The OFFICIAL December 2014 - Christmas Magic

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

New to the thread.

We are super excited to be at Disney during Christmas.
We are staying at CBR Dec 12 - 20 with FD. There are 10 of us for my in-laws 50th anniversary.

Does anyone know when the park hours will be released for December? We would like to know before making dining plans. Hoping for Candlelight Processional & Fantasmic Dining Packages. Also hoping for airfares to come down in price.

We can't wait to get the park hours then begin to put the plan together. I think someone else said it best "Woo-Hoo!"

I "think" hours come out mid month, so December should be out around the 15th of this month. I "think" anyway.

I am anxiously awaiting as well. Gotta get my ADRs all booked before we leave for Yellowstone June 5th!

 

[TISHLOVESDISNEY]

Hi! I'm glad I found this!! I am planning our trip for November 29- December 6 . It's myself, my husband and my two year old son. We are staying at CBR.

Here's what I have planed so far :

Disney planning ::

Sun Nov 29
Drive to orlando
Check in hotel
Dinner on resort

Mon Dec 1
Chef Mickey breakfast 800
Magic kingdom fantasy land and tomorrow land
Diamond horseshoe lunch
Nap at hotel
Magic kingdom
Turkey leg or snack dinner
The Plaza ice cream
Stay for fireworks in MK

Tue Dec 2
snack breakfast
Be at park early for entry show
Magic kingdom adventure land and frontier land
Pecos bill tall tale lunch
Nap in stroller or hotel
Leave park early (MVMCP day)
Ferry to wilderness lodge
Whispering canyon dinner 630

Wed Dec 3
Hollywood& vine breakfast 800
Hollywood studios am
Staring rolls snack lunch
Nap at hotel
Epcot world show case
Epcot Mexico quick service diner

Thurs Dec 4
Sleep in breakfast at resort
Downtown disney
Rainforest Cafe lunch 1200
Nap at hotel
MVMCP after nap
Cosmic ray starlight cafe

Fri Dec 5
Snack breakfast
Animal kingdom am
Pizza Fari lunch
Nap at hotel
Epcot future world
Garden grill diner


Sat Dec 6
Crystal palace breakfast 800
Magic kingdom free day
Columbia Harbor house lunch
Trails End fort wilderness 600
Campfire sing along

Sun Dec 7
Breakfast
Check out
Drive home

I still have to figure out fast pass + and then plan the fun stuff ( outfits for the trip lol)

I'll be there same week and at MK that Tuesday as well!
We too are planning on hitting that "side" of MK Tuesday. Ending with the parade and done.

 

[danceintherain]

Our current plans are as follows:
Shades of Green December 28-Jan 4
It will be myself, DH, and our two little ones who will be a 4 year old little boy and a 10 month old princess. We're toying with the idea of inviting some of my family along. Mostly my Mom, but if she comes she'll probably want to bring at least my younger brother...then she'll feel bad about not bringing my other younger brother and sister...then my older sister will find out and since she lives in Georgia it would be too easy for her to pop down for at least a few days with her family of 4....then I'll feel bad since the whole family is coming, and invite my Dad and other brother and his wife. The last brother probably won't come, unless somehow our parents decide to pay for the whole thing and make it into a family reunion of sorts, even then he's not a huge Disney fan.
So yeah....I don't plan on inviting my Mom, unless I'm ok with my whole family coming.
I would just invite my Dad instead, because he wouldn't invite the rest of the family, but my Mom would be sorely offended, since she's a teacher and usually we tell her she can't come on our vacations with us, because she has to work.

My thoughts for dining are as follows:
Ohana - dinner
Kona Cafe - lunch or maybe breakfast - I want it to be to or from the MK
Teppan Edo - lunch or dinner
Hollywood & Vine - late breakfast

The three I'm not sure about, but may book as placeholders are:
Plaza
Crystal Palace
Yak & Yeti
I may add something else at Epcot too, just because we've barely scratched the surface of the offerings there.

I also need to come up with something for our anniversary. If we bring along any family, then part of the "deal" will be childcare, which would open us to an overnight stay elsewhere or a longer "adventure." DH is intrigued by the Wild Africa Trek.
If we're left to our own devices, then we'll probably leave DS at a kid's club, and just bring the baby along to signature dining somewhere, or maybe book a tour that the whole family can go on, or maybe even Discovery Cove....

They just did a story about airfare on Good Morning America last week. They said (according to their research) that it didn't matter as much when you booked but more about what days you are traveling. They said Wednesday was the best day to fly out and Tuesday was the best day to fly back. That sounded odd to me because I don't think it would matter to the airline whether you were flying home or away. I mean, some of y'all live in places I would like to fly to visit so I would be arriving in your departure airport.

Anyway, we normally do Wednesday to Wednesday for our trips and always get super deals on airfare. We live close enough that we can drive to Disney but the flights are cheaper than the gas would be.

Yeah...I've pretty much determined that we're screwed as far as airfare goes this time. Christmas is just too popular of a time to travel, and we don't have flexible dates. I too prefer traveling Wednesday to Wednesday. Sunday to Sunday is going to throw us off. If we could drive, I'd consider it, but fitting the trip in where it is will be hard enough.

In my experience, fares do tend to drop at least a bit after Southwest opens their calendar and potentially releases "fare sales" for a particular month.

New to the thread.

We are super excited to be at Disney during Christmas.
We are staying at CBR Dec 12 - 20 with FD. There are 10 of us for my in-laws 50th anniversary.

Does anyone know when the park hours will be released for December? We would like to know before making dining plans. Hoping for Candlelight Processional & Fantasmic Dining Packages. Also hoping for airfares to come down in price.

We can't wait to get the park hours then begin to put the plan together. I think someone else said it best "Woo-Hoo!"

Usually they release them at least a few weeks before the 180 day window opens.

 

[fozziepitysthefool]

We (myself and DS16) are from December 18th (arrive 9pm) to January 1st (depart at noon)... We are staying at ASSp (and requested Hoops Hotel). We have upgraded to the TS, but with having to preplan FP+ and to add table dining to it, just seems like having to be in a lot of places at the same time.

We have done table services in the past and found it to be too much dashing and too much food and too much sitting at one time. But from what I read on the forum is that it would be good to keep the TS as it gets you out of the crowds for a bit...

Thoughts anyone? Much appreciated!

 

[cklemesrud]

We (myself and DS16) are from December 18th (arrive 9pm) to January 1st (depart at noon)... We are staying at ASSp (and requested Hoops Hotel). We have upgraded to the TS, but with having to preplan FP+ and to add table dining to it, just seems like having to be in a lot of places at the same time.

We have done table services in the past and found it to be too much dashing and too much food and too much sitting at one time. But from what I read on the forum is that it would be good to keep the TS as it gets you out of the crowds for a bit...

Thoughts anyone? Much appreciated!

Did you run the numbers to compare a value resort with TS upgrade versus a moderate resort? I've seen other posts that indicating the moderate is actually less expensive. It looks like you only have 2 in your party. So a value resort may be a better value, but if you have 4, you may save money by staying at the moderate. Plus you get the extra amenities of a moderate resort (I love the extra square footage, coffee pot and refrigerator). Anyway, it is always a good idea to estimate the cost of both options.
Good Luck.

 

[cklemesrud]

Has anyone been to Disney in December? I was wondering if an afternoon swim was an option. Are any pools heated? I think CBR has a hot tub. Is it operating in December?

Thanks!

 

[rebelbuddhist]

We (myself and DS16) are from December 18th (arrive 9pm) to January 1st (depart at noon)... We are staying at ASSp (and requested Hoops Hotel). We have upgraded to the TS, but with having to preplan FP+ and to add table dining to it, just seems like having to be in a lot of places at the same time.

We have done table services in the past and found it to be too much dashing and too much food and too much sitting at one time. But from what I read on the forum is that it would be good to keep the TS as it gets you out of the crowds for a bit...

Thoughts anyone? Much appreciated!

My wife and I will be at the ASSports from Dec 20th to the 29th... we got the free DP and upgraded to the Deluxe but saved $800 from our original reservation. We always get the Deluxe Dining Plan and eat two times a day at TS-- we do a buffet late breakfast/early lunch using 1 TS credit and then we do a late evening meal at a Signature Restaurant. Her favorite is Narccoosee's-- mine is Yachtsman Steakhouse but we always also eat at Le Cellier or Criticos also. We find that the TS meals give us a needed break from the hustle and bustle and the huge crowds without the hassle of going back to our resort. We stay at a Value since we are only in the room to sleep and shower and are out at the Parks ALL day. We have found some quiet little nooks and crannies around WDW to rest when we feel the need.
Everyone has a preferred style of touring/eating/resting... We say to each his own!

 

[rebelbuddhist]

Has anyone read or heard anything about parades at MK over the Christmas holidays? Will the new Festival of Fantasy parade take place or only the Christmas parade the week of the 25th? I have read that the fire breathing dragon started a small fire and am wondering how that parade will do with the wreaths ornaments strung across main street? Also, beginning to read rumors that this could be the last year for Osborne Family Lights at HS. Sure hope not, but that makes it even better that we will be there this year if it does become the last year for them.

 

[gtpoohbear]

Has anyone been to Disney in December? I was wondering if an afternoon swim was an option. Are any pools heated? I think CBR has a hot tub. Is it operating in December? Thanks!

The pools are definitely heated and stay open all year. It just depends on the air temperature, and your personal comfort level whether swimming is an option. You will see plenty of people doing it, and plenty others that say it's too cold.

One December, we stayed at the Nickelodeon Hotel during an unusually cold spell, and we were the only ones in the pool. The lifeguards were all bundled up in parkas, lol. But that's what being from Colorado is good for I guess! Other times, it has been plenty warm and the pool has been full.

The weather can vary a lot that time if year, so looking at averages won't help much, unfortunately. You'll just have to wait and see what it's like the week you are there.

I don't remember there being a hot tub at CBR, but then again I was 6months pregnant the time I stayed there and couldn't have used it anyway, so I'm not sure.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[rebelbuddhist]

My wife and I always try to do new things each time we visit WDW. We are creatures of habit and have to make sure we don't forget to try new experiences. We are a "more mature" couple who don't do the thrill rides, but we have a wonderful time at WDW every Christmas time. We always hope for a new narrator at the CP, but that isn't really something we can plan for very much. Just hoping we will be there on a date with a new narrator or someone we haven't heard. We would love for Neil Patrick Harris or Whopi Goldberg, but they seem to be earlier in the month and never actually Christmas week. This year we are looking forward to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and to the Festival of Fantasy Parade at MK. It will be great to have the Festival of the Lion King back at AK in its new theater and maybe a new bird show with Macaws flying about. We always try a new restaurant or two each year although that's tougher since our list of must eat places is growing. Narcoossee's, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Le Cellier are at the top of that list. But also included usually are Chef Mickey's, Cape May Buffet, Captain's Grille, Tusker House, Yak and Yeti, Chefs de France, and Mama Melrose's. We have dropped Hollywood Brown Derby from our list as well as Artist Point. We may be in a minority but we find them both lackluster with mediocre food and not signature quality dining anymore. We are going to try The Wave of American Flavors for the first time this December and hope it lives up to its reputation. Looking forward to sharing ideas and hearing plans from others for a magical Christmas at WDW.

 

[danceintherain]

We (myself and DS16) are from December 18th (arrive 9pm) to January 1st (depart at noon)... We are staying at ASSp (and requested Hoops Hotel). We have upgraded to the TS, but with having to preplan FP+ and to add table dining to it, just seems like having to be in a lot of places at the same time.

We have done table services in the past and found it to be too much dashing and too much food and too much sitting at one time. But from what I read on the forum is that it would be good to keep the TS as it gets you out of the crowds for a bit...

Thoughts anyone? Much appreciated!

They won't let you overlap FP+ and ADRs, so you shouldn't have any direct conflicts, and you should be able plan to be near your ADRs at those times. Ultimately, it depends on you. Since it will be basically 2 adults in your party, you may prefer spontaneity, and it may not be as big of a deal to eat where you are.
That said, I like to book ADRs for the reasons you mentioned above. We like to sit down and eat without the struggle to find a table in the chaos of a counter service location. Also, all the TS restaurants are indoors, which means air conditioning. The weather in December isn't as blaring hot, but it does get warm.
With a trip as long as yours, I would definitely want at least a handful of TS meals, if for nothing else to switch up the fare a bit. With TS, I can guarantee varied cuisine. With counter service, we pretty much always end up with the same things for most meals, because it's just convenient.
Finally, things are crazy over Christmas, but the seating capacity at restaurants remains about the same. They do have a few "seasonal" counter service places that open, but it doesn't do much. An ADR does get you out of the crowds a bit.

As a rule, we don't do the dining plan, because it reduces our flexibility even further. Usually, I have a good idea of whether we'll be able to keep an ADR the night before, but if we cancel with the dining plan, trying to replace it can cause problems.

Has anyone been to Disney in December? I was wondering if an afternoon swim was an option. Are any pools heated? I think CBR has a hot tub. Is it operating in December?

Thanks!

I don't remember if CBR has a hot tub either, because I was traveling with a 3 month old. That said, I took my 3 month old into the pool in early November without any hesitation. They are heated. I know some people actually complain during the summer, because the water is warmer than they'd like.
You'll probably get at least one warmer day during your trip, but there's no real way to predict it.

 

[diskids2]

We just booked with FD and upgraded to DxDDP. I'm in the middle of planning . We have been to WDW mainly in the summer and never Christmas. Our dates are Dec. 23-Jan. 1. I'm wondering about leaving and returning to the parks or hopping to another park for FP+ and or ADR's.

I know that there is a possibility of the parks closing due to capacity that week. I'm trying to find out if that is for every day of that week or just Dec. 24, 25, and 31?

Any help would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!

 

[CinderElsa]

Fellow December visitors... hours are out. No data yet for the MK but that should be filled in soon, and the parties are all noted.

http://media.disneywebcontent.com/StaticFiles/ParkHours/WDWTravelAgent_December.pdf

 

[Suzanne033]

Hey everyone! I am joining the December waiting room!

Here are my trip details:

DATES: December 2-7, 2014
RESORT: Grand Floridian
CAST: DH, DD15, DD's friend, myself
NOTES: MVMCP Tix (12/2)

This will be our first relaxing trip to WDW in almost 9 years as we normally go only when my DD competes at Nationals at WWoS. We will be there in June for exactly that reason.

Can't wait to get this magic carpet ride started!!

 

[rebelbuddhist]

We just booked with FD and upgraded to DxDDP. I'm in the middle of planning . We have been to WDW mainly in the summer and never Christmas. Our dates are Dec. 23-Jan. 1. I'm wondering about leaving and returning to the parks or hopping to another park for FP+ and or ADR's.

I know that there is a possibility of the parks closing due to capacity that week. I'm trying to find out if that is for every day of that week or just Dec. 24, 25, and 31?

Any help would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!

Last year in our way out of HS , we asked and. CM told us MK was closed and HS was about to close, so we stayed. While it is crowded, we have never experienced closings that kept us out staying on property. Just ask before you leave to find out the latest. Josh recommends AK on the 25th to avoid the Christmas Day crowds. So, we do that and then a signature dinner at narcoossee's or yachtsman steakhouse with our Deluxe DP. PLAN WELL but don't fret the crowds. See you at WDW for the holidays!

 

[happy tink]

Hi everyone! Just found this thread, it's a good way to share and build the excitement of our pending December holidays.

My name is Linda I will be traveling with DH & DS 14 to the world Dec 5 - 14! Staying at the BC, first time, AK last visit.

Our last visit, 2012, was during the first part of December as well. We loved it! The decorations are spectacular! Candlelight Processional was amazing and we also want to do MVMCP again, loved it!

The weather couldn't have been better, low crowd levels, so we're going back for more!

I live in Southern California, North of Los Angeles. I am a Disney nut, annual pass holder.

I was thinking of the doing one of the behind the scenes tours. If anyone has any expertise, please let me know your thoughts. I'll be waiting!

 

[ibela]

Hi, jumping on board as well. Going to Disney this Aug and also booked a NYE trip too (12/29-1/3). DVC so we're staying at Saratoga - me, my bf, and my 2 kids (dd8, ds6). Always been scared of going during a major holiday but excited nonetheless. Hoping to get some good info here and possibly the fb page if I can figure out how to join...I typed the link from a previous page into my cell phone but it came up as a broken link! Looking forward to planning with all of you!

 

[happy tink]

Hi, jumping on board as well. Going to Disney this Aug and also booked a NYE trip too (12/29-1/3). DVC so we're staying at Saratoga - me, my bf, and my 2 kids (dd8, ds6). Always been scared of going during a major holiday but excited nonetheless. Hoping to get some good info here and possibly the fb page if I can figure out how to join...I typed the link from a previous page into my cell phone but it came up as a broken link! Looking forward to planning with all of you!

Within the pages here there is a FB link, sorry can't recall where. I clicked on it and it worked.

I would love to go to NYC, it's on my bucket list, ahhh, someday.

 

[ToodlesTime]

Joining in the fun, too!

We're headed back this year, after taking our daughter on her first WDW vacation last November. We had such a great time that we're throwing caution (and plans to wait till our newborn son is 3) to the wind and going again in December. I don't know if we're nuts or fun taking a 4-year-old and an infant (he'll be almost 11 months) to WDW, but I'm going for fun...

WHEN: December 17-21
WHERE: Port Orleans French Quarter
WHO: DH, DD4, DSbaby, myself
MORE: w/free dining

I think I'd prefer to travel Dec. 3-7 for crowd levels, so if a RO discount comes out for those dates I'll probably switch. We did a bunch of princess meals last year, so the free dining - while nice for character meals - is less important to me than crowds, especially with an infant.

 

[CinderElsa]

Here is the FB link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442528252504161/