2020 Christmas/NewYear?

[PumaMom]

Hi to everyone. I’m new to this board. Our family is newish to camping too. We stayed at FW cabins twice so far, in a cabin once and in a rented camper in the premium loop once.

I have 2 weeks booked in the tent loop over the holidays this year. Have invited a friend to join us, a single father with 2 kids (first visit for them) It is supposed to be a kick off for my 50th birthday next July and our family’s next year of annual passes.

I have not cancelled yet, but I really don’t know what I plan do. Anyone else looking to Christmas as a huge question mark?

Terri

 

[Teamubr]

Christmas/New Years is usually one of the craziest times of the year to be at WDW. Crowds are 11/10. The only time I can remember the parks implementing the phased closures. This year may be the ideal time to go with limited attendance. Understanding the parks will likely still have restricted attractions (no parades, fireworks, hours). Since you have been before, you may be a little disappointed knowing what there was in the past, but your friends will still be amazed with the decorations and what is open.

I would go for it (we are coming for 10 days in October) and plan to have a great time despite the limitations.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Pumamom,

You sound like you already have a good understanding of the Fort itself having stayed in the cabins, in a rented rv/camper in a site, and now planning to tent camp.

Since you asked (and my opinion costs you nothing), now is a LITTLE early to be making a decision about a Christmas reservation unless you have a driving need to. Fort Wilderness and the parks are decorated up at Christmas and are really special - the Fort has a golf cart parade on Christmas Eve IIRC and a tree down at Pioneer Hall.

Not to get into the numbers too much but the covid situation is improving in Florida in general (don't know about Orlando/Orange county specifically) and it's still hard to get a reservation this fall at the Fort at most dates/levels (people are holding onto their reservations).

I'm certain that if things remain under control somewhat as we get into the fall that Disney will add hours back to the park operating times and you will get plenty of use out of those AP (although you may still have to do the park reservation days etc.).

I would suggest that you wait until at least through Thanksgiving if you can to make a decision (and double check your cancellation window [different for a package versus a site only reservation]).

I'll be there with a number of people on this board in mid-October and I have no intention of cancelling. The parks seem to be taking masks, sanitizer, and spacing very seriously and being outdoors at the Fort is probably optimal in the big picture versus being in a hotel hallway breathing somebody else's air.

So I wouldn't make a decision yet if I were you. I'd stand pat and hold the cards I got for a while.

Since you asked.

Bama Ed

 

[FtW Mike]

PumaMom we have reservations for that same time frame. Bama Ed is spot on with his recommendation. As of right now we have every intention of going. Are many of the things my wife and I have come to look forward to and enjoy going to happen? We doubt it. Is there enough to make it worth it We think so.
Between now and Thanksgiving things can and will change. Should we see a significant deterioration of conditions then we will likely cancel but not before then. I will say that this year we are BOTH gettting the Flu shot and both pneumonia shots. Both of us got sick during last years trip and apon arriving home I ended up hospitalized with Pneumonia We are both over 60.
Keep an eye on your LOCAL conditions and Central Florida. Then come Thanksgiving make what you feel is the best decision for you and your Family

 

[KristinU]

We, too, have Christmas reservations for this year. I'm still holding out hope and keeping our plans going, with the possibility of cancellation in the back of my mind in order to set expectations. What I did do, however, is change our site-only reservation to a package to include admission and then selected the cancellation/refund option on our annual passes. When the cancellation option was offered we decided that the flexibility for cancellation of a package is a better fit for us than having our paid-for APs sitting there. (the other piece is that they made me mad with the park reservation policy for offsite stays - 3 days at a time only...we generally stay offsite if we're not in our RV, so that really irked me).

Anyway, just to echo what everyone else has said, December is still a decent ways off and this thing is just so tough to try to anticipate and plan around. No harm in keeping the reservations for a while longer as long as you manage expectations for the rest of your crew.

 

[Stork]

....So I wouldn't make a decision yet if I were you. I'd stand pat and hold the cards I got for a while....Bama Ed

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run...

We'll be there Dec 3-11 this year. Still going unless Covid gets horribly worse (just the two of us over-65 5th-wheeling seniors trying to be 15 again).

Unless a tropical system invades FL after hurricane season ends (Nov 30), December is also one of THE best times of the year for FW weather wise. That's another reason why it is so hard to get a reservation then, in addition to the holiday celebrations. So if you got 'em, hold 'em, use 'em. Just my opinion FWIW.

 

[PumaMom]

Thank you all. You are great. This pandemic has my anxiety spiking, and we have all given up so much already.

Yes, we are familiar with the fort. We are DVC BLT, but with a family of 6, we have discovered Fort Wilderness is best option for us. We have parents/grandparents in the area too and enjoy hosting them for afternoon visits.

So..I am calling about golf carts and cat kennels today, keeping myself optimistic about a magical holiday season.

 

[PumaMom]

Update?

Here we are. Nine days from my planned Christmas at the Fort. Still unsure I’ll see Florida,but my college age kids have opted out. I do have next Christmas booked as well as the 4th of July, but that doesn’t comfort me like it should.

I have not cancelled yet, but a Tent site Dec 19-Jan 2 may be opening soon.

 

[FtW Mike]

PumaMom I feel your pain. We are waiting on tomorrow's consultation with DW's Doctor to find out where we stand on our trip

 

[Queen Medors]

We are going, arriving Christmas Eve but possibly not leaving the Fort( which is fine to me!!!) if things still seem crazy here still. Whatever you choose have a Merry Christmas, and I will maybe see you on July 4th!!!

 

[jkh36619]

Will be there from Dec 30-Jan 4. No plans to go to the parks.

 

[amcc]

We will be there from Dec. 29-Jan. 3. I spoke to my kids a few days ago about canceling but they all agreed they wanted/needed to go. They've been doing home school since March with minimal social interaction since we are living with my parents so they need it as much as we do. I do hope that they are renting sports equipment at the Bike Barn - will call and find out and post here - but otherwise won't go to any parks. The Covid situation does concern me. We know that it will be a very different NYE (we've been there the past 5+ years and the beach party was such a good time).

 

[PumaMom]

it’s all over. I cancelled. If you want to pick up a tent site, is now available over New Years. Interestingly, before I cancelled, I checked changing, and it offered me premium site.

I’ll be back at the fort on the 4th of July, celebrating my 50th birthday,

 

[PumaMom]

We will be there from Dec. 29-Jan. 3. I spoke to my kids a few days ago about canceling but they all agreed they wanted/needed to go. They've been doing home school since March with minimal social interaction since we are living with my parents so they need it as much as we do. I do hope that they are renting sports equipment at the Bike Barn - will call and find out and post here - but otherwise won't go to any parks. The Covid situation does concern me. We know that it will be a very different NYE (we've been there the past 5+ years and the beach party was such a good time).

This is why I so wanted to go. We need a break.