How do you handle being in Disney over Christmas? - The DIS Discussion Forums

twirler324 · 06-26-2012, 10:13 PM

We will be in Disney from December 22-29 this year. Now that dd1 is old enough to understand Santa (she is 3), how do you recommend we handle this? The trip is a surprise we would like to present to our girls (other daughter will be 18 months) the morning of our trip since we are not leaving until 5pm.
We thought about pretending that Friday into Saturday was Christmas and go about as usual on the trip, but I'm not sure about that. Since their main gift is the trip, obviously we will give them the surprise Saturday morning.
Any thoughts or suggestions on how to handle this? I have heard about people setting up a tree and shipping gifts down and back, but I don't see how that would be possible for us as we are staying in a timeshare, and how expensive that would really get!
Thank you for any help!

clm10308 · 06-26-2012, 11:08 PM

Our kids are much older, so we were not really worried about Santa, but we did want to have some Christmas.

I bought a small pre lit tree from Walmart and some cheep decorations to take with us. Since we for 4 bags free, I took our largest suitcase and filled it with the tree, decorations, and some small gifts. We bought stockings in the parks. I also purchased a few small gifts in the parks.

We left the tree and most of the decorations there. I gathered everything up and put it separate from the trash in case the housekeeping staff might want some of the stuff.

On Christmas day, we did not try to go to a park, but we did go have lunch at Chef Mickeys and then spent time at the Grand Floridian watching the gingerbread house demonstration.

luvmy2sams · 06-27-2012, 01:02 AM

DD has known the truth behind Santa for awhile now, and DS figured it out last year. We now refer to POFQ as the resort where Santa died.

However, that won't change our traditions. We have a small tree that we take with us, and the kids decorate it, along with the resort windows, as soon as we arrive. Small trees are very inexpensive, and you could easily find them in Orlando. We always buy gingerbread cookies after watching the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve and pick up a carton of milk so Santa will not miss out on snacks from us. Santa does a stocking of Disney items for Christmas morning, and he leaves a scrapbook page of photographs showing what has been left at home since he knew we wouldn't have room in our car.

Whatever you decide, it will be wonderful.

twirler324 · 06-27-2012, 12:10 PM

Thank you Beth for the great ideas! I love the stockings from Santa the morning of and decorating the windows (maybe so Santa can find us?). Since we aren't doing a park the first full day, maybe I will take DH on a hunt for a small tree :-)
The place we stay in has a target across from the resort. Didn't even think of that since last time we did a park every day and went commando! Haha. The time we are slowing it down a bit with two days "off" to check out downtown Disney and some resorts- if we want!
Thanks again!

Pesky · 06-27-2012, 01:04 PM

While I haven't been at WDW, I have traveled for Christmas to the ILs and had presents I was NOT bringing with us! What I did is pack a few gifts that were easily transportable (or light to ship home) along with a stocking. You can easily pick up an orange and apple there to stuff in the stocking if you like (tradition in our house). Santa left a note saying that the other gifts would be waiting at home. As for the timeshare, you can always pick up some inexpensive window clings and a thing of tinsel garland to decorate the place which should give it just enough of the Christmas touch. Also, for surprising them, why not put something about your trip in a box and wrap it like a present so it conveys the idea that this is a gift in and of itself? Have fun!

rillsung · 06-28-2012, 10:52 AM

We go every year minus last year when my 3rd daughter was born on Christmas Eve! As my oldest DD got old enough, we started packing one of those small trees to put up in the room. We also put up the kids' stockings. For gifts, we just do small stocking stuffer type stuff that we buy down there. We do find Santa on Christmas Eve, weather it's at EPCOT with Mrs Claus or at one of the resorts. It was sort of our tradition to do Jiko for Christmas Eve, but I think it wouldn't be so appropriate now that we have 3 kids under age 6! Then we would go see the characters and Santa in the lobby. DH's family usually joins us so at some point during the trip (never on Christmas day since they get there later) we will exchange gifts with them. If MIL goes overboard (and she always does) she has to ship stuff back ROFL.

06-26-2012, 10:13 PM	#1
twirler324 Mouseketeer Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 171	How do you handle being in Disney over Christmas? We will be in Disney from December 22-29 this year. Now that dd1 is old enough to understand Santa (she is 3), how do you recommend we handle this? The trip is a surprise we would like to present to our girls (other daughter will be 18 months) the morning of our trip since we are not leaving until 5pm. We thought about pretending that Friday into Saturday was Christmas and go about as usual on the trip, but I'm not sure about that. Since their main gift is the trip, obviously we will give them the surprise Saturday morning. Any thoughts or suggestions on how to handle this? I have heard about people setting up a tree and shipping gifts down and back, but I don't see how that would be possible for us as we are staying in a timeshare, and how expensive that would really get! Thank you for any help!

06-27-2012, 01:02 AM	#3
luvmy2sams Proud Mommy Flip flops creep me out! Drank cowboy kool-aid & now I'm married Drinks Rattlesnakes and does the 2 Step until 2am! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,058	DD has known the truth behind Santa for awhile now, and DS figured it out last year. We now refer to POFQ as the resort where Santa died. However, that won't change our traditions. We have a small tree that we take with us, and the kids decorate it, along with the resort windows, as soon as we arrive. Small trees are very inexpensive, and you could easily find them in Orlando. We always buy gingerbread cookies after watching the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve and pick up a carton of milk so Santa will not miss out on snacks from us. Santa does a stocking of Disney items for Christmas morning, and he leaves a scrapbook page of photographs showing what has been left at home since he knew we wouldn't have room in our car. Whatever you decide, it will be wonderful. __________________

06-27-2012, 01:04 PM	#5
Pesky "Who's the monkey?!" Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: CO Posts: 971	While I haven't been at WDW, I have traveled for Christmas to the ILs and had presents I was NOT bringing with us! What I did is pack a few gifts that were easily transportable (or light to ship home) along with a stocking. You can easily pick up an orange and apple there to stuff in the stocking if you like (tradition in our house). Santa left a note saying that the other gifts would be waiting at home. As for the timeshare, you can always pick up some inexpensive window clings and a thing of tinsel garland to decorate the place which should give it just enough of the Christmas touch. Also, for surprising them, why not put something about your trip in a box and wrap it like a present so it conveys the idea that this is a gift in and of itself? Have fun! __________________ DH, the Disney doubter Me DD5 DS3 WDW Plan: October 2016 (so very, very far away ) Their first Disney experience coming soon!

06-28-2012, 10:52 AM	#6
rillsung DIS Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,334	We go every year minus last year when my 3rd daughter was born on Christmas Eve! As my oldest DD got old enough, we started packing one of those small trees to put up in the room. We also put up the kids' stockings. For gifts, we just do small stocking stuffer type stuff that we buy down there. We do find Santa on Christmas Eve, weather it's at EPCOT with Mrs Claus or at one of the resorts. It was sort of our tradition to do Jiko for Christmas Eve, but I think it wouldn't be so appropriate now that we have 3 kids under age 6! Then we would go see the characters and Santa in the lobby. DH's family usually joins us so at some point during the trip (never on Christmas day since they get there later) we will exchange gifts with them. If MIL goes overboard (and she always does) she has to ship stuff back ROFL. __________________ Terri

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06-26-2012, 11:08 PM	#2
clm10308 DIS Veteran Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 710	Our kids are much older, so we were not really worried about Santa, but we did want to have some Christmas. I bought a small pre lit tree from Walmart and some cheep decorations to take with us. Since we for 4 bags free, I took our largest suitcase and filled it with the tree, decorations, and some small gifts. We bought stockings in the parks. I also purchased a few small gifts in the parks. We left the tree and most of the decorations there. I gathered everything up and put it separate from the trash in case the housekeeping staff might want some of the stuff. On Christmas day, we did not try to go to a park, but we did go have lunch at Chef Mickeys and then spent time at the Grand Floridian watching the gingerbread house demonstration.

06-27-2012, 12:10 PM	#4
twirler324 Mouseketeer Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 171	Thank you Beth for the great ideas! I love the stockings from Santa the morning of and decorating the windows (maybe so Santa can find us?). Since we aren't doing a park the first full day, maybe I will take DH on a hunt for a small tree :-) The place we stay in has a target across from the resort. Didn't even think of that since last time we did a park every day and went commando! Haha. The time we are slowing it down a bit with two days "off" to check out downtown Disney and some resorts- if we want! Thanks again!