Everything you need to know about WDW Christmas- Tips & Secrets

[RMulieri]

So it's not like they kick anyone out, they just don't let any additional in.

Correct...But I have seen some MEGA MELTDOWNS by people at the gates that were flipping out since they had adrs and they couldn't get in.If you know you want to be at or dine in a certain park during the Holidays...You get to the park at rope drop and be prepared to stay the day.Leaving for a mid day nap or swim, may mean you don't get back in.Disney only guarantees admittance to A park for its resort guests,not neccessarily THE PARK of your choice.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

You must dine before your show and the 5pm Show is considered a lunch, and seatings vary from about 200p onward.They will give you the time slot when you choose your show.

Thank you

 

[Scooby3x1y]

Correct...But I have seen some MEGA MELTDOWNS by people at the gates that were flipping out since they had adrs and they couldn't get in.If you know you want to be at or dine in a certain park during the Holidays...You get to the park at rope drop and be prepared to stay the day.Leaving for a mid day nap or swim, may mean you don't get back in.Disney only guarantees admittance to A park for its resort guests,not neccessarily THE PARK of your choice.

Here's my question for my situation. As a former CM at DL, I know the crowds can be bad. I'd rather avoid them as much as possible, but I know that is not reality. I guess I naively thought that with many parks, the people would be spread out and there would be plenty of room.

We would like to spend 3 or maybe a 4th day there. We will be there after our WC cruise on the 19th through the 25th leaving the 26th. We were going to spend 3 days in Ft. Lauderdale, then the rest in Orlando. Which days of these would be best in the parks? 3 days early in the week or later?

Also, I have 4 adventuresome well traveled teenagers, who have been to DL many times. Can you please give me suggestons of which parks to see and which order?

Thanks a million. I may be stressing more about this part of the vacation then anything else.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I have never been christmas week, so I don't know how much my advice is worth..if anything!! I do know how it starts building up closer to time...like the weekend before Christmas. I would think the 2nd or 3rd day after Christmas, but before NYE would be calmed down just a bit...Nothing is gonna be as bad as Christmas day!!! I really couldn't do it that day...if I was there I would do DTD, or resort hop or La Nouba or something...not a park. But, I don't do well in crowds, and with 3 kids, I would be flipping out that they would get lost. Anyway, if I only had 3 days, I would do AK at rope drop and ride whatever is important to you as quickly as possible, if you even wanted to go to that park. for some reason, that one seems more congested...the layout is not my top pick!!! But, if I was in a time crunch..I might skip it altogether.
DHS I might do that afternoon after AK, or another half day...get there and FP whatever is a must.I really would do this first and skip AK if I didn't get the time....Toy Story Midway Mania is still hot, so that should be the first thing on the list. LOOOOOVE that ride!!! then do MK the next day/two if you can....get there early and see what's important for everyone, then do what ever else time allows. You sound like your kids will be big enough and kinda know the ropes!!! Just remember that it's so much larger than DL, prepare them for all the walking!!!
Just make sure that you stop and get rest sometime in there! If possible..if not you are gonna be exhausted!!! I hope this is what you were asking for!! If you do DHS for a whole day, you need to stick around and see the Osborne lights! You can look them up on You Tube and check them out!!!

 

[RMulieri]

Here's my question for my situation. As a former CM at DL, I know the crowds can be bad. I'd rather avoid them as much as possible, but I know that is not reality. I guess I naively thought that with many parks, the people would be spread out and there would be plenty of room.

We would like to spend 3 or maybe a 4th day there. We will be there after our WC cruise on the 19th through the 25th leaving the 26th. We were going to spend 3 days in Ft. Lauderdale, then the rest in Orlando. Which days of these would be best in the parks? 3 days early in the week or later?

Also, I have 4 adventuresome well traveled teenagers, who have been to DL many times. Can you please give me suggestons of which parks to see and which order?
Thanks a million. I may be stressing more about this part of the vacation then anything else.

I would spend the earlier part of the week at WDW if you can like the 19-23 is very very busy but not as nuts as it gets once Christmas arrives.I would do MK first because that is the park that most often closes to capacity and gets busiest fastest. Epcot is so large it rarely ever closes and handles crowds alot better.After MK I would definitely do DHS followed by AK than Epcot.

 

[tinkatheart111]

Last year we did MK on the 23rd, it got progressively busier during the day but we did everything we wanted to do. We were staying off-site and arrived 20 minutes before scheduled opening but they were having EMH and we were able to get in. I was very surprised. Then on the 25th we went to Epcot and again it was busy but we didn't miss out on anything. A CM told me that MK had reached capacity by 11:00am. Definitely plan on getting there at rope drop and staying for the day. This year we are doing Dec 18-23. I can't wait!!!

 

[Keri]

This will be our third December Disney trip -- I'm SOOOOOOOO excited.

Some of the highlights for us have been:

*Definitely the Osborne lights at DHS ... the first time we went, when it started snowing & we didn't expect it ... total magic. Seriously.

*Characters are often in "winter" outfits if not specifically Christmas. Pooh & friends at AK had on scarves & hats, Mickey & Minnie at Camp MM were in christmas attire, etc.

*last year we saw both the Beach Club gingerbread carousel (neat, but I wouldn't travel there for it unless you were there for another reason; the kids really enjoyed finding the hidden mickeys though) and the GF gingerbread house (beautiful, the whole place is great & we got some AWESOME pictures in the lobby by the tree & the house before our 1900 PF dinner)

*Santa was at MK the first year we were there, down one of the side streets off Main Street USA. We didn't go back there though, there was a big line!!

*trees everywhere, love the AK parade. Also really want to do the CP this time around. We ended up having to leave a little early last time because the kids got cranky. We saw John O'Hurley do it (J.Peterman from Seinfeld) & he was great. The music was gorgeous.

*we don't do MVMCP. I would love to, someday, but the kids just can't stay up long enough to make it worthwhile (and they do NOT nap, so napping mid-day is just not an option).

Everything is just gorgeous though, crowds aren't bad at all, and the weather has been nice generally. The first year we went it was pretty hot (for December) like 80-85. Last year it was cooler, we ended up wearing sweatshirts a lot of the time, plus we got caught in a HUGE downpour our second day there (just after getting DD dolled up at BBB! ) which was rough (just picture us sprinting to Akershus while it was raining sideways, we were already 30 min late for our reservation, had DD in the stroller with only her face sticking out of a poncho, the baby in a carrier & a poncho on me, DH & DS running with a useless umbrella ... such a comedy of errors)

I can't wait to go back!!!!!

 

[jenscottvert]

I almost get weepy when I think about our upcoming trip in late Nov/early Dec . It is the very best time of year (imo) to visit Disney and this will be our third time but the first time (not first trip to Disney - we did that when she was 3 1/2) for our daughter (she'll be 5 1/2 by then) and I cannot WAIT to see the wonderment and amazement...her eyes lighting up, her face full of joy and delight, her excitement bubbling over...I just know she's going to love it as much as we do.

 

[sunnyday123]

I almost get weepy when I think about our upcoming trip in late Nov/early Dec . It is the very best time of year (imo) to visit Disney and this will be our third time but the first time (not first trip to Disney - we did that when she was 3 1/2) for our daughter (she'll be 5 1/2 by then) and I cannot WAIT to see the wonderment and amazement...her eyes lighting up, her face full of joy and delight, her excitement bubbling over...I just know she's going to love it as much as we do.

Make sure you take a ton of pictures....

 

[lisah0711]

Will be there 12/18 to 12/26. I am prepared for crowds but still a little Don't have time to read all these great tips now so subscribing so I can find it again.

 

[Yummy]

Hello! I'm a new poster, but have lurked for a few months.
If all goes well (i.e. if we both get our vacation and if common sense doesn't hit us), we will be going to WDW from December 5th to 12th this year! We went for the first time to WDW back in May this year, and are now hooked! And we're trying to corrupt two of our friends so they'll accompany us

I was a bit bummed to find out the price for the MVMCP, as the main reason we decided to go this December (instead of December 2010) is the free dining plan (we loved the QS plan in May, so we'd be staying in ASMu and take the free QS). We want to think of this as an all-included vacation and frankly, we don't plan on spending anything outside our package (except maybe another PhotoPass CD, only if our friends come too), so adding 50$ tickets to go to the MVMCP is still not a shoe-in... Is it really, really worth it? What goes on there that doesn't on the other nights to justify that price tag? I'm just curious.

I don't have any vacation left, so I'm actually planning to take one week with no pay to go in December; how crazy is that?!

Looking forward to reading all there is to know about the Holidays in WDW!

 

[AmyBWV99]

Count us in we'll be there 2nd week, can't wait! Haven't been for Xmas since 2006. I can barely remember what's going on that time of year, this was a great reminder!

 

[maidenfairy]

I haven't read the thread, but this is my biggest tip. Get to the parks at the crack of dawn.

 

[f15robyn]

Hello! I'm a new poster, but have lurked for a few months.

Bonjour and beinvenue notre voisin (deux heures de Montréal à notre maison).

 

[JPN4265]

bump

 

[Scooby3x1y]

For those of us that are new to WDW, and we're trying to gather as much info as possible, here's another thread started for 1st timers to WDW at Christmas time.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=33097553#post33097553

 

[MarinaAndCharlie]

For those of us that are new to WDW, and we're trying to gather as much info as possible, here's another thread started for 1st timers to WDW at Christmas time.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=33097553#post33097553

Thanks! And PS your doggie is adorable. I have a dog named Scooby. Well, Scooby Dee actually, because she's a girl. haha.

 

[Tinkermom76]

I am going Nov 29 - Dec 5 with my DD's 5&7 and staying at CR

I have read the whole thread and have a couple questions

1. when does Liberty Tree start serving a christmas type dinner?

2. are the princesses dressed in anything special in december and if so is it all the time or just during MVMCP?

3. which is better the sleigh ride at WL or the carriage ride at the camground?

TIA

 

[ado121]

3. which is better the sleigh ride at WL or the carriage ride at the camground?

TIA

oh i would like to know this too???!!!!

 

[Grandmouse]

This is a great thread -- I'm hoping to be there the first week of December. It has been six years since my last December visit. Loved all the decorations and MVMCP. The Main Street crowds on the days the parade is taped are awful. Once you get past that, (if you are able), the rest of the park isn't so bad.