Fun Christmas trip...tips?

[kayteekt]

We *just* booked a last minute Christmas trip for Dec 17-24. We've only been one other time during the Christmas season...about 4 years ago and we were there the week between Christmas and New Years.

That trip certainly wasn't our best...it was crazy packed of course, we had a little one (about 18mos) at that time, I wasn't into planning and I surely wasn't prepared for the massive crowd levels. It was a nice trip - but the most expensive and least fun.

I am hoping this will be better for a number of reasons. We've been so many times now, we're not using the trip to ride every ride and be in the parks 24-7. Our kiddos are now 8 and 4 and can "hang" pretty good as long as they've had enough sleep. I want to do some things outside of the parks, like tour the deluxe resorts to see their gingerbread houses, new Disney springs Christmas stuff, etc... Also, we are at BWV so walking distance to Epcot is a huge plus for us.

We're really wanting to absorb the Christmas spirit and enjoy our time as a family...not just race from one thing to another (we've done that plenty).

How do you plan your Christmas trip, during such a busy time of year, if you want a more laid back touring style? What are some things you do, that are only available at Christmas time (besides the party)?

I know I need to plan a few things (ADRs and FP). I need some sort of strategy without going overboard and making a detailed touring plan.

We're not opposed to RD if we can rest later in the day, is that a good strategy to get in the rides you want and then to relax the remainder of the day?

I also wonder...how are crowds the week leading up to Christmas vs. the week after. I know it will be crazy, but are we still looking at park closures. Our last park day will be the 23rd. The year we went after Christmas our days in MK were wall to wall people...shoulder to shoulder, like when the fireworks let out but it was just mid-afternoon or whatever...do I need to mentally prepare for that?


Just some of my own thoughts and questions as I start to sort this all out...any advice?

 

[glassslippergirl]

I would definitely plan to do RD every day. You can get a lot done in those first few hours before the masses show up. Plan an afternoon break, then resume touring in the evening.

For the holidays, you can't go wrong at Epcot. Plan an afternoon in Wold Showcase seeing the holiday storytellers in the various countries. Norway is my favorite. If you think your kids can handle it, try the Candlelight Processional with dinner package. The show is beautiful, but may be too long for little ones. I would try to see the new projection show at DHS, too.

The gingerbread house at GF is a must, but also if you can go see the displays at the Beach and Yacht Clubs. The Beach Club has a gingerbread carousel, and the Yacht Club has a huge train display.

For a relaxed touring style at the holidays, I would start with the Times Guide for each park. Instead of running from ride to ride, check out what "street" entertainment you want to see in each park, for example, the Dapper Dan in MK . These shows are usually holiday theme and worth the effort to see them.

Enjoy!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

First of all, IMHO, you picked a GREAT resort for that time of year. We stayed at BWV from Dec. 25 - Dec. 30 last year and I was SO glad we did as the bus to MK took SO long because of traffic. It was so nice to be able to walk to EP and DHS and not rely on any type of transportation. It's also nice that they have so much great nighttime entertainment all in walking distance of the resort.

My advice, yes, RD the parks when you can. Make your 3 FP+ selections for the morning and head out by 1 to 2 pm. Spend the afternoon at the resort, DS or even go mini-golfing and head back out in the evenings. If you aren't interested in Candlelight Processional (my DS who was 8 at the time, had zero interest), tour EP FW at night away from the CP crowds. We found MK to be the most crowded of the parks (of course!), EP WS was crowded at night and AK and DHS were doable. DS at night was pretty crowded as well. My DS happens to love the Sandcastle Club at BC, so went there one night while DH and I toured EP. It was a way for him to chill out, get away from the crowds and meet some other children.

 

[kayteekt]

First of all, IMHO, you picked a GREAT resort for that time of year. We stayed at BWV from Dec. 25 - Dec. 30 last year and I was SO glad we did as the bus to MK took SO long because of traffic. It was so nice to be able to walk to EP and DHS and not rely on any type of transportation. It's also nice that they have so much great nighttime entertainment all in walking distance of the resort.

My advice, yes, RD the parks when you can. Make your 3 FP+ selections for the morning and head out by 1 to 2 pm. Spend the afternoon at the resort, DS or even go mini-golfing and head back out in the evenings. If you aren't interested in Candlelight Processional (my DS who was 8 at the time, had zero interest), tour EP FW at night away from the CP crowds. We found MK to be the most crowded of the parks (of course!), EP WS was crowded at night and AK and DHS were doable. DS at night was pretty crowded as well. My DS happens to love the Sandcastle Club at BC, so went there one night while DH and I toured EP. It was a way for him to chill out, get away from the crowds and meet some other children.

Thank you! Very helpful. I did think about the Sandcastle club...since we'll be just across the way I'm going to check into pricing.

 

[kayteekt]

For the holidays, you can't go wrong at Epcot. Plan an afternoon in Wold Showcase seeing the holiday storytellers in the various countries. Norway is my favorite. If you think your kids can handle it, try the Candlelight Processional with dinner package. The show is beautiful, but may be too long for little ones. I would try to see the new projection show at DHS, too.
Enjoy!

My advice, yes, RD the parks when you can. Make your 3 FP+ selections for the morning and head out by 1 to 2 pm. Spend the afternoon at the resort, DS or even go mini-golfing and head back out in the evenings. If you aren't interested in Candlelight Processional (my DS who was 8 at the time, had zero interest), tour EP FW at night away from the CP crowds. We found MK to be the most crowded of the parks (of course!), EP WS was crowded at night and AK and DHS were doable. DS at night was pretty crowded as well. My DS happens to love the Sandcastle Club at BC, so went there one night while DH and I toured EP. It was a way for him to chill out, get away from the crowds and meet some other children.

Thanks for the CP info! I did go ahead and book a DP for the CP one day. I'm not sure how the kids will like, I need to look more into I guess. It appeals to me, isn't that enough, haha I booked Biergarten for now (my first choice would have been a GG breakfast but none avail right now) and it seems to be the same as their normal lunch buffet. So my thought is if they can't sit through it all, we can leave since we've not got alot of money tied up in it. Is it easy enough to scoot out if need be? About how long does it last?

 

[glassslippergirl]

CP is more than 30 minutes. The songs are definitely more interesting than the narrations, because the songs incorporate lighting effects, etc. You can leave in the middle, but understand that based on where you're sitting, you may need to climb over a bunch of people to get to an aisle. The tone of the show calls for a certain amount of dignity from the audience, kind of like church, and that can be hard for little ones. Maybe watch a video of the show on Youtube, even show it to the kids to judge their interest level. DH and I absolutely love it, and would go see every narrator if we could, but we know that DS4 would never be able to sit through it, so we're waiting until he is older. You know your kids best.

 

[DisHmsklMom]

Try and see the EPCOT fireworks early in your trip, you may want to see them more than once. My kids loved doing the monorail tour, check out the cupcakes at the resorts too.
Also, check into the happenings at Disney Springs for the holidays.

 

[kayteekt]

CP is more than 30 minutes. The songs are definitely more interesting than the narrations, because the songs incorporate lighting effects, etc. You can leave in the middle, but understand that based on where you're sitting, you may need to climb over a bunch of people to get to an aisle. The tone of the show calls for a certain amount of dignity from the audience, kind of like church, and that can be hard for little ones. Maybe watch a video of the show on Youtube, even show it to the kids to judge their interest level. DH and I absolutely love it, and would go see every narrator if we could, but we know that DS4 would never be able to sit through it, so we're waiting until he is older. You know your kids best.

Thank you again for that info! I think I will "youtube" it as you've suggested. I know my oldest would have no problem, the youngest is 4 and he may get squirmy. I think he'd be ok if it's not any longer than an hour. They are both used to sitting out in a church service, with minimal issues.

 

[kayteekt]

Try and see the EPCOT fireworks early in your trip, you may want to see them more than once. My kids loved doing the monorail tour, check out the cupcakes at the resorts too.
Also, check into the happenings at Disney Springs for the holidays.

Is Illuminations different for Christmas?

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

There is a holiday ending to Illuminations at holiday time.

We also find that we need to remain well rested. Your timing will depend on your family. RD is the way to go - when you can.
If you aren't morning people or want to split your trip into some late nights and some early mornings, you can make later FPPs on your later days. You won't get nearly as many rides in on a late day as a RD day, but there are many holiday things that don't require RD. We enjoy all the street performers at MK which bring holiday themes to their shows: Dapper Dans, Trolley Car Show, Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob... Likewise, we spend 2 or 3 afternoons enjoying the Epcot storytellers and performers at the Epcot fountain. Afternoons and evenings are great for resort touring - not just the monorail resorts, but all deluxe resorts. We enjoy just walking around and enjoying the atmosphere and decorations - no RD required. We will, however; spend most of our trip participating in RD. While all the other holiday options are wonderful and we love the night time options, we just can't give up the number of attractions we enjoy immediately after RD. Enjoy your trip - it's Disney at Christmas, so can't be beat regardless.

 

[jaz0308]

WE are in a bit of a similar situation in that we go every summer so my focus for my Dec. trip (23-27) is to see the holiday specific stuff! We are usually RD devotees but I am finding that most of the stuff I want to see is at night. I just rearranged my schedule a bit so that we can sleep in if we choose since we'll be doing late nights. For my family, the trip is no good if we are tired and cranky! LOL! And since we have the luxury of knowing we'll be there in July to do all our favorite stuff I feel that I can devote this trip to the holidays! The one thing I absolutely can't figure out is how to do the Xmas parade and holiday wishes without being in a crush of a crowd. Probably because there IS no way! LOL!

 

[jvz82]

Have you made your FP reservations or ADR yet? You may have some trouble at this point because it's such a busy week. I'm going to be there the same week and there are very few ADRs available at this point, depending on where you want to go. I've checked into a few places just to see about changing things around and it seems like everything is booked. I'm sure some things are open so as long as you're willing to be flexible it should be fine.

We go at Christmas time almost every trip. We love it. I think being laid back is a good idea, however it is so busy that you do need to have a plan. Otherwise you're going to end up barely getting to ride anything or see anything because you spend too much time trying to figure out what to do and dealing with crowds. A few years ago we went at Spring break and were totally laid back and it was fantastic. Then we went at Christmas time the next year with the same laid back plan, and it was kind of a disaster and we really could have avoided a lot of the problems if we'd planned things out better. So this time I have an extremely detailed touring plan. In the back of my head, I know there's still some flexibility with the plan. If one of the kids is suddenly freaking out and we just need a break, we take a break, or if the kids really want to go on a ride for a second time we do it. But I have a plan to always return to.

We plan to RD every day and then to take afternoon breaks at the hotel, except our last day because we check out of the hotel that morning. It is busy the week before Christmas for sure, but not as busy as the 24th through new years. It's wall to wall people at certain times of day, like starting around lunch time until dinner. Some things are too busy to be enjoyable for me, like the parade. But I think with RD and a good touring plan, you can get a lot out of your days.

 

[xlsm]

You've received a lot of great tips...I also want to invite you to join our December trip thread! You can find it HERE
Lots of people going your week (including me! Our trips overlap ) and many have been posting daily plans and things that might help you make a plan.
Hooray for last minute trips!!

 

[fla4fun]

One thing that can help with the relaxing part is to not plan commando days. Some days, hit rope drop and then go do resort things in the afternoon. Other days, maybe sleep in a little (keeping everyone rested) and do some resort stuff in the morning, with your FP+ scheduled for late afternoon. Then hit the park after lunch.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I second the idea of a World Showcase afternoon/evening. We spent a day watching all the little shows that the countries have and we had so much fun! This year they've added some new holiday themed snacks and beverages (kind of like a very scaled down food and wine).

What I would do is sleep in that day or take it easy, then have three scheduled fastpasses for Epcot starting in the afternoon. If you can grab a FP for Frozen or anything you'd want to do on the way in, then pick a side, Mexico or Canada, and just start working your way around. Look at the storyteller schedule and try to plan the best time to see them all. Also, if you wait after the show the storytellers will usually take a few pictures with audience members. If you find yourself really enjoying a storyteller, be ready to rush (respectfully) up near them to be in line for a photo. Our favorite photo op was with the Chinese lion. For that photo, you'll line up to the stairs to the right of the stage where the stairs are. This is a very popular photo op so if you want it be quick, or else just watch the show from that area.

I think you can have a very enjoyable evening going from country to country, watching the storytellers, sampling the holiday snacks and drinks, maybe doing a ride or two as you pass by. You can top it off with Candle light Processional (even if you just glimpse it as you walk by) or by watching Illuminations which has the holiday tag.

 

[kayteekt]

You've received a lot of great tips...I also want to invite you to join our December trip thread! You can find it HERE
Lots of people going your week (including me! Our trips overlap ) and many have been posting daily plans and things that might help you make a plan.
Hooray for last minute trips!!

Will do, thanks!!

 

[tink2]

We have been Christmas week twice- including last year- we arrived Dec. 23 and left Dec. 29.
First and most important tip: ROPE DROP It is a must. All parks opened at 7am for resort guests (yes, it is completely dark at 7am) and it is killer- esp if you watch fireworks the night before- but so worth it. For the first hour and half- you literally can walk on rides. About mid morning to lunch- the crowds hit. MK closes daily bc of crowds- not sure how the week before is as far as closures- but park hopping became interesting last year.
Second tip: Have a plan and be flexible- if that makes sense. You HAVE to have a plan- but know that it may not always work the way the plan is laid out. Know that it will be packed and body to body in certain parts of the parks. Hit Fantasyland early because it is the busiest in MK. Hit the big, most popular rides first. We had our fast passes set up for early afternoon- this is tricky around the Christmas parade at MK- but we had one or two before the parade and the others after. We hit rope drop and went full force till early lunch. Sat down and had lunch, used the first FP or two, and then set up to wait for the parade.
MK Holiday Wishes: If you don’t mind body to body- no plan needed. However, my daughter had a full blown panic attack just trying to cross the bridge beside the castle from the teacup area to the front of the castle- mistake on our part but they had just lit the castle and everyone wanted a picture from that bridge apparently and it was a complete standstill and you couldn’t move at all- in any direction- it really was kind of scary. My daughter, 16 last year, is claustrophobic and had a complete panic attack. So- holiday wishes- we tried in front of the castle at the hub one night- literally made a circle around the kids in the family (big family trip) as they sat on the ground to try to give everyone their personal space and not be quite as crowded. Worked ok until about 20 minutes till the show. The next night we got on the corner of Casey’s corner- on the outer edge because for a while they keep the traffic on the street moving and noone could stand body to body in front of us. That worked much better- just have to get on the outer edge towards the street because trees are in your viewing space if not.

It is a magical time of year to go! Is it crowded? lol yes. We’ve done it twice and LOVE it- it is the most exhausting time of year to go for us- we do hit rope drop, don’t go back to the hotel to rest for a few reasons- but park closures are one, and stay till fireworks- so it is crazy exhausting- but so so so fun and worth it! Nothing is more magical at Christmas than Disney. Hopefully the crowds the week before won’t be quite as insane as the week after Christmas.

 

[sumismommy]

Hi, I'm going Dec 16th through the 21st. I have never been during Christmas time before. but we plan on doing rope drop everyday. We can sleep when we get home! We plan on going till about 6pm at least 2 or 3 days, and we are leaving room for naps a couple of days. We don't really plan on naps since we won't be battling the summer heat.