Christmas Eve Park Hopper Strategy

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Does anyone have experience with touring on Christmas Eve (or other very crowded time) and Park Hopping?

My wife and I have 2 young kids but also a young adult who is trying to hit the WDW highlights in 2 days (23rd and 24th). We have a solid plan for the 23rd at MK in the AM and EP in the PM.

Me, the wife and kids will have already had an opportunity to be in the parks 4 days at this point but we are trying to accommodate our 2 day guest without pushing the kids too hard (an afternoon nap/break is a MUST!).

How should we hit the highlights in DHS and AK while also giving our guest a chance to see HEA that evening? All suggestions are appreciated!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I believe I read on another thread, you plan on RD AK, taking the kids back to nap while one of the adults takes the young adult to DHS and then meeting up in MK? If that's the case, I would probably RD AK so the young adult can go on FoP and use the pre-reserved FP+ for DHS. This would mean either FP+ other rides for the younger kids at AK or not using FP+ at all for them (again, I'm assuming they are napping while the others go to DHS). For HEA, I would highly recommend spending the money on the dessert party. If that's not in the cards, you're going to need to find a spot at least 60 - 90 minutes before the show.

Edited to add: If you could let us know your must-do's for everyone in each park, we could probably help you come up with a good strategy.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

I believe I read on another thread, you plan on RD AK, taking the kids back to nap while one of the adults takes the young adult to DHS and then meeting up in MK? If that's the case, I would probably RD AK so the young adult can go on FoP and use the pre-reserved FP+ for DHS. This would mean either FP+ other rides for the younger kids at AK or not using FP+ at all for them (again, I'm assuming they are napping while the others go to DHS). For HEA, I would highly recommend spending the money on the dessert party. If that's not in the cards, you're going to need to find a spot at least 60 - 90 minutes before the show.

Edited to add: If you could let us know your must-do's for everyone in each park, we could probably help you come up with a good strategy.

;'

I was thinking something similar, the Young Adult wants to do FOP, Everest, Lion King Show, Tricera Spin (with the kids and Probably Safari) . She wants to do all 5 major rides in DHS (ToT, TSMM, RNR, SDD, and ST) which will involve some waiting unless we can use rider swap to get her on everything without standby. Both Kids are under 3 so using FP for them isn't really involved unless you count RS or a tag along on a ride with no height req... The only priority in MK is dinner and Fireworks and I figure the crowds will be ridiculous.
One last point I forgot to mention, we are at the boardwalk and have a car, so rope dropping DHS would likely be easier, but AK would also be doable.

 

[djc9699]

Does anyone have experience with touring on Christmas Eve (or other very crowded time) and Park Hopping?

My wife and I have 2 young kids but also a young adult who is trying to hit the WDW highlights in 2 days (23rd and 24th). We have a solid plan for the 23rd at MK in the AM and EP in the PM.

Me, the wife and kids will have already had an opportunity to be in the parks 4 days at this point but we are trying to accommodate our 2 day guest without pushing the kids too hard (an afternoon nap/break is a MUST!).

How should we hit the highlights in DHS and AK while also giving our guest a chance to see HEA that evening? All suggestions are appreciated!

You might want to check the fireworks schedules for Christmas week. They have holiday wishes listed instead of HEA. I don't know if that makes a difference to you or not, but just wanted to give you a head's up. The nighttime atmosphere at HS was amazing last year. I would try to hit AK early and then go to HS in the evening.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

You might want to check the fireworks schedules for Christmas week. They have holiday wishes listed instead of HEA. I don't know if that makes a difference to you or not, but just wanted to give you a head's up. The nighttime atmosphere at HS was amazing last year. I would try to hit AK early and then go to HS in the evening.

Thanks! Finally found the park schedule. The Disney Site has been slow as molasses last week or so for me so I definitely missed that... will definitely ask our 2 day guest about her preference since they wont be running the new show.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You might want to check the fireworks schedules for Christmas week. They have holiday wishes listed instead of HEA. I don't know if that makes a difference to you or not, but just wanted to give you a head's up. The nighttime atmosphere at HS was amazing last year. I would try to hit AK early and then go to HS in the evening.

Wow, good catch! They did HEA over Christmas week last year. OP, I agree with djc9699 regarding DHS at night during Christmas - it was really cool last year! Lots of new decorations! Or maybe you could convince her to see Illuminations - it would be so much easier since you are at BWI!

 

[djc9699]

Wow, good catch! They did HEA over Christmas week last year. OP, I agree with djc9699 regarding DHS at night during Christmas - it was really cool last year! Lots of new decorations! Or maybe you could convince her to see Illuminations - it would be so much easier since you are at BWI!

Yea. We did the HEA desert party on Christmas Eve last year and I was looking to book it again. I don't care as much about seeing holiday wishes from in front of the castle Might do Pirate and Pals for that one this year. We are going to HS again for Christmas day. We wound up there at least 3 nights last year just because it felt so Christmassy.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Really appreciate everyones advice. Yall may have saved us from a disasterous evening of wall to wall people... My wife and I are in process of adjusting our trip to focus on DHS that evening along with an early dinner at Epcot. We want to enjoy the benefit of being on the boardwalk after all and I don't want our family friend to feel like she spent christmas eve waiting in crowds of people.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yea. We did the HEA desert party on Christmas Eve last year and I was looking to book it again. I don't care as much about seeing holiday wishes from in front of the castle Might do Pirate and Pals for that one this year. We are going to HS again for Christmas day. We wound up there at least 3 nights last year just because it felt so Christmassy.

Pirates and Pals on Christmas Eve sounds awesome!!

Really appreciate everyones advice. Yall may have saved us from a disasterous evening of wall to wall people... My wife and I are in process of adjusting our trip to focus on DHS that evening along with an early dinner at Epcot. We want to enjoy the benefit of being on the boardwalk after all and I don't want our family friend to feel like she spent christmas eve waiting in crowds of people.

Great! I think that is such a better plan! We spent Christmas week at BWI a few years ago and being able to walk to both DHS and EP was perfect. One word of advice - WS gets really crowded in the middle of WS (American pavilion and pavilions next to it) during Candlelight Processional showtime. If you are walking into WS from IG for dinner, you may want to try for look for a reservation in Morocco, France, UK, Canada or Future World (Garden Grill or Coral Reef). Or walk across the promenade to Mexico or Norway. I don't know if I would go further into the center of WS than that. The lines for CP really clog up the middle of WS during showtimes and about an hour before the first show!

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Pirates and Pals on Christmas Eve sounds awesome!!



Great! I think that is such a better plan! We spent Christmas week at BWI a few years ago and being able to walk to both DHS and EP was perfect. One word of advice - WS gets really crowded in the middle of WS (American pavilion and pavilions next to it) during Candlelight Processional showtime. If you are walking into WS from IG for dinner, you may want to try for look for a reservation in Morocco, France, UK, Canada or Future World (Garden Grill or Coral Reef). Or walk across the promenade to Mexico or Norway. I don't know if I would go further into the center of WS than that. The lines for CP really clog up the middle of WS during showtimes and about an hour before the first show!

Will it be really bad if we shoot for a late lunch/early dinner maybe between 2-4pm reservation in WS? We were thinking about doing Via Napoli but I know thats pretty close to the processional auditorium.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Will it be really bad if we shoot for a late lunch/early dinner maybe between 2-4pm reservation in WS? We were thinking about doing Via Napoli but I know thats pretty close to the processional auditorium.

I think around 4 pm, it's going to start getting quite congested in the Italy/America/Japan area. At least it was when we were there over Christmas week. I would probably aim for the earlier side of 2 - 4 pm and if it looks really congested, perhaps consider going around the other way to get out of EP IG. Or, just hold on tight to your family and get through the crowd. That's what we did - it just wasn't very pleasant.

Have you considered eating outside of EP? We actually had dinner at Trattoria al Forno on Christmas day a few years ago and it was great. It was SO quiet! I think everyone was in the parks! We had a really nice meal and then just enjoyed the entertainment and games on the Boardwalk.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

I think around 4 pm, it's going to start getting quite congested in the Italy/America/Japan area. At least it was when we were there over Christmas week. I would probably aim for the earlier side of 2 - 4 pm and if it looks really congested, perhaps consider going around the other way to get out of EP IG. Or, just hold on tight to your family and get through the crowd. That's what we did - it just wasn't very pleasant.

Have you considered eating outside of EP? We actually had dinner at Trattoria al Forno on Christmas day a few years ago and it was great. It was SO quiet! I think everyone was in the parks! We had a really nice meal and then just enjoyed the entertainment and games on the Boardwalk.

Ah, I did consider it, but we were planning on going for the pizza... Our 2 year old loves pizza so i gave it the edge... They have plenty of availability so I went with a 3:15 Ressie. We will do our best to zip out of there once we finish. That should give the kids a good nap after AK and plenty of fuel for us to close down DHS.