It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!

[Tink Fans]

Just booked Boardwalk for Dec. 25 through Jan. 1st and plan to move to the Beach Club for Jan. 1 through Jan. 5...very excited...although we've done Christmas before 2008-09 we've never gone to the parks. We were complete bums and sat by the pool for a week ~ the weather was really good that December. Hoping for a REPEAT! We plan on going to the parks too!

 

[::danielle::]

We have rented points and will be staying in a 1-bedroom at BLT from Dec 14-21. We've been to DIsneyland at Christmastime but not WDW. I cannot wait to see the parks and the resorts in all their holiday splendor!

 

[wrighter]

Booked our very first Christmas trip, too! It uses up a chunk of change to go at that time of year. I hope we don't make this a habit....

Yes it does take some serious points! Lol! Which is why we're staying in a standard one bedroom at Kidani. It was the fewest amount of points, plus we get the sleeper chair and extra bathroom. Sure wish we could stay closer to the parks, but we're hoping to go back Easter Week in 2014 so we had to keep the points under control. Hoping perhaps we'll like the "remote, quiet" feeling of AKV after the chaos of the parks. I'll just keep telling myself that as we make the long trek "home" from the parks.

Here's to the Holidays at Disney! Woo hoo!! So glad there are others who understand my insanity . . .

 

[Hollymom1229]

Not quite Christmas itself, but DH and I are ridiculously excited for our trip December 8 - 15. We've only been once before when the Christmas decoration were up and that was a fast 3 night trip with my parents. This time we will have the luxury of really enjoying 8 nights down there to soak in all the Christmas stuff. We are at AKV in a Club Level studio! We plan to tour the resorts, do all the Christmas stuff in the parks, and even take advantage of the Sunrise Safari. Seeing as this trip is to celebrate our 10th anniversary it should be really special.

 

[JaneSparrow]

Never been to WDW at Christmas time. Booked 12/1 to 12/8 at 2BR LV at BLT. First time at our home resort too! DS1 will be 5 then and DS2 will be 1 yr and 10 months. We are inviting another family to go with us.

SO excited!! It's not a surprise since I'm too excited to keep it a secret.

DH and I are now waiting for our employers to approve vacation days. Also, we enrolled DS1 to PRE-K this Sept so I hope it won't be an issue with the school.

I heard someone already checking flights - I thought they are not out yet!

 

[Gowahoowa]

We've been to Disney twice at Christmas. In 2009, we arrived on 12/27 and surprised the kids on Christmas! Just this past December, we actually stayed over Christmas from 12/22-12/29! We surprised the kids when they got home from school on Friday, 12/21, and left a few hours later!

Let me just say it was the best family vacation we have ever taken! We always drive so we packed a rubbermaid full of wrapped Christmas presents. We packed Christmas lights, 2 small pre-lit Christmas trees, the stockings, and of course, Haddy our Elf on the Shelf! It was MAGICAL! The kids were thrilled when Haddy arrived! They were very worried that Santa would miss them on vacation.

Don't worry about the crowds. Enjoy yourself! Get to the parks early!! On Christmas morning, we were up at 6:00am. The kids found their stocking stuffers, but waited until mid-aftertoon to open Santa's presents!

We were walking down Main Street at 7:00am and were in line for Belle's Enchanted Tales at 7:05am. It was awesome! What a way to spend Christmas morning!

First timers at Christmas here also. 11 month booking at BWV. We are going in March so the kids are never going to expect it. We do plan some sort of a grand surprise however not sure what we will do. We know it will be packed but so be it. Dec. 21st - 28th for us.

 

[goofydad99]

We are booked in a treehouse. We are looking forward to our second Christmas trip.

 

[wrighter]

We're official! Booked our flights this morning!!! (It's never "real" for me until we have flights. Until that point, it's too easy to scrap the whole thing.)



I still can't believe we pulled the trigger! We leave late Christmas morning. It's going to be crazy! Can't wait.

 

[YEWDVC]

I was at WDW 12/26 to 12/30 in 2011 and it was fantastic. Two suggestions: (1) Go to the parks very early or late in the afternoon. Several parks closed admission around noon due to the size of the crowds. (2) Download an application on your phone that gives updated info regarding crowd size and wait times. Have fun!

 

[thptrek]

Not quite Christmas itself, but DH and I are ridiculously excited for our trip December 8 - 15. We've only been once before when the Christmas decoration were up and that was a fast 3 night trip with my parents. This time we will have the luxury of really enjoying 8 nights down there to soak in all the Christmas stuff. We are at AKV in a Club Level studio! We plan to tour the resorts, do all the Christmas stuff in the parks, and even take advantage of the Sunrise Safari. Seeing as this trip is to celebrate our 10th anniversary it should be really special.

I think that time period is the best! It gives you all the fun Disney Christmas activities but then you can go home before the big crowds get there.

 

[arielrocks]

No we are getting super excited also!!!!

 

[wrighter]

We'll be at AKV from 12/22 to 12/27, and I'm already looking at flights. Right now we can get really good times for $405 pp. I have a feeling that prices will just go up from here, but I'm hesitant to book so early. I've been thinking about going over to the transportation board to get feedback on Christmas flight trends from expensive airports.

Not sure if Newark is a doable airport for you from central NY, but we booked round trip at great times for $313 pp this morning. Considering we've seen it as high as $800 in recent days, we just decided to pull the trigger. Now I just have to fight the urge to watch airfare in the months ahead to see if we pulled the trigger too early!!!

Just thought I'd let you know what we found in case it makes a difference for you guys. These NY area airports are so expensive!

 

[hjgaus]

We will be at our home resort BCV from Dec. 23 til Jan2!! (with a few days in between @ Sheraton Vistana Villas) Our first trip back since Christmas 2009! Miss WDW and BCV so much & looking forward to "spreading out for our magical holiday fun" this year! I do love Disneyland w/ my AP's as of the last two years but something about more places to enjoy @ WDW even when it's the crowded holiday season makes it my favorite place to be for Christmas & New Years Eve!!!

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

First timers at Christmas here also. 11 month booking at BWV. We are going in March so the kids are never going to expect it. We do plan some sort of a grand surprise however not sure what we will do. We know it will be packed but so be it. Dec. 21st - 28th for us.

Make time to go see the The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at HS. We went last year and it was fantastic. Best of all being at BWV you can walk to HS and back to you room.

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

We'll be at AKV from 12/22 to 12/27, and I'm already looking at flights. Right now we can get really good times for $405 pp. I have a feeling that prices will just go up from here, but I'm hesitant to book so early. I've been thinking about going over to the transportation board to get feedback on Christmas flight trends from expensive airports.

Another thing I'm already thinking about (waaaay too early lol) is what restaurants would be cool fo Xmas Eve and Xmas diinner. Or how fun would it be to just do absolutely nothing but hang around the pool on Christmas Day? The hustle and bustle at home over the holidays is the reason we want to do this trip in the first place.

Just thought i would throw out another option for those in the mid Atlantic region. We live in NJ and take the Auto train, we booked for a September trip, the cost for round trip with two adults and two children with a family cabin that sleeps four and inludes food was around $1100; and we get to bring our car too.

 

[BabsBunny]

Thanks for all the advice. Unfortuntely Newark is at least five hours away, and when you count in parking, hotel if you have an early flight, and stress, $1600 for the four us from SYR sounds better. And the auto train is at least seven or eight hour drive and then what is it...16 hours on the train? Might as well just drive the whole way.

JetBlue just released fares through October. Maybe I will sit tight and see what they come up with in a few months. Unless the other carriers start jumping in price and I get spooked. haha.

 

[irishgolf]

I am glad I have company planning for Christmas 2013! We were at WDW in early Dec 2012, definitely go to the Osborne Lights, they are amazing! Am "dragging" my family to BCV Dec 28th-Jan 5th. Can not wait! Hopefully the crowds will not be too extreme, and we can hit the parks LATE at night. Anyone been there during New Years Eve?

 

[gracelrm]

We went in December 2004 - from Dec. 18-23rd. We loved it, but haven't been able to be back at Christmastime. Last night I made reservations for Dec. 29-Jan 3 at our home resorts of VWL. I am really excited. I hope to see the Christmas parade at the Magic Kingdom and CP at Epcot. I don't know if we'll actually go to a park on the 31st or not - but I'm excited to read about NYE and all the possibilities.

 

[bksomody]

We went this year on Jan. 1. I was reluctant to go at this time of the year b/c of the crowds but was really the best time for everyone so we went and LOVED it. The weather was great, some days were warm and we were able to go to the pool and the cool days were great for the park and crowds weren't that bad.

After we returned my parents kept asking when we' re going back so I started planning and was able to rent bwv points at 11 months. I was worried planning so far in advance but I'm so glad I did b/c the 2br at bwv were gone for 1/1. We re on a wailist, but am hoping something will open by then.

Does anyone know when extra magic hours come out and when you can book dining reservations?

 

[bksomody]

I am glad I have company planning for Christmas 2013! We were at WDW in early Dec 2012, definitely go to the Osborne Lights, they are amazing! Am "dragging" my family to BCV Dec 28th-Jan 5th. Can not wait! Hopefully the crowds will not be too extreme, and we can hit the parks LATE at night. Anyone been there during New Years Eve?

We went on 1/2 and the crowds weren't that bad. Went to mk on 1/3 for evening magic hours and went on all the main rides,
We missed the lights this year and I'm going to make sure I see them next year. Everyone says they're amazing