Is Disney really worth going during the holidays?Why?

[kawing123]

Still debating whether to head out to the world for the holidays. Is it really magical or is simply another light display?

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

There is NO WAY I would go to WDW during the actual week of Christmas and/or New Years. Overpriced & crowded. Yes, it is nice to go during December and see it snow on Main St and see the decorations, but go during the early part of the month, do not go during the actual holiday. You will probably hate it. I'm sure some people like it but... I don't get those people lol.

 

[SalandJeff]

It is magical at Disney during the holiday season. However, as pp said, I would never go during Christmas week. If you can go at the beginning of December, crowds are small, prices are lower, and you still get all the lights, Candlelight Processional, parades, MVMCP, and holiday magic.

 

[DawnM]

Christmas is the busiest time at Disney. We went one year.....NEVER again! It is bedlam.

I still am trying to get a week in during January.....but Christmas? NO WAY!

Dawn

 

[Rm3idm]

We go to Disney at the beginning of December every year. It is truly magical. We've been during summer and spring break, but it is just not the same. Disney itself is a wondeful place, the holiday decorations is an added bonus...

 

[sammi6]

I agree with previous posters. I absolutely love it during the month of December, I find it to be very magical and my kids love it. The parades are awesome and the snow on Main Street is just great and then the lights are on the castle are really beautiful. I try to go in December as much as possible, but I did make the mistake one year of going during New Years, not a good idea unless you like crowds. I had a good time still but I would never do it again.

 

[Chicago526]

I'm going to disagree. DH and I went the first week of Dec. in 2004. We had a great time, but I found myself just getting burned out on Christmas "stuff" after a few days. Especially the music. It was all Christmas music, all the time, even at the resorts. I missed the usual "soundtrack" of Disney, where the music changes between lands and each resort had it's own themed music.

I'm no Scroge, I love Christmas! But it was just too much.

The one thing that I did love, and is the ONLY thing that may tempt me back, was the holiday "tag" at the end of Illuminations. That was the most AWESOME fireworks display I've ever seen!!!!

 

[pearlieq]

We had a great time, but I found myself just getting burned out on Christmas "stuff" after a few days. Especially the music. It was all Christmas music, all the time, even at the resorts. I missed the usual "soundtrack" of Disney, where the music changes between lands and each resort had it's own themed music.

I felt similarly.

I've been in early Dec, mid Dec, and the week between Christmas and New Years.

As for the trip during New Year's Week--NEVER AGAIN! It wasn't my choice to go then (it was the only time my godchildren could go) and it was pretty much as awful as advertised. Crowds were awful and prices were sky-high.

For the early December trip, I wound up feeling a lot like the poster I quoted. We were there a week. It was nice for a couple of days, then it just started feeling like being at the mall. You stop noticing the Christmas decorations and I found myself really missing the themed music. There's not much difference between hearing "Jingle Bells" on Main Street and at Kohl's.

The best trip we ever did was mid-December. We were there for 3 nights to show my Mom the Christmas lights and it was just right. A short enough trip to appreciate everything without going into overload.

 

[Golf4food]

There is NO WAY I would go to WDW during the actual week of Christmas and/or New Years. Overpriced & crowded. Yes, it is nice to go during December and see it snow on Main St and see the decorations, but go during the early part of the month, do not go during the actual holiday. You will probably hate it. I'm sure some people like it but... I don't get those people lol.

What they said.

We love WDW during Christmas time, but always go earlier in December to avoid the huge crowds closer to Christmas. We certainly find the World even more magical during the holidays.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Would anyone that has been during Christmas/New Years week like to say that they enjoyed it...please?? LOL

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

loved it so much we're going again this year!

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Could anyone share why they did dislike Christmas week so much? Like, please describe the insanity, crowds, ride wait times, etc.! I am also considering Christmas/New Years and have been told "never again" by so many people. I guess I just need a better picture of the craziness of it before I can give up going during that time(the only time during the holidays that we can go). There are other times during the year that we can go, but only during the "crazy" week for the holidays. Tell me your horror stories...or your wonderful ones!!

 

[disneyfan2kids]

Went 3 years for the week b/w Xmas/NYE.... LOVED it!!!! Crowds are fine as long as you don't plan on getting on every ride. We've seen the rides alot, so it was OK if we walked past something with a long line and decided to "skip it."

But the atmosphere can't be beat! And NYE in Disney is pretty much what I imagine Heaven will be like

That said...this year we're going (in a few days!) the 2nd week of December...b/c airfare and DVC points were too expensive to go that same week again.

Can't wait!!!

 

[mrsklamc]

My first visit was one day during Christmas week. I was 14, and literally ALL I remember was standing in line for like 2 hours for Space Mountain.

I suppose it could have its appeal if you go every year or even a couple times a year and like variety, but we prefer to go once every 3-5 years during a time when there are no crowds and we can just walk on and off rides.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

We've done Disney for Christmas the past 4 years and have LOVED it! The atmosphere is just...so magical. It's almost completely different from the way it is during the rest of the year.

Yes the crowds are ungodly huge. Yes, it is priced very high. Yes, the wait times can be insane if you don't plan (I've seen a 190 minute wait for Soarin'). And this is why if it's your first visit to WDW I strongly suggest NOT going at Christmas. My family has been to WDW so many times that we're not so concerned with getting on the rides as we are experiencing the Christmas atmosphere.

 

[dwdeb]

We love it! This will be our 9th Christmas(went to Maui in 07). We arrive the 23, and stay til the 31st or 1st.
We are DVC members, and book a 1BR. Though some years we were able to take advantage of good AP rates.
Yes it is crowded, but we go to a park for a specific reason, for example, to see a parade, or holiday show. We will do early am if we want to attempt to go on any attractions.
Lots of pool time, and visiting resorts, looking at decorations...It's wonderful!!

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

I've only been to WDW once, at xmas last year, so I have nothing to compare crowds to. We heard MK was "closed" by mid-day on the 25th last year (we were at Epcot that day), I guess Miley Cyrus was there?

We followed a touring plan from Unofficial Guide to WDW, so we got the major rides in first and followed their plan for picking up fastpasses. Parks did run out of fastpasses pretty early every day, starting with the 24th. If there's any way you could go prior to 24th, might be worth a look.

My kids are older, so the crowds and waiting didn't bug us very much. I could see it not being so much fun with stroller aged kids. The longest we waited was 2ish hrs for Toy Story Mania. I think the fastpasses were gone so we figured if we wanted to ride we might as well wait. We walked right on to many attractions though. It was definitely busier as the day went on.

The decorations are incredible! It's not like, oh there's a wreath over there, it's everything, everywhere. So well done! I can't imagine being there without the decorations. Which is why we're going back this year.

 

[happymommy]

One year we went on Dec 26th for a week. I had gotten such a great AP rate at the AKL concierge bunk bed room at $259 a night. That was back when your rate stayed the same the whole time.

We had been several times already, so weren't hell bent on doing every ride. We just wanted a nice vacation. The concierge staff was so excellent - they even had a cast member pick us up at the airport and drive us back (they had that service for concierge rooms that year). They booked all our dining reservations, even a NYE illuminations cruise on Breathless (I didn't even know what that was until we went on it - wow!).

We knew it would be crowded, so went to a park early then we'd leave when the crowds were too much. We really enjoyed the concierge lounge, the resort, and relaxing as well.

I was glad to have the lounge for breakfast and snacks (and many times the appetizers filled us up so much we didn't need dinner!). That really made a difference.

I definitely do not plan on going during that week again. But we had fun.

I also would NEVER recommend that week to someone who hasn't already been several times already. You would NOT see or do as much as another time of the year. The crowds are unbelievable. Really. The year we did it, each park closed to capacity almost every day. It got earlier and earlier as NYE approached.

I do love the week before Christmas, and we've done that as well as early December. Right before Christmas, I love the whole atmosphere. Last year we did it, stayed at the BWI (our favorite area) and had a nice time. If you want to be immersed in holiday music and decorations, you'll love it. I did. And definitely the Illuminations show is special.

 

[tzolkin]

When I was a kid we lived near Disney and had season passes. I remember it being so magical around Christmas. All the lights and our family liked watching the shows and singers. Getting hot cocoa and just enjoying the atmosphere. We would go just for that and not do any of the rides.

I started thinking maybe early December would be really nice for our next trip, but then I started to think like this...

We had a great time, but I found myself just getting burned out on Christmas "stuff" after a few days.

When I was a kid we just went for the day or, usually, just the evening. My parents and grandparents would pick us up from school on a Friday and we'd just go till the parks closed or we'd go to "Disney Village".

DH and I are not really big Christmas fans-- we put up a tree and a few decorations in the kids' common room but that's it. My mom always decorated the whole house inside and out and we had Christmas music playing from the day after Thanksgiving.

I think it would be nice for a short trip, but we like to go for 10 days or so. We're also not too sure about having to wear jackets and pants at Disney (We've only gone late May the past few years).

 

[Mickey527]

I used to go every year for NYE from 1998 until 2004. I loved being able to see the lights and the fireworks on NYE at Epcot are phenomenal. I tried to get back a few years ago but just can't do the long drive and airfare is crazy.
Don't go during that time if it is your first trip to the parks, but if you are not crazy about getting on all the rides you will enjoy just the atmosphere and the decorations. And of course Candelight Processional should not be missed.
One year I went alone and took at least 50 photos but none for me. I enjoyed helping people get their entire family in the photo and I made offers to help take the photos. Was a fun way to talk to people for a bit and find out where they were from etc...