Christmas at Disney: Heaven or Hell?

[CookieandOatmeal]

I am planning a Christmas trip to WDW next year for 12/22-12/26. Am I crazy? Do all the parks hit capacity during that time every day? I'm going to book my home resort at 11 months. Not sure if I even want to switch (I love staying at the Poly) but I wanted to, is there a pretty small chance of that happening? Are ADRs super hard to get? What restaurants serve a good Christmas themed dinner?

 

[onestitchloose]

We booked for this year, the ADRs were kind of difficult to get. The trouble is it was almost like there was no availability at some of the restaurants at all, as if they didn't do Christmas day.

If you are staying on site like you are, you can actually book 180 + 10 days out by phone. We tried this and sometimes there was no availability for one of the restaurants but come the 180 day mark more availability was released.

One of the advantages is it made us try a bunch of different restaurants we haven't been to before.

We still managed to book all the character dining options we wanted. I think you just have to be ready on the 180, or 190 day mark.

 

[kniquy]

We haven't been for christmas (but hope to one day) but we did do a last minute (2 months out - prior to buying DVC) NYE trip - I am sure Christmas is much tougher for dining reservations than NYE is but i stalked and stalked and was flexible with where and when we ate -- so we did score something. Maybe some one else can talk about this -- but i am wondering if resort restaurants are any harder or easier reservations to get vs in park restaurants. Might be a fun time to check out some of the other resorts and the decorations. If online right at your 180+10 mark you can probably get something -- might not be what you want but at least secure something then keep looking.

Going at a busy (ok insane) time of is what you make of it -- really set your expectations very low, expect to do your FP rides and use the MDE app to try to get other rides with more reasonable wait times (under 30 minutes). It is truly magical to see everything decorated for the holidays.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am just commenting on availability compared to the NYE period. Just last week, I was able to get my 30th, NYE, NY day dining reservations. Trails End, Trattoria and Cape May. I do prefer the resorts to parks on those crazy busy days.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We have gone at busy times of year and our strategy is to go at rope drop, ride a ton of rides and get out of dodge by 11:00-noon. We kind of look in fright/awe of all the people stacked up for miles waiting to pay for parking at the Magic Kingdom. We enjoy the resorts during the afternoons. We have always had a good time, just spend a lot less time in the parks.

 

[onestitchloose]

I was reading somewhere that even at rope drop in MK last year there was fairly hefty queues

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

We booked for this year, the ADRs were kind of difficult to get. The trouble is it was almost like there was no availability at some of the restaurants at all, as if they didn't do Christmas day.

Hmm sounds like Christmas Day may be the perfect day to try the Twilight Feast at the Poly.

We haven't been for christmas (but hope to one day) but we did do a last minute (2 months out - prior to buying DVC) NYE trip - I am sure Christmas is much tougher for dining reservations than NYE is but i stalked and stalked and was flexible with where and when we ate -- so we did score something. Maybe some one else can talk about this -- but i am wondering if resort restaurants are any harder or easier reservations to get vs in park restaurants. Might be a fun time to check out some of the other resorts and the decorations. If online right at your 180+10 mark you can probably get something -- might not be what you want but at least secure something then keep looking.

Going at a busy (ok insane) time of is what you make of it -- really set your expectations very low, expect to do your FP rides and use the MDE app to try to get other rides with more reasonable wait times (under 30 minutes). It is truly magical to see everything decorated for the holidays.

I am definitely going with very low expectations. Since I'll be there for a June trip, my priority is really for the decorations and such. I'll be happy to do some FP rides and call it a day. I may also be pregnant by then so that takes a lot of rides out of the equation. Kind of makes it better lol.

I will let the hubs know that we may be eating at "off times" so he'll be prepared. He is used to me getting 8-9am and 5-5:30pm time slots for meals since I'm an ADR warrior. I think we'll just be happy we are in Disney for Christmas!

I am just commenting on availability compared to the NYE period. Just last week, I was able to get my 30th, NYE, NY day dining reservations. Trails End, Trattoria and Cape May. I do prefer the resorts to parks on those crazy busy days.

My main goal is to hit the parks the 22/23 and use 24/25 as resort days but there is something about being in MK on Christmas Day that I can't get out of my head! I will definitely aim for resort restaurants but want to do Tusker House.

We have gone at busy times of year and our strategy is to go at rope drop, ride a ton of rides and get out of dodge by 11:00-noon. We kind of look in fright/awe of all the people stacked up for miles waiting to pay for parking at the Magic Kingdom. We enjoy the resorts during the afternoons. We have always had a good time, just spend a lot less time in the parks.

Your touring style sounds just like ours. The busiest time we've gone was probably Presidents' Day week that fell with Mardi Gras. We had our plan and did fine.

 

[jesschris]

We have gone several times at Christmas and you just need to be prepared fro the crowds. We usually hit the park early and then enjoy the pool in the afternoon.

 

[RangerPooh]

We did NYE and day at DLR a few years back and said NEVER AGAIN!. Of course we were also trying to push a double stroller through crowds, so that increased my tension and anxiety levels. We have done the week leading up to Christmas many times at both DLR and WDW, with checking out Christmas Eve and haven't had too many problems. Yes the crowds do pick up in intensity, but we're thee for opening and bail shortly after lunch. Helps save our sanity. We also park hop so we look to see where the crowds are the lowest and head there or to the pool.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

We did NYE and day at DLR a few years back and said NEVER AGAIN!. Of course we were also trying to push a double stroller through crowds, so that increased my tension and anxiety levels. We have done the week leading up to Christmas many times at both DLR and WDW, with checking out Christmas Eve and haven't had too many problems. Yes the crowds do pick up in intensity, but we're thee for opening and bail shortly after lunch. Helps save our sanity. We also park hop so we look to see where the crowds are the lowest and head there or to the pool.

Haha we figure we should get this Christmas trip in before the kiddos come along. With your experience, do you feel like the 22-24 isn't that bad? I'm thinking of doing the 22nd and the 23rd as my park days where we will hop to two parks and then use the 24th and 25th as resort days to relax and just take in the festive atmosphere.

 

[kniquy]

I will let the hubs know that we may be eating at "off times" so he'll be prepared. He is used to me getting 8-9am and 5-5:30pm time slots for meals since I'm an ADR warrior. I think we'll just be happy we are in Disney for Christmas!

Seeing the castle draped with lights almost made me cry (and i'm not a crier) it is truly amazing!! As for dining -- because we planned last minute we took what we could get and worked the rest of our plans around it. This maybe frowned upon, but if you can snag a couple reservations even for the same day. Then really sit down and work through your plans on where you want to be - park or resort and cancel what you don't need (obviously the sooner the better so others can get those reservations).

My main goal is to hit the parks the 22/23 and use 24/25 as resort days

I find it so tough to be at WDW and not be able to go into a park. I would actually plan a bigger park for Christmas day - Epcot on NYE was busy, but it is such a large park that even crowded it was manageable.

Hope you have your little bun in the oven by Christmas!!

 

[RangerPooh]

Haha we figure we should get this Christmas trip in before the kiddos come along. With your experience, do you feel like the 22-24 isn't that bad? I'm thinking of doing the 22nd and the 23rd as my park days where we will hop to two parks and then use the 24th and 25th as resort days to relax and just take in the festive atmosphere.

I think that sounds like a good plan. Keep in mind that it will be busy because it's the weekend, so this might add more numbers to the parks. FP+ will be important as will being at the designated park at opening to take advantage of any lower crowd levels. Flexibility is key during this period.

What we noticed is that the closer that you get to Christmas the busier it gets corresponds to when schools go on winter break. We'll be there from the 20-29 this year so we plan to utilize the pre-Christmas days as much as we can and then go with the flow/hop more later into our trip.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Seeing the castle draped with lights almost made me cry (and i'm not a crier) it is truly amazing!! As for dining -- because we planned last minute we took what we could get and worked the rest of our plans around it. This maybe frowned upon, but if you can snag a couple reservations even for the same day. Then really sit down and work through your plans on where you want to be - park or resort and cancel what you don't need (obviously the sooner the better so others can get those reservations).

I find it so tough to be at WDW and not be able to go into a park. I would actually plan a bigger park for Christmas day - Epcot on NYE was busy, but it is such a large park that even crowded it was manageable.

Hope you have your little bun in the oven by Christmas!!

Just hearing your description of the castle makes my excitement level go up even more! I am going to consider your suggestion of going to Epcot on Christmas Day as I agree that not being in a park during Christmas in WDW will be extremely hard!

Thank you...I hope I have a bun in the oven by next Christmas too!

 

[kniquy]

I hope I have a bun in the oven by next Christmas too!

LOL!!! My buns have all finished cooking!! but always excited for others to experience the joy of little ones. We did a trip with my at the time 9 yo twins and are counting down for my DD 4yo first trip this coming April. I can't wait to see the excitement on her face when she enters and sees the castle for real and when she gets to meet the princess she has been watching all these years. Disney will become all that more special when you get to see it though a little ones eyes.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

LOL!!! My buns have all finished cooking!! but always excited for others to experience the joy of little ones. We did a trip with my at the time 9 yo twins and are counting down for my DD 4yo first trip this coming April. I can't wait to see the excitement on her face when she enters and sees the castle for real and when she gets to meet the princess she has been watching all these years. Disney will become all that more special when you get to see it though a little ones eyes.

Oh I bet! Can't wait to take my own child to Disney. I can't imagine how much more I will love it!

It seems silly to talk about a potential bun in the oven so far in the future but I am a planner at heart. I know you can't plan a baby per say but I want to finish my second and final year of evaluations in my newish teaching job before I have a baby. Also don't want to deliver in the beginning of the school year so have to attempt to plan the timing! I can't imagine being stressed from evaluations and trying to get/being pregnant plus I want to get one final WDW trip (June) in where I can ride all the rides without worry. Silly question but can you ride a sleigh pulled by a horse when you are pregnant in your second trimester? I am considering the Christmas sleigh ride at Fort Wilderness.

 

[SL6827]

I wouldn't mind doing Christmas at Disney, without going into any parks at all. Just resort hopping, a few ADRs, shopping and soaking up the atmosphere.

 

[kniquy]

sleigh pulled by a horse

I wouldn't see why you couldn't. Usually when you are pregnant you can do pretty much everything you did before, if you exercise regularly then usually you can keep up with it, BUT if you are having any complications- bleeding, edema, high blood pressure then your dr might advise you to take it easy. A sleigh ride should be pretty safe and calm. Probably the flight there would be more bouncy. In your planning keep in mind that drs often don't want you flying or traveling far in your last timester, so factor that in your planning. Just have to say Disney planning is easier than planning a baby. You never know how things will go. My twins were IVF after trying for awhile and then DD came kind of by surprise only one month coming off the pill, so you just never know. All exciting things to come!!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

In your planning keep in mind that drs often don't want you flying or traveling far in your last timester, so factor that in your planning. Just have to say Disney planning is easier than planning a baby. You never know how things will go. My twins were IVF after trying for awhile and then DD came kind of by surprise only one month coming off the pill, so you just never know. All exciting things to come!!

If everything goes according to plan, I will be in the early stages of the second trimester, if not the first. Keeping my fingers crossed for the future!

 

[hakepb]

Christmas week can be the worst time for park closures. I think AK had a closure on a Christmas week several years ago.
It seems MK closes less frequently now that New Fantasyland is open and the Speedway is gone (a bit more parking as parking lots close 1st)
It used to be that AK was a better bet on Christmas Day, but now I'm less sure with Pandora (But Pandora should technically increase the max capacity of AK).
While the 25th is very busy, there was something extra-magical about the CM's sincerely wishing us "Merry Christmas!".

 

[kboo]

If everything goes according to plan, I will be in the early stages of the second trimester, if not the first. Keeping my fingers crossed for the future!

I went to DL at 26 weeks and was fine, even climbed Tarzan's treehouse 2x with my ODD (ok, had to stop and rest a lot). I've also flown for work at 35-36 weeks - the being on the ground part and working, walking, etc was fine but I was pretty uncomfortable for a 2 hour flight. Second trimester (especially early 2nd trimester) is really ideal. Hopefully any nausea is gone, you can eat most things, and you'll have a good bit of energy.