Only one day in Dec. Want to hit the must do Christmas things. Help

[hopeful4fl]

We are flying over for a beach holiday to Marco Island early Dec, but are crazy enough to drive the 200 miles to visit Disney for a single day. Plan to reach around 8 am at Disney and stay till 10 pm. Have been to Disney many times, but never during Christmas. Main interest would be to see the Christmas things (must do's) and not necessarily rides.
I have heard of SO MANY wonderful things that Disney does for Christmas, but having limited time, would love the top things of must do at Disney. Would love to tap into the experience of the people on this board to understand how to best optimize our time. Here is my current plan:
1> 8 am, hit AK and get the sights in and some pics. Any special Christmas pics there?
2> 11 am - Epcot. Lunch. What special Christmas things can we do there? Candlelight Processional will have to wait
3> 1 pm - HS - Should be a quick trip. Anything special for Christmas?
4> 3 pm - GF to see the Gingerbread house. Quick hit around Poly. Same Ques
5> 5 pm - MK - Have 3 FP set up (why not), and plan to watch the fireworks. What else special Christmas things can I see?
5> Anything else? Something that you would recommend I take out and squeeze something else in?

TIA......

 

[sharonabe]

We are flying over for a beach holiday to Marco Island early Dec, but are crazy enough to drive the 200 miles to visit Disney for a single day. Plan to reach around 8 am at Disney and stay till 10 pm. Have been to Disney many times, but never during Christmas. Main interest would be to see the Christmas things (must do's) and not necessarily rides.
I have heard of SO MANY wonderful things that Disney does for Christmas, but having limited time, would love the top things of must do at Disney. Would love to tap into the experience of the people on this board to understand how to best optimize our time. Here is my current plan:
1> 8 am, hit AK and get the sights in and some pics. Any special Christmas pics there?
2> 11 am - Epcot. Lunch. What special Christmas things can we do there? Candlelight Processional will have to wait
3> 1 pm - HS - Should be a quick trip. Anything special for Christmas?
4> 3 pm - GF to see the Gingerbread house. Quick hit around Poly. Same Ques
5> 5 pm - MK - Have 3 FP set up (why not), and plan to watch the fireworks. What else special Christmas things can I see?
5> Anything else? Something that you would recommend I take out and squeeze something else in?

TIA......

I would switch your MK and EP. MK will not have anything Christmas in the evening unless it is a Christmas party, which I assume it's not. So you'll see the decorations, but that's all.

EP has the Holiday Storytellers around WS, the Candlelight Processional, and the Christmas tag on Illuminations. I would spend the bulk of my time there.

However, HS also has some nighttime Christmas stuff with both the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam and the new Sunset Story thing on Sunset Blvd.

 

[Disneymom1126]

We are flying over for a beach holiday to Marco Island early Dec, but are crazy enough to drive the 200 miles to visit Disney for a single day. Plan to reach around 8 am at Disney and stay till 10 pm. Have been to Disney many times, but never during Christmas. Main interest would be to see the Christmas things (must do's) and not necessarily rides.
I have heard of SO MANY wonderful things that Disney does for Christmas, but having limited time, would love the top things of must do at Disney. Would love to tap into the experience of the people on this board to understand how to best optimize our time. Here is my current plan:
1> 8 am, hit AK and get the sights in and some pics. Any special Christmas pics there?
2> 11 am - Epcot. Lunch. What special Christmas things can we do there? Candlelight Processional will have to wait
3> 1 pm - HS - Should be a quick trip. Anything special for Christmas?
4> 3 pm - GF to see the Gingerbread house. Quick hit around Poly. Same Ques
5> 5 pm - MK - Have 3 FP set up (why not), and plan to watch the fireworks. What else special Christmas things can I see?
5> Anything else? Something that you would recommend I take out and squeeze something else in?

TIA......

I feel like you'll spend a bit of time traveling between the parks and it will make your day feel really rushed. Maybe prioritize a few of the parks and skip the others? I agree that Epcot probably has the most to offer, including the Candlelight Processional. I think HS has special fireworks. MK only has special fireworks on Christmas Party nights until late December...but you have to see the castle all lit up, so you'll probably want to be there at night - depending on time of close you might be able to make it over there after watching the HS fireworks. AK has a really great tree but I think it's outside the entrance, so you could see that without going in to the park.

 

[TwinkleKS]

I'd spend most of my time at Epcot enjoying Christmas around the world. I think you will get more of the Christmas feel there. At AK, the tree before you get in is the most Christmas thing IMO. MK has decorations and trees, but it is most magical during a Christmas party IMO.

 

[hopeful4fl]

Thanks all. VERY helpful. If you don't mind a final query. Is the Epcot Christmas (storytelling) all day, or only in the evening? If it is all day, I may keep my schedule. If it is night only, I can certainly do the switcheroo and forego my FP at MK since I have rode those several times. I thought MK would have the most to offer for Christmas feel, so am VERY glad I posted this here.

 

[siskaren]

Thanks all. VERY helpful. If you don't mind a final query. Is the Epcot Christmas (storytelling) all day, or only in the evening? If it is all day, I may keep my schedule. If it is night only, I can certainly do the switcheroo and forego my FP at MK since I have rode those several times. I thought MK would have the most to offer for Christmas feel, so am VERY glad I posted this here.

It's all day (well, starting at 11:00, since that's when WS opens).

 

[ErinsMommy]

and the new Sunset Story thing on Sunset Blvd.

What is this??

 

[abnihon]

It's all day (well, starting at 11:00, since that's when WS opens).

But Candlelight Processional is only at night.

 

[sharonabe]

What is this??

Here ya go:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/hollywood-studios/sunset-seasons-greetings/

 

[Ensusieasm]

We are flying over for a beach holiday to Marco Island early Dec, but are crazy enough to drive the 200 miles to visit Disney for a single day. Plan to reach around 8 am at Disney and stay till 10 pm. Have been to Disney many times, but never during Christmas. Main interest would be to see the Christmas things (must do's) and not necessarily rides.
I have heard of SO MANY wonderful things that Disney does for Christmas, but having limited time, would love the top things of must do at Disney. Would love to tap into the experience of the people on this board to understand how to best optimize our time. Here is my current plan:
1> 8 am, hit AK and get the sights in and some pics. Any special Christmas pics there?
2> 11 am - Epcot. Lunch. What special Christmas things can we do there? Candlelight Processional will have to wait
3> 1 pm - HS - Should be a quick trip. Anything special for Christmas?
4> 3 pm - GF to see the Gingerbread house. Quick hit around Poly. Same Ques
5> 5 pm - MK - Have 3 FP set up (why not), and plan to watch the fireworks. What else special Christmas things can I see?
5> Anything else? Something that you would recommend I take out and squeeze something else in?

TIA......

Decorations at Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge
Very Merry Christmas Party Parade at Magic Kingdom
World Showcase Epcot
Jingle Bell Jingle Bam at HS
( skip AK )

 

[Disney Princess]

When in December? If it is later in December, Magic Kingdom might have more Christmas offerings available to you, but in early December, many offerings are only available during the party.

Each park has something special, and even resorts have wonderful decorations, but you obviously can't do "it all" in one day. You especially can't do all the nighttime stuff as you only have one night. I'd prioritize which nighttime activity you most want to see/do. Here are our favorites (obviously this doesn't include all offerings):

Magic Kingdom
* Main Street decorations/tree
* castle at nighttime lit up
* Christmas parade (only during party or during late December)

Epcot
* Storytellers in World Showcase
* Candlelight Processional
* tree

While AK is nice at Christmas (and if you want a picture in every park by a special tree, then go) I don't find the Christmas offerings anything special. In fact, I'd rather look at the decorations in the AKL lobby.

DHS I can't give an honest opinion about as we haven't done the new stuff at Christmas. Back when Osborne was there, it would have been a highlight for us.

Resorts - all are decorated and fun. A few of our favorites are the deluxe.
* Grand Floridian gingerbread house
* Contemporary - gingerbread by the mural
* Wilderness Lodge - just fits Christmas well
* Beach Club chocolate decorations
* Boardwalk - the tree on the green
* AKL - the lobby in Jambo House

**** DISCLAIMER - we haven't done it**** but I hear the campsites are decorated well at Ft. Wilderness. You could do a carriage ride to see them. However, that's another evening activity, and you might already have too much that you won't be able to do then.

Everyone likes different things, and you can't go wrong seeing Christmas stuff. Unless you want to see all four parks (which I get if you want to!), I'd cut out a park or two to give you either more time in the other parks, or time to add in a resort visit or two.

 

[siskaren]

But Candlelight Processional is only at night.

I was responding to the OP's question about the storytellers.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Here ya go:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/hollywood-studios/sunset-seasons-greetings/

Thank you!

 

[gjw007]

Thank you!

I would add voices of liberty at epcot in the american adventure

 

[clm10308]

With only one day, I would probably do MK for the first part of the day, Grand Floridian for early afternoon, and the Epcot for the rest of the evening.

 

[WDWLODGE]

I would definitely end the day at Epcot. I'm not sure which day you are visiting but it is likely to have the longest hours. The Illuminations Christmas "Tag" IMO is pretty awesome.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Everyone forgot the jingle cruise overlay at the mk