Dining at Christmas!

[JessicaFaye508]

I'm arriving in WDW on December 24th for my vacation that lasts until January 2nd.

So... I just need a few tips on Disney Dining during the busiest week of the year!

What restaurants are probably your best bet for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day?

Are dinner reservations crazy? Like... are we going to end up waiting forever and ever for them?

Are there any other tips that can help avoid craziness at this time of year?

Is the dining plan worth it with the increased prices? My Dad usually likes to pay OOP but I always double check and make sure they're about equal anyways.

Do only buffet prices go up? Or do all TS restaurants with regular menus increase their prices too?

Thank you Sorry I'm asking Christmas questions on Easter.... LOL

 

[MinnieGi]

We were there this past Christmas and yes it can get crazy. I would recommend making reservations for more "off" times like earlier or later than normal lunch and dinner hours if you are doing sit-down. Also eating at resort restaurants on those big days like Christmas and NYE may limit your wait times. The parks are super busy those days so its also nice to get away from it for a little while at a resort.

 

[GeorgeG]

Being somewhat local, we like to spend Christmas Day at Epcot. We know going in it's going to be very crowded, but we make our dinner ADR well ahead of time and don't even try to go on rides. We are more interested in just hanging out and people-watching. This past year we had reservations for dinner at the Rose & Crown with the Candlelight Processional package. We got a CS lunch and just meandered most of the day prior to dinner. No rides for us that day, but lots of decorations and entertainment.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

I would definitely make the reservations as SOON as the 180 day mark rolls around...have fun!

 

[RMulieri]

If any dining is in the Mk for Christmas, be advised that you will need to get to the Mk EARLY and stay there.MK closes to capacity on Christmas and if it does ( though there are phases of closing) .a Phase 4 closing, you will NOT get in for dining and that includes any meal Pre-paid

 

[billfatora]

I would definitely make the reservations as SOON as the 180 day mark rolls around...have fun!

If any dining is in the Mk for Christmas, be advised that you will need to get to the Mk EARLY and stay there.MK closes to capacity on Christmas and if it does ( though there are phases of closing) .a Phase 4 closing, you will NOT get in for dining and that includes any meal Pre-paid

Agree 100% with both !

It all depends on what you want to spend... and what you are looking for.... If the money is there, then "Victoria & Albert's" for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and/or the Yachtsman's Steakhouse, can't be beat . For New Year's Eve, The California Grill is super ... and for New Year's Day, the Flying Fish Cafe' or Jiko . But you could be very pleased with The Brown Derby or 50's Prime-Time ... and for the buffets, Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, and Cape May Cafe' can't be beat either, and would certainly be less expensive if you are paying OOP. Good Luck !

 

[JessicaFaye508]

We were there this past Christmas and yes it can get crazy. I would recommend making reservations for more "off" times like earlier or later than normal lunch and dinner hours if you are doing sit-down. Also eating at resort restaurants on those big days like Christmas and NYE may limit your wait times. The parks are super busy those days so its also nice to get away from it for a little while at a resort.

I was thinking of doing most of them between 7:30 and 8:30, so I hope that is good for dinners
And yes, I think resort restaurants are probably gonna be the way to go for those big days!

Being somewhat local, we like to spend Christmas Day at Epcot. We know going in it's going to be very crowded, but we make our dinner ADR well ahead of time and don't even try to go on rides. We are more interested in just hanging out and people-watching. This past year we had reservations for dinner at the Rose & Crown with the Candlelight Processional package. We got a CS lunch and just meandered most of the day prior to dinner. No rides for us that day, but lots of decorations and entertainment.

That's a pretty cool idea! I feel like Epcot would be a good park because it is pretty spread out to begin with! So maybe that's an option!

I would definitely make the reservations as SOON as the 180 day mark rolls around...have fun!

YES i need to do that! It's hard to plan this far in advance, but hopefully I can get a rough idea so I can get everything 180 early!

If any dining is in the Mk for Christmas, be advised that you will need to get to the Mk EARLY and stay there.MK closes to capacity on Christmas and if it does ( though there are phases of closing) .a Phase 4 closing, you will NOT get in for dining and that includes any meal Pre-paid

That's a really good point. Thank you for the reminded. Magic Kingdom is gonna be tricky to get into on this trip I have a feeling

It all depends on what you want to spend... and what you are looking for.... If the money is there, then "Victoria & Albert's" for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and/or the Yachtsman's Steakhouse, can't be beat . For New Year's Eve, The California Grill is super ... and for New Year's Day, the Flying Fish Cafe' or Jiko . But you could be very pleased with The Brown Derby or 50's Prime-Time ... and for the buffets, Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, and Cape May Cafe' can't be beat either, and would certainly be less expensive if you are paying OOP. Good Luck !

I'm thinking of trying California Grill, Brown Derby (maybe), Chef Mickey's and Cape May all at some point on our trip! Thanks for the suggestions