First WDW Christmas Week Trip....

[Shadowgate]

Ok, I have been to WDW many many times and I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but my Mother went and set up a trip for us, my sister's family and herself at a villa for Dec 23 through Dec 30. Poor me, I know. However, we have always stayed away from busy times and the closest to this I have ever been date-wise is the first week of December and the last week of January. I have been there two busy times previously, Presidents week and Spring Break but from what I hear those are nothing to Christmas week!

Any suggestion beyond getting my Mother to rethink this, not that there is ever a good time for both my sisters family and mine; especially since we avoid June to August since melting when we went the end of May... once. Obviously I will have to make all dinning and fastpass reservations at the second the window opens.... Also, thinking about abandoning park hopper due to sticking with a park a day once in but that might be a mistake.

 

[DryerLintFan]

We went over Christmas week and if my daughter had been older we would have gone for park hoppers. The biggest advice you'll find here is hit rope drop. Christmas morning the MK was practically empty until around nine am. My husband actually thought Fantasyland wasn't popular!!

I have a trip report called It Feels Like The First Time if you want to read it. We were there from December 24 - 28

 

[Disney Stine]

My family use to go during Christmas week every year due to having a teacher as a parent. The last time I was there for that week would have been in 2011, so it's been a long time. However, it is the most magical time of the year, in my opinion. The parks are gorgeously decorated and the entertainment makes it feel so "Christmasy".
Take a peek at the recent park closure days for that time period. During that week, the park will close in phases, and if you're not in there, you may not be able to enter or reenter depending on the phase (you might be fine due to your resort stay). This is where you might want to consider park hoppers in case you can't reenter and have to resort to another park.
Keep in mind that you will not be able to do as much as you usually do when you visit. Make a list of "must do's" per person and make a point to check them off throughout the trip so no one leaves disappointed.
I'd advise to eat at a sit down restaurant once a day. This will take time out of your already busy day but you will have an hour or two away from the crowds to relax and dine without the swarms of people oogling your table at the counter service restaurant.

You'll have fun no matter what you do, but I think Christmas time (not necessarily this week only) should be visited by all WDW lovers.

 

[brifraz]

We really enjoy visiting at Christmas time - done it 3 times in the past 10 years. The biggest things I'd recommend (in day timeline sequence).

-bring breakfast snacks to eat when you get in line 30 minutes before rope drop
-hit your highest priority headliners right at opening (2-3, maybe 4 of them)
-hit slightly less major attractions in the next hour or so
-make reservations for a very late breakfast or a very early lunch and take your time enjoying it
-book your FP+ for right before and right after that meal
-around 2pm head back to your room to rest AND book another FP+ for the evening (even if it's for something you think won't have a line, it will)
-head back into the parks around 4-5pm and do another headliner (expect an hour in line)
-hopefully do your extra FP+
-dinner reservation, slightly later than normal
-relax and find a spot to watch fireworks

Up to you whether you do Parkhopper or not. You can certainly go back to the same park in the evenings and save some money on tickets!

One afternoon or evening make sure to tour some resorts to check out holiday decorations - we usually do this a couple of evenings, for example visit Grand Floridian then dinner at 1900 Park Fare and then head into Magic Kingdom for fireworks alone.

I've got links in my signature below to trip reports from Christmas 2015 and this past Christmas-time (this past visit didn't start until 12/28, though). Enjoy planning and your visit!

 

[macefamily]

Good luck, and God bless. About 10 years ago our December trip ran a little later than usual and we ended up with a final day at Magic Kingdom on the start of what was Christmas week. First, I'm not a fan of crowds. It was mobbed. When we used to head down the first or second week of December in the past, it was always 15-30 minutes waits on most rides except for the few major attractions which would be 30-45 minutes. Those days are gone.
But just revel in the fact that you're at Disney with your family. I see you're from Chicago, so the crowds shouldn't matter that much to you since you'll most likely be in 60 - 70 degree weather while back home the wind chill will be -10. Have a great time in FL.

 

[jaygatsby]

We went this past year and had an amazing time. We didn’t do park hoppers and were just fine, if you get them keep an eye out for phase closures at MK. Don’t plan on doing everything you might normally do. Be strategic about FPs and always make ADRs. It was such a relief to be able to just go some place, sit down away from crowds, and relax for a while. Do the dessert parties if fireworks interest you and if you can afford it, they made life so much simpler. That being said, you will have a great time! If you don’t focus on the crowds and instead focus on all the decorations, entertainment, and little details, it will be magical!

 

[JIMINYCR]

Even extremely crowded times can be enjoyed as long as theres a good plan in place. Knowing youll be more limited in what you can do in a day, choose wisely and get in early. I'd rather avoid those busier times buuut Christmas is so wonderful at Disney it might be worth doing. Park Hoppers may not necessarily be a good financial purchase only because the crowds will be everywhere and hopping to a less crowded park may not be an option.
If she cant or wont change dates, youll at least have a Disney family trip during a spectacularly decorated time.