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

[saintstickets]

Has anyone seen a schedule for the Christmas Parade taping this year? Still the first weekend of December as usual?

I don't have a schedule but a co-worker is taking her daughter to participate and their first day of taping is Friday, 12/02/11 @ MK.

 

[aprilp]

We are going to avoid MK like the plague on Fri and Sat just to be safe.

Look at that ticker!

 

[WilsonFlyer]

We are going to avoid MK like the plague on Fri and Sat just to be safe.

Look at that ticker!

I understand but I don't have any choice. My 6YO DD has been ragging me for 3 years so I'm going to get it out of the way and be done with it. I'm praying to GOD I can get her on camera a couple of times and hope it makes the edits and get the heck outta Dodge.

We shall see.

 

[brightspark]

Look at that ticker!

Look at mine too

 

[brightspark]

We are going to avoid MK like the plague on Fri and Sat just to be safe.

Please tell me we shall be ok to go on the Sunday though... we have MVMCP tickets for that night

 

[Frankiemack]

We'll be heading to POP December 13-19 for my little girl's 3rd birthday and first trip!

We have an ADR at Chef Mickey's on 12/13 at 7:30pm. I read on a thread you can get an amazing view of MCMCP fireworks from the observation deck at Contemp....Does anyone know if this is still true and what time the fireworks would be? (Can't find the thread!)

I thought this would be an awesome way to end her first ever day at Disney!

 

[RaySharpton]

I believe that the MK Holiday Wishes for MVMCP starts at 930pm.

I don't know the policy of going through California Grille to reach their observation patio. It is a wonderful view.

Last year, I heard others were turned away unless they had a California Grille reservation.

If I don't have a reservation, I ask if I may go to the bar and order a drink and then I just go out to the patio.

There were some exterior stairways where a few people say that they have watched Wishes.

May someone else will have better information.

I enjoy watching Wishes from the Polynesian Resort beach, too.

 

[SMorgan711]

We'll be heading to POP December 13-19 for my little girl's 3rd birthday and first trip!

We have an ADR at Chef Mickey's on 12/13 at 7:30pm. I read on a thread you can get an amazing view of MCMCP fireworks from the observation deck at Contemp....Does anyone know if this is still true and what time the fireworks would be? (Can't find the thread!)

I thought this would be an awesome way to end her first ever day at Disney!

We are going the 13-19th too!!!

I'm pretty sure you can only use the California Grill observation deck if you have a Cali Grill reservation.

BUT there is an observation deck on the same floor as Chef Mickey's. Just walk straight out of Chef Mickey's, past the store and there are doors to get out there. I believe they are to the left once you get to the end of the building. There are benches out there and they pipe in the music too!

We are staying at the Poly so we plan on watching from the beach! Have a magical trip!!

 

[Grumpy92]

Holiday Tips:

* Book your dining before you arrive. It is a very popular place even for the locals at this time of year.
* Candlelight Processional - Great show that will get you in the xmas mood. Reserve the dinner pkg and reserved seating it is worth it. Standby lines usually require waiting for an hour ahead of time at a minimum.
* For Children - enjoy the various holiday narrators in World Showcase.
* MK - 5pm the flag is lowered in town square followed by the lighting of the town xmas tree. Moving and fun.
* Take the hayride in FW. The campers go all out decorating their sites with lights, animation etc. This is a good way to see some of them. We pick a couple loops and walk or take a golf cart.
* GF Lobby - about 5pm the cm's do carols and share cookies, then the band and pianist play xmas tunes. Did I mention the full size gingerbread house where you can buy cookies and miniature houses. We sit in the lobby and just soak up the atmosphere.
* Dinner and the Osbourne lights. We usually do Mama Melrose and then meander the street enjoying the music and lights.
* Resort tour, each resort has its own special holiday decorations. Some their own gingerbread displays. They may even have roasted chestnuts.
* Yultide Fantasy Tour - find out how disney does xmas decorations. You visit several parks, a resort and the xmas warehouse. We left with a special xmas decoration and learned how they decorate, various holiday traditions. So much fun.
* Have a disney xmas tree in your hotel room. The Disney florist will deliver one.
* If you are visiting the week between xmas and NYE be prepared for big crowds. These are the busiest days of the year for WDW. Dont worry about doing everything pick your top 5/6 of must do's and rest are just extras.
** Finally you would think being at WDW for the holidays would create the happiest of guests. Not true cms say guests seem to be at their grumpiest. So wish the cms a happy holiday and thank them for working while others off and able to spend time with their families.

Have a magical time!

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

We'll be heading to POP December 13-19 for my little girl's 3rd birthday and first trip!

We have an ADR at Chef Mickey's on 12/13 at 7:30pm. I read on a thread you can get an amazing view of MCMCP fireworks from the observation deck at Contemp....Does anyone know if this is still true and what time the fireworks would be? (Can't find the thread!)

I thought this would be an awesome way to end her first ever day at Disney!

We are going the 13-19th too!!!

I'm pretty sure you can only use the California Grill observation deck if you have a Cali Grill reservation.

BUT there is an observation deck on the same floor as Chef Mickey's. Just walk straight out of Chef Mickey's, past the store and there are doors to get out there. I believe they are to the left once you get to the end of the building. There are benches out there and they pipe in the music too!

We are staying at the Poly so we plan on watching from the beach! Have a magical trip!!

yes smorgan is right, you can only use the observation deck above cali if you have ressies there that night. also rightabout the deck at the end of the contemporary. go past 2 stores, one in the middle, one long one on the right hand side. this observation area is quite big. we stopped there in feb to watch them on our way back to bay lake.

 

[disney2mom]

This will be our 2nd Disney trip in December, we fell in love with the decorations last year! We will be there 12/14-12/20. We did not go to Epcot last year in December and would like to see CP. Where do I need to go to see it and how early should I get there??

 

[aprilp]

Be sure to stay after the CP and see Illuminations(fireworks and much, much more!). They add extra to the end of the show for Christmas! Its fabulous anyway, but anything added to it is always a plus!

 

[aprilp]

I understand but I don't have any choice. My 6YO DD has been ragging me for 3 years so I'm going to get it out of the way and be done with it. I'm praying to GOD I can get her on camera a couple of times and hope it makes the edits and get the heck outta Dodge.

We shall see.

Sending good luck your way!

 

[aprilp]

Look at mine too

Tomorrow for you! Hooray!!!

 

[siskaren]

This will be our 2nd Disney trip in December, we fell in love with the decorations last year! We will be there 12/14-12/20. We did not go to Epcot last year in December and would like to see CP. Where do I need to go to see it and how early should I get there??

It's at the America Gardens Theatre in front of the American Adventure pavilion. If you don't do the CP dinner package, you'll probably have to get in line 2 hours before the showing you want to see.

 

[Tinkerbell1013]

It's at the America Gardens Theatre in front of the American Adventure pavilion. If you don't do the CP dinner package, you'll probably have to get in line 2 hours before the showing you want to see.

I have a question related to this. We (3) do have CP dinner package. How early do we need to line up for the show? Does it matter since we do have the CP package? Thanks!!

 

[lurkyloo]

I have a question related to this. We (3) do have CP dinner package. How early do we need to line up for the show? Does it matter since we do have the CP package? Thanks!!

When we did the CP dinner package, we still had to line up an hour early to get decent seats. It kinda made us wish we hadn't bothered to pay for the package.

 

[TLHB70]

When we did the CP dinner package, we still had to line up an hour early to get decent seats. It kinda made us wish we hadn't bothered to pay for the package.

How were park crowd levels on your day, if you don't mind me asking? Also, are you talking Christmas week? Early December? I have the CP dinner package for this Sunday. I thought I could get in line about 30 minutes to 45 minutes early. Your post has me a bit concerned now.

 

[lurkyloo]

This was on a Tuesday during the second week of December, a period that used to be a slow time of year but is now clogged with Disney fan meets, D23 events, etc. Crowd levels were moderate that day, but Candlelight Processional was packed.

Mind you, I wanted a seat toward the front of the reserved section, so if you don't care, maybe you don't have to arrive as early. What stressed me out was that the line was all the way down to Japan when we arrived an hour before the time we were scheduled to be let in. We ended up getting seats that were off-center but still in the section of the dinner-package area closest to the stage.

You can see pictures of our view, our spot in line, etc. in my trip report, HERE.

 

[TLHB70]

This was on a Tuesday during the second week of December, a period that used to be a slow time of year but is now clogged with Disney fan meets, D23 events, etc. Crowd levels were moderate that day, but Candlelight Processional was packed.

Mind you, I wanted a seat toward the front of the reserved section, so if you don't care, maybe you don't have to arrive as early. What stressed me out was that the line was all the way down to Japan when we arrived an hour before the time we were scheduled to be let in. We ended up getting seats that were off-center but still in the section of the dinner-package area closest to the stage.

You can see pictures of our view, our spot in line, etc. in my trip report, HERE.

Thank you. I will get there earlier than the server suggests.
Your pictures are FANTASTIC! I have read some of your TR, but I am going to read more now. I am loving it! Thanks so much!