Is it too late to plan a Dec. trip? *UPDATED after I took your advice!

[Narnia_girl]

I wish there was a prize for indecision--I'd win!

First we were going (bought tickets), then we weren't, now I think we should.

Our son plays with his marching band at the Citrus parade (Dec. 30) and at Magic Kingdom (Jan. 1).

Details:
My husband and I have never been to WDW.
We have no hopper tix for 5 days.
We will drive from midwest

I'm torn about lodging:
Condos on VRBO *seem* to be available and at reasonable prices (I understand the parking fee at the parks)
OR
Main concern is crowds--so contemplating staying onsite for a couple of days, and then using points to get free rooms nearby.

I wish I was more excited about going, but I'm dreading the crowds and worried it will spoil us from wanting to go back. On the other hand, I feel like as soon as we don't go, we will regret it forever.

************************
*UPDATED Jan. 8, 2014*
WE DID IT!
I took so much of the advice here to heart, and made reservations at Port Orleans French Quarter (one night at Pop).

Our first ever trip to WDW--during the busiest week of the year and WE LOVED IT! It was the most wonderful, magical vacation ever. THANK YOU for the help and ideas.

Yes, it was crowded but we used info as best we could and managed to miss the biggest crowds. We used MagicBands (awesome) and FastPass Plus (awesome) and went with the flow.
We rode almost everything we wanted to, saw so many shows, and enjoyed our 25th anniversary by watching our son in the Citrus Parade, having lunch at the Rose/Crown, watching the Candlelight Processional and viewing IllumiNations.

So thanks for giving me (a novice) the advice and encouragement I needed. I'm hooked!

 

[StuckInKS]

In my mind it isn't too late to plan a Dec. 30 trip unless it is already Dec. 31 However, if you are looking for dining reservations to popular places like BOG then you might run into problems there. We have been during pretty busy times (July 4th) and have had problems getting ADRs this close to the trip, but with persistence I have been able to snag a few gems.

Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[spears2008]

I've never been during that time of year, but I've read about the park closing due to crowds during Christmas/New Year's break. If you are staying on-site you will have access to the parks, even through a Phase 3 closure. Otherwise, you will be able to get in through a Phase 1 closure, but won't get admitted in a Phase 2 or 3 closure. Others may be able to tell you how important this will be for your dates.

In general, I would say go and have a great trip!!

Phase 1 Closure
Casual visitors are turned away at the automobile toll plazas. This means that people without tickets, those with one-day, single-park tickets, and those intending to use cast mamber passes will not be allowed to park.
Other guests may enter:
Those with multi-day or multi-park tickets
Those staying at a Disney Resort
Annual Passholders
Those re-entering the park that day.
Those "hopping" from another park.
Those with in-park reservations or appointments.
Those arriving via Disney transportation


Phase 2 Closure
The following guests are allowed through the turnstiles and into the parking lots:
Those staying at a Disney Resort
Annual Passholders
Those re-entering the park that day.
Those "hopping" from another park.
Those with in-park reservations or appointments.
Those arriving via Disney transportation


Phase 3 Closure
The following guests are allowed through the turnstiles and into the parking lots:
Those staying at a Disney Resort
Annual Passholders
Those with in-park reservations or appointments.


Phase 4 Closure
The park and parking lot are closed to all arriving guests.

 

[tzeitel]

I would be torn as well On the one hand it will be super crowded. On the other hand I would love to see my kid play at MK.

If you decide to go I would try not to plan too much, just go with the flow. Maybe book ADRs just to have a good spot to sit down for a meal and have a break in a crowded park.

You could check Disney resort prices on Travelocity, they usually have a coupon for 15% off floating around. If you go through Ebates you get 6.5% cash back. If you have free night rewards check early for availability - they might not offer free nights during such a busy week.

 

[Traveliz]

I wish there was a prize for indecision--I'd win!

First we were going (bought tickets), then we weren't, now I think we should.

Our son plays with his marching band at the Citrus parade (Dec. 30) and at Magic Kingdom (Jan. 1).

Details:
My husband and I have never been to WDW.
We have no hopper tix for 5 days.
We will drive from midwest

I'm torn about lodging:
Condos on VRBO *seem* to be available and at reasonable prices (I understand the parking fee at the parks)
OR
Main concern is crowds--so contemplating staying onsite for a couple of days, and then using points to get free rooms nearby.

I wish I was more excited about going, but I'm dreading the crowds and worried it will spoil us from wanting to go back. On the other hand, I feel like as soon as we don't go, we will regret it forever.

My daughter did that same trip almost ten years ago -- gosh maybe it was! Anyway GO GO GO. Now we are veteran Disney people but our focus was seeing the parade and the kids at MK...the other stuff was extra. That said I go almost every year during this time and you can either do a commando early in, very prepared or go with the flow and not worry about it.

I would super plan the parade day downtown and the MK day and let the rest fall into place.

We drove from the Midwest too - actually do it often -- we left when the bus left with the kids. We did not stay with the kids but I used some Marriott points up and then we rented points and stayed at Disney a few days.

I can be more specific with help if you want.

Liz

 

[Narnia_girl]

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions. And Liz, I'd definitely welcome any specific advice. The kids leave on Dec. 27. I think we'd leave on the 28th. (added bonus--our 25th anniversary is the Dec. 30)

 

[Narnia_girl]

I would be torn as well On the one hand it will be super crowded. On the other hand I would love to see my kid play at MK.

If you decide to go I would try not to plan too much, just go with the flow. Maybe book ADRs just to have a good spot to sit down for a meal and have a break in a crowded park.

You could check Disney resort prices on Travelocity, they usually have a coupon for 15% off floating around. If you go through Ebates you get 6.5% cash back. If you have free night rewards check early for availability - they might not offer free nights during such a busy week.

Thanks for the info. How do you use ebates to book a Disney resort?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I would not consider going at the busiest time of the year. I also would be concerned about driving to FL at the end of December due to unpredictable weather.

 

[Disneykatz]

My vote is to go! We just went to WDW for our first time the beginning of July & didn't decide that & start planning until mid-May & everything turned out great! You could go anytime but you have the perfect excuse - this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see your son in the band at MK?

We stayed off site, but if you are able to, I would stay on site, for the perks, atmosphere, & in case they have those closures I heard about.

It may be a bit more crowded than some other times of the year, but I don't think that would take away from your whole experience. Just do a little research & pre-planning, but then go with the flow when you get there because things may change in real time!

I don't know if you are familiar with the website easywdw but look at the crowd calendars & cheat sheets, he shows MK to be the best park on Jan. 1st! I used that site to plan which parks to visit each day & which rides to go on first, it was awesome!

 

[kiramay]

I would ABSOLUTELY GO just to see my child/ren play at Disney. We were there over New Years last year, and drove from Chicago. Weather is hit-or-miss. We had snow through 3/4 of IL but the rest was rain or normal.

You are going during the busiest time. It can be done, but you need to plan your days, rides, EMH, and TS dining. We had a great time due to Fast passes, ADR, and my OCD planning. No more than 30 minute waits, mostly 10-15 minutes. Otoh, we didn't do some of the popular roller coasters.

Just GO and have fun!

 

[honeydiane1953]

I have just started thinking about going in a month! Crazy I know.

 

[kellyg403]

I have never gone at that time, but I have thought about it numerous times.
When we had the kids with us it was all about getting as much done in as short a time as possible. I think I was fearful of the crowds just thinking about touring like that during Christmas week. Now that dh and I go alone more often, our touring style is more laid back by a long shot. Food, shop, food, ride something/see something(FP) etc etc

I think we could do a Christmas week with ADRs at the 180 mark, a couple fastpasses and remembering its vacation, so I can sit around the hotel sometimes. I will be watching this thread intently.'

OP, I would think that I would be leery of the drive more than anything weather wise. Plus the long haul, are you planning on driving straight thru? Is it a drive that requires a night in a hotel? I would hate to get to WDW during one of the most crowded times after a nonstop drive and hope to get it all done when I was that tired. If the intent is to see your children and maybe explore, I would definitely make some ADRs, stay on site and plan what you can for early in the day. That is pretty much what I would do.

ETA: another question, will you also be going to the Citrus Bowl on the 30th? That would also take a good chunk of time as well.

Kelly

 

[mikehn]

We're determined to go for xmas. But I havent done squat yet. The biggest pain for us at this point is airfare. but hey, its all relative.

 

[Narnia_girl]

I have never gone at that time, but I have thought about it numerous times.
When we had the kids with us it was all about getting as much done in as short a time as possible. I think I was fearful of the crowds just thinking about touring like that during Christmas week. Now that dh and I go alone more often, our touring style is more laid back by a long shot. Food, shop, food, ride something/see something(FP) etc etc

I think we could do a Christmas week with ADRs at the 180 mark, a couple fastpasses and remembering its vacation, so I can sit around the hotel sometimes. I will be watching this thread intently.'

OP, I would think that I would be leery of the drive more than anything weather wise. Plus the long haul, are you planning on driving straight thru? Is it a drive that requires a night in a hotel? I would hate to get to WDW during one of the most crowded times after a nonstop drive and hope to get it all done when I was that tired. If the intent is to see your children and maybe explore, I would definitely make some ADRs, stay on site and plan what you can for early in the day. That is pretty much what I would do.

ETA: another question, will you also be going to the Citrus Bowl on the 30th? That would also take a good chunk of time as well.

Kelly

YES--he is also marching in the Citrus Bowl, so we'll be there. I do have tickets for five days already, but I am thinking of saving them for July when we have a cruise scheduled and just adding park days. For December, I might just buy a couple of days worth of WDW, especially so we can see him on Jan. 1.
Did I mention it's our 25th wedding anniversary on the day of the Citrus Bowl.

I guess at this point if we want ADRs we'll just have to take what we can get.

 

[tzeitel]

Thanks for the info. How do you use ebates to book a Disney resort?

Go to Ebates and type Travelocity, they give 6.5% cash back for hotels and make sure to search the web for a coupon code. They have a Disney World section and you can also look for nearby hotels.

 

[AuntMinnie12]

GO! GO! GO! Especially with having your anniversary in the mix! We have been there the last 4 years at that time of the year for soccer.

Is it crowded, sure! But you don't have to go commando in the parks! There are so many other options!

One of our favorite things to do....go around to all the different Disney Resorts and see all the holiday decorations! It's truly magical!

 

[Narnia_girl]

Alright, I have another question that I could use help with: where to stay.

I am not crazy about the outrageous Disney resort fees, but might be willing to pay that just to ensure we aren't shut out. As I see it we have three options:

A.
Stay 2 nights at a Holiday Inn (paid with points)
Stay 2 nights at Pop Music
Parking=$30
Pros: being on site on days we think we'll be in the parks.
Cons: Have to move in middle of our vacation; no real opportunity to cook meals, but we might be too busy.

B. Rent condo at Windsor Hills
Parking=$60
Pros: Plenty of room to spread out; cook some meals
Cons: driving, could get shut-out if parks close to capacity.


C. Stay onsite at Budget Resort
Pros: on site, no driving, most likely would get in parks
Cons: super inflated prices, crowds, cramped hotel room


Of course I have to add hotel tax to all above, and cleaning fee at Windsor Hills.

 

[kiramay]

Alright, I have another question that I could use help with: where to stay.

I am not crazy about the outrageous Disney resort fees, but might be willing to pay that just to ensure we aren't shut out. As I see it we have three options:

A.
Stay 2 nights at a Holiday Inn (paid with points)
Stay 2 nights at Pop Music
Parking=$30
Pros: being on site on days we think we'll be in the parks.
Cons: Have to move in middle of our vacation; no real opportunity to cook meals, but we might be too busy.

B. Rent condo at Windsor Hills
Parking=$60
Pros: Plenty of room to spread out; cook some meals
Cons: driving, could get shut-out if parks close to capacity.

C. Stay onsite at Budget Resort
Pros: on site, no driving, most likely would get in parks
Cons: super inflated prices, crowds, cramped hotel room

Of course I have to add hotel tax to all above, and cleaning fee at Windsor Hills.

A- too much moving.
B- if you need/want space and to cook, this is your best bet. But you'll have to make sure to get up early enough to get to RD at least 30 min early, plus factor in drive and parking time.
C- with the crowds you could take advantage of the EMHs. And no driving, no parking cost. Will you spend so much time in your room that it will feel crowded? We literally passed out at the end of every day and didn't really pay attention to lack of space.

 

[johde]

I would be torn as well about what to do. I've made 2 near Christmas trips. The first one ending Dec. 23 and the second one starting Dec. 31. If it wan't your first trip to WDW it would be a big What ever your imagining the crowds will be like, it's probably going to be worse. Even my Dec. 23rd trip didn't fully prepare me for New Year and the week after. That being said, while I don't want to make my next trip during that time, I would do it again.

As crowded as it was, I only once felt closed in and couldn't move. I spent New Years Eve at EPCOT it was crazy busy but also a blast. Just don't plan on riding any major attractions that evening. But, there are DJ's setup around World Showcase and the entire area was one giant party. To keep things moving, they had a "road" taped off completely around world showcase with cast members everywhere maintaining 2 way traffit on the "road". If you want to stop and look around, get off the road. And for the most part it worked. Also, during most of the evening the had backstage areas open so you could get in or out without the crowds. The Fireworks on NYE at EPCOT were some of the best I'd ever seen. They showed an early Illuminations, then at Midnight a repeat performance with a New Years Eve countdown and finale that was amazing.

As far as accomidations, if you can at all swing it, I'd try to stay on-site. EMH and FP+ will be worth their weight in gold during that time. As far as touring goes, if you can, get there at Rope Drop, Plan on Staying until Closing, and find a way to relax during the middle of the day. The best time to try to ride is the first couple of hours of the day and the last couple of hours. This is especially true if the park is open after Midnight 1:00 A.M. At the MK, the crowds go down quite a bit once the fireworks are over.

 

[Narnia_girl]

A- too much moving.
B- if you need/want space and to cook, this is your best bet. But you'll have to make sure to get up early enough to get to RD at least 30 min early, plus factor in drive and parking time.
C- with the crowds you could take advantage of the EMHs. And no driving, no parking cost. Will you spend so much time in your room that it will feel crowded? We literally passed out at the end of every day and didn't really pay attention to lack of space.

Thanks for your input. It's very helpful.

I would be torn as well about what to do. I've made 2 near Christmas trips. The first one ending Dec. 23 and the second one starting Dec. 31. If it wan't your first trip to WDW it would be a big What ever your imagining the crowds will be like, it's probably going to be worse. Even my Dec. 23rd trip didn't fully prepare me for New Year and the week after. That being said, while I don't want to make my next trip during that time, I would do it again.

As crowded as it was, I only once felt closed in and couldn't move. I spent New Years Eve at EPCOT it was crazy busy but also a blast. Just don't plan on riding any major attractions that evening. But, there are DJ's setup around World Showcase and the entire area was one giant party. To keep things moving, they had a "road" taped off completely around world showcase with cast members everywhere maintaining 2 way traffit on the "road". If you want to stop and look around, get off the road. And for the most part it worked. Also, during most of the evening the had backstage areas open so you could get in or out without the crowds. The Fireworks on NYE at EPCOT were some of the best I'd ever seen. They showed an early Illuminations, then at Midnight a repeat performance with a New Years Eve countdown and finale that was amazing.

As far as accomidations, if you can at all swing it, I'd try to stay on-site. EMH and FP+ will be worth their weight in gold during that time. As far as touring goes, if you can, get there at Rope Drop, Plan on Staying until Closing, and find a way to relax during the middle of the day. The best time to try to ride is the first couple of hours of the day and the last couple of hours. This is especially true if the park is open after Midnight 1:00 A.M. At the MK, the crowds go down quite a bit once the fireworks are over.

I think you have me convinced! Guess I better read up about Fastpass Plus. I didn't realized resort guests had any advantage.