Short trip right before Christmas...tips?

[dminnie]

Any tips for a short trip right before Christmas? We'll be arriving on Dec. 18 and check out on the 20th. The 18th we have ADRs at Grand Fl Cafe for dinner and on the 20th we're eating breakfast at Boma before heading to the beach for a few days. The 19th will be our only park day. We're planning on MK for EMH and hoping to spend a few hours at Epcot too. We'll probably really want to see the fireworks at MK in the evening. Will it be too busy to park hop back into MK? I've heard the crowds get so big they close it down...soooo hoping that's only after Christmas and New Years??? We're using some non-expiring park hopper tickets. We're all adults so no need to go back to rest in the middle of the day.

Any suggestions on things to do on the 18th (outside of parks) before our dinner reservation?

 

[dminnie]

Plus, I'm super excited about seeing everything at Christmastime. We've been several times to WDW and the family mostly wanted to just go to the beach for this trip. I'm hoping I don't regret talking them into it if it winds up being super busy. We don't need to ride every ride or anything like that, but we do try to fit as much in as we can when we go. We're staying at Caribbean Beach Resort. Will they have that resort decorated?

 

[wench]

The parks probably won't see any kind of closure. Even if they did, they would be phased. If you're staying on property you're pretty much protected against any closures, up to the final phase which is super rare. However, if your not on property, I believe 1 day tickets are the 1st phase of closure. In that case you could get blocked.

For the 18th, without a park ticket I would go to Disney Springs. You may even want to move your ADR to one of the great new restaurants they have there.

 

[dminnie]

We have several days left on our non-expiring tickets. I wonder where those rank if they close. We're staying at CBR. So you think that since we're staying on property, they would let us back into MK if they start closing due to crowds?

 

[wench]

Yes, if you're on property you're good. There are 4 levels of closure & only the 4th/final level would block out resort guests. It's really unlikely they'll have closures that day anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Accident]

We have several days left on our non-expiring tickets. I wonder where those rank if they close. We're staying at CBR. So you think that since we're staying on property, they would let us back into MK if they start closing due to crowds?

If you not planning on being in MK on decemeber 25th, you don't need to worry about this at all. And your staying on site so you don't need to worry at all anyway.

 

[Accident]

When do you arrive on the 18th and when do you leave on the 20th? The 18th you might want to get a MVMCP ticket if you really want to see disney at xmas as that will have the parade, stage show and fireworks that night which is christmas themed. then the 19th you can do more mk if needed, see epcot and stay for their nighttime holiday show (candlelight something or other). Hollywood has their new stage show and fireworks but as far as holiday, that's going to be about it for that park so may not be worth trying to fit it in.

For non-park things to do. Grand Floridian is worth visiting and you can do that on a non park morning or night to see the gingerbread house in the lobby, it's also nicely decorated resort for the holidays. Contemporary has one too but not as impressive (do contemporary first if that's your plan). wilderness lodge has the largest xmas tree. ft wilderness the campsites tend to get into their own who can decorate better contest that can be interesting to walk around and see. Springs has a few new things including a xmas tree walk (just opened but I head mixed on this) a new drone show coming soon and tons of new places to shop and eat. There are some gingerbread things at teh epcot resorts also but I woudlnt' go out of my way to see that on a very short limited trip. if you happen to be heading towards that area anyway, then it might be worth the time it'll take to see them (forget which do something but I want to say it's boardwalk and yacht club). grand floridian is the one I would see if there was only time to see one.

 

[dminnie]

Thanks, I'll stop worrying about park hopping. We do have reservations for dinner at Grand Fl Cafe on the 18th. I wonder what time the fireworks are for party at MK. Maybe we could watch them from there.

We'll be arriving around 1 or 2 on the 18th. We'll probably leave shortly after breakfast on the 20th, but we're pretty flexible about that.

Would the MK party really be worth it? It would be over $400 for the family to get in.