Are we nuts???? Christmas in WDW????

[RayRay13]

Thanks for all of the replies! We have already booked CBR for free dining starting the 21st. The savings for the food is certainly mitigated by the higher resort costs, but as many of you have said there are trade offs. I agree with PPs who said I am so lucky all the "men" in my life want to go, so you are all right. I guess I'll temper my expectations and try to find new things to make this trip the best ever. Another question...can you actually swim that time of year. Our first ever trip to WDW was 12/17-24 and it was so freezing we had to buy sweatshirts. We are from Colorado and we were still too cold! Would love to use the pool if possible as CBR is supposed to have a great one...

Swimming is sort of hit or miss that time of year. In Dec 2012 we nearly froze our flip-flops off in 32 deg but last year I got a sunburn at 10 am. CBR might have the pool heated.

 

[pad406]

Thanks for all of the replies! We have already booked CBR for free dining starting the 21st. The savings for the food is certainly mitigated by the higher resort costs, but as many of you have said there are trade offs.

I agree with PPs who said I am so lucky all the "men" in my life want to go, so you are all right. I guess I'll temper my expectations and try to find new things to make this trip the best ever.

Another question...can you actually swim that time of year. Our first ever trip to WDW was 12/17-24 and it was so freezing we had to buy sweatshirts. We are from Colorado and we were still too cold! Would love to use the pool if possible as CBR is supposed to have a great one...

It'll be great. We did 2010 and loved it, first trip, would have been lost without the advice from here. Going again this year. We swam and did water parks. We didn't fo a huge amount of rides, but it didn't matter to us. Christmas day we wandered around the resorts, did rope drop next morning and had the park to ourselves almost. I think FP+ will probably make it even better this time around.

Have a great time, I hope my kids still want to go at that age.

 

[tajz90]

Things don't go into overdrive until after Christmas day. You'll be able to move and breathe for many days. When the crowds show up, bring you're patience and you'll be fine.

We actually prefer spending Christmas at Disney. The holidays at home are filled with too many have to obligations. Disney, we feel free to laugh and play. There are trees everywhere, so we never one.

 

[JimmyV]

We are there for rd, spend 3-5 hours, and then head home.

You will need to be okay with not seeing tons of things in one day and be okay with crowds.

Keep expectations for what you can do low, bring lots of patience, and have fun.

These thoughts sum it up. If you are used to being in the parks from RD until closing and "working the system" to ride as many rides as possible, and not being able to do so will make you frustrated, then do not go at Christmas. But if your family would be content doing 7 rides in a day, and then heading out of the park to go elsewhere, then you will be fine. It isn't "nuts" to want to go to WDW during Christmas. But it is nuts to think that you can go and replicate your typical WDW experience, if a typical day is riding 25 rides with little to no wait. You cannot "beat the system" when the crowds are 10+ and the parks are in capacity control mode. All you can do is adjust and endure. If you are fine adjusting, then go. If those types of adjustments are not what you consider to be a fulfulling Disney vacation, then pick a different time. We have gone at just about every possible time of the year. But we have never gone between 12/20-1/5, and I don't see it happening. For us, that means paying maximum price for maximum frustration and minimal fun. Lots of people think differently, and that is great. It's just not for us.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Having experienced WDW during the Christmas of 2010, I will never, ever, ever go to WDW during the week between Christmas and New Years, even if the trip were free.

That is funny - we were there that week, too, and I would totally go again during Christmas. We had a wonderful time and did everything we wanted to do.

Busy weeks are all about planning and expectations. You have older kids and the weather will be cooler, and if you are like us, we are able to go rope drop to park close in those conditions. Yep, there are going to be lines, but as long as you aren't expecting walk-ons, the lines aren't so bad. We did as much in a 12 hour day as we could do in a 8 hour day in September or October, but that was OK with us. We were more exhausted at the end of a September day due to the heat. We also checked in before free dining ended, so we had free dining for our whole trip without the free dining crowds in the restaurants.

You can also "purchase" some shorter lines - use FastPass+ for the important things, do the dessert party or Candlelight Processional Dinner package, and look at the Fantasmic packages that are available (I think they have done picnic packages in addition to dinner packages during busy times the last few years - or maybe they are available all the time now).

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

These thoughts sum it up. If you are used to being in the parks from RD until closing and "working the system" to ride as many rides as possible, and not being able to do so will make you frustrated, then do not go at Christmas. But if your family would be content doing 7 rides in a day, and then heading out of the park to go elsewhere, then you will be fine. It isn't "nuts" to want to go to WDW during Christmas. But it is nuts to think that you can go and replicate your typical WDW experience, if a typical day is riding 25 rides with little to no wait...

All of the above applies to my family. Basically, we've "worked the system" up until now. We are not going Christmas week to 'do Disney,' but rather are going Christmas week to 'have Christmas at WDW.' The two are very different. We are looking forward to our trip, knowing it won't be "typical" in anyway other than the two days of driving each way.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I've been to Disney during Christmas week (Dec. 24th to Jan 1st) the past 4 out of 5 years. Honestly, while it's a VERY busy and packed time, I would not trade that week in for any other vacation or time of the year.

First, a plug: I'll be releasing a book sometime this summer that will tell you everything you need to know about Disney during Christmas. I've decided to make it free. If I'm allowed, I'll post the link and everything once it's done.

Second... you will get mixed reviews on Disney during Christmas week. There are some that have never experienced it - have only heard about the sheer volume of people that flock to Disney every year during this time. These are the people that go off of hearsay and will give you the general "it's very packed based on [inset website's crowd calendar.] Then, there's the person who experienced it once and hated it. Maybe they tried it or had different expectations. Then, there's people like me who loved it..

Here's the thing - having experienced Disney so many times, you're already "cut out" for the trip. I will never tell someone NOT to go, but Disney during Christmas week is not for first timers. You will benefit from having seen and done everything multiple times already. Many people go for their first time or go and expect to see and do everything in the park. Then, they are disappointed when the crazy wait times keep them from going on Peter Pan, or riding Space Mountain. Well, if you plan your day right, you can see and experience more than you do not; but, having experienced everything already gives you the ability to see the 100-minute wait for Peter Pan and say "well, we've been on it so many times, we can skip this time!"

I won't sugar coat it - it gets PACKED. But staying onsite gives you the upper edge. My family gets so much done during EMH. We go to the park early in the morning, stay until 12 or 1pm and then head back to our room to to relax and maybe catch a nap. Around 5 or 6 pm (depending on our dinner reservation) we head out to dinner, and then out to whichever park has EMH. Disney expands EMH and has a lot of late nights. The Friday after Christmas is almost always open until 2 or 3am for EMH.

It will be crowded on December 21st, 22nd and 23rd, but the real crowds will not roll in until December 24th. The only downfall is that the 21st falls on a Sunday - more people are bound to start their vacation on a Sunday or Monday than a Tuesday.

You'll see a slight lull after Christmas (comparatively speaking.) The 26th and 27th won't be too bad, but the crowds will kick in again on the 29th, 30th and 31st. You would be leaving before the storm. NYE is actually more crowded than Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I think Christmas day is a majority of tourists and people from out of the area. I think NYE is a combination of locals AND tourists. As a result, the parks are CRAZY crowded.

As for driving... well... My family drives from New York. Honestly, I loved it. Some of my best memories as a child was the drive down to Disney World. But, having flown down the past few trips - it's SO much easier. Board the flight and within 2-3 hours, you're there. Driving would add/take away a day or two from your vacation! Spring for the flight - it's expensive, but ever my mom who hates flying would NEVER look back!

As far as it feeling like Christmas - Imagine the excitement when you're younger of running downstairs (or into the other room) and seeing all the presents under the tree for the first time. Cinnamon rolls are baking fresh in the oven and the smell overwhelms the house. Well, it's a little different. Christmas morning you'll wake up in your hotel room. You'll board the bus. Everyone is so happy. Strangers are wishing each other "Merry Christmas." You arrive at Magic Kingdom. You enter the park to jovial Christmas music playing. This time, instead of seeing the tree for the first time, you see the castle. The smell from the confectionary and homemade waffle cones from The Plaza fills Main Street. Suddenly, you wonder how you could have possibly spent Christmas at home all these years. The potential for 70 degrees and sunny doesn't hurt, either!

P.S - there's so much more to do in Disney during Christmas week than the parks! With an older family (younger than mine, but older than the normal family) you can enjoy the resorts and their decorations, and enjoy the nice days. I can't promise nice weather. LAst year we were blessed with gorgeous, warm weather all week. Next year it may be colder than Colorado all week - but if you get some temps in the 70s, enjoy it! I loved leaving the parks last year and heading back to the pool. We never went in, but I enjoyed hanging out and even going for a jog.

 

[pad406]

I will never tell someone NOT to go, but Disney during Christmas week is not for first timers.

Or, if you go for your first time at Christmas. make sure you get help from the wonderful DISers

Worked for us

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Or, if you go for your first time at Christmas. make sure you get help from the wonderful DISers

Worked for us

Yes, of course!

 

[Linda T.]

My family has been to Disney many times but never at Christmas. This year we are leaving on December 27th thru January 3rd, and we are very excited about being at Disney during the Christmas holidays.

 

[delmar411]

We spent Christmas 2012 at Disney. We were there for 2 weeks and we did a real Christmas in the room (2bedroom villa) and we had a proper tree completely decorated with all our unbreakable ornaments from home. We also decorated the living room/kitchen area. It was a lot of fun actually and we just spent a few hours per day in the parks.

I think it is a great idea and free dining will make it so much easier when you don't have to worry about pulling out your wallet for every meal.

 

[fairy8i8]

My mom always bought a small fake tree and light to string up around the room. It was fun.

Since you are doing free dining and will be staying on property, you are ahead of the game. The real question is weather you decide to be early birds or all nighters. Honestly, early birds ride more attractions before the crowds roll in, MK tends to have 7am EMH every day. You can do as much 7-11 as you could 9-1 over Labor Day. However, if you are late at all, you will see MUCH less. Late EMH can be fun too, but you would have to be there 1-3am to see the short lines like 7-9am. Ok, maybe after midnight. Be realistic. What can your family and teenagers handle? Especially with the time zone change.

If you want to sleep in, then do it, but instead of heading with the masses to the parks after, have breakfast, go swimming, hang out, and then go to the parks after dinner. If you don't remember the busy times, then consider that just walking around the parks is as packed and slow moving as a line for an attraction. There are literally bodies everywhere stopping and starting. Good thing you don't have a stroller.

As a teenager, I didn't mind the lines because we treated it like hanging out but with fun rides in between. We had a lot of fun people watching. You see all sorts of crazy things. However, if your kids expect your Labor Day experience, then it's 7am or bust. 7-11, stop for lunch outside the parks at one of the resorts, go back and nap or swim if it's warm. Return after dinner for some madness and fireworks and then back to bed. You also are not likely to get more than 3 FP options, but this Christmas will be the first time everyone can prebook.

Definitely do the dinner packages if you can if you want to see Fantasmic, etc. much less time and stress.

You can have a fabulous time at Christmas. You just either have to be a bit more on the ball with following the standard recommendations. They don't matter much most of the year, but Christmas is what Rope Drop and afternoon break were made for.

You can also have a blast if you are happy waiting in a 2 hour line for Space Mountain and weaving and sliding between the throngs of people on the walkways. It's like NYC rush hour on the subways if you've ever been. However, the resorts are quite peaceful. The left for lunch on the beach at the Grand Floridian and had the place to ourselves. Leave for lunch or be prepared for a 2 hour line for food even.

 

[familydisney]

Thanks everyone...I'm actually getting excited for a different kind of trip. To be honest, the last few trips have been fun, but there's a degree of "sameness" when the kids can walk through the parks in their sleep. This will change things up.

Maybe I'll see some of you there this Holiday season!!!

 

[pad406]

Maybe I'll see some of you there this Holiday season!!!

Maybe We've finally decided and booked.

 

[WDIFanBoy]

It sure is busy that time of year, but it will be FANTASTIC for your family to see Disney in a different "Season" - if you think Florida can get different seasons...

 

[jade1]

By far our favorite week to go.

MK is open like 20 hours a day, the other parks usually until midnight or later. 3 Fantasmics each night. Incredible atmosphere and decor. Snow on Main Street each night-and Osborne if still there. We do stay a split stay at BCV and BLT though, so numerous easy walking breaks is nice. But don't expect a lot of attraction success compared to slower weeks.

HAPPY PLANNING!

 

[ChristyBey]

I also have two boys, 15 and 13, and a DH who want to spend Christmas at Disney this year. We have gone twice - once in July 2009 and once in September 2006 - both times were amazing. We are die hard go from morning to night nonstop, but I'm thinking we will follow a lot of the advice here and simply take it easy this trip. Thank you for all the words of wisdom!! I just made our reservations for December 18th - 24th. I hope I remember how to do all this planning correctly!! I CAN NOT WAIT!!

 

[gtpoohbear]

We are also from Colorado, and will be there during a similar time (12/19-23).

The only other time I've been to WDW in December was right before Christmas in 2008, around the 22nd-23rd I think. It was definitely some of the busiest I've seen, though honestly spring break this year wasn't much better. Just know that lines will be longer than you are used to and plan for it.

As far as swimming, as others have said, total hit or miss. We go to FL every other year for Christmas, and some years it's HOT, sometimes it's chilly, and sometimes it's in between. And it can change a lot from day-to-day even.

There is so much Christmas stuff at WDW, I don't think you'll miss having a tree. It's far Chritmas-ier than my house is, for sure, lol!

You are brave to drive though. Never, for any reason, in a million years, would we attempt that from Colorado! Of course, we are terrible road-trippers and don't make it more than 6-7 hours in day, so we would be all week getting there.

 

[dvcHammer]

never again will I go to WDW between x mass and NYE

if the trip were free, I would still need convincing.

Tried it once - swore to never do it again

 

[wendyt_ca]

We are going this year Dec 21-Jan 1 as well. We have never done Christmas time at Disney before but have been 10 times so if we miss anything we aren't worried about it. We are going to Florida for a week in Sept as well which is when we will do Universal to see the new HP section and then skip in in Dec. We didn't do free dining since we did a DVC rental but there is only the 2 of us (no kids). We are setting outselves up with the expectation it will be very crowded and we will spend some full days in the parks and may not get to do many rides. And we are ok with that. I have just always wanted to experience Disney on Christmas day so we are going to do it. I think the atmosphere will be amazing and I always watch the Disney parade on tv so it will be awesome to actually watch it in person during the day at MK on Christmas day! I know it's not the one that is aired on tv and I have seen it during the Xmas party before) but just the nostalgia. This past new years eve my friend and I went to NYC and we were right in Times Square on NYE for the entire day and we managed fine and actually enjoyed ourselves! So I figure if I can manage that I can handle WDW in Florida

Have a great trip!!