First time visiting Disney during Holiday season 2022

[DisneyJColeMom]

Excitement is brewing for me, we had our first ever trip to Disney with our son this past April, and my husband (who hates travelling) is willing to start planning another trip bc we had such a great time! It was our first family trip with our little guy, but we’ve been to Disney b4. However, I have NEVER been to Disney while its decorated for Christmas, and that’s my wish this year! The dates that I think would work best for us start on November 13th. Is it a safe bet that Disney would be fully Christmas decorated by then? What about the on-site resorts, when do they get decorated? And which resorts do you all think are the most beautiful during that time? In April we stayed at Polynesian, I was in love with it, but both my husband & son felt they wanted a different type of hotel. A more “hotel-ey” hotel if that makes sense? They weren’t into the whole laid back tropical bungalow vibe. I just want the Disney Magic of Christmas feeling!!!

 

[CynBeth]

I would go Thanksgiving week or the beginning of Dec if you want to see all of the decorations and have all of the holiday experiences. The storytellers and Candlelight Processional at Epcot do not start until Black Friday some years it began a different day that week. There is a lottery for the deluxe hotels and sometimes we have gone to WL for example the Mon before and was not decorated yet but by the holiday it was. That is actually my recommendation of hotel the amazing tree with the lobby that has the fireplace screams holiday to me or GF with the gingerbread house for the MK resorts. In the Epcot area BC has the chocolate carousel and YC has the train garden.

 

[kylenne]

You’d be surprised at how fast the decorations go up. My last pre-closure trip was on Veterans Day weekend in 2019 and stuff was up in the parks already. BC’s gingerbread carousel went up literally in the time it took me to rope drop AK and come back at like 4pm to catch the tragical express back to the airport.

 

[stranger706]

IMO Wilderness Lodge & Grand Floridian have the best Christmas decorations, with the Lodge having the slight edge for theming.

Have stayed at both during the holidays, if you have any specific questions.

 

[shu24]

We were there last year the week before Thanksgiving and the parks were decorated. Most of the resorts were decorated on the day we arrived and all were decorated by the end of our visit. Christmastime is my favorite time to visit and mostly we visit the week after Thanksgiving. Both are nice weeks to visit (avoid Thanksgiving week though, it is quite busy then). Weather is usually a crap shoot so watch the weather carefully before your arrival.

 

[Shellyred8]

Excitement is brewing for me, we had our first ever trip to Disney with our son this past April, and my husband (who hates travelling) is willing to start planning another trip bc we had such a great time! It was our first family trip with our little guy, but we’ve been to Disney b4. However, I have NEVER been to Disney while its decorated for Christmas, and that’s my wish this year! The dates that I think would work best for us start on November 13th. Is it a safe bet that Disney would be fully Christmas decorated by then? What about the on-site resorts, when do they get decorated? And which resorts do you all think are the most beautiful during that time? In April we stayed at Polynesian, I was in love with it, but both my husband & son felt they wanted a different type of hotel. A more “hotel-ey” hotel if that makes sense? They weren’t into the whole laid back tropical bungalow vibe. I just want the Disney Magic of Christmas feeling!!!

It won't be fully decorated by Nov 13, but there will be more added every day at that point. The parks should be mostly decorated by this time, but the on-site resorts will probably be decorated little by little as that week goes on.

I would recommend the first or second week after Thanksgiving if you want the full Christmas experience (as others have mentioned). The Storytellers in EP are one of my favorite things to do during the holidays, so if you want to see them, you would need to wait until after thanksgiving.

The one thing I'm hopeful for this year is that they bring back the decorating of Cinderella's castle with the twinkle lights. I really missed that this past Christmas.

 

[DisneyJColeMom]

This is when im thinking! Im leaning more towards the week before Thanksgiving, but Ill keep a look out for the week after Thanksgiving as well!

 

[DisneyJColeMom]

It won't be fully decorated by Nov 13, but there will be more added every day at that point. The parks should be mostly decorated by this time, but the on-site resorts will probably be decorated little by little as that week goes on.

I would recommend the first or second week after Thanksgiving if you want the full Christmas experience (as others have mentioned). The Storytellers in EP are one of my favorite things to do during the holidays, so if you want to see them, you would need to wait until after thanksgiving.

The one thing I'm hopeful for this year is that they bring back the decorating of Cinderella's castle with the twinkle lights. I really missed that this past Christmas.

Ive seen the Storytellers mentioned twice now, but Ive never heard of it so I need to look it up! I forgot to mention that it will be a split trip with US/IOA as well. Now im thinking that if we do the week before Thanksgiving, that I should plan Disney for the 2nd part/tail end of the trip! I was actually planning on skipping Epcot as it was our least favorite Park. My boys are Star Wars/Harry Potter fanatics… Im really the most into Disney. Magic Kingdom & Hollywood Studios in particular. And I’m obsessed with fireworks.

 

[FeliciaB23]

Excitement is brewing for me, we had our first ever trip to Disney with our son this past April, and my husband (who hates travelling) is willing to start planning another trip bc we had such a great time! It was our first family trip with our little guy, but we’ve been to Disney b4. However, I have NEVER been to Disney while its decorated for Christmas, and that’s my wish this year! The dates that I think would work best for us start on November 13th. Is it a safe bet that Disney would be fully Christmas decorated by then? What about the on-site resorts, when do they get decorated? And which resorts do you all think are the most beautiful during that time? In April we stayed at Polynesian, I was in love with it, but both my husband & son felt they wanted a different type of hotel. A more “hotel-ey” hotel if that makes sense? They weren’t into the whole laid back tropical bungalow vibe. I just want the Disney Magic of Christmas feeling!!!

This year my Mom and I are going November 13-19; our previous trip was December 4-8, 2019. In 2019, we chose those dates specifically to catch the Christmas decorations and experience Epcot's Festival of the Holidays and the MVMCP however, we really missed F&W festival which is why we booked November for 2022 (assuming they stick with the 2020 schedule and go through this week).

For this November, we are not expecting all resorts to be decorated but we are at least hoping the Christmas party will be an option!