First Disney trip planned for xmas

[nextbigloser]

We are booked for our first trip to Disney. We will be staying at the Dolphin from Dec 23 - 27. This is a surprise trip for my kids 8, 11, 13. We have never been there before and I am looking for any advice or ideas on how to spend xmas there.

 

[ntsammy5]

Dolphin is a great place to stay because you're close to MGM & Epcot where there is an abundance of Christmas festivities. Just a couple of things to do -- Epcot World Showcase has Christmas Around the World and the Candlelight Processional. MGM has Osborne lights. Both are great places at Christmas.

 

[Bob P]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

I'm not trying to be a party pooper, I just want to help you manage your expectations. You will need to get to the parks when they open and use FastPass wisely if you want to see anything. You are going at the busiest time of the year. Please have a look at this long thread for some ideas:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1490464

 

[Aliceacc]

HI and welcome!

This may help you get started:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1715551

 

[Jrabbit910]

What a wonderful surprise! The dolphin is steps away from Disney's boardwalk- take a walk on over to the boardwalk hotel and check out the christmas decorations... The decorations are amazing!

 

[micmacmissy]

My best advice to you would be to subscribe to the unofficial guide touring plans website (google it). As a previous poster said, the parks will be EXTREMELY crowded (as in, they are so packed they actually reach capacity and close the parks).

You'll need to have a really good plan, and the Unofficial Guide website will tell you which parks to avoid on which days to maximize what you see. Another thing I would suggest is making all of your dining reservations several months prior to leaving, because the restaurants will be far too packed to just walk in and get a table.

If your dates are flexible, I would suggest you change your reservations and go a week earlier...the xmas decorations are still up, but the crowds are about 1/4 of what they are during xmas. The room rate will probably be much cheaper (you're talking going from peak season to value season, just be moving your week back), and your family will certainly be able to see and do a whole lot more. Just my two cents!

Either way, have a great time!

 

[nextbigloser]

Thanks everyone for the tips, unfortunately the dates we have picked are the only times we have available to do this. We will make the most of it and hope for a fantastic Christmas.

 

[vbarry]

This is our first Christmas trip but we have been to WDW several times. If I could give you advice....read these boards and continue to ask questions. WDW can be very overwhelming. The more you know before you go...the better you will feel when you get there.

You are staying in a great area so that is a good start. If I could change anything....I would try to stay a little longer. As you can tell by the above posts it is a very busy time. I would try to stay as many days as you can in order to see everything you want to see.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[vbarry]

Oh by the way....I know that you can order a Christmas tree and decorations from www.peggyssweetsandmore.com.

Also- make your advanced dining reservations as soon as you can. There is a wealth of information on the dining board.

 

[Aliceacc]

We're taking the kids for the first time in August.

I'm in the process of going through the rides and attractions, classifying each as a Must See, Optional, or Skip, based on what I think my kids will enjoy. I've also found the list of height restrictions so I'll have an idea of who can ride what.

I don't want to tour the parks commando style, but figure it will help us prioritize.

Something else I read on a thread here somewhere: When you get to the parks each morning, immediately get a fastpass for one top priority ride and get into a line for another. That way you're sure to get in 2 of your "must sees" before things get too crowded. Makes sense to me

 

[micmacmissy]

Something else I read on a thread here somewhere: When you get to the parks each morning, immediately get a fastpass for one top priority ride and get into a line for another. That way you're sure to get in 2 of your "must sees" before things get too crowded. Makes sense to me

This is great advice, and exactly what we do. Get there early, by rope drop, and you can easily get in 2 big headliners and grab Fast Passes along the way. You can always find other less crowded attractions to do when the crowds get thicker.

You are also smart to prioritize the rides...once my kids do their "must ride" of the day, they are able to relax and take in other things.

 

[Southerndisney]

The key to having a great time at Christmas is planning for the crowds.
some suggestions are:

1. Buy the Candlelight Processional Dinner at Epcot and the Fantasmic Dinner at MGM. Then you will have a place to eat without a long wait and will be able to get into both shows without a long wait. After spending the day waiting for rides this will be blessing. See the Osborne lights in MGM.
2. As stated in other posts, in the morning get to the parks early and hit the major rides and get fast passes. Later in the day the fast passes will no longer be available. At such a busy time of year, I would use Tour Guide Mike to help plan the day.
3. With such a short trip I would skip Animal Kingdom. You are not going to have time to see everything in the other 3 parks.
4. Get to parades, shows at the Castle, and fireworks early to save a spot. They are worth seeing.

Christmas is a special time at Disney. Enjoy!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Lucky you! We visited Disney this past December - a week before the 25th and had the best time!!! All the decorations are beautiful and as other posters have said there are lots of added programs going on. The Christmas Processional is great and I highly recommend getting the dinner package for the event so you are guaranteed a place to sit.
I also tried a planning software for the parks although my hubby says I could probably prepare one myself! I found that it did worked out great and would be a super benefit if you've never been. It costs a few $$$'s but when you compare that to standing in lines and not getting in your must see's I think it's well worth it.
Also, I'm not certain if they do early park hours for resort guests during Xmas but if they do and you can't be there right away for the opening then go to a different park. It sounds like it would be a good deal but I actually avoid those parks even if I would get there right away because everyone else is coming too!

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is a good chance the MK and some of the other parks may close to guests because they get full in the morning around 10AM. The parks usually reopen later in the day, but just be prepared that if you sleep late OR go later in the morning to a park, you might not get in. You will be allowed to go to some park that day, but it might not be the park you choose to visit that day.

Read up as much as possible on the parks, and get familiar with them so you can avoid the long lines as much as possible. Nothing like spending 2 hours waiting in line for an attraction.