First Christmas Trip Need Advice!

[disneyktee]

Hi All,

Thanks in advance for any tips! I'm a long time Disney go-er but my trips have always been in November. This year is the first time we're going during Christmas week (Sunday 12/20- Saturday 12/26). I was thrilled (understatement) to get an 8:20 Cinderella's Castle ADR but reading around the boards I have questions:

(1) Disney's website says the park opens at 9 but I keep seeing people talk about 8 or even 7 AM openings. When do they release the real park hours for the week surrounding Christmas?

(2) If the park does open at 8 will we have trouble getting in and to the Castle in time for our reservation?

We're having Christmas Eve dinner at Yachtsman, does anyone know if there are special menus/ which restaurants have special menus?

Thanks!

 

[sharonabe]

You should see those hours change pretty soon. It will be 7 am at MK every day that week for resort guests. Off-site guests opening will be 8 am.

If you're staying onsite, take advantage of that early hour to get in some rides before breakfast.

If you're off-site, be at the park no later than 7:30 and position yourselves at one of the tunnels leading into the park. You won't see the opening show, but you will be in place to get to the castle in time for your ADR.

 

[AngiTN]

I was researching when they put out new hours last year. I saw that Josh posted about time changes at MK on 11/17

 

[disneyktee]

Thank you for the info! That's a bit sad, we thought we would get a little bit of that before-the-park-opens time with this ADR but we are staying on site so we'll get there for rope drop at least.
Has anyone been there 7 AM Christmas morning? How crowded is it?

 

[5Hfan]

Thank you for the info! That's a bit sad, we thought we would get a little bit of that before-the-park-opens time with this ADR but we are staying on site so we'll get there for rope drop at least.
Has anyone been there 7 AM Christmas morning? How crowded is it?

7 am Christmas morning was great....by 10 am it was wall to wall people!

I posted our detailed Christmas Day MK timeline on the "Just How Bad is Christmas Week Anyway" thread...

 

[lovndisney12]

We'll be going about the same time and have before. My best advice since you are staying on site is do a lot of RD - but don't go crazy if you aren't morning people as that will make for some unmagical moments! One year they even extended hours Christmas week for resort guests while we were there. So, that is even a possibility. Not sure if that happened last year or not as it has a been a couple of years.

Not sure about special menu at Yachtmans - Whispering Canyon did and I know others do as well. Sometimes they will have a "special menu" and others have a few "holiday items" with their regular menu. I do see it listed on the wdwinfo site as a Christmas Day restaurant but it does not look like the menu is posted yet.

 

[lovethattink]

Welcome to the DIS @disneyktee! You should have no problem getting in the park and to your breakfast. There is a separate park entrance queue for early breakfast reservations. Assuming the park opens at 7 instead of 8, take advantage of the extra time and enjoy some attractions!

 

[epcotty]

I keep seeing the week coming up to Christmas it has HS constantly closing at 8pm, are they really going to keep to that schedule, do you think? That'd be disappointing

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Hey there

I'm operating from my phone right now... Once I get to a laptop tomorrow I can type out a better response.

But yes - they will add park hours soon. 7am for sure at Magic Kingdom for morning EMH.. 8 am for the public.

I'd also expect to see some late night EMH added.

Check out my blog and free ebook in the meantime at survivedisxmas.com.

I'll update and post more tomorrow