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

[Sillyminny40]

We have been to Orlando 4 times but NEVER in Dec. We are looking at last two weeks of Dec 2008 so our boys don't miss school. Your experience and advice is most welcome.

 

[joech]

We just went this past Christmas from Dec.15-Dec29 and had the best time ever! We also took my MIL and FIL for their first time. I had read 16 guidebooks and searched these boards forever. I had all the dining plans arranged for sit down dinners each night and we got up early each day. We left the parks at around 10:00 and the kids fell asleep on the ride back to the resort. The first week was great with little wait for rides and Christmas week was crazy from about 11:00 in the morning on. I don't know how old your kids are but our kids did great the whole time. The key is to get up early and take advantage of the EMH! People say that Christmas week is crazy and you can't get on any rides without a long wait. My daughter went on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad twice each on Christmas morning when the park opened for the resort guests. It is such a magical place to be for Christmas. I will have to do a trip report of each day of our trip. I learned so much from other people on this board that it helped us save time and our sanity. We also went at Easter last year but nothing beats the extra things that are offered during the Christmas season. Plus I didn't have to do the usualy Christmas things that give me a headache at home. You will love it if you do some planning ahead of time. We loved it so much that we are going back this next Christmas but only have time to go for nine days. We are also considering buying DVC. I hope this helps you decide to go because you will just love it!

 

[Boomer1]

Joech is right. The Christmas week is the busiest week at WDW. We have spent the last four Christmases at WDW. It involves planning. We camp in our TT but we still make the ADRs we want well in advance ( a must if you are depending on Disney to feed you). We also go when the parks first open and if they have morning EMHs this is a good idea. By 11 a.m.the parks are very crowdwed and we return to our resort for a nap, swim and afternoon resort activities. We stay at Fort Wilderness and they have crafts, games or pool activities for the children in the afternoon. If we are feeling up to it we return for evening EMH. In the past MK has been open until 3 a.m.. We have never tried to stay out that late but I would expect the park would not be as busy. We are just unable to do early morning and late nights. Ofcourse you must stay at a Disney Resort to use EMH. If you can not handle crowds and want to ride your favourite ride ten times in a row you will probably not enjoy WDW at Christmas time; however, if you enjoy seeing the most magical time at Disney (IMHO), can plan, and see a Disney vacation as more than just days in the parks riding attractions, you will probably enjoy Christmas at WDW.

 

[pooksma]

I will be watching this thread as we are planning a two family trip for Christmas 2009. The other family is totally newbie so many decisions have been left up to me.

 

[riu girl]

Thanks for the tips so far. We will also be at Disney for the first time over christmas this year (Dec 20-Jan 3, offsite) and any other hints would be really appreciated.

So far we are planning on getting to the parks one hour prior to opening and avoiding morning EMH parks.

 

[CrazyDisneyMommy1]

We just went this past Christmas week and would go again in a heart beat. We have already decided to go again this Christmas. The crowds were crazy but managable and we stayed offsite. We are not early risers, but are night owls. We did a ton of stuff. We would go to the parks around 10 or 11 am and get on a ride or two, pick up some fast passes for later, take in the sights and get out after about three or four hours. We would then go back in the night and stay till close, which at MK was 1:00 A.M.. This really worked well at MK as we just walked on stuff really late. My kids are 7 & 9 and had no problem. Loved being away at Christmas!!! Can't wait to go again!!! Go for it! We only booked 30 days out last time and did not have one ADR but we ate alot of the time offsite when we were on our breaks. If we can, we will go every Christmas now as I loved being away from our weather and all the hype at home.

 

[trivial]

We're planning our next trip for the first half of December, which is actually one of the best times to go as far as crowds and prices are concerned. All of the Christmas decorations and events are in full swing, so it's a great time to go. Family members will have to pull their kids out of school, but they'll have 2 weeks of break to catch up on their work.

 

[Tiger926]

Those weeks are the busiest at WDW - remember, all of Ontario is off from school, so you'll see tons of Ontario plates at the parks!

We have been at different times of the year, and although the New Year's week was manageable, it was very busy and crowded. Many times MK and Epcot were closed at various parts of the day due to overcrowding, so you need to be cognizant of this for leaving/re-entering parks, especially in order to arrive for your ADRs. They will not let you in despite having an ADR, as the parks are closed due to overcapacity.

We loved going at Christmas time to see the decorations, but we also worried about getting sick at this time as all of us cold-weather people bring a ton of germs into Orlando at that time of year. We will not be going back at Christmas until the kids are much older as it requires more patience (we have lots, but many adults we encountered didn't!), extra time and strong, healthy immune systems.

If you have never been at this time, you will love the beautiful decorations, parades and fireworks shows, but you must prepare accordingly for high crowds, very long lines, etc.

Good luck and happy planning, Tiger

 

[Sillyminny40]

Great replies thanks so much. We are very early people so maybe it would work. That or Mexico for two weeks! But we LOVE theme parks!

 

[tgropp]

If you love the Christmas season, you will never regret spending Christmas at WDW. It is still my families favorite vacation memories

 

[drag n' fly]

We decided to go at Christmas so our kids do not miss any more school. We are flying into Tampa for a few days before we head to our home resort to stay concierge for 2 days before we spend Christmas on a Disney Cruise. We really only plan on taking in any festivities and the Osborne lights and other than that totally relaxing at thre resort. If we get in a few rides...great no big deal. Anyone can go to WDW at any time of the year with good plannning and realisitic expectations!

 

[ado121]

Thanks for the tips so far. We will also be at Disney for the first time over christmas this year (Dec 20-Jan 3, offsite) and any other hints would be really appreciated.

So far we are planning on getting to the parks one hour prior to opening and avoiding morning EMH parks.

hey thats when we are going too! where ya staying? we are staying at windsor hills!

 

[PBX1]

We were planning on heading down the week of Dec 13th to the 19th. I'm assuming the Christmas theme will be going on by then? And any ideas of the crowds in that time frame?

Thanks

 

[tgropp]

We were planning on heading down the week of Dec 13th to the 19th. I'm assuming the Christmas theme will be going on by then? And any ideas of the crowds in that time frame?

Thanks

The crowds will be great. The average will be a 15-20 wait time while Soarin and a few others will be 30-45. Read the boards about all the Christmas activities. There are so many that you can not see them all in one week.

 

[trivial]

I believe Disney gets Christmas events/decorations going right after Thanksgiving. The Christmas crowds don't get very big until the week of Christmas Day, from what I've read.

 

[riu girl]

hey thats when we are going too! where ya staying? we are staying at windsor hills!

We have a condo booked for 14 nights in Grand Palms. The condo was reccommended by a couple of DISers who have stayed there and it looks great.

For those going over Christmas, what is your Dec 25 and Dec 31 plan? I don't know what to do those days.

 

[Sillyminny40]

RuiGirl, where in grand palms? Thanks.

 

[riu girl]

RuiGirl, where in grand palms? Thanks.

I sent you a PM with all the info.

 

[Sillyminny40]

thanks Ruigirl! Looks great!

 

[mtmbyck]

Disney gets their Christmas decorations up almost immediately after their Thanksgiving so beginning of Dec it will all be up. You have never seen any place so festive as Disney during the holidays. It's worth it just to see the lights and decorations!

It is very quiet at the parks between the 1st and the 20th and then it HITS! If you go early (an hour before opening might be tough given MK will open at 8am as it was this week for Easter) you will be able to walk on almost everything until around 11am. Then it will start to feel busy. If you don't have dining reservations, forget it. Fastpasses for the big rides (Space Moutain) will most likely be gone by around 5pm even though the park is open until 1am - on Monday it had a 90 minute wait right up until midnight!

If you aren't staying on-site - DO NOT go to the EMH parks! Get the schedule and purposely go to the other parks to avoid all of the resort guests being at your park.

Do not try to watch the VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARADE. We did this years ago and wasted 2 hours only to see about 4 floats as they keep cutting back to other parks and commercials so it isn't very exciting. They actually usually film the televised version before Christmas morning I believe so you can find out which day and avoid it all together (or ride rides while everyone else watches the parade).

I would not be worried about the crowds. Go early, leave, nap and come back late. Make a Priority Seating at a sit down restaurant months in advance at around 7pm so you can come back, relax and have a nice meal and go back into the park.