Going to IOA/US in Dec!!!! : )

[Kasper1014]

This will be my first trip to Fl in about 20 years....first visit for our three kids. I always thought when I planned a trip to FL, it would be to WDW.

Then...Harry Potter came. And well, the rest is history.

We have already booked our vacation for Dec 18 through 22. Will this be a hectic busy time of year?

We are staying at RPR and plan on putting those early park passes to use.

Our plans are to eat at Three Broomsticks, Mythos, Bubba Gumps and Finnegans so far.

Is there anything else I'm forgetting?

Thank you all soooo much for any advice.

 

[mesaboy2]

Yes, it will be busy, but the good news is that you are staying onsite. That will go a long way to helping you beat the crowds. Use early entry, especially at WWoHP, and your included unlimited Express passes everywhere and you should have a great time.

 

[Kasper1014]

Thanks for the welcome! We are super excited!!! We are planning on WWoHP that Monday and being at the gates by 6:45am. My 16 ds is planning on the 20 butter beers he thinks he'll be drinking.

My ds 12 and dd 11 are not quite as excited. I'm hoping that changes once we are there.

We are from south Texas where winters are either mild or a little cold....I'm assuming Orlando will be the same?

 

[mesaboy2]

It might make it into the upper 30s while there, but not much worse than that. Really hard to tell.

 

[edamethyst]

Universal at Christmas time is soo fun. Make sure you check out Grinchmas! That was one of my favorite shows to watch. the temperature can be warm during the day and cooler at nite but a couple days last year we needed hoodies even during the day.

 

[Badge]

We were at Universal last year around that time (we got there two days later and left the day after christmas). The first few days the parks were not busy at all! I have a feeling with your dates, the crowds will not be that bad. Plus, since you made a great choice to stay onsite, the crowds will not really matter for most of the park.

As far as the weather, it was nice some days and really bad one day. We are from Houston now, but I grew up in St. Louis, and one day I felt like I was back in St. Louis. It was SOO cold. The odd weather makes it hard to pack. You will want a mix of long sleeve and short sleeve shirts. Jeans (to cold to wear shorts) and of course a jacket. My mom brought gloves, and see was very glad see did on that really cold day.

You will have a great time! Going around the holidays are the best becuase of everything they do. You will want to check out the Macy's parade near the Mummy ride (its the best place to get the full experince )

 

[Kasper1014]

We are also looking forward to Grinchmas and Macy's Holiday Parade. I'm glad to hear about the view from the mummy's revenge.

I'm hoping since I'm from San Antonio, I'll be prepared for the winter weather.....but I guess we will see.

Dec can NOT get here soon enough!!!

 

[pixeegrl]

You are going at a good time. We went Christmas of 2009 and the crowds were very manageable (stayed at RPR) until Dec 26. They really picked up our last day there. We had one cool day and the rest were nearly 80...that's the day we did the water rides. Of course last year they had snow I believe, so it's all up to mother nature. Just remember to check the forecast before you leave and pack accordingly. Remember the weather can change though so if it's supposed to be warm the whole time...still pack a pair of pants and a hoodie! The parks are beautiful at Christmas time too!!! I can only imagine how pretty WWoHP is going to be. Enjoy your trip and come back and tell us about it