Christmas Decorations Question

[Mickey_Maniac]

How soon do they start putting up the Christmas decorations around the world? We are thinking about going the second and third weeks of November (10-19) and would love to see everything decorated. We have never gone during this time of the year.

 

[mickeymule]

If I remember correctly, in the past it was just after Thanksgiving (as in that night) and within days, it is all Christmased up. We used to leave Massachusetts on Thanksgiving and they were finishing up when we got there.

 

[mic_key_mouse]

I think they start going up the day after Thankgiving.

Blessings,
mic_key_mouse

 

[danny1649]

 

[ontariodisneywoman]

They start decorating earlier then the day after Thanksgiving. We were there in 2003 from November 8- November 23 and they had started putting all the decorations up about the same time that you are heading down there. They put the resort decorations up first- we did get to see Epcot decorated on our 2nd last day. One day - nothing... the next day.. **Poof*** a little pixie Dust and everything is Christmas.
Enjoy your planning and your trip!

 

[DizBelle]

I wouldn't expect to see anything up during your visit. You will only start seeing the Christmas decorations the week of Thanksgiving with them being completed for the weekend after Thanksgiving.

 

[goofy4tink]

When we stayed at POR in '01, we were there for the first week or so in Nov. We went to bed on a Friday evening and all was as it should be. The next day, our check-out day, a huge Christmas tree had sprouted in the lobby!! So, it's safe to assume that you can see some decorations in some spots, just don't expect to see a lot. The majority of them go up Thanksgiving eve.

 

[Suzanne033]

While I don't think it will be up when you are there, when I was there for Thanksgiving 1997 the place was totally decorated when we arrived on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[kashkdz]

Stayed at ASM in '02 from Nov 16-23, and each morning we awoke to more and more decorations throughout the hotel and parks. We even have some pics with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy in Christmas attire (red Santa hat, etc). Given your dates you may get to see a few of the decorations going up.

 

[ead79]

Here's a link to last year's decoration schedule. It looks like you would be able to see a fair amount of decorations on your trip.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/decorating.htm

 

[DaveH]

Before Sep 11, for the most part WDW put all decorations up after closing Thanksgiving night. Now they seem to have spread it out more. I can remember going the Sunday after Thanksgiving and hearing folks saying none of this was up Thanksgiving day. They would add small touches the week after Thanksgiving. I think WDW is now doing it over a longer period of time to save $.

 

[Safari Steve]

The property is so large, and one department handles decorations for all of WDW, Disney's Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island resorts, and the Disney Cruise Line. Decorations start going up at the resorts first, then the parks and Downtown Disney, and finally at Magic Kingdom.
There are not enough loading docks at the Holiday Services building to accomodate all of the semi trucks used to transport the decorations in one night.
In the past, the decorations were transported to the different locations over a period of a few weeks and held in offstage areas until the night-or-two (usually Thanksgiving night) when all the decorations were installed. Because guests had been disappointed in the past when their visit ended too early to see any of the decorations, and they were already there (just not installed), it made more sense from multiple points of view (not just $ but also for the decorators' personal schedules, logistics, and guest satisfaction) to go ahead and stagger the decorating. It still takes an army of full-time and seasonal workers to deck the halls, and there are more decorations on property each year, only now more guests get to experience the Disney holiday magic.
Everybody wins.

 

[CdnDisneyFan]

I was there Nov 16-23 in 2002, and everything was all decked out for the holidays, it was so pretty!!!!

Jules

 

[Prince Eric1]

I'd love to go down there this year and see the decorations and do Mickey Christmas Party too. Its got to be absolutely awsome.

 

[Jeanny]

we were at the Polynesian Thanksgiving 2002 and everything was decorated.. They start at the beginning of November, so that by Thanksgiving, usually everything is ready.. They usually take them down the first week of January

 

[ontariodisneywoman]

edited to say.. I'm still technically challenged.. but I shall try to post a couple of Pictures from our last years trip in Early and Mid November to show that they do decorate before Thanksgiving...

 

[ontariodisneywoman]

That's my DS at AS Sports on November 10th 2004.
so they start decorating very early in November

lfontaine may just have some outdated information.

 

[sokrcoach]

the decorations go up right after Thanksgiving. we've visited during the first week of December and everything was deforated and no one was putting any other decorations up.
Have fun!!!