Opinions on staying offsite during Christmas week

[suebedo]

We are tossing around the idea of a christmas week trip this year Dec 24-thru Dec30th. If the other family members decide to come, there will be 8 of us. The cost to stay onsite in a 2/3 bedroom is prohibitive...even by renting points. So, what are the downfalls to offsite during the busiest time of the year at Disney? We are considering a 4 bedroom house at WH with a pool.

Can anyone give me first hand experience? I am worried about parks being closed because of full capacity. We are early risers and always plan for RD and a nice break mid-day. Then back to park for PM entertainment.

TIA for any advice.

 

[Brian Noble]

My experience has been that if you follow the recommendations of someone like the Unofficial Guide or TourGuideMiKE, you'll avoid any parks that reach phased closure. The big downside is that MK usually has AM EMH every day for Christmas Weeks, and you'll not be eligible for that.

 

[McKelly]

The one thing that would deter me from staying off-site during Xmas week is the traffic. We went this past Xmas and the lines of cars to get in the parks were HUGE!! I was very glad I was not sitting in that traffic and was letting Disney do the driving!!

 

[spiceycat]

this year because of the economy might be the best time to do this.

disney had the buy 4 get 3 free going to Aug - looks like soon it will go to at least Nov.

so might wait - think with the buy 4 get 3 free - you might reconsider and stay onsite.

 

[swilshire]

Closures are definitely an issue. New Years Eve is the worst, so you'd miss that day, but we saw closings more than once last Christmas. We managed to arrive early enough to get in, but were afraid to dilly dally in the morning (which is probably good anyway at peak times).

We don't typically stay until closing, so traffic wasn't horrible. It was a bit tight on the short stretch of 192 you'd have to go down to get to Windsor Hills. A couple of times we took the Sherbeth Rd route, but it really wasn't all that bad to just tough out the mile or so of traffic.

Sheila

 

[G's mommy]

It's going to be tough staying offsite on the busiest week of the entire year. The traffic just getting to the parks is terrible, you will waste a lot of time in the car. I would definitely stay onsite if you decide to go this week. Break into 2 standard rooms for a more affordable option.

 

[mareed]

We've been off-site for 3 trips between XMAS & New Years (2004, 2006, 2008) and had no trouble and never encountered a closed park that we were trying to go to. We arrived prior to park opening each morning and never had any traffic at all in the mornings. Even less than at other times of the year because most of the parks open early to all guests (8:00) at that time and so many people just won't get up that early. Now, if you were to be arriving at the parks around 10-11, I'm sure it would be very different!

We also never take breaks. We do a sit-down, long, leisurely lunch as our mid-day break and we just stay in the park until we're done for the day. Some days we'd stay for the night-time entertainment and some days not. So, I can't say how it would be to be arriving late afternoon or early evening after a break as far as encountering traffic and finding the park possibly closed.

A 4 bedroom house at WH would be wonderful for your family group, I think. We stayed in other resorts in that area (Windsor Palms or Emerald Isle) for our XMAS trips with extended family and had a wonderful time!

Save the money and enjoy your offsite stay! Or spend some of the money at wonderful Disney meals! Enjoy all your space and your own private pool at WH.

 

[brat5063]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same thing. My aunt is renting a 7 bedroom house for extend family to stay in the week of Dec 27. I am worried that the parks will reach full capacity before we get in. In a perfect world we would head to the parks and be there before they open. I have never gone during a busy time before. We normally go in September. I am not sure we know the crowds we are in for.

 

[chris7]

We have been at WDW over X-mas three times now with our two girls who were 3 and 5 the first trip. We stayed at Cypress Pointe the first trip and Windsor Hills the last two. The biggest tip I can give about being there over the holidays is get to the parks well before opening. We do that every single day we're there and have never had trouble with traffic, or with getting into a park. I'm another Tour Guide Mike devotee and have used his site every trip. Best $20 I spend the entire trip.

 

[JennSaint]

So just to help out the OP if they were to leave a park to take a pool break at their off-site accomodations there is a good chance that when they get back to the park it could be at full capacity and they wouldn't be able to get back in. Personally if it were me I would always choose on-site. Leaving MK after the fireworks a few weeks ago it took us 1 hr just to get back to the car in the parking lot then another 15 minutes to get back to the hotel. I would wait and see if any deals come out for on-site.

 

[JennSaint]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same thing. My aunt is renting a 7 bedroom house for extend family to stay in the week of Dec 27. I am worried that the parks will reach full capacity before we get in. In a perfect world we would head to the parks and be there before they open. I have never gone during a busy time before. We normally go in September. I am not sure we know the crowds we are in for.

Expect very heavy crowds this is the busiest week of the year especially since you are use to September which is low season.

 

[chris7]

I've never stayed on site so I can't speak from experience. But, if getting back in to an at capacity park is important to you, then it sounds like on site would be the way to go.

I personally do not want to be in an at capacity park so it's not an issue for our family. There ARE very easy ways to have a phenomenal trip over the holidays. Yes, it is the most crowded time of year. But it's the most crowded time of year whether your off site or on.

I think you just have to decide what your priorities are and let that make your decision. If guaranteed entry and disney transportation are a priority than stay onsite. If 3X the space for 1/3 of the price is a priority then stay offsite.

I also think that if you want to sleep in and get to the parks well after opening then onsite might be a good idea during the holidays. You'd be able to use the emh evening hours. Our family has no problem being up early, and visiting with people in line while waiting for the park to open has become part of the tradition. We experience no traffic, no lines to get into the parking lots, we ride all the rides we want when the parks are still quiet and find that we are heading out for our mid-day break when the bulk of the crowds are just arriving.

I'm not against staying on site. I really want to experience it someday (when we're wealthy). But, only in a dvc two bedroom, not a hotel room. I know a lot of people spend zero time in their accomodation, but with kids we do spend time there. We take mid-day breaks for lunch and swimming in the private pool. We relax there in the evenings. You just couldn't pay me to spend 11 nights in a hotel room with kids.