Christmas week - advice needed

[jerseygirl82]

After much debate, we have decided to move our 2015 family reunion to the week after Christmas. Many of my inlaws have not been to WDW since EPCOT opened and I'm a teacher, so we were limited on when we could go and spend a full week. I'm super nervous about crowd levels but I think with proper planning and expectations we should be fine. We will all be together in WDW - isn't that what matters most?

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the details of the accommodation aspect and I'm not quite sure how to go about it...

Right now our dates are Sunday 12/27-Saturday 1/2 and I'm planning to book a 2 bedroom at our home resort, SSR. We will have 160 points to use and I am going to have to buy points from another member to complete my reservation. If my UY is April, I should look to buy from another April UY member, correct?

If for some reason I wanted a different resort, am I better off doing the entire reservation through another member who can book that resort at 11 months out? Will any resorts have 2 bedroom availability for that week at 7 months out?

If anyone has traveled during this week and has any advice (besides don't go that week lol) I'd really appreciate it!

 

[Sandisw]

I have not traveled during that time but just from the conversation, I think finding the entire week, including NYE, at another resort at 7 months is going to be very difficult. Being that is one of the most popular weeks, I'd definitely be ready to book at 11 months out.

In terms of point transfer, they have to be valid for the time you are traveling, so any UY will work as long as they are good for that time period.

The benefit for having them the same UY and home resort as yourself is that they will show up online and you can use them to book that way. If they don't match what you own, then you have to call MS to use them.

If you are really set on staying elsewhere that week and not at SSR, then IMO, I'd look to see about renting the entire reservation from another member who can book at 11 months and possibly rent or transfer your own points.

Good luck!

 

[drusba]

It will be difficult to get any resort other than SSR at 7 months out for reservation beginning Dec 27. Possiblility for AKV savanna or standard , or OKW, but even then a significant risk of finding at least Dec 31 being blocked out. In other words if you want another resort, particularly any near park resort, your only real option is to purchase a reservation from someone who can reserve 11 months out.

If you have 160 points, that means you will need another 162 to make that 2BR reservation at SSR. Assuming you cannot just borrow from your next use year (easiest solution), you will need to find someone to either transfer that amount of SSR points to you or make a reservation in your name for part of the trip using their points and then have that reservation linked to the one you make for the other nights using your own points. The point transfer will likely be difficult to find, and the reservation rental for part of the nights, though much easier to find including because you can do that through a broker like David's, will actually require renting at least nine more points than 162 because at most you can reserve three nights (Dec 30, 31, and Jan 1) using 151 of the 160 points you already have. In any event, even for SSR at that time of year, it will be safer to reserve the entire trip during the 11 month window, meaning you should not delay until 7 months out to get points or a reservation from another on the hope something other than SSR may be available at 7 months out.

As already noted, if you go the transfer route, you don't need to get a transfer of points from someone having your same use year month. If you get a transfer all that is needed is that the transferred points, based on the transferor's use year, are usable for that late Dec to early Jan trip, and that would be true of any 2015 use year points from any of the available months (Feb, Mar, Apr, June, Aug, Sep, Oct) or you could get 2014 points and then bank them for use for that trip.

As far as taking a trip at that time, if you have not previously done Christmas week, you will experience larger crowds than you have ever seen in your lifetime except that they are not that much larger than what you get during the two Easter weeks if you have been then when they fall end of March or early April (but the Easter weeks have the advantage that a a significant portion of the overall crowds hit the water parks daily while during Christmas week it is often too cold for that and thus everyone is in the parks). With FP+, you will at least be able to do three attractions a day but you get very long standby lines (e.g., over three hours for Soarin and Test Track) most of the day except that early mornings you may be able to get one or two without huge lines. Be prepared for stifling street crowds where it can easily take 40 minutes to an hour to walk from Space Mountain to Splash Mountain. Moreover, NYE in MK or Epcot is usually the most crowded day of the year for those parks and in the evening you can reach street crowd levels where there are times it is near impossible to move at all from one place to another. Critical is to make all dinner reservations for buffets or table service restaurants well in advance (popular restaurants like Crystal Palace can actually disappear shortly after the 180 day reservation window opens). Also, with FP+ you should do them not just at 60 days out but as early in the morning as possible at 60 days out if you want Anna and Elsa character meet (unless some new characters replace them in popularity by then) or the new Seven Dwarfs ride. Ultimately, you should not go with the expectation of doing every ride and attraction. Instead, go with the expectation of seeing your resort and the parks for Christmas and seeing lots of Christmas events (including my favorite Osbourne Lights if they are still there then)

 

[Deb & Bill]

After much debate, we have decided to move our 2015 family reunion to the week after Christmas. Many of my inlaws have not been to WDW since EPCOT opened and I'm a teacher, so we were limited on when we could go and spend a full week. I'm super nervous about crowd levels but I think with proper planning and expectations we should be fine. We will all be together in WDW - isn't that what matters most?

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the details of the accommodation aspect and I'm not quite sure how to go about it...

Right now our dates are Sunday 12/27-Saturday 1/2 and I'm planning to book a 2 bedroom at our home resort, SSR. We will have 160 points to use and I am going to have to buy points from another member to complete my reservation. If my UY is April, I should look to buy from another April UY member, correct?

If for some reason I wanted a different resort, am I better off doing the entire reservation through another member who can book that resort at 11 months out? Will any resorts have 2 bedroom availability for that week at 7 months out?

If anyone has traveled during this week and has any advice (besides don't go that week lol) I'd really appreciate it!

For infrequent or first time guests, I'd try for a different time of the year. Even the week after you are looking at. Unless you really want them not to bother you ever again about joining you on a WDW vacation. The last time we went at Christmas time, we spent Christmas day outside the park staying in the villa, playing miniature golf and just playing.

It will be very difficult to get another resort at seven months out for that week. Heck, sometimes it's hard at eleven months out.

If you haven't gone at that time before, plan to be at the parks when they open or shortly thereafter. If you wait until later in the morning, you might run into park closing. And if you don't have park hoppers, you might not be able to get into the MK or Epcot later that day when they reopen.

 

[staceymay00]

We have been to WDW during most of the busiest times - week of Christmas, week after Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter. The week after Christmas was the most crowded, but I would not hesitate to go again that time of year. I think you will have trouble booking the entire week at seven months at a non-home resort.

You need to communicate with your family that it will be super busy. You'll want to arrive at the parks 30-45 minutes before they open. Enjoy some attractions before it gets too crowded and then use FastPass. We usually arrive before opening for RD and leave by or right after lunch, then possibly return in the evening. It may be best for your party to split up to tour the parks depending on how large your group will be. It is not the time of year to go for people who want to sleep in and show up at the parks at 11am.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[jerseygirl82]

Thanks everyone for the input! I will definitely be booking at 11 months out. I'm still hopeful that my district ends up having the whole week off in 2015 for Jersey Week but this is the best alternative for our family. Fortunately I was there for Spring Break and am well aware of what to expect in terms of crowds. My family is well aware of what we are in for - they had the choice of this week or a week in the summer and they vehemently voted crowds over heat At any rate we will be planned and prepared and as I always say, a week in Disney is better than a week anywhere else

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks everyone for the input! I will definitely be booking at 11 months out. I'm still hopeful that my district ends up having the whole week off in 2015 for Jersey Week but this is the best alternative for our family. Fortunately I was there for Spring Break and am well aware of what to expect in terms of crowds. My family is well aware of what we are in for - they had the choice of this week or a week in the summer and they vehemently voted crowds over heat At any rate we will be planned and prepared and as I always say, a week in Disney is better than a week anywhere else

Understand, that while Spring Break can be very busy, it is nothing like the week between Christmas and New Years. Parks will be closing to guests every day for hours at a time. So plan on getting to the parks as early as possible to be able to enjoy any of your stay. Or take advantage of the resort as much as possible.

 

[Halle]

Understand, that while Spring Break can be very busy, it is nothing like the week between Christmas and New Years. Parks will be closing to guests every day for hours at a time. So plan on getting to the parks as early as possible to be able to enjoy any of your stay. Or take advantage of the resort as much as possible.

I have done Spring break many times and the week after Christmas twice. Crowds after Christmas are unbelievable. MK opened at 7:00AM everyday and by 10:00 it was wall to wall people. My advice is to get there as soon as it opens and leave when the crowds build. Go back to the resort and enjoy!!
DH and I went to the McDonald's at the Crossroad's on NYE (10:00 AM)because I had to have a fountain drink, I waited in line 20 minutes after it took 30 minutes to get there from BWV!

I would love to go back at Xmas but we need a zillion points due to the size of our family.

 

[wdwfan1]

We went once at that time and never will again. We were in MK on Main Street an the crowds were so bad that we were packed in like sardines. The park was closed and there was no space at all. We were evacuated through the stores and brought into an area behind the stores. We then were driven out in trucks.

 

[DonnaL]

I definitely agree with the other posters who say Spring break crowds simply don't compare to what the crowd levels are the week between Christmas and New Years. We've been DVC members for 13 years and very early on decided to try Christmas week, booking our home resort of VWL at our 11 month window. We decided during that week we will NEVER make the same mistake again!! We arrived on the 28th...could not get in MK that day because crowds were at maximum...the next day we made rope drop, however, by 10:00 a.m. crowds were so bad we couldn't even push our grandson's stroller and at 11:00 a.m. the park again closed due to high crowd levels.....we left and didn't even attempt to get back to MK until after New Years Day..... So, to plan a family reunion with people who haven't been there in many years may not be the best idea.....

 

[brmillsy]

I definitely agree with the other posters who say Spring break crowds simply don't compare to what the crowd levels are the week between Christmas and New Years. We've been DVC members for 13 years and very early on decided to try Christmas week, booking our home resort of VWL at our 11 month window. We decided during that week we will NEVER make the same mistake again!! We arrived on the 28th...could not get in MK that day because crowds were at maximum...the next day we made rope drop, however, by 10:00 a.m. crowds were so bad we couldn't even push our grandson's stroller and at 11:00 a.m. the park again closed due to high crowd levels.....we left and didn't even attempt to get back to MK until after New Years Day..... So, to plan a family reunion with people who haven't been there in many years may not be the best idea.....

I could not agree with this more. We've been going to Disney for decades and have been DVC members for about 7 years. We've made many trips during Easter week and exactly one during Christmas week.

The first two weeks of December are heaven and in my opinion and the best time to see Disney in all it's Christmas glory. Christmas week itself is just no fun. It can take 45 minutes to go to the bathroom. An hour to get from one part of the park to another. Unless you are planning on staying out of the parks I would really think twice especially with a group of folks who are not necessarily Disney veterans.

 

[bobbiwoz]

This year will be our 4th NYE, because I love the fireworks.

However, if you do decide to do it, look into one of the fireworks cruises! We have done NYE Illuminations and this year we have the midnight Magic Kingdom fireworks on the 30th booked.

I think with the FP + system, if you can get things you all want you can manage a few hours in the parks together. I think if you focus on your gathering, and not on doing everything there is to do at WDW, you can have fun. But it will be a very expensive, point wise and money wise vacation.

The Candlelight Processional does go beyond Christmas, if you celebrate Christmas, I think it is a must see. I personally have booked 3 packages this December, 1 with friends, and twice with DH, I like it that much!

Bobbi

 

[tjcj]

What do folks think about the week before Sunday 20 Dec thru Sat 26 Dec? Will the parks be just as busy as the core christmas week? Not sure if schools are out then, but seems like it might less crowded if you have the time off.

 

[clutter]

My dd and I did the 27-1st. Once.

My dd NOT a morning person. But she managed to get up and get to the parks by 7:30. They were not bad, even nice, until around 10:30. We made sure to grab lunch at around 11, because by noon the lines for food were amazing. Even lines for bathrooms were crazy.

One hint I got here was to go to MK fireworks on the 30th - they practice show. They were wonderful! On NYE, we went to Studios, which was NOT as crazy as MK or Epcot.

The key is to be prepared. You MUST be morning people. My dd was zero fun until about 11am, but my neighbors had gone a year earlier, stayed off site and had a wonderful time. Your focus should be on being together, not getting the parks done. You will get to tour the parks, but not see everything or do everything.

We've done spring break. If you think of the difference between crowds in late August to Spring Break, that's about the difference between crowds in Spring Break to Christmas. Disney is all over the crowds. In some ways, it's seeing it at its best run. A friend works for Disney in an office job. Employees are all required to volunteer at least a day to pitch in at the parks. Crowd control, helping with food, wherever they get put.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What do folks think about the week before Sunday 20 Dec thru Sat 26 Dec? Will the parks be just as busy as the core christmas week? Not sure if schools are out then, but seems like it might less crowded if you have the time off.

My guess is that lots of schools will be out that week. So you'll have lots of guests at the parks.

 

[GoofyDad1970]

I am in the same situation; my wife is a teacher and so we are limited as to when we can go. We went to WDW this past new years and I would NEVER go again. On NYE, MK was shoulder to shoulder people as far as you could see. They closed the park to entrants, not allowing anyone in regardless of whether you were staying there. We were already in, but it was miserable. They actually opened the area behind Main St. that is usually reserved for garbage trucks, cast members, etc., so you walk behind all the shops and things to get to tomorrowland.

If you are set on going, I would avoid MK on NYE. Go to one of the smaller parks or make it a resort day.

I know you asked for advice other than this, but you really ought to know that MK on NYE is something entirely different than any WDW experience you could have.

 

[mahunik]

We are going this year from 12/27-1/2 and we are going to view the NYE firework display on the night of Dec. 30th when they do the same exact show at 11:58 P.M. at the MK. We are not attempting any parks on NYE, so we are doing our character breakfast mid-morning on NYE to let our 5 kids sleep in and get a little mid-week rest, then wandering around some hotels to see their holiday decor and DD. We discovered the night before trick on the fourth of July 6 years ago. They have a "dress rehearsal" on the night before the major holiday display. It's still a crazy crowd, but not quite as bad. We never stay awake for the ball dropping anyway, so this should work for us. Then we are back to MK bright and early on NYD as I have read that early in the morning is a great time (relatively speaking for that week) because everyone is out so late the night before for the NYE festivities. I will let you know how that plan works.