Christmas at DW with 10 & 8 year old?

[littlesuitcase]

We are considering DW this December but I wonder if anyone here has gone to DW at this time of year. How busy is it? How do kids react to this time of year? My feeling is we stay home until Dec 27th but my DH would love to be there for Christmas morning.

Advice?

I posted in the resort area but I would love to hear from families who have visisted with a grandparent. What resort is best? We don't want to wait for travel like we did at Pop Century (even though we did like it there for the kids) but we also don't have a huge budget.

Thanks for your advice!

Helen

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We spent Dec. 21st through the 27th at WDW this past year with our nearly 3, 5, and 13 yo's. It was so much fun that we are planning another trip for next Christmas!! Our family is very big on holiday traditions, so I really wasn't certain how successful this trip would be. Well, we've started some new traditions: watching Wishes on Christmas Eve from the beach at the Poly, having a character breakfast for brunch on Christmas Day, decorating our resort room tree with Disney-related ornaments, etc. The kids did not miss their other relatives, and I did not miss all the last minute cleaning, baking, etc.

 

[mommyarewegoingback]

It's a different WDW at Christmas time. Beware that if you go Christmas/New Year's week, the hotels book sometimes a year in advance and it's the most expensive week of the year. That being said, we were there early december last year. It was awesome. The decorations were up and the crowds real low. We also went back new year's eve and the week following new year's with active grandparents. Remember that during the week of xmas through new years, many times wdw has to close turnstiles because they are at capacity, so you need to arrive early. After New Year's Day, crowds were busy, but manageable. The weather was just perfect (needed a light jacket in the evenings). Decorations started coming down on January 2nd. So with all this hassle though, we also love WDW at Christmas time, so we're going back too, although probably a week or two before Xmas. Have fun!
-Virginia

 

[dsnymomof4]

We were there the first week in December and loved all of the Christmas decorations and special shows, etc. The more I think about it, the more I want to go Christmas week - even though I know it will be so crowded and it is so much more expensive. Anyway, I was wondering to those who have done it, what do you do Christmas morning? Does Santa still bring presents for the kids? Or are they waiting for you at home?

 

[WAHMto5]

We also went last Christmas and LOVED it. I was also very un~certain about going at this time of year with all our traditions, ect.. but everyone had soo much fun that we are going this Christmas also

We go the week before Chrsitmas and actually leave the day after Chrsitmas and it was GREAT. The weather was wonderful and it wasen't very crowded (not at all compared to our past summer trips). I can tell you that the week after Christmas was packed!! You can tell that a bunh of people came either Christmas night or the day after and the parks were JAMMED!

We had Santa come there for all the kids on Christmas morning. We stayed at the Fort Wilderness Cabins and had plenty of room to set up a decorated tree (a MUST have for me), so it was very nice and I didn't have to cook, the best!!

 

[Lives4Disney]

We spent Dec. 21st through the 27th at WDW this past year with our nearly 3, 5, and 13 yo's. It was so much fun that we are planning another trip for next Christmas!! Our family is very big on holiday traditions, so I really wasn't certain how successful this trip would be. Well, we've started some new traditions: watching Wishes on Christmas Eve from the beach at the Poly, having a character breakfast for brunch on Christmas Day, decorating our resort room tree with Disney-related ornaments, etc. The kids did not miss their other relatives, and I did not miss all the last minute cleaning, baking, etc.

I LOVE your traditions!!! I think it would be awesome to be at WDW for Xmas with the Candlelight Processional and the party and parades and all the gorgeous decorations and music.......

We started having Thanksgiving away from home 4 years ago (Puerto Rico and then at WDW for the past two years). Same thing - we started our OWN famiy traditions and it is really special.

I would love to have a WDW Xmas, but my kids actually nixed it. They want to be home for Christmas. We actually have our own fun Xmas traditions at our house, so I do understand, but I would rather go over Xmas than Thanksgiving and your description sounds so wonderful and hasslefree to me!!

I wanted to subscribe to see what others have thought of WDW during Christmas. With the crowds, were you glad to leave WDW on the 27th or would you have stayed longer if possible??? What do you do about gifts from Santa - how do you get them there (and back home)??? I would say that the trip is our family's gift, but they would say "Don't worry, we'll still get presents from Santa"......

Lives4Disney