The OFFICIAL December 2014 - Christmas Magic

[BDL]

Layers, layers, layers, especially at night. In 2010 it actually dropped below freezing a couple of nights One of them being the night we were on an Illuminations cruise. Boy that was cold. But I'd rather be cold in Disney than Dublin

We were there in 2010 too. It was cold enough that during day we'd be wearing wind breakers and hockey jerseys. And at night, Disney had to cover the topiarys to keep them from dying. But then in 2012 when we were there, it was in the high 80's. So all I can say... Keep an eye on weather.com 's 10 day forecast. That's what I'm doing.

 

[pigletto]

We leave tomorrow after school to head to the airport hotel!
We have a 6am flight Friday morning, so we thought it best to be across the street from the airport to get there for 4:30.
I'm almost too excited to sleep! It's been a year since our last trip and I've been counting down since July. We had such a fabulous time seeing Disney all decked out for Christmas last year, and I hope this year will be just as awesome. I can't believe it's almost here!!!!!

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

If you are at WDW and going to the Frozen Sing-a-Long in the evening while Osborne Spectacle is happening, please let me know how that works.
If you are at DHS and going to Osborne for its start at 6, please let me know how that goes and if you see anyway around it for those who wanted to get to the sing-a-long instead.
I want to get to the 6pm sing-a-long, preferably while bypassing Osborne crowds. If I get stuck in the crush trying to see Osborne start at 6, I won't make it to the sing-a-long.
HELP

 

[Disneylover99]

I just switched a few park days around over the week of Christmas. That meant switching a bunch of fp's. Suprisingly, I was able to get everything I wanted for the times I wanted. The only thing not available were the parades and A&E.

 

[CinderElsa]

Got home this past weekend But already planning a trip for May, so not too tragic! Hope all other December travelers have as much fun as we did!

 

[dphie28]

Ooh, exciting!!! Ours still haven't shipped and we check in next Wednesday. Should I be worried?

Ours haven't shipped either and we check in 12/29. I hope they ship soon!!!

 

[Anna114]

I have to admit that I'm disappointed with the reports I'm hearing about the crowds. I've been this time of year before without the crowds.

 

[alwaysred2]

Ours haven't shipped either and we check in 12/29. I hope they ship soon!!!

Give Disney a call. For some reason a lot of bands were put in a hold status and you have to call them to have them manually pushed through the system after they remove the hold. I found out this because I leave on the 19th and come the 3rd they still hadn't shipped.

 

[pigletto]

I have to admit that I'm disappointed with the reports I'm hearing about the crowds. I've been this time of year before without the crowds.

I haven't found it too bad to be honest. We're following EasyWdw's recommended parks and doing just fine. It's definitely busy, but not unmanageable.
However, there are cheerleaders everywhere you turn. No problems with them.. I've just seen enough gigantic hair bows to last me a lifetime.

30 of them sat directly behind us for the parade at MVMCP last night. They were polite, but they were a group of 30 young teens. They actually screamed so loud I thought my ears would bleed. They were just young girls having fun, but I am pretty sure we've hit my husbands Disney/parade/noise tolerance for the year.

 

[Anna114]

I haven't found it too bad to be honest. We're following EasyWdw's recommended parks and doing just fine. It's definitely busy, but not unmanageable.
However, there are cheerleaders everywhere you turn. No problems with them.. I've just seen enough gigantic hair bows to last me a lifetime.

30 of them sat directly behind us for the parade at MVMCP last night. They were polite, but they were a group of 30 young teens. They actually screamed so loud I thought my ears would bleed. They were just young girls having fun, but I am pretty sure we've hit my husbands Disney/parade/noise tolerance for the year.

Thank you for the update!

 

[micheypl]

We are at Disney now and I am finding the crowds to be pretty good. We were at Animal Kingdom yesterday and the most we waited was twenty min at Mt. Everest..most are walk on. Two days ago at Magic Kingdom was the same ...most were walk on ...but for the Dwarfs mine train ride we waited about 30 mins for the first time and about 60 for the second..it was late at night so we watched the fireworks while in the line up ..it certainly passed the time

 

[jcemom]

I haven't found it too bad to be honest. We're following EasyWdw's recommended parks and doing just fine. It's definitely busy, but not unmanageable.
However, there are cheerleaders everywhere you turn. No problems with them.. I've just seen enough gigantic hair bows to last me a lifetime.

30 of them sat directly behind us for the parade at MVMCP last night. They were polite, but they were a group of 30 young teens. They actually screamed so loud I thought my ears would bleed. They were just young girls having fun, but I am pretty sure we've hit my husbands Disney/parade/noise tolerance for the year.

What is with those hair bows anyway? Why do they make cheerleaders wear those things? LOL

We only had one negative cheerleader incident. "What's worse than sitting through Stitch's Great Escape?"

..."Sitting through Stitch's Great Escape with 50 cheerleaders!"

Wow. Just wow. You would have had to be there. I thought my eardrums would burst. The poor CM working there must have screamed himself hoarse yelling at them to put away the cellphones and stay in their seats. Not only did they scream so loudly the entire time that you couldn't hear one word of the program, but they actually pushed up their shoulder bars and many of them were getting up and moving around during the show. The two chaperones sitting next to me said and did absolutely nothing. They just laughed.

As for crowds in general, we normally go in early to mid September and we found it to be uncomfortably crowded this past week.

While we enjoyed the decorations and are glad we went to see them, we agreed that December is not the right time of year for us. It was too cold and too crowded. We'll stick with September from here on out.

 

[micheypl]

We are having a great time but we are thinking that this may not be the best time of year for us either ... Previously we have gone in May which is quite warm but not too hot that we cannot do the parks . The kids love to swim so they are missing that a bit ..especially today which is our "relax at the resort day "!!
The weather is suppose to warm up next week ... I sure hope so

 

[j2thomason]

We are here now for the party tonight and gonna try to stop by all four parks tomorrow before heading home Sunday. The crowds and wait times seem very manageable and easy. The weather, however is a little too chilly for my taste. We are currently second in line from meet the dwarves! I hope we don't turn into human ice cubes before this weekend is over! Sorry....I'm from the south and this weather is really cold to me!

 

[micheypl]

Hey all I have a reservation at BOG on December 21st at 6:10 pm for four people ..if anyone wants to trade for a character dinner or lunch

 

[CrunchyMomOf2]

Hi all,
Quick question, we are planning on doing the 4pm Osborn lights then have a FP for 5:35 for the Frozen Sing-a-long. Is that going to work?
TIA!

 

[Redarrow5150]

No. Osborne lights probably won't start till 5:30-6PM.

Hi all,
Quick question, we are planning on doing the 4pm Osborn lights then have a FP for 5:35 for the Frozen Sing-a-long. Is that going to work?
TIA!

 

[CrunchyMomOf2]

No. Osborne lights probably won't start till 5:30-6PM.

Ok, is it something that just goes continuously once it's dark? So we could do it after the sing-a-long?

 

[Redarrow5150]

Yes...the term they use is "dusk." The lights stay on one hour later after park hours.

Ok, is it something that just goes continuously once it's dark? So we could do it after the sing-a-long?

 

[pigletto]

What is with those hair bows anyway? Why do they make cheerleaders wear those things? LOL

We only had one negative cheerleader incident. "What's worse than sitting through Stitch's Great Escape?"

..."Sitting through Stitch's Great Escape with 50 cheerleaders!"

Wow. Just wow. You would have had to be there. I thought my eardrums would burst. The poor CM working there must have screamed himself hoarse yelling at them to put away the cellphones and stay in their seats. Not only did they scream so loudly the entire time that you couldn't hear one word of the program, but they actually pushed up their shoulder bars and many of them were getting up and moving around during the show. The two chaperones sitting next to me said and did absolutely nothing. They just laughed.

As for crowds in general, we normally go in early to mid September and we found it to be uncomfortably crowded this past week.

While we enjoyed the decorations and are glad we went to see them, we agreed that December is not the right time of year for us. It was too cold and too crowded. We'll stick with September from here on out.

Ugh.... that doesn't sound pleasant

Yes.. I agree the cold was disappointing. My husband and son had tickets to Aquatica and never did go because our first 2 days were the only days warm enough and we had other plans.
As the week wore on I did find WDW very busy after all. Especially this past Sunday at the MK. It was very crowded.
Surprisingly our 2013 trip from December 14th to the 23rd was much less crowded. At the end of that week it really picked up by the 14th to the 21st or so was really nice.
We had a great time, but we're happy to be home.