Resort Tour for Christmas Decorations

[KEichman]

Hi all...I'm putting together a tour of resorts for my parents' free day. They are staying at WL, and will have a car. I don't see them doing this whole list, but wanted to provide them a little bit of everything, and they can pick and choose their destinations. Does this make sense from a transportation point of view? And am I correct that they 'could' get a short-term parking pass, if they would choose to use their car (I thought I read that somewhere, but can't find the information again)?

Christmas Resort Decorations Tour

You can either use the directions below and use Disney transportation from place to place, or I’m pretty sure that you can visit each one by car (which would be faster and easier) telling the person that you are there to view decorations and they will give you a short-term (like 2 or 3 hour) parking pass.

Start at Wilderness Lodge

Wilderness Lodge
National park lodge theme

Gigantic Christmas tree, and warm, cozy decorations

Large man-made geyser on the grounds (beyond the pool area, towards the bay, near the path to the boat launch)
​

Take the boat to the Contemporary Resort (look for signs…one boat launch goes to the Magic Kingdom, and one goes to the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness)

Contemporary Resort
A holiday toy shop made of sugar and chocolate, featuring Pinocchio himself on the 4th floor of the tower building.​

Take the monorail to the Polynesian Resort
Polynesian

Get back on the monorail to the Grand Floridian

Grand Floridian
Victorian theme
Life-size gingerbread house
​

Get back on the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), and catch a bus to Disney Hollywood Studios. Walk over to the boat dock, and catch a boat to any of the following (the boat goes to all 3, and then back to Hollywood Studios)
BEWARE…there is also a boat run from the following resorts that go to Epcot, but it is located way in the back of Epcot (World Showcase Gateway), and a LONG walk to the front of Epcot where the monorail and busses drop off!

Yacht and Beach Clubs (two resorts that are connected)

Seaside theme

From the boat dock walk the path straight to the lobby of the Yacht Club, where there is a life-size chocolate carousel as the focal point of their decorations

If you want some ice cream, check out Beaches and Cream, decked out like an old-time soda fountain shop.

Train display winds around a mountain and snowy village created by pastry chefs.​

You can get back on the boat to go to the next resort, or ask how far the walk is.

Boardwalk Inn
Theme is Atlantic City Boardwalk in the 1920’s and 1930’s (and the waterfront promenade has eateries and shops, including an ice cream place, Beaches and Cream, that people seem to enjoy.
​

Return to any theme park (except Epcot) and back to Wilderness Lodge.

 

[MICKEEP]

The only suggestion I would make is: after GF take the monorail to MK and then take a bus from there directly to BC/YC. After BC/YC they can either walk or boat across to BW.

Also, when returning to WL, from the BW area, there are a few options:

- Bus to MK and either bus or boat to WL
- Boat to HS and then bus to WL

 

[KEichman]

Thanks for the suggestion! Someone also suggested that it just might be easier to have them use Disney transportation among the MK resorts, drive to the Epcot resorts, and walk/use Disney transportation once there. Does anyone know if the parking attendants grant short-term parking passes for resort ogling?

 

[dburg30]

Thanks for the suggestion! Someone also suggested that it just might be easier to have them use Disney transportation among the MK resorts, drive to the Epcot resorts, and walk/use Disney transportation once there. Does anyone know if the parking attendants grant short-term parking passes for resort ogling?

You dont say when they are going, but NORMALLY, yes you can get a 'visitor pass' for 2 or 3 hours. IF they are actaully going right at xmas time, there COULD be a chance if the resort lot is full they may not be able to. I have no idea how often this could happen, but I guess it could happen.

I like the PP's idea of doing the monorail loop, then mono to MK, and the bus to BW/YC/BC area, then either to DHS and the bus back to WL or bus back to MK (which will go right to the front gate) and the boat or however back to WL.

 

[agnes!]

Writing up a personalized decorations tour along with what there is to see at the resorts/parks is a great idea. I was able to follow the OP's itinerary and wanted to type one up for myself but I guess I'm confused... mostly about how to integrate the various XYZ/ABC improvements suggested by responding posters (maybe I need some more coffee this morning) into the original post/text.

Yeah, I admit it, am very tired this am, I know this should be simple, but my brain just can't wrap around the whole concept right now.
agnes!

 

[Tony NY]

I did this last week it was awesome I seen the train , the caracal , the trees and the big Mickey wreath at the cm and so much all . Tt was so much fun. I done it at night I was so beautiful not so may people to walk in front of the camera . I especial loved walking from the bc to yc on the boardwalk. I know you will love it ! if you are luckey enugh to have tickets for mickeys merry christmas party it the iceing on the cake when it come to the magic of disnsy world

 

[ado121]

love this plan. thanks so much for posting it!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Contemporary Resort
A holiday toy shop made of sugar and chocolate, featuring Pinocchio himself on the 4th floor of the tower building.

Actually they no longer have the Pinocchio display, it's now has something to do with It's A Small World.

 

[cruisingkat]

We did the resort decoration tour earlier this month - Our three night stay in December was for the Osbourne lights, the Candlelight processional, and to see the resort decorations. We did drive to most of the resorts like the Value and Moderate resorts. Our parking pass from our Disney resort and photo ID along with a quick "We want to check out the Christmas decorations at the resort" answer to the guard got us in to each resort. We were staying at Coronado Springs, so we drove to WL, parked there and then took the boat over to CR and then the monorail to the other Magic Kingdom resorts. We drove over to Beach and Yacht Club and then took the boat to all the other Epcot resorts. We saw every resort's decorations - by driving to each Value and Moderate instead of using the Disney buses (you would have to go to either downtown Disney or a park to get to the next resort), we were able to see all of them in one day. In the evening, we even drove over to Ft. Wilderness campground to see the decorated campsites - I think that a few campers were trying to compete with Osbourne lights.

 

[dburg30]

In the evening, we even drove over to Ft. Wilderness campground to see the decorated campsites - I think that a few campers were trying to compete with Osbourne lights.

They are pretty good at making the most out of a small space arent they?