?s for Holiday Disney experts....

[mama4]

My sister and I would like to take our mom to Disney for her birthday during the holiday festivities. Her birthday is actually on November 14 but we would like to go sometime after Thanksgiving to make sure we catch some holiday spirit. A little background info: My mom is a Christmas nut and used to really enjoy Christmas. She'd do her house up and she'd do Christmas dinner and go 100% out. Now she seems to be losing that spirit a little and I want to help her find it. So far, all that is for certain in regards to the plan is...one day, one park and no kids (between sis and I, we normally have 9 kids with us between ages 15 and 3mths so this should be quite a different trip for all of us) My youngest will be 4 mths and nursing so in order to make it NO KIDS we must drive home that night. We live 2 hrs away and have done it before (even after midnight) so all is ok with that. My questions are:

-What is the best park for adults to visit during the holiday season? I know MK will be beautiful and all but will we have stuff to do after looking around at the decorations and stuff? Since we only plan to visit one park, I'd hate to run out of things to do. Btw, she'll ride most rides (just no spinners or roller coasters) but she prefers shows, parades, shopping and such. We really want her to be WOWED by the decorations so if MK completely trumps the other parks w/ the decorations it may be worth it. Epcot is probably my next choice and I can't rule out Mgm because she's never been there.


-What "extra" would you recommend? A dinner show maybe? Preferably something special for the holidays and in same park or a resort.

-What day should we go? Do ya think last week of November would be less crowded than first week of Dec or vice versa? Would Friday be much better than Saturday? We may be able to get her to take Fri off from work if it will make a huge difference.

Sorry for the load of questions. With all my trips to the World having grown up so close to it, I've never been for the holidays and suddenly find myself lost . TIA for any help you can give us!!!

 

[makinorlando]

My sister and I would like to take our mom to Disney during the holiday festivities. Her birthday is actually on November 14 but we would like to go sometime after Thanksgiving to make sure we catch some holiday spirit. A little background info: My mom is a Christmas nut and used to really enjoy Christmas. She'd do her house up and she'd do Christmas dinner and go 100% out. Now she seems to be losing that spirit a little and I want to help her find it. So far, all that is for certain in regards to the plan is...one day, one park and no kids (between sis and I, we normally have 9 kids with us between ages 15 and 3mths so this should be quite a different trip for all of us) My youngest will be 4 mths and nursing so in order to make it NO KIDS we must drive home that night. We live 2 hrs away and have done it before (even after midnight) so all is ok with that. My questions are:

-What is the best park for adults to visit during the holiday season? I know MK will be beautiful and all but will we have stuff to do after looking around at the decorations and stuff? Since we only plan to visit one park, I'd hate to run out of things to do. Btw, she'll ride most rides (just no spinners or roller coasters) but she prefers shows, parades, shopping and such. We really want her to be WOWED by the decorations so if MK completely trumps the other parks w/ the decorations it may be worth it. Epcot is probably my next choice and I can't rule out Mgm because she's never been there. I would have to say EPCOT as well, but MGM with Osbourne Lights is something to see, but that is only after dark. EPCOT has the Christmas around the world in World Showcase, and all the countries are just beautifully decorated!




-What "extra" would you recommend? A dinner show maybe? Preferably something special for the holidays and in same park or a resort.
You could visit one park and then tour the resorts - the monorail resorts, AKL and the EPCOT resorts (those are the ones we got to last year) are TOTALLY gorgeous at the holidays. The Gingerbread House at GF is not to be missed, and the choc carousel at Beach Club as well Those were my favs!

Grown up wise your "dinner show" options are Hoop De Doo at Fort Wilderness and the Luau at Poly.. at this point I think you meal plan might depend on the day that you choose, and the availablity of ADRs! DD and I love to eat at 1900 Park Fare.... it's a buffet character meal, but I think totally appropriate for adults alone -

-What day should we go? Do ya think last week of November would be less crowded than first week of Dec or vice versa? Would Friday be much better than Saturday? We may be able to get her to take Fri off from work if it will make a huge difference. Friday might be a bit less crowded than Saturday - 12/1 is a MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom- that is a Friday night. Maybe you could buy a one day pass and hit MGM or EPCOT, and then by the MNSSHP tickets and hit MK for the rest of the evening.... just a thought A little more money, but it would get you two parks in one day!

There is a Yuletide Tour at EPCOT that starts at 8:45am (maybe too early?) that sounds like it is fun. I am doing this for the first time on 11/27 when my sis and a friend are visiting.

I'm not sure if either of those weeks would be much different. My sis always visits the week following T-giving starting on the Friday after, and it seems like as that week goes on the crowds thin a bit until the weekend hits.

Maybe you need to think about your meal or special event you might like to try and then see what days what you are looking for are available....

Sorry for the load of questions. With all my trips to the World having grown up so close to it, I've never been for the holidays and suddenly find myself lost . TIA for any help you can give us!!!

That's all I can think of for now - I am sure you will get other opinions. Gotta run to get ready to go to the movies!

I hope you have a wonderful time whatever you choose. It's always special when you can get together with mom and sis w/o kids!

 

[disnut8]

I too would recommend Epcot. There are lots of holiday things to do there. The walkway leading up to the Christmas tree is wonderful. Stand at the end of the flower area in between the lights and the fountain and you'll see a fantasic view of the lights. The huge tree is great (lighting at 6:00). Around World Showcase, each country has a holiday storyteller. The times will be listed on the entertainment schedule (or get it from Steve's site). It's a bit difficult to see all of them in one trip around the world so you can make a day just out of that. The candlelight processional will be going on. We didn't have difficulties getting good seats for the early show without standing the lines - we just entered after the stand by line was released and found seats for five. You can exit from the International Gateway and tour the Epcot resorts for their decorations. And Illuminations will have their holiday version at 9:30 every night.

 

[bjakmom]

What a wonderful way to jump start your mom's holiday spirit! Just want to remind you that if you are thinking of 12/1, the annual Christmas parade will be taping in MK that day (and Sat/Sun). You can easily do rides that morning until noon, but Main St is a zoo all day and the park becomes VERY crowded (and a bit hard to get around with all of the taping spots) by late morning. You could spend that day at either MGM or Epcot, then, like makinorlando suggested, get tickets to MVMCP for the evening and spend it at MK (you can get in with party ticket after 4 - party officially starts at 7 until 12). At MGM they have the HollyDays Parade (stars and cars decked out in holiday decorations) and then Osborne lights come on at 6PM (talk about the ultimate decorations!). At Epcot they have 3 showings of Candle Light Processional (beautiful, religious show- 5,6:45 & 8, I think) and the lighting of the Christmas tree at 6PM - Illuminations is at 9:30(with a special holiday ending). You could consider a dinner package for CP and have a great dinner there before or after the show (my favs are LeCellier and Coral Reef), or you could make an ADR for somewhere near the BWI or YC&BC and walk over and see their lobby decorations. I think there are pros to the decorations at every park, with AK probably the least impressive in that department - you can't go wrong!

 

[mama4]

Wow! This board is so helpful! It's so nice to have this avenue to turn to when I have questions about my favorite place in the world! I'm definitely leaning more to Epcot now and may try to make time to visit the resorts too. Hadn't thought about the CP and dinner package either- that sounds perfect for Mom. Also, I never would have realized the Christmas taping would be going on on 12/1-I better steer clear of that. Thanks guys. You truly rock