Candlelight Processional on Christmas day?? Please share thoughts.....

[disney4us2002]

I know it's early and the CPP cannot even be booked at this point, but I was discussing my early itinerary planning with dh this weekend and told him we weren't doing any of the parks on Christmas day as I read the crowds are just awful. Well, he was none to happy that this trip was his gift to us for Christmas (has always been my dream to spend xmas in Disney) and now we won't even go to a park THAT day. So, of all the parks, I figure EPCOT is probably the most manageable since it's so large. Would the CPP be a good choice for Christmas day? I was leaning toward doing it for Christmas eve so now I need to plan something special for that night.

Suggestions? What have you done Christmas eve and day in Disney?

 

[CamColt]

Last year was our first Christmas in WDW, and it was wonderful.

On Christmas Eve, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the BW Bakery then switched hotels from the Swan to the Poly. After checking in and seeing our room we went to Epcot. The kids made cookies in The Land(we tried this the previous day but missed it), then we hit World Showcase...something we really have never done with the kids. We made masks and checked out the story tellers. We had PS for the CP package at 4:20 at Le Cellier. After dinner we went to the 6:45 show of CP(very magical to see this on Christmas Eve), then finished a few countries in WS before calling it an early night.

Christmas Day we were up bright & early checked out the goodies Santa left on our door, then headed to the MK... we even got to ride in the front of the monorail. We were at MK for opening and walked on 4 rides(JC, HM, Aladdin & POC) before breakfast at the castle. After breakfast we ditched the crowds that were pouring in and we spent the rest of the day resort hopping, mini golfing, and even made a quick stop at DTD when transferring buses. We grabbed a bite at CBR food court for dinner. After returning to our room to freshen up we then went to the WL for our sleigh ride.

We really ejoyed spending our holiday this way.

 

[goudaman40]

Last year (Christmas 2003) we did the Candlight Processional on Christmas on the middle show. My husband is a huge Gary Sinese fan and he was the narrorator that night. It was wonderful and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

We don't have children, so we spent the morning at MGM and then the evening at Epcot. It didn't feel crowded at all and we also did the middle meal package and ate supper in Mexico that night. We usually eat Christmas dinner as Chinese Food (our little tradition when we don't go home for the holidays), but that year we decided on Mexican.

The show, to me, seemed more meaningful on Christmas Night! The show was very moving and my hubby and I had tears in our eyes!

 

[northern michigan]

We'll be there for Christmas too! I've been trying to make similar decisions. I just receied my tickets for LaNouba on Christmas Day! I think we'll be spending the day at MGM. I'm struggling with a PS decision for our holiday meal. I'm glad I've still got plenty of time to decide. As of yet, I've narrowed it down to about a dozen possibilities.

 

[disneyjunkie]

If all goes well, this will be our first Disney Christmas.
I think doing the CP on Christmas day will be great.

I'm thinking of doing it on Christmas Eve and doing the MK on Christmas. I love the idea doing the Sleigh Ride on Christmas. I have no idea where we'll have our holiday meal. I want it be some place close the MK, I just can't decide where.

 

[ffindis]

Does anyone know when we will be able to start booking the CPP?

 

[CamColt]

Last year the CP packages became open for booking early in the last week of August. We happened to be in WDW at the time and had to book it from there. I would guess it would be around the same time this year, so keep watching the boards. Im sure people will post when they are told anything.

 

[Penny12]

Last year we did Christmas Eve in EPCOT, including the later showing of CP - it was very magical to do that the night before Christmas

On Christmas Day we had a late breakfast at Spoodles with friends (we were staying at the BWV), then we spent mid-morning/afternoon still with our friends in their 2 bedroom villa having munchies and drinks and just chatting which was really nice but could just as easily have been done in one of the resort lounges (though admittedly not as cosy!). We then had an early dinner (about 6pm) at Cape May Cafe where we had a lot of fun with our server though we seemed to be a little bit of the exception - therefore it became our 'joke' that other people weren't having the same amount of fun as us due to the fact that they'd hit a park for the day and were obviously frazzled as a result We then headed to the dock at the Y&BC for our 8.30pm Illuminations Cruise where we had the good fortune of catching the end of Fantasmic, and a nice long distance view of Wishes before mooring under the bridge for the showing of Illuminations. It was a wonderful relaxed way to spend the day whilst still having that Disney 'magic' and sad as it sounds, due to that and the company we shared it with was probably the nicest Christmas I've <i>ever</i> had

 

[disney4us2002]

Is the Illuminations/Wishes cruise more expensive on a holiday? I'm still leaning toward CPP on Christmas day but perhaps doing the cruise Christmas eve. Is that a holiday? I'd forgotten about the sleigh ride. I need to schedule that in sometime during our week. Too many things!!

 

[Penny12]

It costs more on New Years Eve because it's at midnight, but as ours was still at a 'regular' time it was $120 + tax + tip.

 

[northern michigan]

I now what you mean. Too many things to pick from and only so much money!!!!!!!

Any opinions or preferences:
CP Dinner Pkg
Specialty Cruise (Illuminations or Wishes)
Sleigh Ride
Fantasmic Dinner Pkg
LaNouba
Other

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by northern michigan
I now what you mean. Too many things to pick from and only so much money!!!!!!!

Any opinions or preferences:
CP Dinner Pkg
Specialty Cruise (Illuminations or Wishes)
Sleigh Ride
Fantasmic Dinner Pkg
LaNouba
Other

I'm planning to do the first 4 items on your list.

You could share an Illuminations or Wishes cruise with other DISers. That way you get to enjoy it without paying full price.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by northern michigan
I now what you mean. Too many things to pick from and only so much money!!!!!!!

Any opinions or preferences:
CP Dinner Pkg
Specialty Cruise (Illuminations or Wishes)
Sleigh Ride
Fantasmic Dinner Pkg
LaNouba
Other

Heres my take, FWIW...

Definitely do CP. You dont necessarily have to do the dinner package if you dont mind waiting in line. But definitely dont miss the show.

The sleigh ride was a nice little touch to the holiday season. It was fairly cheap($30.00, if I remember right), so Id say give that a try if you think you would like it.

As for the FDP, when are you going to be there? We went before Christmas, 12/22 (read...before the parks were totally mobbed) and went to the second show. Being Dec, the second show wasnt too late for our kids and we were able to walk in 20 minutes before the show and get 4th row seats. By show time and throughout the show the sections on either end were empty. I was glad we didnt do FDP that time. So, if you can get to it a few days before Christmas, try for the 2nd show of Fantasmic and you shouldnt need the package.

Ive never done LaNouba or specialty cruises so I cant help there.

Good luck deciding!

 

[disney4us2002]

Thanks camcolt. I'm thinking like you about the FDP. The restaurant choices do little for us as we must do Sci-Fi, lol. We're planning the 2nd show on 12/20. I figure that's early enough that crowds shouldn't be absurd yet!

I would like to do the sleighride on Christmas eve but last year they only ran it til 7pm that night. Perhaps we'll look at a Wishes cruise for Christmas eve. That seems pretty special to me.

 

[northern michigan]

Are there other special activies I should consider reserving to make this visit more special than any other?

I agree with your thought regarding fantasmic dinner pkg. We are arriving on 12-17. What about the specialty cruises. Wishes vs. Illuminations? Preferences?