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

[PAcpl]

I went to the HGTV site and found the following for when HGTV will be showing Behind the Magic.

* Upcoming Episodes

*
November 26, 12:00 pm
Behind the Magic - Disney Holidays

An amazing behind-the-scenes look at how the Walt Disney World Resort decorates for the holidays!

*
November 29, 11:00 pm
Behind the Magic - Disney Holidays

An amazing behind-the-scenes look at how the Walt Disney World Resort decorates for the holidays!

*
November 29, 2:00 am
Behind the Magic - Disney Holidays

An amazing behind-the-scenes look at how the Walt Disney World Resort decorates for the holidays!

*
December 24, 7:00 pm
Behind the Magic - Disney Holidays

An amazing behind-the-scenes look at how the Walt Disney World Resort decorates for the holidays!

Thanks for the info. We fly out tonight and noticed this just in time. I connected to my home Slingbox and im recording this in an hour. It will be great to watch on the flight to Disney!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Hi all!!

Can I ask a couple of questions please - just doing some last minute planning for our Christmas trip! Does anyone know what time Cinderella's Castle is lit up, and what time the Osborne Lights come on? Also is there anywhere special to see the Osborne lights - they're on the Streets of America, isn't it?

Thanks!

 

[2kids2luv]

We were there last week. The castle ceremony is at about 6:15 pm (dusk) and the Osbourne lights (6:30). The lights are all around Streets of America. They stay on until about one hour past park closing so you don't need to be there when they first are turned on. Be prepared for the Streets to be very crowded; I'd recommend going later in the evening to see them. We went after the first Fantasmic! and it was still crowded. They are both beautiful and not to be missed.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

We were there last week. The castle ceremony is at about 6:15 pm (dusk) and the Osbourne lights (6:30). The lights are all around Streets of America. They stay on until about one hour past park closing so you don't need to be there when they first are turned on. Be prepared for the Streets to be very crowded; I'd recommend going later in the evening to see them. We went after the first Fantasmic! and it was still crowded. They are both beautiful and not to be missed.

Thank you

 

[smidgy]

we made a point to be there at dusk for the initial "lighting" of the Osbourne lights. it was crowded, but well worth being there to see the transformation. we only stayed for about 15 minutes. went to do other things in the rest of the park.. then returned to the Streets of America later when it was less crowded, to be able to walk around at our leisure.

 

[BDL]

Just to give everyone a head's up, we've been down here since Friday and are leaving tomorrow. For my point of view, it seems like Disney had grossly underestimated the crowd that would be here this week. It seems like Disney is under staffed and/or has the B-team on staff. It's not that they aren't trying to be helpful, but they seem to be a little on the lesser trained side and are over-whelmed.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone's help and advice on this thread -we have been reading for over a year. Sadly, our filghts were cancelled two days in a row and now we can't get anything before Wednesday, which woud leave us with only 4 days out of a 9 day holiday. As such, we've cut our losses, come home, and asked for a refund.

However, we did have an experience not yet mentioned on the thread - attempting to sleep on the floor at Heathrow airport when your filght is cancelled and nobody knows what is going on!

Not sure if we will have another chance to go at Christmas as not planning on renewing our annual passes again but, if we do, we will be right back here to check for information

 

[lurkyloo]

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear about your cancelled holiday! I hope that you are able to have a lovely Christmas at home—and that Santa brings you a future Christmas WDW trip!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone's help and advice on this thread -we have been reading for over a year. Sadly, our filghts were cancelled two days in a row and now we can't get anything before Wednesday, which woud leave us with only 4 days out of a 9 day holiday. As such, we've cut our losses, come home, and asked for a refund.

However, we did have an experience not yet mentioned on the thread - attempting to sleep on the floor at Heathrow airport when your filght is cancelled and nobody knows what is going on!

Not sure if we will have another chance to go at Christmas as not planning on renewing our annual passes again but, if we do, we will be right back here to check for information

sorry to read you had to cancel your trip...maybe another try another year. We were suppose to go the year before and my husband lost his job...then last year we made plans then unexpected expenses. We finally got to go last week but 3 days I was in bed very ill and my son got sick for 2 days (we had to miss the Christmas party)...I do understand the feeling of disappoitment. Have a great Christmas and maybe you can go to Paris Disney for a few days.

 

[rie'smom]

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone's help and advice on this thread -we have been reading for over a year. Sadly, our filghts were cancelled two days in a row and now we can't get anything before Wednesday, which woud leave us with only 4 days out of a 9 day holiday. As such, we've cut our losses, come home, and asked for a refund.

However, we did have an experience not yet mentioned on the thread - attempting to sleep on the floor at Heathrow airport when your filght is cancelled and nobody knows what is going on!

Not sure if we will have another chance to go at Christmas as not planning on renewing our annual passes again but, if we do, we will be right back here to check for information

I'm sorry your trip was ruined. Hope you have a nice holiday anyway

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Have a great Christmas and maybe you can go to Paris Disney for a few days.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts

We went to DLP for Christmas in 2004 as that is where my husband proposed, but it was way too cold for us - never had a day above freezing, lol!

 

[tksbaskets]

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts

We went to DLP for Christmas in 2004 as that is where my husband proposed, but it was way too cold for us - never had a day above freezing, lol!

I was pictures of DLP with snow on everything from last week. SO sorry that your trip had to be cancelled. Hopefully you can reschedule soon.


TK

 

[mlnbabies]

I've read most of the threads but I still have a few questions. Do all of the resorts decorate for Christmas or just the deluxe resorts? Which resort is the most decked out? I am hoping to go either the first or second week of Dec. I want to avoid the most crowded times. I'm thinking a 4 day park ticket with 5 nights. Any suggestions? My dd's are 7 and 11.

 

[Marblies]

You will find some decorations in most of the resorts in the main areas. For example, we stayed at Pop Century and had a large decorated tree in the foyer and Christmas touches throughout the lobby. Of course, the deluxes have their gingerbread houses etc. which are lovely to visit. The campground is a crazy explosion of decorations put up by the temporary residents. Hope this helped.
Also, we travel in the 2nd of December and really enjoyed the cooler temps and lower crowds.

 

[supersuperwendy]

subscribing because it's time to start planning our december trip!

 

[BDL]

I've read most of the threads but I still have a few questions. Do all of the resorts decorate for Christmas or just the deluxe resorts? Which resort is the most decked out? I am hoping to go either the first or second week of Dec. I want to avoid the most crowded times. I'm thinking a 4 day park ticket with 5 nights. Any suggestions? My dd's are 7 and 11.

When we went for Christmas last year, I made sure to book an early breakfast at the Kona cafe for 2 reasons. 1) I've heard amazing things about Tonga Toast. And 2) after breakfast, we just hopped on the monorail to check out the other resort decorations on the route. You have to go to the Grand Floridian to see the HUGE tree in the lobby and the life sized gingerbread house. As a bonus, the Grand Floridian has a Photopass person in the lobby to take your pics with the gingerbread house.

On a side note... Look online and see if you can find the HGTV special about how Disney decorates for the holidays. Not only will it give you some planning ideas, it will also REALLY get you in the mood for your trip. I have it DVR'd.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Now that MVMCP tickets are for sale we are trying to decide whether we should by them. Who has taken a toddler to the party? Our baby will be just barely 2 years old. I'm afraid if we spend the money on party tickets and she is too tired to stay up till the party ends at midnight then it's going to be a huge waste of money. How has your experience been taking a toddler to the party? Is it necessary to stay until midnight? What time do you usually leave the party?

 

[lnh'smom]

We took our son who was 2 1/2 last Dec to the party. He did great. We were all tired and had done everything we wanted before the party was over and so we all left a little early. We didn't feel like we missed out on anything and still feel like we got our money's worth. As far as taking our youngest to the party and being tired and all that, we have always "practiced" before going to Disney. We make the older 2 go for lots of long walks, especially if we are going in August or September when it is gonna be pretty hot still and we made our 2 year old ride in his stroller during these walks and he learned to nap in the stroller, so anytime he was tired, he would just go to sleep. Worked out well for us. Hope you have fun!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

We're going Thanksgiving week, and I'm crossing my fingers that a lot of the Christmas stuff will be up, and putting off until the very end of the week what may not be there until after Thanksgiving.

We'll get there the Friday before so we can do MVMCP. Thinking of trying for Crystal Palace this night (the 18th.) Do the characters dress up for Christmas?

In years past, it looks like Osborne lights started early, so we can hopefully hit the Studios early in the week. Epcot will have to be last for CP.

We are aiming for WCC for Thanksgiving dinner- will the sleigh rides have started yet? Will the lodge be decorated?

Anyone that can give any input for Christmas activities that will have started Thanksgiving week, please let me know! Our last 4 trips have been in August, so this is new to all of us. Looking forward to it.

 

[5Hfan]

We went the last few days of Nov/first of Dec last year, and it was wonderful! The Grand Floridian was amazing, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the Contemporary though. Mid week the wreath garlands strung across main st at MK were taken down, and the big Christmas tree at the front of the park also is not put into place until after the parade taping.

We enjoyed the festiveness and the Christmas party (though one night it was so warm we didn't drink the hot cocoa, but a few nights later a cold front came through and it was freezing). We had our 22 month old with us, and he did fine at the party until well after midnight. Our kids are night owls though. At the beginning of the week we did the park in the morning, back to hotel for rest, then party. But the end of the week, we just slept in and hung around the hotel, napped, then the party instead of using a ticket that day too. We figured from 4-12 8 hours was good!

The characters did not have any festive costumes at any of the meals, but those in the park during the party hours had some festive touches.