thanks all for the kind welcome and informative replies!
i have some more questions if thats ok..
following your sage advice looks like we will go for the 2nd.
(3rd also poss but our flight is at 7pm)
do you recommend on property or off?(i know people were saying how expensive the disney properties were at this time)
we would be 3 adults and 3 little kids-do you think it would be poss to squeeze into 1 disney room?
also i cannot find any disney properties on travelocity etc yet for these dates though av before new years.
when will they be available?
is a discount deal out of the question for this time?
also,we arrive on christmas eve late so will prob spend 25th around disney /orlando(not visiting parks)
is this a nice time to visit and just wander about?is there a lot to see/
also,anywhere recommended for christmas meal or best to go out of orlando??
a big thanks
excitement continues to build
You would not be able to put 6 people in one standard Disney room unless you had a Family Suite at the All Star Music. They are strict on the rules and it is a legal issue if you have more than the room is supposed to. There are DVC properties that you can rent points or I think even book through Disney, that can fit 6 people, but it sounds like you want to do this on a budget and those properties are expensive. I think your best bet would be to look for something offsite, like a condo or rental home. We have a board for Orlando Hotels
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=15 to get some ideas. But you probably want to book something as soon as you can just to be sure you can get it.
Do understand that at Christmas holiday time there will be practically nothing for cheap. Everywhere will be at their highest rates and you will need to book as early as possible because they fill up very fast. That is also why you probably won't find discounts-- there is no need to offer a deal when the property is able to fill at regular or even higher than regular rates.
Disney has not released anything to be booked for 2011, which is why you can't find it. Also not sure if the Disney resorts are available on those types of sites? They may be, I have just never looked.
I would suggest that you spend Christmas Day (the 25th) at Downtown Disney and the Resorts if you still want some Disney atmosphere. You can visit any of the resorts to look around. There are some great decorations and Gingerbread structures, especially at the Deluxe Resorts. You could make an entire day of going from Resort to Resort and looking around and taking pictures and just relaxing in the lobby and shopping in the shops. Dinner Reservations for Christmas Day will also be very hard to get, either in Disney or off property. Even if you went outside of Orlando, many places close completely on Christmas Day, and the ones that don't will probably be very busy. You will also find that many other places may be closed on Christmas Day like the malls and other attractions. Some do and some don't so you would just need to check with them about their hours if you want to go somewhere else.
Going to Disney at Christmas is a beautiful time to go, but it is also crowded and expensive. As long as you are prepared for that then you will have a great time.
Some questions for you:
How will you get around in Orlando? Will you rent a car?
Is there a reason you have to be here at Christmas time?
What are planning to do the rest of the week that you are here?
Since you are only planning one day for Disney, do you know which of the 4 parks you want to go to?
You don't have to answer if you don't want, but it will help us to guide you in your planning.
