When do Christmas decorations appear?

[pinkxray]

I am really hoping to finally see Disney with all the xmas decorations. Over the last few years I have planned maybe 3 Nov or Dec trips and they have all either been moved to another time of year or cancelled. I almost made it down last year for the Food and Wine Half and Mickey's Xmas party. I found out I was pregnant about 2 months before so I decided to just cancel.

I am thinking 2018 will finally be the year! Due to work and school there are two possible weeks we can go
November 3-10
or
Nov. 25-Dec 1

I would prefer the second set but it might not be an option if DD sticks with basketball that year since she would miss tryouts.
Will decorations be up that early if we go Nov 3-10? I know the parties start around the 8th? When do resorts start getting decor? I want the complete Disney at xmas experience!

 

[BrianL]

Christmas starts to show up immediately after the last Halloween Party of the year, which is usually October 31st or November 1st depending on how the days fall. It takes a couple of weeks for everything to be deployed, but you will see some of the Christmas decor right away. Many people like to go for a trip that encompasses the end of October and beginning of November so they can enjoy the Fall/Halloween decorations and the Christmas ones. I can't say for sure about specific resorts, but they should start decorating that early as well for the most part.

 

[karrit2000]

If you want the full Xmas experience you need to go with the later dates. We go every year for F & W usually the first 2 weeks of November. Years ago pretty much everything was up by the second week of Nov. but in recent years it seems they are a bit slower and also put up less decorations in some locations. MK definitely goes all out with the decorations as soon as the last MNSSHP has ended. It takes them about 2-3 days to get everything on Mainstreet completely done but all traces of fall are gone overnight. EPCOT will put the big tree up and the decorations will appear throughout the park but they do not begin their holiday events until the day after Thanksgiving when they have the first Candlelight Processional. All the other parks used to begin their festivities the first full week of November. AK hasn't had a parade for several years & with Camp Minnie Mickey gone the greatest concentration of holiday Character meet & greets other than paying for MVMCP no longer exists. Rumor has it they are planning some new things for DHS this year but so far no details.

 

[PSUGuy]

So we should see some serious decorations on our Nov. 2 - Nov. 11 trip?

Bill From PA

 

[Robo]

So we should see some serious decorations on our Nov. 2 - Nov. 11 trip?

Yup.
Starting at MK.

 

[acln]

I'm really glad to see the Christmas decorations will be up so quick! We are going to mnsshp on 10/31 and then planning another MK day either 11/2 or possibly 11/6 and I didn't think we'd have a chance to see any Christmas stuff yet.

 

[scrapquitler]

In the MK, Christmas Decorations will appear the day after the last Halloween Party. This year, the last Halloween Party is November 1, so you will see Christmas on November 2.

 

[pinkxray]

Thanks everyone! Glad to hear they start right after the last halloween party.
I am really hoping to get more towards Dec. but will have to wait to see what DD decides to do about winter sports and my work schedule.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

We were there last year Nov.12-19. Magic Kingdom was fully decorated. Epcot had a bit at the beginning of the week, but much more by the end when Food & Wine had finished. AK and HS both had some decorations, but no special events or anything going on. If you want the "full experience" you might want to wait until after Thanksgiving if you can. But if not, you'll be fine with the beginning of the month. And the weather then was fantastic as well.

 

[Robo]

If you want the "full experience" you might want to wait until after Thanksgiving if you can.

Correct.
All decorations and activities are up and in operation by Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
That is the formal beginning of "full holiday mode" at WDW.

 

[karrit2000]

So we should see some serious decorations on our Nov. 2 - Nov. 11 trip?

Bill From PA

Definitely. We use to head down for F & W just before Halloween & would do a MNSSHP & then usually the first MVMCP in November & then we would head home. We normally used to get to see one of the first nights of Osborne Lights at the Studios too. And we'd make a trip to AK to see the Jingle Jungle Parade when they still did it. As they extended the F & W Festival further into November we started just heading down usually on the 1st of November & stay 2 weeks to be able to do a bunch of special events @ F & W. The tickets for MNSSHP & MVMCP have gotten too expensive so we don't do the parties anymore. We just spend the $ at F & W and sometimes one of the Dessert Parties. I love being able to see the Decorations & the Big Christmas Trees at each park without needing to do a second trip in December.

 

[sqpcsqpc]

When do resort Christmas decorations start to appear? Will we be able to see them the weekend before Thanksgiving?

 

[Robo]

1. When do resort Christmas decorations start to appear?
2. Will we be able to see them the weekend before Thanksgiving?

1. They start going up at the beginning of Nov.
Some resorts will be decorated earlier than others.

2. Quite a lot will be up.