Onsite or WBC for Christmas season?

[KalamityJane]

I'm trying to plan out our next Disney vacation (which will more than likely be Dec 2014) and the start of a year of APs! I really really like the price of WBC - and we will be staying at it at least once if not all the middle trips BUT for our first trip at Christmas - are we going to really miss all the decorations and the atmosphere of being on site?

For reference, we did off site Disneyland at Christmas 2011 season (went in Nov), on site split stay at the Grand Californian and then Disneyland Hotel near Halloween 2012. I LOVED the cheapness of staying off site, but there definitely was magic staying on site and it was SUPER convenient staying at the Grand which is practically in DCA.

I know WDW is much more transportation dependent. We will more than likely have a car. We will have 3 kids, 6.5, 3.5 and almost 2 at the time, and when kids meltdown, well, you all know how it is. I'm debating between booking at VWL, OKW, AKL or WBC. If we book WBC, we can stay longer, and be more relaxed, but if we book on site, a week is about the max. That being said, a week of DL, and everyone is about done, however, we would take WDW a lot slower than we do DL.

We could do more character meals and extra stuff if we stayed at WBC, but we will be back at least once midyear and Christmas 2015, so probably not spending huge amounts of money overall.

I don't know - what do you all think? Splurge for onsite but be more cramped? Stay in a less Christmassy atmosphere at WBC but be more spread out? I just saw that Gaylord Palms is pretty awesome, maybe there? I'm going for maximum Christmas spirit. APs are already bought and paid for, so we have from now until Dec 2014 to save Or perhaps the Swan/Dolphin?

 

[eangel12]

I would stay on site at Christmas time because of the crowds. I think it would be more
Convenient to be at a Disney hotel and if you leave a park and it closes because of capacity you can hang out at the hotel.

 

[pigletto]

My answer depends on your exact dates. If you will be there over the actual Christmas holidays I strongly vote for onsite to manage the crowds. I wouldn't want to do even the relatively short drive around WDW property during those heavy crowds. Traffic would be a nightmare, and you'd have to get to the parks early to get things done. Hopping on a bus or monorail with the kids would be easier IMO.
However, if your trip is pretty much any other time in December I vote for WBC for a variety of reasons, with the biggest ones being cost and space. It's so convenient to the parks, you'd have so much room, and it would cost so much less. The convenience is just lost to me though if you are sitting in a traffic line for over an hour to just get into the parking lot.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

My answer depends on your exact dates. If you will be there over the actual Christmas holidays I strongly vote for onsite to manage the crowds. I wouldn't want to do even the relatively short drive around WDW property during those heavy crowds. Traffic would be a nightmare, and you'd have to get to the parks early to get things done. Hopping on a bus or monorail with the kids would be easier IMO.
However, if your trip is pretty much any other time in December I vote for WBC for a variety of reasons, with the biggest ones being cost and space. It's so convenient to the parks, you'd have so much room, and it would cost so much less. The convenience is just lost to me though if you are sitting in a traffic line for over an hour to just get into the parking lot.

+1

I am generally no advocate of staying onsite at Disney (you can do soooo much better offsite, IMHO), however if you are staying during the two weeks of Christmas break, then onsite will be easiest for your commute to the parks. I don't think anyone realizes how terrible traffic can be during those two most busiest weeks of the year. Trust me.....we have been there!!!

If your visit falls earlier in December and prior to the Christmas break, then I would say WBC all the way.

If you are looking for a wonderful park in which to soak up the holiday cheer, give a thought to visiting SeaWorld on your trip. They really do Christmas up right . And best of all, their special holiday events are all included in your regular park admission, so it comes at no extra cost to enjoy. You can check out my December 2012 trip report (see the link in my signature) for my review of SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration.

 

[KalamityJane]

Oh, you couldn't pay me enough to be near WDW around actual Christmas! I have a husband and daughter with sensory issues, they would be beyond beyond in those crowds, and not in a good way! That's part of the reason I'm thinking WBC or somewhere with more space might be a lifesaver.

I was thinking the first half of December sometime in 2014, and hitting the first half of November in 2015 for the Christmas decorations

Gina - I'm reading your TR about Sea World and loving it! (though sorry you got so sick!) I grew up in Orlando and we had APs to SW back in the day, I didn't realize that they did it up for Christmas so well!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Oh, you couldn't pay me enough to be near WDW around actual Christmas! I have a husband and daughter with sensory issues, they would be beyond beyond in those crowds, and not in a good way! That's part of the reason I'm thinking WBC or somewhere with more space might be a lifesaver.

I was thinking the first half of December sometime in 2014, and hitting the first half of November in 2015 for the Christmas decorations

Gina - I'm reading your TR about Sea World and loving it! (though sorry you got so sick!) I grew up in Orlando and we had APs to SW back in the day, I didn't realize that they did it up for Christmas so well!

Then I would definitely vote WBC over offsite . Having all that space for less than the cost of a small hotel room is wonderful!!

Enjoy your vacation. I love Orlando during the holidays!

 

[7165red]

Love WDW at xmas. We have done xmas wk, several times and have always rented a villa. For us the extra room is more important to us. Which ever you choose, it will be magical. Gaylord Palm charges a resort fee plus a parking fee. It is beautiful at xmas time. We were lucky because the owner of the villa we rented decorated the inside and outside of the house. Two xmas trees and lots of lights.