December 1, 2013

Gingerbread House Facts by guest writer Brent Dodge

It's officially December and what better way to kick off the month than by stopping by the Grand Floridian to take a look at one of my favorite Holiday treats (pun intended), the gingerbread house!

The 16 foot tall gingerbread house is made up of 600 pounds of sugar, 800 pounds of flour, 1050 pounds of honey, 35 pounds of spices, 180 pounds of apricot glaze, 10,000 pieces of gingerbread, and 400 hours to create! While the house fit for Hansel and Gretel is amazing as a whole, the details found upon and around the house are just as impressive!

The 40 window panes found throughout the house feature various Disney characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and even more obscure characters like stitch and Remy from Ratatouille! In addition, several hidden Mickey's can be found on the gingerbread, decorations, and upon parts of the 1,000 feet of trim scattered around the house!

While all of this seems very impressive, one of the most amazing features is that the house doubles a shop where guests can purchase pins, ornaments, and of course gingerbread! If you are ever visiting Walt Disney World during the holidays make sure you visit this treat made for the eyes, mouth, and nose! You won't be disappointed!