If you wait until after Veteran's Day, the park is decorated for the holidays and It's a Small World and the Haunted Mansion holiday makeovers are done. It is also less crowded until Thanksgiving weekend.
That would be awesome, and can possibly make that happen, but I just cant take time off in December cause work wont let me, but seeing the xmas parades would be so cool!
As I recall 8 sounds about right. I do not recall DCA closing as early as 6 but that may have changed. We were there last time for Veteran's(Rememberance Day) and it was busy but no where near as crazy as Magic Kingdom was this Valentine's Day at WDW! We are going right after Veteran's Day this year to hopefully avoid those crowds plus we got fourth night free too! We usually go at rope drop and spend our evenings at DD after the parks close.