What are your Christmas at Disney Must-Dos?

[BlondeAppetit]

I am in the pre-planning stages of a Christmas trip!

I would like to possibly take advantage of free dining, which is rumored to start 12/16.

I am also considering the weekend post Thanksgiving, no free dining but we may just do some speciality events anyways.

I would like to stay at the Wilderness Lodge.

What are your Disney must-dos?

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Candlelight Processional: Where is your favorite place to eat and why? We will have two young girls (3 and 7)

Tour the deluxe resorts

Maybe a sleigh ride at Ft Wilderness?

 

[twinsmama]

I am in the pre-planning stages of a Christmas trip!

I would like to possibly take advance of free dining, which is rumored to start 12/16.

I would like to stay at the Wilderness Lodge.

What are your Disney must-dos?

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Candlelight Processional: Where is your favorite place to eat and why? We will have two young girls (3 and 7)

Tour the deluxe resorts

Maybe a sleigh ride at Ft Wilderness?

Definitely go see the tree and life size gingerbread house at Grand Floridian. Memory Maker photography is by the tree.

If you can do the sleigh ride do it!! I wish we had.

Just being at disney near Christmas in general is magical!!

 

[Disneylover99]

Epcot storytellers

 

[BlondeAppetit]

Thanks everyone! Great suggestions! Keep them coming! Any advice on best place for the Candlelight Processional Dining Package?

We have never done Garden Grill before....is somewhere a better choice? Curious what may happen at Akershus in lieu of the changes in Norway.

Anyone aware of any Christmas rumors? With all of the new nighttime activities at AK and the speculation that something may replace Osb. Lights...I am wondering if there will be something exciting on the horizon for Christmas 2016.

 

[revdon64]

OK, I'm gonna sound like a wet blanket but after going early December 2015: our must-do for Disney at Christmas is stay home.

That said, we did enjoy seeing some of the deluxe resort decorations - Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Beach Club. Definitely wait in line for Santa in the America Pavilion - worth it! We never got in to the Candlelight Processional - too crowded. MVMCP was also pretty crowded and we weren't happy with the quality of the free treats (hot chocolate was cold and cookies tasted stale). The Christmas parade was pretty good, if you can get anywhere near it. I'm also not sure that I'd count on free dining. It had been traditionally offered the week that we went too - didn't happen. And it only gets more crowded as you get toward Christmas, so less chance of a free dining offer.

 

[subtchr]

Osborne Lights at DHS!

...scratch that...darn it.

Lights of Winter at Epcot!

...oops, nope.


...sigh...

 

[alliecat523]

The tree at WL is gorgeous. They have a Disney photographer hanging around there all the time to take photos. Use it!

The lines for the CP were insane when we went in December. We found we could stand in the back and still enjoy the show.

We loved seeing the gingerbread display at the CR and GF.

 

[Cynister]

We did Disney at Christmas for the 1st time this year. Here are some of our favorite things from that trip:

1. Resort hopping to see all of the Christmas decorations (trees, gingerbread, & chocolate sculpture)
2. Collecting the Christmas edition pins from each resort
3. Visiting Santa & Mrs Claus at the Swan & Dolphin
4. MVMCP (if you can swing it twice I'd recommend it. One night focus on character pictures like the dwarfs, the next night focus on all rides)

We didn't do the Processional, but did stand & watch it from outside. It was nice but not something we'd likely pick. We did Osborne lights which was good, but won't be there next Christmas. We tried to do our own cupcake tour by getting Christmas cupcakes everywhere but we're disappointed that there were very few offered. We were also disappointed that there didn't seem to be much Christmas specific merchandise. Overall our favorite was going around to all of the resorts. It is time-consuming but very satisfying.

 

[matheke]

Each year the list is getting shorter.

1. MVMCP-Yes I know about the complaints, but if you want to go then go and have fun.
2. CP- We like the Biergarten. We like the food, meeting people (Unless you area party of 8 you will be sitting with others) and you get the show.
3. Gingerbread Houses and Deluxe resorts tour for the decorations. Don't forget to look for the Hidden Mickeys!!!
4. Epcot Holiday Storytellers. Each has their own good a bad points.
5. There are 2 tours available for the holidays. Yuletide Fantasy and Holiday D-Lights. (Read the reviews and then decide)
6. Went on the Holiday Sleigh ride. It was ok. We had just finished with Hoop-Dee-Do so it fit right in.
7. We went to US/IOA this year. The decorations were nice but most of the holiday stuff started on December 5th, the day we left Fla..
8. Disney Springs has Santa and Holiday entertainment on their stage.

You do not have to get the CP package or even be in the theater to enjoy it. You can hear most of it and see parts of it just being in the area.
Always try to see the second parade at MVMCP. Most of the time it is less crowded.
If one place has cold hot chocolate and stale cookies, go to another. There are usually plenty of other stations.

 

[LadyRayado]

We're going Nov. 29 - Dec. 5 and here are my current "Christmas-y" plans:

1. MCMVP - I've been before, so focusing solely on the special events - Castle Lighting, Castle show, and parade. Anything else I will consider a bonus because I do think both MVMCP and MNSSHP are way oversold and very crowded. I'm going in with very low expectations this time.
2. Holiday decorations at the resorts. We're going to spend a full day doing this - Ohana for breakfast, Grand Floridian, and the Contemporary, then over to Yacht, Beach, and Boardwalk for lunch, more decorations, and dessert at Beaches and Cream.
3. EPCOT storytellers (not all, but a least a few. Only got to see one last time)
4. Candlelight Processional with the dinner package at Garden Grill. That way we get the CP seating and a character meal.
5. Santa and Mrs. Claus at the American Pavilion

 

[revdon64]

Forgot to mention that the best Christmas thing we did in December was the Osborn Lights. Just being there when they flipped the switch on... WOW! I truly hope they find another venue for that attraction because it was outstanding!

 

[BlondeAppetit]

OK, I'm gonna sound like a wet blanket but after going early December 2015: our must-do for Disney at Christmas is stay home.

That said, we did enjoy seeing some of the deluxe resort decorations - Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Beach Club. Definitely wait in line for Santa in the America Pavilion - worth it! We never got in to the Candlelight Processional - too crowded. MVMCP was also pretty crowded and we weren't happy with the quality of the free treats (hot chocolate was cold and cookies tasted stale). The Christmas parade was pretty good, if you can get anywhere near it. I'm also not sure that I'd count on free dining. It had been traditionally offered the week that we went too - didn't happen. And it only gets more crowded as you get toward Christmas, so less chance of a free dining offer.

I appreciate your honesty!

 

[BlondeAppetit]

Osborne Lights at DHS!

...scratch that...darn it.

Lights of Winter at Epcot!

...oops, nope.


...sigh...

Funny...because it is true!

 

[BlondeAppetit]

Each year the list is getting shorter.

1. MVMCP-Yes I know about the complaints, but if you want to go then go and have fun.
2. CP- We like the Biergarten. We like the food, meeting people (Unless you area party of 8 you will be sitting with others) and you get the show.
3. Gingerbread Houses and Deluxe resorts tour for the decorations. Don't forget to look for the Hidden Mickeys!!!
4. Epcot Holiday Storytellers. Each has their own good a bad points.
5. There are 2 tours available for the holidays. Yuletide Fantasy and Holiday D-Lights. (Read the reviews and then decide)
6. Went on the Holiday Sleigh ride. It was ok. We had just finished with Hoop-Dee-Do so it fit right in.
7. We went to US/IOA this year. The decorations were nice but most of the holiday stuff started on December 5th, the day we left Fla..
8. Disney Springs has Santa and Holiday entertainment on their stage.

You do not have to get the CP package or even be in the theater to enjoy it. You can hear most of it and see parts of it just being in the area.
Always try to see the second parade at MVMCP. Most of the time it is less crowded.
If one place has cold hot chocolate and stale cookies, go to another. There are usually plenty of other stations.

Thank you for your detailed list! I will have a 2.5 year old with me so I am debating if she would enjoy the whole Candlelight Processional. I like that you can still get a "feel" for it without sitting in the actual performance.

 

[BlondeAppetit]

Forgot to mention that the best Christmas thing we did in December was the Osborn Lights. Just being there when they flipped the switch on... WOW! I truly hope they find another venue for that attraction because it was outstanding!

I hope so too. I am hoping that there are some Christmas surprises this year!

 

[BlondeAppetit]

We're going Nov. 29 - Dec. 5 and here are my current "Christmas-y" plans:

1. MCMVP - I've been before, so focusing solely on the special events - Castle Lighting, Castle show, and parade. Anything else I will consider a bonus because I do think both MVMCP and MNSSHP are way oversold and very crowded. I'm going in with very low expectations this time.
2. Holiday decorations at the resorts. We're going to spend a full day doing this - Ohana for breakfast, Grand Floridian, and the Contemporary, then over to Yacht, Beach, and Boardwalk for lunch, more decorations, and dessert at Beaches and Cream.
3. EPCOT storytellers (not all, but a least a few. Only got to see one last time)
4. Candlelight Processional with the dinner package at Garden Grill. That way we get the CP seating and a character meal.
5. Santa and Mrs. Claus at the American Pavilion

I like your resort touring plan! I may have to copy it! I also was thinking about the same thing with Garden Grill and the CP, hitting two birds with one stone!

 

[BeerMe]

Holiday Illumunations is high on our list. We've been 8 times in December since 2001.

 

[scrapycruiser]

What is Holiday Illuminations ?