DVC during the Christmas Season

V

vandy

Vacations are getaways from vacation planning!
Joined
Jan 9, 2007
We will be visiting the world for the first time during the Christmas Season in early December. (Usually we go during May/June). We will be staying at our home resort,SSR, but will visit other resorts as well as the parks to check out the decorations and any special seasonal events.

Any tips and advice for us? What resort is your favorite to view decorations at? What decorations or events at the parks are your favorite (ex: Osbourne lights)?
 
Most of the Deluxe resorts are worth a visit. GF, WL, BC, YC, and BWI. They have great decorations, themed displays, trains set up and gingerbread houses. We haven't seen the Poly at Christmas. The DVC resorts don't do much compared to the others and the Contemporary doesn't do much for me.

:earsboy: Bill
 
You are going to have a wonderful time..really puts you in the holiday spirit!
We went for our first time as DVC owners last year right after Thanksgiving and had booked our return trip same time this year within a day of arriving home:cool1:

Beautiful decorations at all the Deluxe resorts. I would have to say our favorite was the huge gingerbread house at Grand Floridian. We spent a day specifically just checking out all the decorations at each of the Deluxe resorts and enjoying some special lunch and dinner reservations.

Candlelight Processional was one of the highlights of our trip along with the Osborne Lights (in Hollywood Studios).

We also attended the DVC Christmas party (haven't seen that advertised yet) which was a lot of fun. They gave a free Christmas ornament, had cookies and hot cocoa etc. along with photos with some of the characters.

Have fun! hope your weather will be as glorious as ours was last year!
 


My favorite in park has always been in Epcot WS-the holiday storytellers in the different countries. I also loved the tree lighting ceremony, but I think I heard they discontinued that several years ago. At the DVC resorts, there was something magical about how so many people decorated their villas at OKW, making it seem like a real neighborhood, homey Christmas-lights in windows and on porches, people with small Christmas trees in their windows. I heard some talk that the management kind of clamped down on that a few years ago. If so, scrooges!
 
Grand Floridian lobby
Wilderness Lodge Lobby
Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht Club
AKL Jambo house lobby
Polynesian Lobby
Osborne lights, Candlelight Processional, Holidays around the World at Epcot, Castle lights at the Magic Kingdom and the lighting of it each night
Mickey Very Merry Christmas Party
DVC holiday get together
Christmas merchandise in the shops
the windows of the Emporium on Main Street.
Snow at Osborne lights and on Main St. at MVMCP
 
My DH and I go every year for several days the first week of December. Our favorites include:

The Candlelight Processional, we always buy the dinner package which assures us of great seating.

The lobby at the Grand Floridian Resort. We enjoy having coffee and seeing the Gingerbread house. The Christmas decorations in the resort are the best.

The Festival of Lights at Hollywood Studios.

We visit the lobbies of all the resorts. The gingerbread creations in BWV and BCV are fantastic.

The story tellers in Epcot.

I can't wait to go!
 


We love going the first part of December and seeing everything decorated. We have been going for several years now. Only thing I would add is a Disney cruise in December. The ship is decorated also, so a cruise, few days at WDW and it doesn't get any better than this!

:hourglass 55 days and counting until WDW & cruise! :goodvibes
 
We love being there during the Christmas season! My very favorite thing to do is the Candlelight Processional. I get emotional every time!

The Osbourne lights are also incredible. You can't appreciate them until you actually see them.

You're going to have a wonderful time.
 
For us, early December is THE best time to go home. All the things already mentioned make for a very special visit. I always get a lot of "Santa" comments from the CMs which makes it extra fun for me. We love to have our picture taken with Santa at the American pavilion in Epcot WS. We'll be there the 12th through 16th this year. If you spot me, I'd love to hear a "Hi, SantaRay!" from you. :santa:
 
chalee94 said:
osborne lights, the GF decorations, AKL/WL decorations, BWI/BC decorations, candlelight processional, MK castle lights...lots of great stuff.

here are some pics to give you an idea of what to expect:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1676426

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1852086

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1989228

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1332673&page=205

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1331996&page=188
Click to expand...

Thanks for those photos! We saw the HGTV Disney special showing how they decorate the world and have always wanted to go. Now all kids are either on their own or at college so we can sneak away!
 
SantaRay said:
For us, early December is THE best time to go home. All the things already mentioned make for a very special visit. I always get a lot of "Santa" comments from the CMs which makes it extra fun for me. We love to have our picture taken with Santa at the American pavilion in Epcot WS. We'll be there the 12th through 16th this year. If you spot me, I'd love to hear a "Hi, SantaRay!" from you. :santa:
Click to expand...

Wished we were there when you are, but we will be a little bit earlier from Dec. 4th to the 9th! Would have loved shouting out "Hey SantaRay!"
 
those at Old Key West that decorate our villa for Christmas. We had a room last time right on the canal on the corner by the road and people were commenting as the boats slid by at how wonderful the decorations looked and we could hear them talking about doing it themselves. We brought a tree (4') ornaments, windo decor, a Mickey door hanger and a few holiday CD's to play Christmas music. Our neighbors on the next balcony went out and bought lights to do their balcony after seeing ours.

We left the lights there and I am sure the Mousekeepers took them down, but it made our 'home' more like home :)
 
DW and I have been every year since '93 during the first two weeks of Dec.
We plan this as our chance to enjoy the holidays for ourselves. We do whatever we want based upon where we are staying. All the PP have covered where to see the decorations; one off-site location you might want to consider is over at Gaylord Palms Resort has ICE! It is several freezing rooms full of ice sculptures, you are given a heavy coat to wear and hot coffee/chocolate afterwards.
 
com_op_2000 said:
DW and I have been every year since '93 during the first two weeks of Dec.
We plan this as our chance to enjoy the holidays for ourselves. We do whatever we want based upon where we are staying. All the PP have covered where to see the decorations; one off-site location you might want to consider is over at Gaylord Palms Resort has ICE! It is several freezing rooms full of ice sculptures, you are given a heavy coat to wear and hot coffee/chocolate afterwards.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, however I am sure I will soon have my share of ice and freezing here in Iowa sooner than I would like!
 
We have been during Thanksgiving and last year we went during Christmas. We love that time of year.
Boardwalk-had Santa there and a chocolate Merry go Round. They also had complimentary cookies and lemonade during the day.
Beach Club had Gingerbread houses, but nothing else really stuck out to me.
Animal Kingdom- It was decorated with an African twist. It was beautiful. Also, the had the kids decorate their own gingerbread cookie.
Wilderness lodge- The tree there was AMAZING! Plus Santa Goofy and pluto were there to take pics! That was one of our faves!
Grand Floridian- Christmas with a Victorian twist. Plus, Victorian Mickey and Minnie were there to take pictures. The gingerbread house is amazing too!

The parks are great and the Osborne Lights are the COOLEST thing ever!!!!

Have a great time!
 
com_op_2000 said:
Isn't the chocolate merry-go-round in the BC lobby?
That is where DW and I always see it.
Click to expand...

The carousel with horses is in the BC lobby, the BW has a chocolate gazebo

Beach Club lobby

ChristmasBeach01.jpg


Boardwalk lobby

boardwalkchocolatestitch2011.jpg
 
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