Your ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE to Disney World at Christmas Time! UPDATE x2 10/21

[JessicaFaye508]

Those pictures from the Dessert Party are awesome!

Thank you!

I really don't think I'll ever get over seeing that castle lit up at Christmas time. Most amazing sight EVER!

Me neither!

The castle is just gorgeous with all of the lights. Only 133 days until I can see it like that!

I love how the MM&Y have the holiday themed projections. I love the gingerbread house!

Your pictures of the reflection of the fireworks in the water are SO pretty.

Holiday Wishes is just beautiful. oh my god.

Roz is just perfect.

That is just awesome your mom and dad got up on the screen!

Walking back to the room from the Magic Kingdom would just be perfect. I'm jealous.

I agree! Ahh how exciting!
Me too! I love how the show changes with the season!
Thank you! That's the great thing about the view from the Wishes dessert party!
Yes it is!
Hahaha I LOVE Roz!
I know... too funny!
It was!

Those photos of the fireworks are amazing! Do you mind me asking what camera you used and what settings you had it on? I never seem to get the shutter speed correct when it comes to fireworks!

Thank you! I used a Nikon D3100 with iPhoto for a little enhancing. The trick to getting the best fireworks photos is not using a flash and holding the camera PERFECTLY still. A lot of people use a tripod but I usually just try to rest it on a railing or be really careful! It's tricky! I tried my best. ​

 

[sunnysideup3]

I love that your dad is wearing a Brewers shirt! AWESOME!

 

[beachphotog]

Great review, thanks for sharing it! I'm definitely going to keep watch for a res for the dessert party!

 

[arbolita]

Well hello my fellow free-from-school friend! Time for me to play some catch-up!


I love hanging out in the Poly as it is, if I was there with all the Christmas decorations, you would never get me to leave!

I'm such a fan of the mega-berry smoothie many of the Disney restaurants have - I generally wind up getting it at least twice while I'm there. So good.

Since you brought up the college program, I've been meaning to ask - now that you've gotten a semester at your new school under your belt, have you spoken any more with you adviser about which semester you'll try to do the DCP?

I hope I get to see the GF gingerbread house one day. Not just to see how massive it is, but the snacks inside look REALLY yummy.

I have so much to say about all your Contemporary pictures, but they really all just come back to my need to stay there one day. Not desire...NEEEEEED. Or any of the monorail resorts, let's be honest. One day...

I think being a guide for a Disney tour has to be one of the best jobs in the Parks. I love taking the tours, so I can only imagine how much fun it must be to give them and basically spend your entire day talking about Disney and getting paid for it. Seriously, what could be better?

I TOTALLY HAD THAT RUDOLPH BOOK WITH THAT COVER.

I'm impressed and jealous that you managed to eat at not one, but TWO mythical Disney dining establishments in one day. I seriously wish they used Diamond Horseshoe more often. I mean seriously, look at that place!

Your dessert party looks amazing. I'm really excited to see how the offerings differ at the dessert party Kristen and Allie are going to (in a couple days!!!). And I still can't hear the MM&Y soundtrack without tears forming in my eyes. Although...I'm not really a fan of the summer version. I like that they kept what they added for Valentine's Day, which the Tangled lanterns, but the new scenes just don't seem as good as the ones they removed.

 

[Caretames1]

First I want to shout out to your Dad! "Way to rock a Milwaukee Brewers t-shirt!" On Wisconsin!


You have the most beautiful photos. I wish my low light photos turned out like yours.


Did you use a tripod?)( if not, do you think you could?) Could you stand at the rail, people weren't complaining about a blocked view? Research for my trip!

 

[disbeachprincess]

Loving your TR Jess! Random question - do you carry a bag for the park? I assume you probably do to carry your camera, but you never seem to be holding one in the pictures of you!

Told you it was a random question

 

[katt789]

So many things to say that I’m typing them in word as I read so I don’t forget anything! Haha. Ugh, we share such a love of the monorail…so much love.

The Noodle station was open?!?! Practically everytime I pass by there I think of you and how you want to eat there, and never got to as it’s never open! I’m glad you finally got to!

Ugh, those Christmas crowds look a little too intense for me! We were there the 14-17th and on the 17th we passed by MK on the monorail and were really glad we weren’t going there!

Diamond Horseshoe totally does look like Hoop de Doo, that’s hilariously awesome!! Ack! Mashed potatoes are too delicious!

Oh my goodness your tweets are hilarious! (Did you post what you twitter was? I know I follow you on instagram, but would love to follow you on twitter too if that’s okay!) I know what it’s like to walk around in circles when the lines are too long, that was me in DLR in March!!

Oh my gosh dessert buffets?! TOO MUCH, I’m totally that person who at buffets gets one of everything for dessert, it just doesn’t matter! I’ll take at least 1 bite of everything, then go back for seconds of what I’d like! The wishes dessert party looks like something I would totally love to do, desserts, prime firework viewing area, definitely a grand idea on a busy night like boxing day!

Ugh! That holiday castle is toooo gorgeous, I mean, the castle’s pretty enough as is, but at Christmas, I can’t even take it anymore!

 

[mike the canuck]

I like your dad's Sabres gear. lol

 

[onelilspark]

I love the Laugh Floor too. I went one time right at opening and there were maybe 10 people total. The lady chosen for the "Psychotic" monster didn't speak English. It was unintentionally hilarious.

 

[flyergrad09]

You have some amazing fireworks pictures! I always take a million fireworks pictures too, but that's usually because I'm not sure how any of them will look once I have them on a bigger screen! Ah, the joys of faulty technology!

I'm glad that the dessert party seems like it's worth it. I had read several posts on other threads that people thought it was kind of a rip-off, but between the tasty food and the primo fireworks spot, it seems like a good time!

I love the Buzz Lightyear queue music too! It always makes me feel like I'm a little kid again!

 

[cocofifi]

What a day! You killed it - navigating crowds, eating at two elusive spots and ending it with the dessert party. The pics were fantastic. I don't understand why your little brother doesn't see how wonderful it is to fall asleep to loops of "TEST TRACK, BABY!!". What could be more relaxing?!

 

[cjlvsccm]

Great updates and pix! I'm so glad they reminded me about Diamond Horseshoe and the Wishes Dessert Party!! Reservations aren't open for these yet for our New Year's trip, but I marked my calendar to check again at 90 days out.

We plan to do MK on 12/30 (since they do their NYE Wishes show that night too), and then do Epcot on 12/31 (since hubby luvs Illuminations... and to see the special NYE version will send him over the moon!! ). So anyway, I hope to get ressies if they do the dessert party on the 30th!

 

[heathsf]

Oh my gosh, I just read your first post and subscribed. I have a feeling it's going to take me quite a while to catch up! But don't worry, I'm up for the challenge!

 

[emma212010]

I love the Wishes Dessert Party! We did that on our last trip in June, and it was amazing! We were in the front row too!!! It was so crowded there, though! Like angry mobs yelling at angry mobs...it got ugly near the food!

WOW at the crowds! That is insane!

Beautiful pictures of Wishes, though! Such a beautiful show!

 

[adoucet]

Bump.

Great trip report!

 

[ShannonMarie]

I got goosebumps and almost teary looking at this! We are going in two months and can't wait but now I really want to play a Christmas-time trip!

 

[ShannonMarie]

Also is the Magic, Memories and you show on the castle right before Wishes?

 

[cindianne320]

Beautiful pictures of the Castle- that looks like a perfect view. You got some really nice shots of the whole family!

Going to WDW at Christmastime is definitely on my Bucket List. Those crowds- not so much!!!

 

[sue_88]

Roz is one of my favorites!! I'm glad you like her too. And the Laugh floor is so fun. They used one of our jokes once. I found that very exciting, but I am easily impressed.
And I love all of the pics you took AT NIGHT! That makes me smile every time.

 

[emmysmommy]

I totally tear up for the MM&Y show - especially when Walt does his park open speech.

What an amazingly magical day! From the behind the scenes tour to the holiday fireworks show. Priceless!