December Tips!

[PrincessTiffany]

So if the weather is unpredictable, what do you recommend wearing? I'm assuming layers.

You have too. While we were there last year it was so cold that we would have up to 4 layers at a time on. We also had thick hats and gloves.

 

[sssteele]

We are from PA also. Wear your heavy clothes to travel. Put a pair of those little dollar store gloves in each persons jacket pocket. You may be glad you have them.

Have an alternate plan if traveling with children since lines can be VERY long, especially on Christmas Day. Sometimes they reach capacity early in the day, and close the park. Little ones don't always understand the problem with long lines. DH and I arrive well before opening at the Magic Kingdom on the 25th and head straight for Peter Pan. We always manage to do all our favorites in that area before they open to the general public.

Keep in mind something like a movie (always something special to see at Christmas) or mini golf as a break from the crowded parks, but still a real treat.

 

[sssteele]

OOPS! Hit send twice-I get so excited when I think about Disney

 

[sssteele]

Whatever parks you decide to do, be there for opening. You can do a lot in a few hours. Folks with children tend to get into the parks much later because of sleeping late and morning preparation. My wife and I go every December, and have ventured into Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day when we've happened to be there on the actual holiday. We have been on the bus before the sun is up, and get a lot done in a few hours. About 11:00 it get's crazy and we leave. Works well for us. (I just realized that my wife posted before me - I guess we spend way too much time on the Disboards)

 

[DisDreaminMom]

We are going the 18th-23rd. I wonder if it will be a complete madhouse? We have been the 2nd week of December several times and it was never crowded. Unfortunately, DH says I can't pull the kids out of school anymore

 

[SilverMouseEars]

We are going the 18th-23rd. I wonder if it will be a complete madhouse? We have been the 2nd week of December several times and it was never crowded. Unfortunately, DH says I can't pull the kids out of school anymore

We're going the 17th - 23! I understand this week shouldn't be as crowded as the following week, though still more crowded than the second week of Dec.

Advice -- try to stay at a resort with easy access to a park. Also, go to parks right when they open and enjoy the mornings there. Eat breakfast before you go, and eat lunch after you leave. We found it quite do-able to get in most all the attractions we wanted until about 11 am, when the crowds started to become heavier. Don't try to fit in all the rides and attractions you'd otherwise plan to do during less crowded times of the year. Plan to leave the park early and don't go back, because it just gets worse as the day goes on. Once, we made the mistake of trying to leave MK at 1 pm and we could hardly find our way out! And I'd been there 20 times! You can sit on a chaise lounge on the Poly beach and watch the MK fireworks from across the lake, this worked out great for us. Kids can have fun playing in the sand 'til the fireworks start. We skipped the Epcot fireworks but found HS Spectacle of Lights to still be magical and manageable. Spent our afternoons admiring the decorations and gingerbread houses at the different resorts. On New Year's Eve, we hung out at Scat Cat's Lounge at POFQ, much more fun listening to Eliott Dyson's music and banter than being squished in a park. Because you have children, you'll probably want to think of an alternative way to spend the evening to keep them entertained!

We were told by several CM's that guests staying on-site would still be admitted to the parks, even if they were so crowded that they were "closed." So if you're staying at a Disney resort, don't let those "closed" signs deter you from going to the parks if you don't mind the crowds.

Everyone is right about what kind of clothes to bring -- it can be freezing at WDW in December! Or...not!

That's all the advice I can think of, except to try to stay patient with the increased attendance...because we're all there to soak up the same Disney magic at Christmastime as everyone else! I will almost certainly be reminding my DH of this several times during our trip!

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

(I just realized that my wife posted before me - I guess we spend way too much time on the Disboards)

OOPS! Hit send twice-I get so excited when I think about Disney

Thanks for your wonderful advice!

I was going the week of Christmas to New Years...I've changed my dates to sooner in the month...I got too nervous about the crowds. So now I'm hoping for less crowds...the CM I talked to said I made a good choice!

 

[maxiesmom]

If you are going when you know the parks will be crazy busy, I can't say enough good things about getting a touring plan. I used them for my trip over the 4th of July, and they worked great! In fact, the plans worked so well that our day in the Animal Kingdom we got on rides so fast that when the plan said to hit a show, it wasn't even open yet.

I would never bother with a detailed touring plan during any normal time of year, but for a peak time, they are awesome!

 

[mammy_megan]

would the parks be real busy around the 22nd/23rd of december??

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

would the parks be real busy around the 22nd/23rd of december??

I'll be there around then and I guess that's when it starts getting busy..the week of Christmas and New Years is said to be crazy!

 

[DisDreaminMom]

Thanks for the tips! We are staying in CR garden wing (big splurge for my 40th birthday and my 15th anniversary AND my aunt's 60th birthday and 30th anniversary! We will be celebrating the whole time!) I already told the kids that we are there for family, not commando style touring. Plus we want to tour resort decorations and do some boating type things at the resort one day. I am prepared for giant crowds, but not prepared to be grumpy about it!

 

[sharonabe]

would the parks be real busy around the 22nd/23rd of december??

With Christmas being on a Sunday, yes, the 22nd/23rd will be very busy, but probably manageable with use of FPs and good park touring.

 

[sssteele]

They have super family entertainment in front of The Boardwalk Resort. Grandchildren and adults in our party always get a kick out of them. Call the resort to check on times. Probably most evenings at the holidays, but not sure.

Check out YeeHa Bob at Port Orleans Riverside. I think he appears Wednesday-Sunday and starts at 8PM. He is WONDERFUL, especially at the holidays, and gets so... many people involved in the show. Great way to spend an evening. Can't say enough nice things about this hidden gem!

 

[ZoZo]

I've been wondering about the weather in december...all those extra clothes will make for a huge baggage fee.

Remember, you can always do laundry if you need to! You can do more than one load at a time, so it only takes about an hour-and-a-half total. That has helped me cut down considerably on my packing (I'm a chronic over-packer!).

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We were told by several CM's that guests staying on-site would still be admitted to the parks, even if they were so crowded that they were "closed." So if you're staying at a Disney resort, don't let those "closed" signs deter you from going to the parks if you don't mind the crowds.

I'm sorry, but that is very incorrect information. When a Disney park is at capacity, and there will certainly be a few days that they reach capacity during Christmas week, being a Disney resort guest will NOT get you access to a park. It is the law, not just a Disney policy. There are 4 stages of closure and if it is closed due to being at capacity, no one will be given access, not even resort guest. If you have a dining reservation at a particular park during Christmas week, don't leave the park until after that reservation time because if the park reaches capacity you will not be let back in for a dining reservation either.

 

[DisDreaminMom]

Okay, I got up early on my 180 day mark and made dining reservations and managed to get a few I wasn't able to make the next day including Le Cellier, Garden Grill and 'Ohana

I also went ahead and got the TouringPlans membership AND the Lines app on my iphone. I figured that this may be super helpful the week we are going.

Anybody have experience renting boating stuff at Contemporary? How far out should I do that? I am assuming that will not something you can walk up and get when there.

Also, which resort has the biggest WOW factor for Christmas decorations? I have seen AKL and GF. For me, AKL beat GF, even including the gingerbread house.

One last question: do you think the last night of the Christmas thing at MK will be crazy packed (the 18th)? That is the first night we are going to be there and I was thinking of taking the kids and leaving the other adults at the resort, but I don't want to go if it is the busiest event because it is the last one.

 

[sssteele]

Also, which resort has the biggest WOW factor for Christmas decorations? I have seen AKL and GF. For me, AKL beat GF, even including the gingerbread house.

It's worth a walk around the lake to see the Boardwalk along with the Yacht and Beach Club resorts. We love them all, but I absolutely ADORE Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom. Both give me goose bumps.

I love to do a Monorail resort tour on Christmas Eve to see the decorations, children dressed up for dinner, a photo with Santa and enjoy the music at the Grand Floridian.

It wouldn't be a Christmas trip for me without the Processional in Epcot.

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

It's worth a walk around the lake to see the Boardwalk along with the Yacht and Beach Club resorts. We love them all, but I absolutely ADORE Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom. Both give me goose bumps.

I love to do a Monorail resort tour on Christmas Eve to see the decorations, children dressed up for dinner, a photo with Santa and enjoy the music at the Grand Floridian.

It wouldn't be a Christmas trip for me without the Processional in Epcot.

that all sounds so fun. and festive!

 

[disneydad78]

The popularity of 2 weeks before Christmas has sky rocketed. We are planing on going but in the last 3-4 yrs its becoming more and more crowed. Almost like the week of christmas. From Dec. 12th threw Jan 1st, crowd levels are MASSIVE.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

The popularity of 2 weeks before Christmas has sky rocketed. We are planing on going but in the last 3-4 yrs its becoming more and more crowed. Almost like the week of christmas. From Dec. 12th threw Jan 1st, crowd levels are MASSIVE.

Actually, that's incorrect. The first 2 weeks of December have grown in popularity, but are still relatively slow compared to Christmas week. It has gone from a very slow time frame to a moderate timeframe. The thrid week of December is still one of the slowest weeks of the year. The first three weeks of December can't even compare, crowd-wise, to the week of Christmas through New Year's. The slowest days of December are probably Dec. 14 - 21. The CRAZY, massive, Christmas crowds won't start rolling in until after the 21st.