Where to eat on Christmas night?

[Palendat]

I am planning a surprise trip for my family this Christmas, and want some opinions as to where to have Christmas Dinner? I have an ADR for the 4 of us (Me, DW, DS - 7, DS - 4) at LTT but I'm rethinking being anywhere near a park on Christmas Day!! Any suggestions?

 

[momof2dizkids]

We have reservations for Crystal Palace on Christmas for dinner. I've read the horror stories about how busy MK will probably be on that day, but, I can't resist to be there.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Never been for Christmas Day, but I'll be eating in Mexico when I make it. That's just me.

 

[mrg013]

We're eating at LTT on Christmas Day this year- maybe we'll see you there if you decide to go! We chose it simply because we love the food, and it seems to be the closest thing you can get to a traditional Christmas dinner. While I've heard that the parks are packed on Christmas Day, it won't affect your dining experience. As long as you have the ADR, you will get a table, and you will be oblivious to the crowds outside while you have a great meal.

I'm just curious- what time did you get your ADR for?- I booked right at the 180 day mark, for four of us, and wasn't able to get nearly the time I wanted. But, oh well, we love LTT and are looking forward to Christmas Dinner there- at any time!

 

[schoen]

I ate in Japan on X-mas a few years ago. I don't remember it being too overly crowded. I wouldn't avoid the parks, just know that they will be very busy all week.

 

[jenny2]

We ate at the Crystal Palace for dinner this past Christmas - as long as you had ADRs it was fine. We even got seated a bit early. There were people, though, that were walking up to the window asking how long the wait was... even though there were signs as you entered saying every restaurant was full and if you didn't have ADRs you weren't eating at a sit down restaurant.

Christmas during the DAY was insane. We arrived around 1pm and main street was gridlocked during the parade. As the day wore on though, it wasn't that bad. MK was open till 3am, and we made it till 2:30 before we were too tired, lol. I'd do MK on Christmas night... but never during the day again.

 

[tysonfamilyof4]

We are also doing LTT for Christmas dinner. Our ADR is at 5:25. DD(6) and I are doing CRT for breakfast that morning, not sure what DH and DS(9) will do.

 

[cdndislvr]

We are going to brave MK early on Christmas morning....we have an ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05. My plan is to leave MK early afternoon (or even earlier if it is truly too insane) for a break and head over to 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian for dinner. We have always enjoyed the buffet there....lots of variety and good food, although I noticed you have two sons and they might not be thrilled with Cinderella. We'd do 1900 Park Fare without the characters...that's just an added bonus.

And I might add, what a sweet and wonderful thing to be planning a surprise for your family...hello to a fellow Canadian!

 

[vsimeone]

Christmas 2004 we ate dinner at Palio in the Swan. It was absolutely wonderful. There were 9 of us and we had one of the first seatings as the restaurant opened. We had a delicious dinner and wonderful service!

This year we are trying Artist Point. Haven't ever been there so I am really looking forward to it! Our ADR is for 4pm. I think it is again one of the earliest dinner seatings. We are 9 of us again and that includes my grandparents who are in their mid 80s so we like to eat early for them.

I can add though that we ate dinner at LTT on NYE in 2004 - and will be doing so again this year. That is just as busy if not more so than Christmas Day and I have to agree with the other posters that we were seated right on time and had a wonderful - not rushed AT ALL meal before we headed back out to the fray of MK!

Have a GREAT time and a wonderful Christmas meal!!!

 

[Grumpy92]

MK is the busiest park on xmas day. You should be fine with your dining reservation. But do realize when it comes to the attractions how many you accomplish will be drastically decreased, lines will be lengthy. In the past the park does close to those not staying on property usually around 11am. We have spent many holidays at WDW and we have reservations in the resorts for xmas day and xmas eve.

 

[Palendat]

Thanks for all of your advice. Maybe i'll just keep my 7:45 ADR at LTT and hope for the best. We will be there in Aug for free dining, so I was planning on the Christmas trip to be less ride-oriented and more people watching/DTD/Legostore, etc. Not that we won't be at a park almost every day!

 

[CheshireVal]

We're eating at Rose and Crown for dinner on Christmas Day.

 

[shellybaxter]

Thanks for all of your advice. Maybe i'll just keep my 7:45 ADR at LTT and hope for the best. We will be there in Aug for free dining, so I was planning on the Christmas trip to be less ride-oriented and more people watching/DTD/Legostore, etc. Not that we won't be at a park almost every day!

I've not been to DW a Christmas day so I have no first hand expirience, but I've read on these boards that MK sometimes closes at capacity. When that happens you can't get in, even if you've got an ADR. If you choose to stay in the park to eat you may have to arrive in the morning and not leave until your meal time, just to make sure you make it to the restaurant. If that's not true then I'm sure others with actual expirience will chime in, I just wanted you to be aware there might be an issue.

 

[TinkTatoo]

This will be our first Christmas visit and even though we are staying at the CR we decided not to risk MK on christmas day so we have booked Chef Mickeys for our Christmas dinner