Xmas 09

[lost_in_hollywood]

Hey guys

me and my family are leaving for Orlando on the 23rd December this year for about 15 days. We have never been at Christmas before, we usually went around October or February. I have several questions:

- What are the crowds like this time of year, i know they will probably be busier than OCT/NOV but by how much?

- What would you guys suggest we do on Christmas day? we where thinking about doing discovery cove but it might be a little out of our price range for 5 of us to do.

- Which of the parks should we leave till the second week? Which i assume will be the quieter of the two weeks we are there.

- As we are staying over the new year, where is the best place to bring in 2010?

any info would be great guys. Thanks

 

[wayneg]

Been 5 times at Xmas, it will be very busy until 3rd Jan so you will have very few quieter days.
Xmas Day thru New Years day are the busiest days of the year with some days the parks full to capacity and closing.
As you have been before you know roughly what you want to do, get into parks for opening and work the fastpasses as much as poss.
Don't go expecting to do everything, you don't stand a chance, relax and enjoy the parks, go around and visit the resorts they are all great at Xmas.
New Years eve is worst, we have always been in Epcot for it, ride lines are crazy, last NYE upto 6 hours for Soarin, 45 min line just to get a burger for lunch.
Dec/Jan is not a time of year I would consider DC or any water park but I like it hot to swim. Although temps can be good at Xmas it can also be very cold, our 1st Xmas had frost on car most mornings. It can take til lunch to warm to then go cold again late afternoon, other days great right thru. Too unpredictable.

 

[loobylou44]

- What would you guys suggest we do on Christmas day? we where thinking about doing discovery cove but it might be a little out of our price range for 5 of us to do.

Hi
We are going to be there 14 Dec to 28 Dec - first time at christmas, very excited!! We are doing Epcot on Christmas Eve so that we can see the Candlelight Processional (we will have to get a dining package for that though). Then as we are staying in a villa we have decided to have a lie-in on Christmas Day, can't decide whether to eat at villa or go out for lunch (still working on this), but we have booked a big treat of Cirque De Soliel at 6pm. On 26th Dec we are going to the coast - Clearwater or St Petes.

One of our must do's is to visit the Grand Floridian to see the life size Gingerbread House!

 

[wayneg]

One of our must do's is to visit the Grand Floridian to see the life size Gingerbread House!

Don't miss the Gingerbread carousel at Beach club, Also great to see, spent 15 mins trying to find all the hidden Mickeys on it.

 

[T16GEM]

Hi!

We always go late Dec early Jan, and we love it at this time of year - however, crowds are INSANE Christmas week, Wayne is right to say that many parks will close their gates early because they are at capacity, this means getting into the parks early and planning what you envision as being the most important attractions for you and your family.

2007 - we arrived on Christmas day and took it easy for the first few days, we tended to make do with the most important attractions and things that the kids enjoyed, things did quieten down by the 3rd / 4th. This year we had freakishly cold weather and it was on a par with at home for 3 of the days, we ended up wearing our Winter coats that we had travelled from the UK in and they were reporting that they had snow flurries in the pan handle But then we also had some days where it was up in the 90s.

2008 - We arrived 30th Dec and again took it easy, we went to Epcot for NYE and ended up leaving early as it was obviously our first day and the kids were both exhausted by 9pm!

This year we are travelling on the 4th Jan, mainly because the last two years it's been too busy for us, and we have been that many times that it will be nice to relax and take things at a slower pace.

I haven't been to DC, so I don't know how feasable this is..... but could you try and book on the day when you know what the weather is going to be doing? I wouldn't have thought this would be possible for the peak Christmas days but may be worth asking them?


HTH Gems

 

[lost_in_hollywood]

cheers guys, sounds like its gonna be a slow one for us this time.

does anyone know, although i doubt it will be much different, on how Universal is at this time of the year? as i cant wait to ride the new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster they are opening this year.

 

[T16GEM]

cheers guys, sounds like its gonna be a slow one for us this time.

does anyone know, although i doubt it will be much different, on how Universal is at this time of the year? as i cant wait to ride the new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster they are opening this year.

We did Universal and IOA in 07, it was busy but personally I thought a lot quieter than Disney was. I think you may get round those parks no problem, I think the longest we waited was for the Mummy at around 50 mins.

gems

 

[A Small World]

We spent 2 Christmases there several years ago

The first time we did Typhoon Lagoon on Christmas day. It was a lovely relaxing day and definitely warm enough.

The 2nd year it was a bit cooler so we went to Epcot - we decided it would be less busy than Magic Kingdom. We had Christmas lunch in the Mexican restaurant

 

[Chilly]

We are flying out on Christmas Day for 3 weeks, plan to make ADRs for all meals, and just soak up the atmosphere until it quietens down, oh and get married!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Xmas 09 we went to AK in the morning. I didn't think it was a busy in the morning - but the crowds were worse as we left about 2ish.

If you want a nice meal I would book to go to one of the WDW hotels like the CG at CR or one of the places at the GF.

We have also been to MK on Xmas Day (very busy) - didn't do too much - and the year before went to Universal. Again, I didn't find it too busy but it was a cool day and tha could have affected the crowds.

Hope you have a great time - please post what you decide to do.