Which parks at Christmas?

[Melisa1]

We are thinking of taking a short trip to WDW sometime between Thanksgiving & Christmas. We have been to WDW tons of times but never during the holidays. If you only had 2 days, which parks would you go to in order to see the "best" decorations??
Thanks!

 

[StephSalyer]

We are thinking of taking a short trip to WDW sometime between Thanksgiving & Christmas. We have been to WDW tons of times but never during the holidays. If you only had 2 days, which parks would you go to in order to see the "best" decorations??
Thanks!

The first week of December is always a good choice. Usually some of the smallest crowds of the year. If I only had 2 days, I would definately go to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Epcot has the Candlelight Processional, and Christmas Around the World and the Magic Kingdom well, its my favorite no matter what time of the year, but I especially love it at Christmas.

Don't forget to see the decorations at the resorts too! The Grand Floridian is incredible. They have a "life size" ginger-bread house and the lobby is absolutely gorgeous. I also love the coziness of the Wilderness Lodge and the Animal Kingdome Lodge is very pretty at Christmas too. If you go to the AKL don't forget to go downstairs to view the scene the pastry chefs put together for Christmas. In the past it was in the lobby area between Jinkos and Boma.

Have Fun!!!

 

[GrandFloridian4]

I would definitely do MK - can't beat the tree on Main Street for the C-mas spirit - & I agree with everything else that StephSalyer said above, but it would be a toss up for me whether to do MGM or EPCOT. EPCOT has some fantastic things to see, especially at C-mastime, but MGM has the Osbourne lights to see, also.

We also like to go to Beach Club & Yacht Club to see the decorations. They have some gorgeous things to see.

 

[NancyIL]

Will you have park hoppers? You definitely need to see MGM's Osborne Lights at night, as well as the Candlelight Processional and holiday Illuminations at Epcot. You'll see more if you are there on weekdays rather than the weekend.

From what I've read, you could have some difficulty finding a hotel room the first week of December.

 

[Melisa1]

I will probably get a 2 day park hopper. I am going to check Shades of Greeen today....Thanks everyone!

 

[miko]

First choice is EPCOT for us. Lots to see at Country's and CP is excellent. MK is decorated nicely but MGM has Osborne tought call. Buy a hopper and try both MGM and MK second day!
EPCOT and MK have bonus of several Hotels to check out.

 

[christinadei]

My current plan is to spend the day at epcot, see the first showing of CP and hop on a boat to MGM to catch the Osbourne lights. Now it sounds like we need to make it to MK! We will be going to MK and AK mid January, but christmas decorations will be down. Should we try to do MK in the morning, hop to epcot for lunch/CP and then to MGM or is that crazy?

 

[NancyIL]

I will probably get a 2 day park hopper. I am going to check Shades of Greeen today....Thanks everyone!

You're going to pay a premium for that 2-day hopper. Since you are less than a day's drive from WDW, if I were you, I'd buy a 10-day non-expiring hopper for ~ $400 (from a discounter) and then use it for short trips over the next few years.

 

[AmyBWV99]

MK and Epcot. Don't miss some of the resorts, too. WL, BW, YC and BC are great!

 

[NancyIL]

My current plan is to spend the day at epcot, see the first showing of CP and hop on a boat to MGM to catch the Osbourne lights. Now it sounds like we need to make it to MK! We will be going to MK and AK mid January, but christmas decorations will be down. Should we try to do MK in the morning, hop to epcot for lunch/CP and then to MGM or is that crazy?

What day of the week will you be there? Unless MGM is open late (EMH on Monday nights), by the time the CP ends and you take the boat to MGM (about a 30 - minute ride plus wait for the boat), MGM could be closing. I would recommend being at MGM BEFORE the Osborne Lights go on at 6 p.m. View the lights, THEN go to EPCOT. The last CP is at 8:15 and Illuminations starts at 9:30.

The MK is lovely when decorated for Christmas, but looks best when lit up at night. However, it's pretty difficult to be at 3 parks all in one evening!

 

[christinadei]

I have to squeeze MK and the resorts in. Me and DS have hoppers, Dsis and Dnephew have 1 day hoppers (1 day to use out of the 3 day FL res. play pass). We will go the weekend after Thanksgiving, I know it will be busy.

Day 1(Sat after Thanks): All of us, spend day at Epcot, first CP at 5, then catch boat to MGM to see Osbourne lights.

Day 2(Sun after Thanks): Just me and DS get up early and spend the day at MK. Then the rest of the family (a total of 9 people) join us to tour the resorts and eat dinner.

How is that plan? Suggestions on where to eat on a budget? We are planning another trip in january, and want to save plenty of money for it. Thanks. Sorry to hijack this thread!

 

[christinadei]

What day of the week will you be there? Unless MGM is open late (EMH on Monday nights), by the time the CP ends and you take the boat to MGM (about a 30 - minute ride plus wait for the boat), MGM could be closing. I would recommend being at MGM BEFORE the Osborne Lights go on at 6 p.m. View the lights, THEN go to EPCOT. The last CP is at 8:15 and Illuminations starts at 9:30.

The MK is lovely when decorated for Christmas, but looks best when lit up at night. However, it's pretty difficult to be at 3 parks all in one evening!

My plan is to see the 5:00 CP and to be at MGM by 7. There are 2 showings of Fantasmic that night, with the later one being at 8:30. I thought that should be plenty of time. But, I do like the idea of switching them. CP would be over just in time for Illuminations. Is there a special Illuminations for Christmas? If so, I'll definately switch. I love Illuminations, but thought the kids may like Fantasmic better.

ETA: This may not work because I'd like to do the CP dinner package and if we do, we'd have to be eating in Epcot about the time the lights start. if we don't get the package, we'd have to be in line the whole time to get seats

 

[NancyIL]

I have to squeeze MK and the resorts in. Me and DS have hoppers, Dsis and Dnephew have 1 day hoppers (1 day to use out of the 3 day FL res. play pass). We will go the weekend after Thanksgiving, I know it will be busy.

Day 1(Sat after Thanks): All of us, spend day at Epcot, first CP at 5, then catch boat to MGM to see Osbourne lights.

Day 2(Sun after Thanks): Just me and DS get up early and spend the day at MK. Then the rest of the family (a total of 9 people) join us to tour the resorts and eat dinner.

How is that plan? Suggestions on where to eat on a budget? We are planning another trip in january, and want to save plenty of money for it. Thanks. Sorry to hijack this thread!

My daughter and I will arrive the Saturday after Thanksgiving, also. I'll be at WDW till 12/4, but my DD will be with me just 2 nights. We'll spend Sat. morning at Epcot, eat lunch at Chefs de France at 1:00, then probably take a break at our hotel (Swan) afterwards. Around 4:30-ish we'll take the boat to MGM to see the lights, being sure to be on New York Street long before they are switched on at 6:00. Then we'll return to Epcot in time for our 8:30 dinner at Rose and Crown and to see Illuminations - hopefully from a great viewing spot at our restaurant. I'm not planning on seeing the CP until mid-week.

I'll warn you about MGM on a Saturday. I was there in 2004 on the first Sat. in December, arriving in the evening, and they weren't letting people into the park until enough people exited! I have never seen MGM so crowded - and that wasn't a holiday weekend.

 

[NancyIL]

My plan is to see the 5:00 CP and to be at MGM by 7. There are 2 showings of Fantasmic that night, with the later one being at 8:30. I thought that should be plenty of time. But, I do like the idea of switching them. CP would be over just in time for Illuminations. Is there a special Illuminations for Christmas? If so, I'll definately switch. I love Illuminations, but thought the kids may like Fantasmic better.

ETA: This may not work because I'd like to do the CP dinner package and if we do, we'd have to be eating in Epcot about the time the lights start. if we don't get the package, we'd have to be in line the whole time to get seats

You really need to book your CP package ASAP!!! Illuminations itself is the same, but there's a special holiday ending.

Since you're going to be at WDW on Sunday, too...there's an evening EMH at the Magic Kingdom that night. Are you staying onsite? If so - you could see both MGM and the MK in the same night, because the MK will be open until midnight.

 

[christinadei]

You really need to book your CP package ASAP!!! Illuminations itself is the same, but there's a special holiday ending.

Since you're going to be at WDW on Sunday, too...there's an evening EMH at the Magic Kingdom that night. Are you staying onsite? If so - you could see both MGM and the MK in the same night, because the MK will be open until midnight.

We aren't staying onsite, we are staying with my sister in Lakeland. That's why I was thinking we'd go to MK in the morning and tour the resorts in the evening.

I wanted to go to MGM on Saturday so my sister and nephew could see the lights too

Oh and I have the CP package booked. A 1:50 lunch at Garden Grill before the 5:00 CP.