Parks on Xmas Day

[Fantasia Sam]

No we didn't attempt the parks this past Xmas Day instead we enjoyed the day with friends and drinking Mai Tai's it was very relaxing and fun topped off with an Illuminations Cruise.

I was just curious to hear if anyone else went to the parks this past Xmas Day and what they thought?

I heard from a CM that MK was shut at 10.30 am !!! But we wanted to know if they let more in later in the day?

I know there are DISers out there who are planning Xmas at WDW this year so all information would be a great help.

 

[DizneyDaze]

Just recently returned...and we braved MK on Christmas Day and never again. People had said on these boards that it was busy but that was an understatement - you could not move, there was no atmosphere, you couldn't hear the music on main street for the hubbub, there was hardly anywhere to sit, ride times were in excess of two hours, and the fast passes were being snapped up. I hated it. You had to queue for everything, the ladies toilets were a complete nightmare!!

We have only ever been before during October/November and loved it, I would never go during a busy period again it does take so much away from the whole experience.

We went to the front gates at about 2.30 to see if we could pop out for a few minutes (we have a brick on the walkway outside of the gates and wanted to photograph ourselves with it on Christmas Day) but were told that if we went out and someone else filled out spot so to speak we would not get back in!! We had PS at LTT so decided against it.

I did hear from other people that MGM was fairly quiet but I have no first hand experience.

Anyway overall we had a marvellous time, Fantasmic is better than ever, Wishes is fabulous, we were a little disappointed with MVMCP.

Anyone have any questions please let me know.

Jane

 

[disney daft dad]

HI Sam

we braved MGM on xmas day and to be honest we were prepared to get nothing done, as we had been in mGM on the Monday before and it was packed, but xmas day....it was practically empty, nothing was more than a 30/40 minute wait!!! Great Choice.... we did hear that even Epcot reached capacity!!

Val
xx

 

[squitty]

We decided to try to get into MK on Christmas Day, but the queues were terrible, this was about 11am. We then decided to head straight for MGM, got in no trouble at all.
Had a really nice relaxing day, used fastpasses got on everything we wanted.

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

We went to AK fro Dec 25th and it wasn't too bad at all. We don't do the Kali rapids or Dinosaur though so I can't comment on those. The safari had a wait time of 45 minutes, at 11.15am. We fastpassed it and went for a drink while waiting.

We ate breakfast at Chef Mickeys and monorailed back to MK to get the AK bus. The crowds entering at 9.45am were scary. From the AK bus we saw what must have been a 2 mile queue of cars waiting to get to the toll booth.

MK closed around 11am on Monday 29th but we were on a resort bus on the way there and it came over on the driver radio that anyone already in buses would be allowed in. After that, they closed it. We were lucky as we had a PS for 1.30 lunch.

EPCOT was WAY TOO CROWDED on NYE. We only spent few hours there before flying home in the evening but it was almost unmanageable. I've never seen it so busy before. The previous days hadn't been quite as bad. Fastpasses for TT and space were all gone by lunchtime on NYE.

Louise

 

[nattyk]

We were thinking for going this xmas and NY and have to small kids - sounds abit of a nightmare! when do the parks start to get busy and when are they normal again? Thinking of arriving around the 20th Dec and leaving 1st week of Jan - would we get a chance to do the parks so they little ones could enjoy them without them being so busy?

Any advise pls
thanks
Nathalie

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Originally posted by Miss Mickey Mania
MK closed around 11am on Monday 29th but we were on a resort bus on the way there and it came over on the driver radio that anyone already in buses would be allowed in. After that, they closed it. We were lucky as we had a PS for 1.30 lunch.

Louise

Oh wow Louise I could see it was getting busy again just before NYE. We went to MGM on that Monday but didn't get there until 9.30. We only did Great Movie Ride, Beauty and the Beast and Muppets and then we went back to the resort to lay by the pool as it was a nice day.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Originally posted by nattyk
We were thinking for going this xmas and NY and have to small kids - sounds abit of a nightmare! when do the parks start to get busy and when are they normal again? Thinking of arriving around the 20th Dec and leaving 1st week of Jan - would we get a chance to do the parks so they little ones could enjoy them without them being so busy?

Any advise pls
thanks
Nathalie

To be honest come Friday 19th MK was starting to get really busy. Tuesday 23rd at MGM you were looking at 120 mins wait on Tower of Terror and Rock and Roller Coaster but if you have small kids you probably won't be doing those. Xmas Eve we walked around World Showcase from opening and it was pleasant I didn't feel crowded at all.

We did Magic Kingdom on Saturday 27th and got there for 8.00am opening and we managed 11 rides/attractions before noon and then got out of there as it was starting to get really busy. We did Animal Kingdom on the morning of Sun 28th and again got there for opening and managed to ride without waits or using fastpass and it didn't seem that busy to me but we left around 11.00ish and there were hoards of people arriving.

Hope that helps

 

[Mike Jones]

Hi Sam. We did Epcot on Xmas day.. got there at 0810 and it was open for business!! We didn't expect to do any rides etc, but by 0900 had done Mission Space and Test Track with no waits! We had a lovely day, wandered the World Showcase which was open by 1000, (after doing The Living Seas - empty!), changed our dinner 1700 PS at Akershus for Lunch 1210 slot on impulse.. superb meal! Spent the day taking in the street entertainment, drinking coffee and shopping. Caught the Candlelight Processional from the 'street' and eventually left at 6pm ish after 10 hours! A fantastic day (and mostly sunny and warm too, although it went a bit cloudier/cooler mid pm. I wouldn't have tried any of the other parks, but then again I'd live at Epcot!

Mike