SO UPSET about the LATE start of Holidays 2024 :(

[Mrs~Incredible]

It's the almighty dollar. HHN earns them a FORTUNE. Holidays are free with regular admission. There's some food, bev and merch sales, but overall, I bet HHN is a far bigger money maker.

Sea World is even worse. They only offer the full holiday event on selected days. Last year, they posted those days in late summer/early fall. I booked based upon that - then they suddenly removed those days from the calendar in late Oct - after I finalized hotels - and rates had skyrocketed in price!

I was so annoyed. Rescheduled everything - then of course, it poured the days I was there and most events were canceled.
It was NOT my year. lol.

I totally empathize. Is there anything beyond UO you'd enjoy that you could splurge on to make up for it a bit - the ice show at Gaylord, perhaps? Or a WDW holiday party?

Oooh so sorry about your SW experience, that sounds frustrating! Those are good ideas to add to the holiday vibes- thanks! I’m sure the tree trail will be up in Disney springs by then too and that will be fun. Thanks!

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

We totally get it. I always plan a trip around Universal holidays and their short window makes it harder and harder to squeeze in around real holidays and other happenings during that time of year. Universal: the more dates, the merrier!

Are you only doing Universal this trip? Maybe you can escape to a Disney Xmas party or SeaWorld for a night for some of their holiday offerings.

Great ideas! We will be doing wdw too, so I’m sure we will have plenty of holiday fun. I’m a sucker for the Christmas at Hogwarts show, so hoping maybe they will show the regular Hogwarts show in the interim if we are lucky!

 

[nouvellefleur]

hoping maybe they will show the regular Hogwarts show in the interim if we are lucky!

Are you doing the Orlando Informer Meetup that weekend? According to the OI Facebook group, they're expecting there to be a Hogwarts light show for the event so it sounds like at least there'll be something, even if it's perhaps not the Christmas light show. (I've actually never seen the lights show, it's been down every time I've gone, my timing is impeccable )

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Are you doing the Orlando Informer Meetup that weekend? According to the OI Facebook group, they're expecting there to be a Hogwarts light show for the event so it sounds like at least there'll be something, even if it's perhaps not the Christmas light show. (I've actually never seen the lights show, it's been down every time I've gone, my timing is impeccable )

Ooooh I wasn’t planning on it but will definitely look into it!! Thanks for the hot tip!!
Yes we would be happy to see any light show - sorry you’ve always missed it! Although I’m sure just the regular lights on the castle at night is also pretty!

 

[shh]

Oooh so sorry about your SW experience, that sounds frustrating! Those are good ideas to add to the holiday vibes- thanks! I’m sure the tree trail will be up in Disney springs by then too and that will be fun. Thanks!

Love disney springs during the holidays...fyi - last year they changed their traditional tree trail and made it a scavenger-type hunt...all the trees were spread throughout DS and you had to guess the theme of each. You marked it on a card and traded that in for a congrats holiday button. No biggie re: the button, but it was a lot of fun to do and I thought much more engaging than the trail.

The old xmas tree trail got so crowded and cramped......was hard to see the trees.

Also, Fort Wilderness is gorgeous that time of year...you can walk thru and see everyone's decorated RVs and campsites.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Love disney springs during the holidays...fyi - last year they changed their traditional tree trail and made it a scavenger-type hunt...all the trees were spread throughout DS and you had to guess the theme of each. You marked it on a card and traded that in for a congrats holiday button. No biggie re: the button, but it was a lot of fun to do and I thought much more engaging than the trail.

The old xmas tree trail got so crowded and cramped......was hard to see the trees.

Also, Fort Wilderness is gorgeous that time of year...you can walk thru and see everyone's decorated RVs and campsites.

Thanks!!! Love those ideas!!!

 

[keishashadow]

The old xmas tree trail got so crowded and cramped......was hard to see the trees.

Wasn't fond of the change when there the Saturday after thanksgiving last year.

Expected the crowds...not the people who would congregate around a tree for extended periods of time. Take your pic and move along

Believe U & SW don't have the $ budgeted or PT employee availability to run as many nights as wdw (with deeper pockets)