Christmas 2010

[creamsoda]

HI, I'm new here. Been reading posts for a while but now have some questions. We've been to Florida 8 times but this year we are going for Christmas. We know it will be busy but we travel out on the 17th for 14 days and hopefully can get a lot done the first week. Are resteraunts outside WDW open on Christmas Day?

Thanks for any help, I'm sure I'll have lots more to ask.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

I don't know the exact answer to your question as we're going for our first Christmas trip this year too! I would imagine that there are so many people in the area over the Christmas holidays that the answer is probably yes, though?

We fly out on the 18th for 9 nights, and we got an ADR for Rose and Crown on Christmas Day, which we only booked a few weeks ago. At that point we still got quite a reasonable choice of restaurants too

 

[iuelliott]

Hello. I'm a "newbe" as well and hopped on the DIS boards a few weeks ago. The best advice I received was to book w/Disney in order to receive the free dining. Also, you need to get reservations asap as they are quickly filling up. You can search "christmas" on this site and receive tons of info.
If you search Christmas advice that I had posted a while back, I received lots and lots of wonderful advice for the holidays.
Good luck.

 

[irongirlof12]

welcome to the dis

we have been over Xmas period, the week leading up to xmas is very thin crowd wise so dining is fine as is touring the parks, sometimes a little chilly

USA doesn't close for Xmas like we do here and we found everthing open for business during the Xmas period - if you want a nice traditional meal out then book in advance as 'the holidays' book up quick. We ended up watching the beastmaster and eating massive bags of wotsits having chosen to avoid the parks on xmas day- they were too busy for us. Still it was an xmas to remember and we do love cheesy puffs

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

to the Dis!

We are going for our first Disney Christmas this year - can't wait! Just for 8 days but am hoping we can see the majority - I envy you your 14 days!

I imagine everywhere stays open meal-wise. Its the busiest time of year to visit so they wouldn't miss out of all those lovely tourist dollars! However we have booked a meal at Disney (Raglan Road at Downtown Disney) just to make sure we have a "proper" meal Christmas day . . . I don't like the thought of ending up with a counter service or McDonalds on Christmas Day, I do want a proper family meal even though we're away.

 

[PJB71]

Hi

We have been to Florida for the last 9xmas on the run and wouldnt want to go at any other time of year now, but thats just our preference

We always stay in a villa and most of the restaurants (off site) are closed on Christmas day as well as the shops., but only for the day

When my dd's were little we always booked a "chef mickey"meal at the contempory in the afternoon, that way they could open there presents in the morning (which tbh they really wernt that bothered about, they were more interested in being able to get in the pool) then they had the excitement of the charactor meal in the afternoon

I personally dont like the parks in the few days leading up to christmas as they are SO busy so we usually just do our shopping and have a few chill days in the villa.

please feel free to ask if you have anymore questions

 

[misspickle]

it's the only time of year we go to disney
our first week was quiet in 2006 we were there from the 16th-2nd and the second week was very busy!!

 

[creamsoda]

Thanks for your help. Have booked an ADR for Christmas Day-we'll just have to get to the parks early. Always wanted to go for my birthday which is the 29th so Christmas is an added bonus- cant wait to see the decorations.

 

[tracipierce]

yay! i'm another very excited diser to be going for the first time at xmas! I've totally ignored advice about not going to the parks on xmas day lol I might live to regret it, but we are going to Magic Kingdom, we have breakfast booked at Crystal palace and dinner booked at Cinderella's castle. I have warned my 2 DD's that it will be stupidly busy, but we want to go for the atmosphere and decorations and won't get too upset if we don't manage to do too many rides.
Has anyone been to MK on xmas day before? Would love to hear any experiences

OP where will you be on Xmas day?

 

[tashasmum]

yay! i'm another very excited diser to be going for the first time at xmas! I've totally ignored advice about not going to the parks on xmas day lol I might live to regret it, but we are going to Magic Kingdom, we have breakfast booked at Crystal palace and dinner booked at Cinderella's castle. I have warned my 2 DD's that it will be stupidly busy, but we want to go for the atmosphere and decorations and won't get too upset if we don't manage to do too many rides.
Has anyone been to MK on xmas day before? Would love to hear any experiences

OP where will you be on Xmas day?

We went for Christmas in 2006, stayed at AKL so had early entry to the parks. We chose to go to MK but was there for 7,for emh and managed to get loads of rides done. When it opened to the general public we went for breakfast and then just savoured the atmosphere until lunch time when we left. It was very busy and the boats coming in were really packed.

I would say go for it but don't really expect to get on many rides unless you gain early access and just enjoy wandering round.

 

[tracipierce]

We went for Christmas in 2006, stayed at AKL so had early entry to the parks. We chose to go to MK but was there for 7,for emh and managed to get loads of rides done. When it opened to the general public we went for breakfast and then just savoured the atmosphere until lunch time when we left. It was very busy and the boats coming in were really packed.

I would say go for it but don't really expect to get on many rides unless you gain early access and just enjoy wandering round.

Thanks for replying! well the earliest breakfast I could get was 8.30, but I might be able to get in with emh, or get a couple of fast passes early on. I would love to be able to leave at lunchtime for a couple of hours, but I know that if I leave I won't be able to get back in for our dinner ressie which is at 7pm, so we plan on staying all day, we don't mind wandering around which is a good thing seeing as we will be there all day

Sadly we are only there for a week and will only be able to fit in another half day at MK as we are going to Universal as well, so we will have to make the most of xmas day.

sorry to hijack the thread OP

 

[PJB71]

Hi

We have never been to any of the parks on Christmas day, but always went to the contemporary for "Chef Mickey" brunch when DD's were younger.

I have seen MK shut due to full capacity as early as 10am, so my advise would be to go as early as possible and stay in the park as you may not get back in if you leave.

Hope you all have a fantastic time, and the parks are truely magical decorated for Christmas

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

We went the week before Xmas and the week after in 2006 (and are doing the same this year - flying out same day as OP!).

We were going to do Magic Kingdom on Xmas Day, but there was torrential rain... so we drove around the I4 (I think ) and ended up looking in a Poundland type shop. On Xmas Day!!
We also went to Ponderosa for dinner that day - it was open late as usual, and although there was an Xmas tree in the corner, for me, it was unusual for everything to be open as usual with no fuss!!

Hope that is helpful

xxx

 

[creamsoda]

Having lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom. Booked it for 12.35 so will probably go back to villa after. Also have an ADR at Crystal Palace for breakfast on my birthday- the 29th. I' m so excited!!!!

 

[tracipierce]

Having lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom. Booked it for 12.35 so will probably go back to villa after. Also have an ADR at Crystal Palace for breakfast on my birthday- the 29th. I' m so excited!!!!

Well I really wanted to eat at Liberty Tree, but I made the silly mistake of asking my girls where they wanted to eat for xmas dinner and of course they flaming well said CRT!

I'd like to say we might bump into each other on xmas day, but highly unlikely through the crowds, might be squashed up near each other somewhere

Hope you have a lovely birthday on the 29th! We are flying home that day

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Having lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom. Booked it for 12.35 so will probably go back to villa after. Also have an ADR at Crystal Palace for breakfast on my birthday- the 29th. I' m so excited!!!!

Oh excellent! I tried to book LTT a couple of weeks ago, for Xmas lunch for two people, and it was full, so you have done well!!

 

[amystevekai&bump]

reading this thread makes me wish I was going to be in MK for Christmas Day too!!

This is also our first (and probably only) trip to WDW for Christmas, but we made the decision really early in the planning (like in Sept 2008!!) that we couldn't face actually being in the parks on Christmas itself - I personally would love it - but was worried the boys were too little for the crowds.

We therefore settled on WDW up until 23rd Dec and then we are on DCL for Christmas itself - I just hope we don't miss out on the main part of a WDW Christmas by not being there on the day itself!

Hopefully we will all be able to meet up at some point if there are a lot of us there at the same time

 

[misspickle]

we did mk on xmas day,yes it was busy but i'd do it again how many people can actually say they spent xmas day in the mk can't wait till next year

 

[tashasmum]

we did mk on xmas day,yes it was busy but i'd do it again how many people can actually say they spent xmas day in the mk can't wait till next year

Totally agree i think if you go with the knowledge that it is going to be really busy and are prepared its doable. Was always something i wanted to do and glad i did.

 

[tracipierce]

Totally agree i think if you go with the knowledge that it is going to be really busy and are prepared its doable. Was always something i wanted to do and glad i did.

This is exactly how I feel! I have drummed it into the kids how busy its going to be as well and they are prepared for it, they are just as excited as me to be there for xmas day, won't be too upset about not doing many rides, we've done them all before, but what we haven't seen is the christmas decs, parades and fireworks, can't wait for them