Last Minute Christmas/NYE Trip

[atykay]

I'm currently tossing around the idea of upgrading our tickets to an AP. We are going the first week of October and if I decide to upgrade, that means I will want us to go back during every school break, including the week after Christmas. Is it possible to plan a "last minute" visit like that? I know for normal trips, we could always find ADRs and FP+ that we wanted just by checking availability frequently. Would that still be true for THE busiest time of year at WDW? With an AP we also wouldn't be restricted to staying on site as I'm sure things book up quickly and prices are highest. The crowds sound scary but I know things can be manageable with a good plan. I just need to know if a good plan is possible so close to the holiday.

 

[hakepb]

It's definately possible, basically what I did the past 2 years.

Especially if you approach it as a "bonus trip" and not a "once in a lifetime that will be ruined if I don't get CRT, trip"

The FP+ window is 60 days from check in (onsite) so you don't lose any time if you book in October

We were able to obtain enough ADR's within 30 days before Christmas, but it was more effort (checking and adjusting) than "normal" 180 days.

FWIW, with an AP offsite, you only get a rolling 7 days of FP+ with a 30 day window.
(On-site you can book as many days of FP+ as you book with a 60 day window)

 

[kappyfamily]

Sometimes it's fun to wing it, go for it!

 

[atykay]

Thanks for the encouragement! My expectations will definitely be lower if we do this. I just kind of want to experience what it would be like to be at a magical place during the most magical time of year!

 

[msp2mco]

We planned a trip last year in October for a few days before Christmas. I don't think we made ADR's, but we reserved FP+ with no problem. We stayed on site as DVC members too. We had a fabulous time, but I expect the week before Christmas is a lot less busy than the week after.

 

[izzylovesmickey]

We planned a between Christmas and NY Eve trip 2 years ago. Son had a lacrosse tourney in Florida that we planned to go to but the plans fell through on Christmas day and our flights were already booked. We made the best of it and called Disney 2-yes 2 days before we had our flight to Florida. They helped me find a room that we were happy with and we had a great time-absolutely no expectations for the trip. (It helped that it my kids were 20 and 18 at the time!) We got most of the fast passes we wanted, got some ADRs (can you guess how much time I spent on MDE for the day 1/2 that I had??) We did rides and shows that we normally wouldn't do and had a fantastic time. Just go with the expectation that it will be really crowded and you may have some long waits but the decorations , fireworks and overall experience can be great.

 

[Anniefrances]

Especially if you approach it as a "bonus trip" and not a "once in a lifetime that will be ruined if I don't get CRT, trip"

^^^^^^ What hakepb said.

We did this last year (Dec. 2015) and had a great time - as we are fortunate enough to have APs and go a couple times per year, we went mostly to hang out, ride our favorites, and take in the holiday vibe. Yes, it was crazy crowded but still manageable and we even had a few nice TS meals. A very different experience than our regular trips, but still fun.