Best resort to visit for Christmas decorations

[Pyxie]

I am helping someone plan a trip the week before Christmas. They are staying offsite because when they booked, there was nothing available within budget onsite. They really want to spend an evening visiting an onsite resort, however, have a meal and maybe participate in some of the evening activities like the camp fire, movies (if they are playing that night), etc. If you had to pick one resort just to visit for a few hours to eat and hang out, especially around Christmas, which would you pick? My mind immediately goes to Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge because of the Christmas decorations, but this would likely be the evening of their Hollywood Studios day and I feel like those resorts just aren't very convenient to Hollywood Studios. They have their own vehicle, however, and don't have to rely on Disney transportation. Am I overthinking this?

Also, does anyone know which nights of the week most resorts tend to do their movie nights? I know this can change, but it is something their daughter brought up and she seems to be really interested in it.

Thanks!

 

[CarolynFH]

I can’t answer about movie nights, but the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach do have decorations up. In normal years they’ve had gingerbread houses at BW, but I don’t know whether they’ll have them back after the COVID-19 pause last year. That said, since your friends have a car, I’d really recommend making an ADR at Whispering Canyon at WL or at GF Cafe, Citrico’s, or Narcoossee’s at GF because both of those resorts deserve their reputation for Christmas decorations. And if there isn’t a movie or other activity that night, they could travel from one resort to the other very easily using MK as a transfer point. (Take the WL launch to MK, then take the launch or monorail to GF, or reverse.)

 

[MassJester]

This year, I’m setting aside a day to tour the resorts. The Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian and Boardwalk resorts are my favorite. I may do a photo collection.

 

[Marthasor]

I am helping someone plan a trip the week before Christmas. They are staying offsite because when they booked, there was nothing available within budget onsite. They really want to spend an evening visiting an onsite resort, however, have a meal and maybe participate in some of the evening activities like the camp fire, movies (if they are playing that night), etc. If you had to pick one resort just to visit for a few hours to eat and hang out, especially around Christmas, which would you pick? My mind immediately goes to Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge because of the Christmas decorations, but this would likely be the evening of their Hollywood Studios day and I feel like those resorts just aren't very convenient to Hollywood Studios. They have their own vehicle, however, and don't have to rely on Disney transportation. Am I overthinking this?

Also, does anyone know which nights of the week most resorts tend to do their movie nights? I know this can change, but it is something their daughter brought up and she seems to be really interested in it.

Thanks!

The EP resorts are lovely and, in years past, BC has had an incredible chocolate carousel in the lobby, however, they still don't compare to the incredibly decorated, vaulted lobbies of WL and GF. I just stayed at VGF and, if memory serves, they played movies every night. I would pick the resort with the theme that appeals to them most.

 

[loves to dive]

It would be easy to walk over to BW and do BWI, BC, YC and Swan/Dolphin. Plenty of places over there to book a good meal. All of those resorts do pretty good decorations, one of them (can't remember which) in the before times, did a cute little village with a train running through it and of course the choc. carousel is fun.

Of course, for sheer beauty you can't beat the big tree at GF, not sure if they will be doing the gingerbread house this year and WL (in the before times) puts trees not only in the lobby but in other places so it's worth a visit. I wouldn't rule out AKL lodge either, they do a pretty good job.

 

[patty57]

All of those resorts do pretty good decorations, one of them (can't remember which) in the before times, did a cute little village with a train running through it and of course the choc. carousel is fun.

The Yacht Club has the little train.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Wilderness lodge by far for us.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Fort Wilderness

 

[jennyq87]

Wilderness Lodge 100%. That's the Christmas feel I'm after - warm fireplace, wood cabin feeling, dark & cozy. The GF is beautiful as well, just in a different way.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I would put in a vote for the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is also magnificent! But then, most of the resorts are over the holidays.

I would put one caution out there, which you might already know. It would be unlikely your friends would be allowed in to park at a MK resort (BLT, Poly, GF) or EP resort (BC, YC, BW) without a dining reservation. Security is likely to turn them away and not allow them to park their car. But a dining reservation at one of those resorts would be amazing - and after dinner, the option to walk or use the monorail to see decorations at more than one resort could be a lot of fun.

 

[rangerxenos]

Most of the Deluxe resorts are worth visiting at Christmas IMHO, all are decorated wonderfully inside and out. I always try to make it to these during my early December trips.

Grand Floridian (Gingerbread house and HUGE tree)
Wilderness Lodge
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Contemporary (Gingerbread display)
Beach Club (Gingerbread Carousel)
Yacht Club (Christmas village)
Boardwalk (Gingerbread boardwalk)

Also, Disney Springs has a wonderful Christmas tree trail that's worth seeing.

I would suggest using Disney transportation, as without a dining reservation I don't think they're letting people onsite at the moment if they're driving.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge would be my top choices. Grand has a huge tree and the huge Gingerbread house, but the WL is just amazing at Christmas.

 

[gottalovepluto]

WL and get an ADR for Whispering Canyon. Since it’s right off the lobby they’ll be able to enjoy the Xmas ambiance all through dinner. Yacht and Beach are cute but not nearly as Christmasy as WL- especially with a kid who probably isn’t going to think the yachts/beachy ornaments are terribly interesting vs a like six story Xmas tree.

They’d have to drive to YC/BC anyway as they want to stay late enough to watch a movie and that could run them into having to walk back to DHS as the park would most likely be closed by then.