Any Canadians go for Christmas Week?

[mickeywho?]

Just wondered if any of you have ever gone to WDW during Christmas week? This coming Christmas or in the past? We're thinking of going this year and I'd love to be convinced!! Details please!!

 

[mollyseven]

Well, I can't convince you yet cause we are going for the first time this christmas! Dec 22-30th at CSR!
I know it's going to be a crazy place and am planning on just enjoying being away. We have already been twice this year and last year also so we are done with the whole go go go thing, we just want to BE there this time.

I'll let you know how bad/good it was......how can it be bad right?
63 days to go!!!!

 

[Charleyann]

Last year we stayed from Dec 18th- Jan 5th/08. This year our vacation starts on Nov 28 - Dec 29th/08. We are staying onsite Disney from Dec 5th - Dec 18th and then going offsite until Dec 29th.

Christmas at Disney is beautiful . The crowds however are a nightmare, especilly with small children, children in wheelchairs or adults in wheelchair. You are packed into the parks like sardines. People bumping and falling into you and on you . Lines up to 3 hrs long!

That said, the feeling of it all is oh so magical. The place is beautiful at Christmas. If you take advantage of EMH and go to the parks at rope drop and then leave when crowds arrive, you should be ok.

The resorts don't feel crowded. So doing something at the resort is relaxing and doable!

Charleyann

 

[mickeywho?]

It won't be a big parks/rides trip. Mainly for the change in scenery - getting away from home when I don't have to worry about the kids taking time off school - and getting a chance to see the world at Christmastime.

IF we go here's the plan:
Arrive 22nd - check in at Wilderness Lodge (courtyard view room with bunkbeds!) spend the day decorating the room and swimming. Head off to MK for the evening - it's open late and there is EMH so we can take our time.

23rd - DHS for the day. No ADRs on this day so we'll skip on trying for a TS restaurant and just enjoy the park - no rush. Maybe head over to the Boardwalk in the evening to check out Christmas decor and have dinner over there somewhere. Back to DHS for Osborne lights.

24th - we have a ADR at 5:40 at Chefs de France. We'll spend the day at Epcot - taking our time. If there is no chance of us getting into Candlelight Processional we won't bother lining up. (At this point I can't get us the dinner package for anywhere so I'll keep trying and see what happens)

25th - Christmas Day! We have an ADR for breakfast 10:40 at Whispering Canyon - nice and late so kiddies can play with presents and we can relax a bit for the morning. We booked an ADR for dinner at Jiko at 6pm but if I can change that to Artist Point I will. This day we'll play it by ear - no parks - if anything maybe traveling around the resorts to see the decorations or even just swimming in the pool.

26th - No ADRs or park plans at this point. Maybe shopping at DTD or if we want to get up early back to a favourite park.

27th - leave for home

It's a short trip I know. But it's really a way for us to spend Christmas just the four of us (ok - and thousands of others!) doing something special together. We'll have a week when we get back to visit other family - all of which will be ticked at us for taking off!

Thoughts and advice?

 

[tgropp]

Just wondered if any of you have ever gone to WDW during Christmas week? This coming Christmas or in the past? We're thinking of going this year and I'd love to be convinced!! Details please!!

If you go to Disney over Christmas, you must stay at a Disney resort, especially at the deluxe resorts. It is not to be missed. We went quite a few times when our children were at home, but since they have left the nest it will be tough to go at that time of the year in our future. The children still regard those vacations as their best Christmas's ever. The days leading up to Christmas day are so magical everywhere, and they are not that busy. Holidays around the world, the tree lighting ceremony and the Candlelight Processional at Epcot is so nice to expeirence just before Christmas day and the Osborne lights at HS or the CP at Epcot on Christmas eve is pretty amazing. There are lots of afternoon and evening entertainment in the hotel lobbies, but they are mostly at the deluxe resorts. Try and do the MVMCP and do not miss visiting all the resorts and look at the decorations there. The Magic Kingdom at Christmas time, especially at nightime with all the decorations is so beautiful. It may be tough to get hotel reservations for this year though. I have never been to a value or moderate during the Christmas season, but I am sure that you will enjoy it as well. Our first Christmas vacation was in 1994 and we stayed at the WL, just as it opened and I got spoiled and went to great lengths to save money to try and keep going back every two years. It gets insane after the 25'th but you adjust accordinly. I would go at this time of year all the time if it was possible. If you go, Enjoy. You will not regret it!

 

[Joe Dirt 1972]

We are going down on Dec 21 and staying at the Pop Century resort. I am driving and it is my first time so I am abit nervous about driving down. We are driving down in the winter so I am going to take the I75 route. My kids are 3 and 4 years old and a 5 month old all girls. I already book some restuarants for the girls.

Anybody got any pointers for hotels to stay at where to stop?

 

[mickeywho?]

We're driving too!
I haven't driven since I sat in the backseat of my dad's station wagon - always in August - and never with A/C. Did I mention 4 kids in the car and one pacman game - those were the days!
We haven't planned out our route yet - but the I-75 seems the most popular. We'll have to look into hotels for overnights on the road.

 

[joech]

We are going again this christmas from Dec 25 - Jan 4. If you stay on site, take advantage of the EMH. During our last christmas trip, we got all of our DD & DS ride out of the way by 11:00 am and we never wait more than 30 minutes for any ride.

You can follow the link to find out more regarding Christmas at WDW

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23825429#post23825429&highlight=

 

[cassmat]

We have been many times, but always after XMas, so this should be interesting...
We arrive on the 16th of December, and are staying Club Level at The Poly!!!! Apparently it won't be CRAZY until around the 23rd, 24th...so PARKS for a week...then hopefully it will be HOT and we can relax by the pool.

We are splitting our stay up, my hubbys crazy idea, but he wants to try different resorts...so...

 

[artman]

This will be our 4th year in a row for Christmas week at WDW, and we love it. DW is a teacher so we don't have a lot of choices (christmas or march break).

I know this is a well know tip but it can't be stressed enough, GO EARLY. We will be at WDW from Dec 22nd - 27th prior to our cruise, and will be at each of the parks for rope drop. Two years ago we were at Magic Kingdom at 7:00am and rode Dumbo twice with no wait and then walked on Splash Mtn. Later that day the MK was closed due to capacity while we were back at our resort swimming.

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

We are also going from Dec 22nd to January 2nd.

We are staying of site at Windsor Hills, we have a 3 bedr. home for our family of 5. Some friends are going to join us after Christmas day.

Not planning on going at Disney's park, only at Universal. We have been to Disney Parks 3 years in a row fo Christmas and yes it is crazy but so worth it

But we will visit the Disney resorts that we've never been too and eating at Wispering Canyon Cafe for lunch on Christmas day!