First DVC Vacation to see Christmas Decorations?

[Babbletrish]

My family recently joined the DVC and is kicking around the idea of returning to Disney World later this year to enjoy something we've never seen before: the Christmas decorations and special holiday events around the World. We're hoping to stay in the Wilderness Lodge, maybe in a studio. We know availability is a big issue but that's not our primary concern right now.

Our biggest concern is timing. Unfortunately, the WDW website is a little vague as to when, exactly, the holiday festivities begin (the dates for "Mickey's Christmas Party" still say "Select Nights in November and December 2010"!) We also need to make this decision very soon, like by next month.

Can anyone give us a better idea as to when Disney puts their decorations up, and/or when the festivities really get into gear, etc? Have you got any other tips for a first timer in the DVC?

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[DVCconvert]

here are the 2010 MVMCP dates:
•Monday, November 8, 2010
•Thursday, November 11, 2010
•Friday, November 12, 2010
•Tuesday, November 16, 2010
•Thursday, November 18, 2010
•Friday, November 19, 2010
•Sunday, November 28, 2010
•Tuesday, November 30, 2010
•Thursday, December 2, 2010
•Friday, December 3, 2010
•Sunday, December 5, 2010
•Tuesday, December 7, 2010
•Thursday, December 9, 2010
•Friday, December 10, 2010
•Sunday, December 12, 2010
•Tuesday, December 14, 2010
•Thursday, December 16, 2010
•Friday, December 17, 2010
•Sunday, December 19, 2010

This will give you a good guide on dates for 2011. Christmas decorations are up in full force by mid Nov....they're really pushing the line between Halloween and christmas these days. It's a wonderful time to go, totally beautiful....worth every cent.

 

[MrShiny]

The decorations start about Veterans day (some before, some after - the Osborne lights start in September so, but of course that's just set up, they aren't turned on yet).

Decorations are in full effect by Thanksgiving. The crowds tend to be pretty light up until Christmas week itself.

Compare the MVMCP dates above to when you might go. The parties should be on the same days of the week (Thanksgiving is only a day different this year 11/24/11 as opposed to 11/25/10).

Try to go when there are at least 2 MVMCP scheduled - that will increase the odds that you do not miss one and also it's great to have a fallback one in case the first gets rained out (which does happen from time to time).

I would suggest between Thanksgiving and Christmas as the best time to go if you can.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You really need to book your home resort now. Then try to rebook into VWL. But that is going to be a real long shot, especially a studio.

As for the parties, they never have them right before Thanksgiving and right after Thanksgiving. And they usually end about Dec 20 or so.

So if you were planning Thanksgiving week, you probably won't have any parties that week at all. The last one before the full week might be the Friday night before and the first one after might be the Sunday night after.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The 2011 MVMCP dates were released a couple of days ago so that may help with your planning.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2011
November 8,9,11,13,15,18,27,29,30
December 2,4,6,7,9,11,13, 14,16,18

Tickets are not on sale yet.

 

[WDWFERN]

We also really enjoy the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, but in contrast to MVMCP at MK which starts earlier in November, I don't believe this show begins until around the Friday after Thanksgiving. Hope this helps, have a wonderful trip!

 

[Joey7295]

After Thanksgiving is your best bet. Then all of the decorations will be up at all of the parks and all of the resorts.

 

[Disneypirate85]

You are just gonna LOVE Disney at Christmas. We have found going after 12/10 and before 12/20 seems to work out great for Dec crowds. Theres some Pop Warner stuff in there the 1st week week of Dec I believe and after the 20th the crowds get a little heavy. Also spend some time Resort hopping they really dress them up for the Holidays its AMAZING....Shawn

 

[vek239]

We also really enjoy the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, but in contrast to MVMCP at MK which starts earlier in November, I don't believe this show begins until around the Friday after Thanksgiving. Hope this helps, have a wonderful trip!

According to the WDW website the Candlelight Processional runs November 25, 2011 - December 30, 2011, so yes the first one is the Friday after Thanksgiving.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/candlelight-processional/

 

[DMKEDM]

We go every T-giving...sometimes including the week before, sometimes the week after.

Park decorations seem to go up earlier than resort decorations (and resort decorations are a very big part of the overall fun)...

Last year we arrived at SSR the Sunday before T-giving; decorations were not up, but were up the following morning. We've also stayed at BCV and the decorations there went up within a day or two of T-giving...

A few years ago we stayed at the Yacht Club, and their decorations went up overnight T-giving night/the Friday after pre-dawn...it was fun because I was up super early that particular Friday morning, and went out "wandering" and got to watch them put up the sidewalk/post garlands, and set up the truly awesome Christmas Village in the lobby...

I think MK decorations are the earliest...the big tree at the "top" of Future World, just before World Showcase at Epcot seems to go up right around T-giving--sometimes a day or two before, sometimes overnight on T-giving night...

Everything's down by the first weekend after New Year's...seems to me, pulling up memories (we go frequently in early Jan) that the Studios were the last to have decorations up...

Candlelight Processional definitely does not start pre-T-giving.

Please do post w/your thoughts, if you go...it seems to me that many of us who've for years been going to WDW between T-giving and Christmas/New Year's have noticed a distinct "fall-off" in the decorations--but they're still seriously awesome. It'd be so nice to see the reaction of someone who's "struck by the magic of it all"...maybe it'll help us "old-timers" who remember even bigger/better decorations recapture some of the magic for ourselves!

Hope you go--it is wondrous that time of year, it really is...

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

We did our first Christmas visit in 2010 - we went the first week of December. It was awesome.

If you've never seen the Candlelight Processional, it is a must. It was truly AMAZING!!!!

 

[justcruisin]

We were there in early - mid November (Veteran's Day) and were pleasantly surprised to see the Christmas decorations going up.

The castle in lights is simply breathtaking.

 

[Babbletrish]

Thanks for all the great advice so far (but please keep it coming! Remember, we're new at this DVC thing.)

So far the consensus seems to be to shoot for the week immediately after Thanksgiving. That was actually kinda what we had in mind.

Resort hopping - Which resorts have the prettiest decorations? I know the Grand Floridian goes all out, but which other ones are (to borrow a phrase) not to be missed?

How about Universal? We haven't seen the Wizarding World of Harry Potter yet, so does Hogsmead get dressed up for Christmas? Then again, the whole idea behind the mini-park is that it's wintertime every day, so...? (And it isn't like lack of holiday cheer would be a dealbreaker.)

Somebody up there said we should book into our "home" resort, which in our case is the Bay Lake Tower, then re-book into Wilderness Lodge. How do you do that?

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Somebody up there said we should book into our "home" resort, which in our case is the Bay Lake Tower, then re-book into Wilderness Lodge. How do you do that?

You need to make a reservation at your home resort asap. You may be too late. But see what you can get. At exactly seven months out from the start of your reservation call MS when they open for the day. Don't be late. Immediately ask if there is availability for VWL on your days in the type of lodging you want. Then they will cancel your BLT reservation and book the VWL reservation. Hopefully, they will get you cancelled and rebooked before they lose the VWL reservation.

 

[CocosMeme]

We have been twice for the Christmas season and I agree with Joey. Our first trip was the first week of December and EVERYTHING was up and gorgeous. We toured all of the deluxe resorts and it was amazing (we spent a whole day just touring them). The Osbourne Lights were great but the Candlelight Procession was the best!! We went back this year the middle of November and, although it was pretty and the parks were all decorated, the resorts were in progress and not nearly as nice as Dec. Also the big tree in MK does not go up until after Thanksgiving. We really misssed not going to the Candlelight Processional. I agree that you need to go ahead and book your home resort now and try to change at 7 months. Good luck and you will really love it.

 

[WDWFERN]

I would agree to book at BLT in the near future, to at least have a room there, as I called today to book a December trip there and was surprised by how limited availability was already even though it is still within the 11 month booking window. I was able to get a reservation (yea!!) with a lake view room, but did need to switch around my dates a bit and most of the MK view dates I cheked were sold out! We stayed at BLT in Decemebr 2009 and LOVED it! Walking distance to MK, an easy monorail ride for dinner and taking in the decorations at the Grand Floridian, an easy boat ride to Wilderness Lodge for the same, and again just a monorail away from Epcot's Candlelight Processional. We felt like we were right in the middle of the holiday festivities!! Have a wonderful trip and enjoy your planning.

 

[Disneypirate85]

Agree Definately get your 'Home" reserved now. After Thanksgiving and before Mid Dec you should be ok as Far as crowd Level after that gets a Little Heavy...Shawn

 

[jarrdisney]

Thanks for all the great advice so far (but please keep it coming! Remember, we're new at this DVC thing.)

So far the consensus seems to be to shoot for the week immediately after Thanksgiving. That was actually kinda what we had in mind.

Resort hopping - Which resorts have the prettiest decorations? I know the Grand Floridian goes all out, but which other ones are (to borrow a phrase) not to be missed?

How about Universal? We haven't seen the Wizarding World of Harry Potter yet, so does Hogsmead get dressed up for Christmas? Then again, the whole idea behind the mini-park is that it's wintertime every day, so...? (And it isn't like lack of holiday cheer would be a dealbreaker.)

Somebody up there said we should book into our "home" resort, which in our case is the Bay Lake Tower, then re-book into Wilderness Lodge. How do you do that?

The best resorts to see IMO are, GF, WL, BW, BC, YC, and AKL. Unforunatley, last year Wizarding World wasn't decorated, but that may change this year. It is a not miss though. Blows away anything Disney has done in recent memory.

 

[gretchen265]

We were there 2 years ago from Dec 3-12. We were nervous because Pop Warner (cheerleading/football) was going on at the same time, but we didn't think the crowds were bad at all....It was a great time to go..Candlelight Processional was amazing, traveling around Epcot's worlds to see all the different countries Santas/holiday traditions, Osborne's Lights, etc!! Last year, we went in Nov and saw the Osborne Lights again, but we missed all of the excitement at Epcot and MVMCP. Hope everything works out for you!

 

[Babbletrish]

The best resorts to see IMO are, GF, WL, BW, BC, YC, and AKL.

Not used to so many initials. I'm guessing Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Animal Kingdom Lodge?