Cdns advice needed: Is it really a crazy idea to go at Christmas time?

[Sillyminny40]

Thank you for those great and helpful comments!

 

[Charleyann]

The Christmas Decorations start to go up the day after Halloween! We went for MNSSHP on Oct 31/ 2006. The next day we went to the animal Kingdom. DEcorations were up, Christmas music playing and characters in their finest Christmas attire! We also did the Christmas party on Nov. 14th. In with Halloween and not with Christmas! It was quite amazing to see the parks go from Halloween to Christmas over night!

This past year we went from Dec 17th- Jan 5th. The week before Christmas was good crowd wise. After that it became a mad house! Christmas morning we went to Magic Kingdom. Could hardly move. Lines first thing in the morning were waits up to an hour. WE had reservations for Chef Mickey at 11:30. We decided to go back to the resort to relax and swim. When we finished breakfast and were taking monorai lback to MK the driver told us MK had just closed!


New Years we went to Magic Kingdom. That was unbelievable. People were packed in like sardines. My DS uses a wheelchair and people were falling over him! He begged me to get him out. He was crying and hurting. We had to get security to escort us out. People would not move. Security had said the police had been called earlier for something and people would not move for them either. Security had to push people out of the way!

We went back to the resort and watched fireworks from all directions. We were in the Mighty Ducks Building #2. It was great. There were a few more people out there who had left the parks too. We commented on how much more relaxing it was and how hard it would be to get back to the resorts now!

We heard from guest the next day that they never got back to the resort until 3am. There were accidents and traffic jams. Glad I left at 10pm! I will never go with a child in a wheelchair NY's eve!



Charleyann

 

[Tiger926]

The Christmas Decorations start to go up the day after Halloween! We went for MNSSHP on Oct 31/ 2006. The next day we went to the animal Kingdom. DEcorations were up, Christmas music playing and characters in their finest Christmas attire! We also did the Christmas party on Nov. 14th. In with Halloween and not with Christmas! It was quite amazing to see the parks go from Halloween to Christmas over night!

This past year we went from Dec 17th- Jan 5th. The week before Christmas was good crowd wise. After that it became a mad house! Christmas morning we went to Magic Kingdom. Could hardly move. Lines first thing in the morning were waits up to an hour. WE had reservations for Chef Mickey at 11:30. We decided to go back to the resort to relax and swim. When we finished breakfast and were taking monorai lback to MK the driver told us MK had just closed!


New Years we went to Magic Kingdom. That was unbelievable. People were packed in like sardines. My DS uses a wheelchair and people were falling over him! He begged me to get him out. He was crying and hurting. We had to get security to escort us out. People would not move. Security had said the police had been called earlier for something and people would not move for them either. Security had to push people out of the way!

We went back to the resort and watched fireworks from all directions. We were in the Mighty Ducks Building #2. It was great. There were a few more people out there who had left the parks too. We commented on how much more relaxing it was and how hard it would be to get back to the resorts now!

We heard from guest the next day that they never got back to the resort until 3am. There were accidents and traffic jams. Glad I left at 10pm! I will never go with a child in a wheelchair NY's eve!

Charleyann

It is downright dangerous to go on NYE to MK. There are so many people = nasty germs and rude & ignorant people, not to mention nice people like you who are trying to enjoy MK with a child in a wheelchair. Would not recommend it at all!

So glad to hear you made it out safely! Tiger

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

LOVED Christmas at WDW. If we could afford it, I would never spend another Christmas at home. We went from the 15th to the 27th, and spent the first half of our trip in the parks then when the Christmas crowds hit we spent a lot of time at SAB, heading out in the morning to the parks, back to the hotel for the afternoon and early evening, then out again for dinner. I would not recommend Christmas for first timers, but if you've seen everything already and won't missing rides due to long waits, it's a hit. This is also why we upgraded to deluxe as we knew we would be spending lots of time at the pool.

 

[riu girl]

This will be our first Christmas visit and it looks like we do not want to go to a theme park on Dec 25 or Dec 31 due to large crowds.

We (2 adults, 2 kids) will be staying off-site and would like to spend Dec 31 (late afternoon/early evening) touring the Epcot resort area and taking part in any activities in/around the Boardwalk area. We have never visited this area so not sure what to expect. Since we will be staying off-site and not planning on getting to Disney until mid-afternoon, where would we park? Can anyone reccommend a restaurant for an early evening ADR and what else should we see do? Surrey bikes maybe?

Any info. would be really appreciated.

 

[Charleyann]

It is downright dangerous to go on NYE to MK. There are so many people = nasty germs and rude & ignorant people, not to mention nice people like you who are trying to enjoy MK with a child in a wheelchair. Would not recommend it at all!

So glad to hear you made it out safely! Tiger

Thank you! Yes it is downright dangerous with people in wheelchairs and people with small children. People are very rude too!

When speaking with security they said they thought Disney let too many people in the parks to make it enjoyable and safe. They said the police felt the same.

I am going again for Christmas this year because I love Florida at Christmas. I am however checking out on Dec 18th and staying offsite and doing Discovery Cove (Limit 1000) Christmas Day and Universal ,Seaworld and Shopping on Boxing Day!!!!
Home on Dec 28th.


Enjoy your Day!

Charleyann

 

[Charleyann]

This will be our first Christmas visit and it looks like we do not want to go to a theme park on Dec 25 or Dec 31 due to large crowds.

We (2 adults, 2 kids) will be staying off-site and would like to spend Dec 31 (late afternoon/early evening) touring the Epcot resort area and taking part in any activities in/around the Boardwalk area. We have never visited this area so not sure what to expect. Since we will be staying off-site and not planning on getting to Disney until mid-afternoon, where would we park? Can anyone reccommend a restaurant for an early evening ADR and what else should we see do? Surrey bikes maybe?

Any info. would be really appreciated.

The parks sometimes close due to being filled. Christmas Day parks closed early. Can't remember what closed on Dec 31st besides MK. You may have to go very early/ first thing to get in. We went to animal kingdom on DEc 31st and it was fine and too busy at all!

Charleyann

 

[Tiger926]

The parks sometimes close due to being filled. Christmas Day parks closed early. Can't remember what closed on Dec 31st besides MK. You may have to go very early/ first thing to get in. We went to animal kingdom on DEc 31st and it was fine and too busy at all!

Charleyann

The problem is that once the parks reach this capacity, it's just too much. They should close them at much lesser crowds because once it reaches overcapacity, it's at a dangerous point. Although lots of people leave (we spent NYE at Animal Kingdom as well and it was very enjoyable!), it's still so crowded that it's at dangerous levels for most people, let alone small children and people in wheelchairs.

Safe trips to you all going during NYE, Tiger

 

[riu girl]

Sorry, I obviously wasn't making myself clear. We would like to tour the Boardwalk resort area mid-afternoon until early evening, NOT go to a theme park on the 31st.

I am looking for suggestions as to where we should park if we would like to tour the Boardwalk area, what we should do there on the 31st as well as suggestions for an ADR for 2 adults 2 kids.

Thank you

 

[Charleyann]

Sorry, I obviously wasn't making myself clear. We would like to tour the Boardwalk resort area mid-afternoon until early evening, NOT go to a theme park on the 31st.

I am looking for suggestions as to where we should park if we would like to tour the Boardwalk area, what we should do there on the 31st as well as suggestions for an ADR for 2 adults 2 kids.

Thank you

What about going to downtown Disney? Disney-Quest is neat. We did Whispering Canyon Cafe on NY's. My 11 year old loved the place.


What about Rain Forest Cafe? Boardwalk is near Downtown Disney? NY's would be so fun without the crowd! Wish it could be toned down. I wish I could help you more but I was stumped for NY's last year!!! Ended up in MK which was not fun at all!

Good Luck and enjoy!

Charleyann

 

[NEWEARS2006]

This year we went from Jan 01 to Jan 07. I have only been in August so that is all I have to compare but I found it to be sooooo crowded. Rides were a minimum of a 40 minute wait. Space Mountain was two hours. As well, the weather fell to between 0 and 5 degrees for three days. I had left my coat in the car in Detroit airport so I had to go and buy a coat and the kids wore hats and gloves all day in the theme parks. I know this is a Disney board but I would take Mexico any time in the winter. Can't always count on the weather in Florida and you certainly won't be able to relax with the crowds.

 

[TreesyB]

It is downright dangerous to go on NYE to MK. There are so many people = nasty germs and rude & ignorant people, not to mention nice people like you who are trying to enjoy MK with a child in a wheelchair. Would not recommend it at all!

So glad to hear you made it out safely! Tiger

As I learned from these boards, the best way to experience the MK NY fireworks is to go there for the 30th. And they do a run-through of the NYE fireworks. And we were in the lower rose garden area of the MK, and not much of a crowd, but all around us, the fireworks were, and it was exhilerating.

Then NYE, we were staying at SSR. And they have a poolside party, and then pause for fireworks (which are the DTD fireworks), and from the distance, you can see the fireworks in all the other parks too.

It was a great NY!

 

[MegaWoman]

Hi there

DH has a friend and co-worker who worked at WDW for several years. When we mentioned to him that we were thinking of going for Christmas last year, he told us not to go! Our kids last year were 5 & 3, and we have a stroller for when they are tuckered out at the end of the day. He told us that the parks reach capacity very early on, and then watch out! He also mentioned that the kids would have to stay in the stroller for their own safety because there are just too many people rushing around to try and satisfy their own agendas.

We finally decided on December 10-20, and boy did we enjoy it! The decorations were out of this world, and DH (Mr. Bah Humbug himself) is the one who decided that we should do the same thing this year!

I think if you decide to go during actual Christmas, you really have to plan, and decide ahead of time that you just aren't going to be able to do it all. If you have really young kids, I might reconsider and do it when they're older.

 

[Sillyminny40]

Great comments. We have decided to go end of Jan for a week after exams are done, boys will only miss 3 days of school.

Crowds for superbowl in Tampa, will be less than those in WDW I imagine.

 

[dvdvideo]

I would never go during peak, 2 hour lineups would drive me crazy.

 

[Beechnut]

We are going Dec 17 to 31. I booked ADR's for the places we wanted to go to. We have 11 reservations (including BBB hair do) and everyone of them are between Dec 17 and 24. There was not one Breakfast, lunch, dinner or hair appointment left between Dec 25 and 31.

We're staying at Windsor Hills as well, and will use the busier week after Christmas for relaxing at that pool, and maybe going to Seaworld or Universal.

And of course , shopping, if there is any money left

 

[tinkerbell*Xo]

We were there from the 15th to the 28th and we didnt notice the crowds until DEC 24th. (2006)
I would do it again in a heartbeat, The crowds are worth it If you are like me and grew up watching the Disney Parade every christmas morning! It is so magical to wake up at Disney on christmas morning
The decorations are gorgeous!
I cant wait to see them again this year, although we are going prior to christmas! dec 10 to the 18th!
Have a great trip