Last minute trip for Osborne lights

[Egdisney]

Hello! I would love any suggestions, tips, insights to help make the most out of a short visit. My family including my parents went to DW 2 years ago and intended to return next year in December to see Christmas. Now that Osborne Lights are in their final year my mom and I have decided that we are going to go on our own for a quick Fri-Mon trip either the last weekend of Nov, or 1st of Dec. The crowd calendars are similar. Room availability is better the last wknd in NOV, but I did worry a bit because it's the wknd of thanksgiving. Our plan would go something like this:
Friday-arrive around noon, do the things you do when you arrive and head over to HS hopefully around 4-our only real purpose is to spend time at the lights, everything else is just whatever.
Saturday-Epcot- Christmas around the world and Candlelight Procession, we will purchase a dinner package
Sun- MVMCP-My mom says we MUST go to DTD. We went there last time, I don't want to go there, I want to see some resorts decorated. Help me talk my mom out of DTD.
So which weekend would you do, last of NOV or first of DEC? How would you get the most Christmas out of a short stay? I'm looking forward to not having any kids and just wondering around, I may try to do Haunted Mansion bc I was the one who stayed with the littles the last time we went & Peter Pan bc it was closed, but beyond that I could care less about rides. Any tips are appreciated. Thank you!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I would think the weekend of Thanksgiving would be much busier than the 1st weekend of December but I've never been for Thanksgiving. I would also try to verify the dates of the parade taping at the Magic Kingdom.

Try to find the schedule for the Holiday Story Tellers before you go. When I've been the schedules have not worked out that you can start in say Mexico and see each one in order-you have to do a bit of running back and forth to get them all in.

I'm with you on DTD. I don't think they sell anything there that I can't get elsewhere. Maybe your Mom could go by herself while you do some resort touring.

Have you looked to see if you can book a CP dinner package for both weekends? The Dec weekend is Whoopi Goldberg. I think it might be tough for you to book anything for her. I saw her in 2013. She was great!

 

[bc7ate9]

My mom and I quickly booked a long weekend trip when we heard about the lights leaving HS after this year. We will be there Dec 2-6. There was still lots of availability for Candlelight Processional packages (we are seeing Neil Patrick Harris, but looked at the weekend with Whoopi too), but you should probably book yours soon! You can always cancel when you decide on dates. We are doing the xmas party at the MK - I'm really looking forward to that.

 

[Nancyg56]

I suggest looking at the parade taping, it may bad the first weekend after Thanksgiving. We spent thanksgiving thru the first weekend in December. Thanksgiving weekend was pretty busy til Sunday afternoon. The following weekend was less crowded but there was no tree in Main Street and the parade taped. We enjoyed seeing that activity.

I booked a last minute trip too! December 8 thru 13. Hoping to see all the holiday decorations!

 

[Egdisney]

I did see that Whoopi was going to be the performer if we went in Dec, that would be fantastic! The Nov wknd was yet to be determined. I also would have thought that the wknd after Thanksgiving would be much busier, but as far as room availability goes it has Value and moderate choices a plenty, the only one available the next wknd is CBR, the one resort we've already stayed at. Flights are slightly more expensive in November, but Rooms would be much cheaper.
We went to MNSSHP(twice) on our last trip so I am excited for Christmas party, we just love Christmas!
Other than the Big tree not being up, will everything else be pretty well decorated,resorts and all by Thanksgiving?
Thanks for the tip on checking storytellers schedules, that will help a lot.

 

[eisforpants]

We too are doing a quick trip down to see the lights. It's been on my bucket list for years and never been able to go.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I would not choose the weekend of thanksgiving. I have been there a few times and Epcot will be packed on Saturday. It will be very crowded that weekend. It will be much more relaxing and you will be able to get more out of the trip if you go the weekend after thanksgiving. The weekend of thanksgiving is the first weekend for holidays around the world, so that will be packed.

 

[skuttle]

We're doing a quick trip to see the lights one last time too, even though we were just there in April! We are going later in December though, Dec 20-23.

 

[Harters2WDW]

We were just debating trying to make another trip to see the lights one more time!

 

[hiroMYhero]

The parade taping won't affect you other than the tree may not be up. The taping does not interfere with MVMCP and that's the only time you'll be in MK.

Maybe you can convince your Mom to tour the deluxe resorts to view the gingerbread houses and festive trees. That would be much more Christmasy than DTD.