Christmas & New Year in Orlando

[carcuscrae]

Hi

This is my first post here so please be gentle.

Basically my family and I are going to be in Orlando for Christmas & New Year. It is our first time there during the holiday season and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of places to visit to get the 'Orlando Christmas Experience' and if possible somewhere to recommend for New Years Eve.

There are 5 of us going, 2 Adults and 3 Children (17, 14 & 12) so we would need something that would entertain the age range.

So if anyone has any tips or ideas they would be greatly appreciated....

Many Thanks
Marcus

 

[carolfoy]

Hello and welcome to the Dis are you looking for an experience other than Disney world or are you looking for suggestions of where to celebrate the new year IN WDW? either way you'll get lots of helpful advice here, also are you driving? where are you staying?

 

[drennan]

Welcome to the Dis Marcus You'll get lots of valuable advice here, i know i did. I'm also going over the christmas holidays (but not new year) i would recommend that you do the Mickeys Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, my 2 sons are really looking forward to this, especially the fake snow as we don't see much snow living in Coventry and fake is better that nowt I don't think it matters what age you are for this, in all honesty i think i will enjoy it as much as the kids (12 yr old & 4 yr old)

Have fun planning anyway Marcus and just keep firing the questions I know they will be answered.

ttfn
Sharon

 

[carcuscrae]

I am really looking for any recommendations, whether they are Disney or not, just to celebrate the holiday period.

We have been to Orlando before (Aug 04) and therefore have done all the parks etc. However if they are the best place to be on Christmas or New Years Eve then we will go there again. What we want is just to see the best of.....so are looking for suggestions from people who have already done it.

We will be driving whilst there so we can get just about anywhere and we have rented a Villa so we are not tied to any particular hotel etc.

Thanks
Marcus

 

[kylie]

especially the fake snow as we don't see much snow living in Coventry and fake is better that nowt

I am crushed, I thought it was real snow

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Marcus and welcome to the boards
Can't help with your planning but having been to DLP at Christmas season can vouch for the parks being extra special.

Reid

 

[Goofyish]

Hi Marcus - another one here sampling the delights of WDW at Christmas

One suggestion I have is to visit some of the WDW resort hotels to see the Christmas decorations and trees. Some also have special events for Christmas as well.

Check out some of the special event details on the main DIS site:

XMAS EVENTS

 

[carolfoy]

Would go along with Tims suggestion, each resort hotel has special events such as carol singers and santa visits etc so that would make a really good night, along with an ADR at a good restaurant

 

[angel659]

I wish I could go over christmas and new year. I cant have from the 18th December off through to the first week of December. I am a nurse and the cover over christmas is limited.

 

[Camac]

Christmas and NY are great times to be in Disney but beware the huge crowds in the parks espeically on Christmas Day and NYE. Many of the parks will shut by mid morning on these days and if you want to celebrate NYE in a park be prepared for a very long day.

We (Me, DH, DD 14, DS 10) spent NYE 2003 shopping in the morning, chilling by the pool in the pm then drove over to Wilderness Lodge where we had a nice drink in the bar before catching the boat over to do the late show (9.30ish) Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue (it was corny but everyone joined in with the music hall banter and the food was OK and plentiful). At 11.30pm we were bussed back to WL and walked down to the lake to watch the fireworks at midnight.

We felt we had had a good time without the hustle of all the crowds.

Whatever you decide to do you will have a great time, I'm sure.

Camac

 

[emily1982]

hi

We went to orlando back in dec 03 and are also going back over this xmas new year, last time we did epcot on xmas day with the candelight procession and the park wasn't that busy (although we heard MK was) and then we did cirque du soleil on new years which finished at 10pm but was still really special.

This year we plan to do candelight procession on xmas eve, xmas day chilling as we are staying onsite if things arent to busy might go to one of the parks, dinner at artist point and then Epcot for new years as they celebrate it at the countries different times, also MGM sounds good!

If you check out the disney site they have all the fireworks for dec.

 

[traceycooper]

the 'Osbourne Family Lights' at mgm's are a must see, they are on the street that looks like new york (or is it san fransisco now!) absoloutly amazing!!