What would you visit at Christmas?

[mom2mickeyfan]

We are taking a last minute trip next weekend to Disney for just 2 days. We are coming in to see the Osborne Lights before they leave for good. We will spend Saturday at HS. We will be staying off site and HS has morning EMH that day so hope it won't impact us too much! Then we will do MVMCP on Sunday. I know the earliest we can enter the park will be 4 but I want to fill day with Disney Christmas. So if you have 6 hours to visit resorts or DTD (I know it has a new name but I think I will always think of it as DTD), what would you go and see?

Could we valet park at the Contemporary, use Disney transportation to visit different resorts and then walk to MK to go to the party?

TIA

 

[TeachTink]

We went to the Contemporary and Grand Floridian today to look at the decorations. Wasn't impressed with the Contemporary at all, but Grand Floridian was awesome!

 

[siskaren]

I would definitely check out Wilderness Lodge, which you can get to from the Contemporary by boat. And yes, you can valet at Contemporary and then visit other resorts and then walk to MK for the MVMCP.

 

[1osfan]

I'm glad you made the comment about the boat. We are resort hopping in a couple weeks to see the decorations and I forgot about it.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

The grand Floridian is gorgeous this time of year.

 

[hiroMYhero]

You can Valet park at Contemporary to view the decor at the Monorail resorts and then attend the party.

If you have time, take the bus from MK to Beach Club/Yacht Club to see the displays there. Take the bus back to MK in time for the party.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

How about the campgrounds? Anything worth checking out there? I know about the carriage rides but that isn't in our budget for this last minute trip.

Talking about that boat ride between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary, we got caught on it in a major downpour and had to run up from the dock to the covered area around the pool. There were CMs there meeting folks with towels to dry off. My DM was with us and was unable to run and nice young man CM ran out to meet her and walked in with her with a towel over her head. The CMs make a bad situation better! It was just one of the things that make Disney so much better than any where else!

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

If you have time, take the bus from MK to Beach Club/Yacht Club to see the displays there. Take the bus back to MK in time for the party.

Isn't this where the chocolate carousel is located?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Isn't this where the chocolate carousel is located?

Yes! Boardwalk should also have a display but in the past it wasn't as impressive as GF or BC.

 

[LisaBi]

Personally, I would skip MVMCP and spend the day at Epcot. I'm here now and wish I could spend even more time there. I enjoyed the Holidays Around the World much more than MVMCP, and the holiday Illuminations much more than the Holiday Wishes and Parade (and I like the regular Wishes way more than the regular Illuminations.)

 

[tehvalerie]

We're doing basically the same trip, Saturday-Monday next weekend, with HS on Satuday and MVMCP on Sunday. Personally I don't think you'd need 6 hours to do either DTD or the resort tour. Maybe head to DTD for breakfast, then take the monorail around the different resorts? I've never seen Wilderness Lodge at Christmas (or any time of year, actually) but it's on my to do list for next weekend.

As for parking, I thought you had to have a reservation (dining or resort) to park at one of the resorts? We drove to the Poly once for breakfast at Kona Cafe and they verified my reservation before letting us past the parking gate. Unless valet is a different story, in which case this paragraph should be ignored.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

We're doing basically the same trip, Saturday-Monday next weekend, with HS on Satuday and MVMCP on Sunday. Personally I don't think you'd need 6 hours to do either DTD or the resort tour. Maybe head to DTD for breakfast, then take the monorail around the different resorts? I've never seen Wilderness Lodge at Christmas (or any time of year, actually) but it's on my to do list for next weekend.

As for parking, I thought you had to have a reservation (dining or resort) to park at one of the resorts? We drove to the Poly once for breakfast at Kona Cafe and they verified my reservation before letting us past the parking gate. Unless valet is a different story, in which case this paragraph should be ignored.

We have been allowed to park at resorts when we told them we were there to just visit the resort but I know this is based what time of the year too. There are times when it isn't allowed.

With such a short trip, I don't want to spend time in our room. I'll find something to fill my 6 hours!

 

[Nancyg56]

How about the campgrounds? Anything worth checking out there? I know about the carriage rides but that isn't in our budget for this last minute trip.

Talking about that boat ride between Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary, we got caught on it in a major downpour and had to run up from the dock to the covered area around the pool. There were CMs there meeting folks with towels to dry off. My DM was with us and was unable to run and nice young man CM ran out to meet her and walked in with her with a towel over her head. The CMs make a bad situation better! It was just one of the things that make Disney so much better than any where else!

There is a wagon ride that is affordable and that is a lot of fun. WE took it after the HDDR a few years ago, and enjoyed it a lot. I think it was about 8 per person. Personally we wanted the wagon ride instead of teh carraige. If you can work it in, the decorations at FW are a blast to see!

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

There is a wagon ride that is affordable and that is a lot of fun. WE took it after the HDDR a few years ago, and enjoyed it a lot. I think it was about 8 per person. Personally we wanted the wagon ride instead of teh carraige. If you can work it in, the decorations at FW are a blast to see!

Thank you for this info. We may try to work this in!

 

[siskaren]

As for parking, I thought you had to have a reservation (dining or resort) to park at one of the resorts? We drove to the Poly once for breakfast at Kona Cafe and they verified my reservation before letting us past the parking gate. Unless valet is a different story, in which case this paragraph should be ignored.

Valet is fine.

 

[epcotty]

I say visit resorts. Didn't know you could valet park at the Contemporary before, just was thinking about doing that from TTC. I was also thinking about filling in time before MVMCP like that. I think DTD stinks

 

[Rockola]

To anyone still planning to see the Osborne Lights for the last time: Be prepared for New Year's Eve-sized crowds on the Streets of America, no matter when you go.

We have gone to DHS twice now, both times you'd normally expect smaller crowds, and we decided not to attempt walking from one end to the other to see all the lights, it's so packed, even 30 minutes before the show starts. The parking lot is near capacity by mid-afternoon and temporary signs on I-4 are directing drivers to use the main entrance, although the one opposite Boardwalk is still open... for now.

If I was giving advice to someone with flexible plans, I'd say try the 17th, the first day of blackouts for Seasonal and Weekday passholders, but neither a weekend nor should most schools be on break yet.

 

[locashaina]

We are taking a last minute trip next weekend to Disney for just 2 days. We are coming in to see the Osborne Lights before they leave for good. We will spend Saturday at HS. We will be staying off site and HS has morning EMH that day so hope it won't impact us too much! Then we will do MVMCP on Sunday. I know the earliest we can enter the park will be 4 but I want to fill day with Disney Christmas. So if you have 6 hours to visit resorts or DTD (I know it has a new name but I think I will always think of it as DTD), what would you go and see?

Could we valet park at the Contemporary, use Disney transportation to visit different resorts and then walk to MK to go to the party?

TIA

I am going in a little over two weeks and plan to follow this:
http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-christmas-decorations-tour/