No Magic, No Fun, Never Again

[DemoBri1]

Yes...don't give up on Disney just yet. The worst thing you can do is go to the "World" over a holiday weekend or Christmas week. The park will be clogged and more than likely will "close" for a while.

You can almost be guaranteed that MK will probably be closed at some point to new entries during Christmas week, and more than likely the 4th of July. Memorial Day possibly as well, depending on how many states have gotten out of school already.

My suggestion if you want to try the holiday times again is to go down just before the week of thanksgiving (most of the on-site resorts already have their decorations up by this time), or go the week after Thanksgiving up until the week before/of Christmas.

Brian

 

[MiaSRN62]

It's a shame the OP had such a disappointing trip, but they just happened to pick one of the busiest times one could go to WDW during. We went Easter week in '99 and found MK to be the most crowded park of all---the Saturday prior to Easter was insanely packed. We were literally shoulder-to-shoulder and it was 94 degrees to boot. Last year my dh suggested a trip to WDW Christmas week and I turned him down. I told him I just didn't think I could face the crowds/lines.
We stay both on site and offsite. A tip for future. Pick a time period less visited by people. All the holidays are going to be crowded. Summer can be tough too, but we just use our hopping privlege and go to a less crowded park during the summer months. There's usually one that's not too bad. Another tip if you're staying offsite (or onsite and didn't get up early enough)......avoid whatever park was slated for Early Morning Entry that day. It will be packed by noon on average. We stay 50% of our visits at Vistana and I have a calendar hanging on the frig to tell me what days not to visit certain parks. The MK is also most crowded on Saturdays as the locals like to hit that one on that day too.
I honestly don't feel you thought this trip out quite enough. The hours you logged on researching would have been adequate for a slow time of the year, but not the single most busy week in WDW. Hopefully, down the line, once the sting of the experience has worn off, you'll give it another chance. I don't think so many of us would keep going back year after year (and some of us more than one time a year !), if it were always as bad as your report made it to be. But honestly, I can understand your frustration.

 

[ValerieK]

We spent the week before Christmas at WDW. I can't tell you how many times I heard someone get upset because they tried to eat somewhere and were told that you had to make PS's starting 90 days out. The worse was a girl about 6 who was in tears in from of CRT because her Mother didn't know about PS's and told her daughter that they were going to have breakfast with Cinderella.

 

[Tissa]

I try and stay out of the posts that are a little heated, but every once in a while, I get the itch.....

I think the OP had exceedingly high expectations of the WDW portion of her trip. Not that uncommon when it comes to Disney, but very hard to fulfill during the Xmas Season when it is crazy busy. So I think she was bound to be disappointed especially since it involved her children.

It didn't seem like she had much expectation for US which worked in her favor. She was bound to be happy with her visit because she and her family had no previous expectations for their experience there. In addition, after her horrible experience at WDW...well Six Flags probably would've done the trick.

As far as prices, greed, etc....hmm...how to comment on that? Having worked at Disney many years ago before and early Eisner when the magic was supposedly still there....nothing has changed. Parks were packed; guests complained about crowds, prices and corporate greed. I remember the pre FastPass days when lines for many rides were regularly 60-90 minutes with new attractions like Star Tours, Captain Eo and the like having lines of up to 2 1/2 hours. I think it's all about personal perception.

Another poster was also grumbling about how they create their own magic at WDW since no one they are paying to do it seems to be creating it......I find that the magic is created by the people I travel with. If the Cast Members are friendly--it's a wonderful bonus. I also try to give more than I receive and find that I get a good response no matter what the circumstances. I think the world would be a better place if we all started sharing our own happiness rather than waiting for someone to give it to us because we paid for it.

Well said

 

[TDC Nala]

hey, there'll be fewer lines after everybody jumps ship to Universal.

 

[kilee]

Was this your first trip???

My first trip to Disney (well 2nd if you want to be technical-- my parents took me when I was 18 months old to MK) as an adult w/ DH & DS was a pure disaster. We went Easter week (of all weeks). We didn't make one single PS (didn't know anything about them). We arrived to jam packed parks most days around 11am (we didn't know the benefits of arriving early) and we left most days by 3-4pm (as we were frustrated by the 2 hr long lines). We showed up for parades moments before they began. Too make a long story short it was downright awful. We made 2 mistakes-- going for the first time during a holiday and we were unprepared (funny thing was I watched the planning video and thought I was well prepared). We left w/ the feeling that we were never ever going again and we just wasted several thousand dollars of hard earned money!!!

Fast forward about 10 months and I was bored on the internet. I found the DIS, I don't even remember why or how. We planned an impromptu trip for weeks later---"just to see if it would be different". This trip was the first week in February. Well, that alone (the crowd levels) made all the difference in the world. It was the greatest trip ever!!!!! It converted us!!!

I hope someday you get to go back again. Maybe a different time of year for a bit longer. You may find the magic then!!!

 

[TinkerPixxie]

We left on Dec 19 and returned dec 22... we got the feeling of christmas there for sure and were home just in time for Christmas. I do agree the crowds were crazy and the wait time was unbearable. I felt very much like i was in a position of denying my kids the ride or stand there for almost two hours on some. I will go again, i just wont go during the holidays. I wanted a Christmas in Disney experience and i got it... my bad. I never knew they would shut the parks down.. it didnt occure to me... im soooo glad that didnt happen to us.

 

[jlima]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the obvious about Universal Express? Our experience at Universal last summer was SO MUCH MORE RELAXING than at Disney and Universal Express made such a difference. You could sleep in, get breakfast and be in the parks by 10:30am and still walk onto almost any ride you wanted to with Universal Express. DS4 went on the Jimmy Neutron ride 4x in one day - we only had to wait for the next ride to start. At Disney we had to get up at 6am and be on a bus by 7:15am to be somewhere by 8am to make use of the EMH everday. I still can't believe we got back to our hotel at 2:15am after MK E-Ticket night and were up at 6:30 to make it to MGM in the morning. I don't plan on a relaxing vacation when I go to Orlando as it's a very hectic vacation and you have to put a lot of effort into the Disney Experience. If I were planning our vacation again I'd do Disney first and Universal next. It's as relaxing as a theme park vacation can be.

 

[bgula]

Here's my 2 cents... We just got back from a quick 5-day trip to DW (28th-1st) and had a great time! Having done Christmas last year for 2 1/2 weeks, we knew what to expect for crowds. If anything, I think it was more packed this year than last! That being said, getting to the park early was certainly the best thing. We did MK early opening on the 30th and did Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and later Adventureland with either no wait or virtually no wait. Parades were never a problem, front row as long as you were prepared to sit at least 45 minutes beforehand - something you have to do most of the year anyway. What surprised me most was that on the busiest day - the 31st - we went to AK and it was virtually empty compared to a couple of days before. I guess everyone decided to do MK that day.

Having a plan and knowing that when it's too busy it's time to just sightsee or maybe ride the TTA is the way to go.

The only beef I have is traffic direction on New Years Eve. One stinking lane out of Epcot and then all exits blocked so that you have to actually go out of Disney property altogether and re-enter to get to your resort! I complained about that as some people did not have a clue where they were going or how to get back - luckily I did. Person at the desk said that's the way they do things - something about safety.

I won't even begin to rant about Downtown Disney parking!

As for Universal - IMHO their situation is worse than Disney. Didn't have time to go this year, but last years' Christmas was so crowded you couldn't get on anything, even with an expresspass. Same thing in the summer.

 

[phamton]

I was at Universal on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day and didn't have any problems. I didn't have express pass or front of the line. I don't imagine that anyone would have problems if they had front of the line during the Christmas holidays. FOTL is different from express. Express is like Disney's fast pass. FOTL is when you stay onsite and your hotel key gets you in the express line on every ride. My husband timed the express line on New Years eve on Men in Black during the busiest time and it was 20 minutes. Usually FOTL is 15 minutes or less.

 

[debloco]

After reading the OP complaint, I really can’t say I feel that I agree with her assessment of Disney and I am disappointed in her unwillingness to accept responsibility for a situation of her own making. Within 5 minutes, I was able to supplement her comments with information from the Unofficial Guide to WDW 2004(in quotes,inserted below)
Quote:
bongocomm
My advice, NEVER EVER go to Disney during Christmas week. “Walt Disney World is busiest Christmas Day through New Year’s Day.”pg. 32 “And even the crowds of midsummer pale in comparison to the vast hordes that invade during holiday periods.” Pg. 41 .
Want to go to the bathroom? Plan 20 minutes before you actually need to...yes, big line there too! “Our advice for touring the parks between Christmas and New Year is to skip the Magic Kingdom, if at all possible. We love the Magic Kingdom. Really we do. But that love is tempered by the fact that women will wait in line up to twenty minutes to use the rest rooms during this week.” Pg. 45
On our third day, we just didn't see the point. We calculated we could maybe get in two more rides in 5 hours and none of us would have taken $500 to even stay. (We overheard other people say they might take a $1000 to stay but they would have to think about it). As we left at noon still hundreds and hundreds of people were pouring through the entry. I wanted to yell to everyone DON'T BOTHER! “If you visit during a major holiday period, arrive 40 minutes ahead of the official opening time. Hit your favorite rides early using one of our touring plans…Work under the assumption that …early morning will be the only time you can experience attractions without long waits.” Pg. 43

It’s not about Disney’s greed, it’s about the reality that you choose to go at the most crowded time of the year. And that means 60-90 minute waits to get pictures with characters and 20 minute waits for the bathroom. You said: “The only time we had to go to WDW due to my husband's schedule was the x-mas week...the only week we could almost guarantee he wouldn't be called to some work crisis. And we wanted to go before we moved back to the west coast in the spring.” Well, maybe it would have been better to not go this Christmas, wait until the kids are a little older, husband’s job settles down, save a little longer for the increase in airfare, pick a different time of year to go after learning about the wall to wall gridlock at the parks between Christmas and New Year etc., etc. You stated you spent 30 hours on research, but that doesn’t seem to square with other things you stated. No poster claimed you needed to “devote all of your free time to figuring out how to enjoy a theme park”, but 30 hours with the Unofficial Guide would have been sufficient and yet you didn’t say anything about getting there early, touring plans, priority seatings, etc. So I personally don’t think it’s “absurd” for posters to say much more gently than I have that it is your fault for not having a good time. Just because you wanted to go and believed that this was the only time you could go doesn’t mean that somehow the reality of how nuts the parks are this time of year is going to “magically” disappear. Not even Disney can work that kind of magic.

Quote:
minkydog
Go easy, gang. Until you've experienced a WDW Christmas it's hard to really imagine how bad the crowds are.

I disagree. I have not “experienced” a WDW Christmas, but I can imagine it darn well enough by doing just a little bit of research to know to avoid that week above all others.

Quote:
WDWPartyof5
I just think that when you go you really have to pull out the Unofficial Guide and plan plan plan to make it work.

ITA! As you can see from above, I really believe the Unofficial Guide is the way to go.

Quote:
HappyLawyer
Yes give them a break, we all learn from experience, wy do you think we go now the week before christmas, everyone is not like us, they don't spend hours on this board-lol let's be gentle, we were all there once, but again i think it is common sense -this is not to be rude or disrespectful to the poster, but we all know christmas at wdw will be crowded

Again, I disagree. By doing just a little research, you can avoid the expensive lesson!

Quote:
Disney uses a great marketing campaign that teaches you Cinderella is right there for a hug with your daughter.
Sorry, I can’t find the OP to credit them for this post. But, I will say that they are right, Disney does project this image in their marketing but it is just that-marketing. We all know (or should know better) than to really think that upon walking up to Cinderella Castle with our children that they are going to be met and hugged by Mickey or Cinderella. That would be like a bald guy with a beer gut thinking he could get the supermodel babe by drinking xyz brand of beer!



CLC Tiger Pom Mom

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Quote:
Disney uses a great marketing campaign that teaches you Cinderella is right there for a hug with your daughter.
Sorry, I can’t find the OP to credit them for this post. But, I will say that they are right, Disney does project this image in their marketing but it is just that-marketing. We all know (or should know better) than to really think that upon walking up to Cinderella Castle with our children that they are going to be met and hugged by Mickey or Cinderella. That would be like a bald guy with a beer gut thinking he could get the supermodel babe by drinking xyz brand of beer!



CLC Tiger Pom Mom

No but we did have a magic moment once where Alice asked if she could ride with us on the tea cups! And I had left the camera in the stroller (shhhhh--I wouldn't advise that)....so she waited to do her autograph line until I went and got my camera so DD could be first to have her picture (she offered, I didn't ask).

I agree with everything you say...I use my blackout days on my Seasonal Pass as a good monitor of when NOT to go to Disney.

 

[DancingBear]

I'm just not clear to me what the OP thinks Disney should do about the large crowds. WDW lays on lots of extra hours for the parks, and lots of additional parades and entertainment. Would you propose that they lower the maximum capacity, and shut more people out?

I avoid the busy times, but for anyone else out there, here is my Christmas week advice:

--Stay on site so you can have early entry and be close to your resort for mid-day breaks.

--Do early entry. Use Fastpass. Have a touring plan (Unofficial Guide, Diznee Dad, whatever).

--Have late lunch PSs outside of the parks at Boma (see the animals at AKL), Whispering Canyon Cafe (ride the boat there, and see the decorations at WL), Chef Mickey's (see the characters), 1900 Park Faire (ride the boat or monorail, see the characters, see the decorations), etc.

--After the late lunch, go back to your resort and take a nap, so you can use the late opening hours. Other options--swim if warm enough, or play mini-golf, or visit Downtown Disney before it gets crazy at night.

--One night, have PS for early dinner in Boardwalk area. See the Boardwalk decorations, listen to live Christmas music from various performing groups.

--Book early and get the Candlelight Processional dinner package at Epcot.

 

[momof2inPA]

I haven't read the whole thread, but a couple of years ago we went to Disney at Christmas with our extended family. It was fun but extremely crowded, and none of us plans to return during Christmas week. We usually go during the slow season when the lines are much shorter, and we had a return trip planned already that year, so we weren't too disappointed in our Christmas trip. If the Christmas trip would have been my first trip, it might have been my last. So, I understand the OP's disappointment.

For everyone who gets around great during Christmas week in spite of the crowds, keep going that week and skip the slow times. It will be all the more peaceful for the rest of us.

 

[Melissa M]

My family went on our first WDW trip during Christmas Week. I was totally expecting nightmare crowds. I planned like crazy, and we had a magical time.

We were at the early entry park by opening time. We rode our "must see" rides - sometimes two or three times - and utilized the fast passes.

Around midday, we left that park and hopped to another or took a break at our resort.

We spent the busier afternoon times people watching, shopping, and catching shows. We saved the thrill rides for the EE mornings.

We got to see everything we wanted. By the end of the trip we didn't understand what all of the horror stories were about.

"Thank you" to everyone at this board. I learned so much from you guys. I would go again at this time in a heartbeat!

 

[Tissa]

hey, there'll be fewer lines after everybody jumps ship to Universal.

Yes Universal is great!! everyone go there especially the week of June 6th

 

[lissawynn]

Many years ago my mom and her BF took my sisters and me to WDW sometime right after Christmas. We were going to FL so they could scuba dive and since mom had never been to WDW, we went to MK for a day. To this day mom still talks about how she waited two hours for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, which lasted all of 2:32. Was it the best experience for mom? Heck no. She still refuses to return to WDW, although now that she was grandchildren she'll probably be making a trip soon.
I think of it kind of like this. Do you go shopping on Black Friday expecting no lines and the ability to get everything you want without any problems? No! It's the same thing when visiting WDW during peak times. You have to wait in lines and you may not be able to do everything you want to do. You can make the most of it and put a smile on your face, or you can trash the place and vow never to return. It's your choice. Either way, you can't blame it on Disney.

 

[joshawashawa]

Im trying not to be too harsh on "bongocomm" but what kind of idiot goes to Disney World on Christmas Week and thinks there gonna be the only people there. I dont care if she didn't do ANY reserch, common sence tells me that there might be a few people at Disney World the week of christmas!!!!!!

DAH!

 

[Nefertiti]

Just got back from Orlando late last night. We were there from 16th December until 2nd January (our trip home lasted 28 hours!!) and stayed off site. We simply couldn't afford the prices of Disney accomodation so early entry wasn't an option for us. I'm glad though that I did loads of research - many hours reading this board and many others and so we were prepared for how busy it would be. That doesn't make it easier to deal with though. We were last there during a summer holiday and although it was busy, we managed to stay most of the day in the park and do all the rides we wanted to using fastpass. This year, we went very early each day and managed around 4 hours before the huge queues, crowds and lack of fastpasses drove us home. Having said that, we did manage to do most of what we wanted and the MVMCP was out of this world.

I felt sorry for those who had counted on a Christmas Day visit when the rain poured almost all day. We were glad to have experienced a Disney Christmas but we would also never do it again. It was magic but a very crowded kind of magic.

We had 3 days at Universal and it just didn't cut it with us apart from the imaginativeness of Dr Seuss and it's visual attraction. Wouldn't go back there but isn't it wonderful that we are all different and aren't we blessed even to have the opportunity of Disney when thousands of adults and children in Asia were suffering such a horrendous catastrophe. I live in Egypt and see abject poverty on a daily basis and was struck by our privilege and richness being able even to walk through the turnstiles of Walt Disney World. Time to try and sleep off the jetlag now!

 

[MiaSRN62]

but what kind of idiot goes to Disney World on Christmas Week and thinks there gonna be the only people there.

I don't think "idiot" would be the word. Just an extreme novice who was taken by suprise. I think had she done more thorough research, she would have undoubtedly known she was in for a challenge in visiting during Christmas week. I realize the OP stated she did research, but I really feel she let alot fall through the cracks. When we first took the kids to WDW, it was mid-Sept '94. This was after 10 months of research (guidebooks, internet and word of mouth). I had all our PS in place and had a preliminary schedule made out to keep us on track before we left home. We had the place to ourselves and walked-on practically everything. We knew Sept would be quiet from all our reading. We knew Christmas week would be bad. One year we went down on Thanksgiving day and stayed strictly at the resort (relaxing and swimming) until that following Sunday because we knew it would be nuts and too much for the little ones to handle. Sure enough, a ton of people were leaving Sunday and that left the parks nearly empty. We love the time period right after T-Day and into the first 2 weeks of Dec. I think this year during that time was a little more busy due to the hurricanes and many people having to reschedule their vacations.
As for the price of princess hats etc and Disney trying to take people for all they can get......well, I don't see any other resort destination being any different ? Have you seen the prices at Universal and Six Flags (heck....even the Jersey shore during the summer) ? We give our children a set amount of money to spend how they wish while in WDW and we stick to a budget. I don't mind the prices because I know we're getting a quality vacation. It's all in how well you plan and what your expectations are.

and aren't we blessed even to have the opportunity of Disney when thousands of adults and children in Asia were suffering such a horrendous catastrophe. I live in Egypt and see abject poverty on a daily basis and was struck by our privilege and richness being able even to walk through the turnstiles of Walt Disney World.

Thanks Nefertiti for putting it all in perspective.