rules to be followed (No Diving in the Yule Tides).

More adventurous elves can grab a board and hang ten. Surf boards come in all sizes and brands, from Lil' Surfer to Jingle Swells (the big guy's board of choice).

Calmer pastimes in Summerland include fishing (watch out... those fish are jokesters and like to squirt passersby on the bridge) and building sand sculptures. That sandcastle looks familiar, and Donald and Goofy are just plain impressive. I have a hard time getting sand at the beach to just hold the shape of my bucket when I turn it over!

After all this fun, Santa and the gang get pretty pooped, so don't be surprised if you stumble across them enjoying one of those fruity drinks or catching a few Zs buried in the sand.

Yep, the summer side of Winter Summerland makes for a really good time for the whole North Pole crew... well, for most of them anyway. As Unfrosty the Snowman can attest, the warm weather isn't quite meant for everyone.

Putting the Win in Winter

When Santa and his elves are vacationing in Florida, but get a little homesick for the North Pole, the "winter" side of Winter Summerland does the trick. Whether it's snow-covered rooftops or chestnuts roasting on an open fire, this snowy corner of the Sunshine State is just what they need.

There are igloos for those who prefer to ditch the Elfstream and "rough it" instead, and everywhere you look elves are engaged in winter activities. There's lots of fun to be had, from ice fishing to hockey, but watch out for thin ice!

Downhill and slalom ski courses are also available, in all the old familiar places. The elves are great at running the slalom. Santa, on the other hand, is still getting the hang of things. He's crashed through a snow bank and sunk in on the other side. Not sure how he made it through that telephone pole, though.

On occasion, other North Pole denizens stop by to enjoy the fun in the sun. Hey, that looks like Frosty the snowman. And over there is Defrosty the cooler (no relation).

The winter course also features a few not-so-hidden Disney nods. Mickey, Minnie and Pluto are sculpted out of snow, and the elves have built a giant ice castle that bears a striking resemblance to that of Cinderella herself.

Gnome Away from Gnome

Santa isn't the only one who enjoys vacationing at Winter Summerland. His elves love to come here, too. Some prefer the snowy environs. Others like to bask in the Florida sunshine. Whichever way you go, though, you'll find Elfstream trailers parked all around.

For the benefit of the golfers playing through, there are poetic directions and other notes straight "From the Workbench of Santa's Elves." Pause a moment, and you'll also find lots of other details, like the power hookups and the ski equipment. The bumper stickers are particularly entertaining, with examples like "My Child is Elf Taught" and "My Elf Was Toymaker of the Month at Santa's Workshop."

On the summer side of things, additional bumper stickers announce, "I may be small, but I have a big heart" and encourage others to "Practice Random Acts of Toymaking."

While the winter elves may enjoy typical North Pole activities like skiing and tobogganing, the summer elves are happy to lay out in the sun, host cookouts, or park their trailers near the swimmin' hole.

It turns out, Santa Claus was right about this place. Winter Summerland really is the perfect vacation destination for everyone on his team... and for Walt Disney World Guests looking for a different kind of diversion away from the parks.

Walking in a Winter Summerland

The Walt Disney World Resort is the top vacation destination in the world. Everybody comes here, even Santa Claus and his crew. As the story goes, Santa was flying by one Christmas Eve not long after the freak Florida snow storm that created Blizzard Beach, and he decided the mix of frozen familiarity with tropical sand and sun was the perfect choice for his home away from home.

Santa hitched his trailer to the sleigh, packed up the Mrs. and the elves, and headed south... golf clubs in tow.

Winter Summerland is a treasure trove of storytelling details (notice the snow under one side of the trailer and sand under the other) and "punny" word play (Elfstream Trailer). Everywhere you look, there's something to see. Even the North Pole license plates get in on the fun.

Of course, Santa couldn't come all this way (or get back again) without his trusty reindeer. The elves have built them a barn right on site. Notice that the decor on each wreath is different, one for the wintry side of things and the other for the summer. Look really closely, and you may even spot reindeer tracks in the ground just outside the barn doors.

All Santa's friends and visitors are well taken care of, including snowmen and women (who knew they liked to be called sleighbelles?).

Yes, the Jolly Old Elf has made himself quite comfortable here in the Vacation Kingdom. This week, as the whole North Pole gang is out getting ready for their big night, we'll take a look around their Winter Summerland.