Summer trip cut short :(...please help me get excited for my Christmas Trip!

[Beckett]

Hey guys! Well, a lot went wrong with the vacation I had planned for this summer which was supposed to be from July 6 to July 18. The worst being, my grandmother passed away and I had to cut my trip short and come back home. Never had I arrived from a trip and gone directly to a funeral. I am just...sad. However...I am planning to go back this Christmas...and considering all the bad things that have happened...could anyone tell me good things about going back this Christmas?

 

[Tuvalu]

Please accept my sympathy over the loss of your grandmother. I understand why you are sad.

Christmas is a wonderful time to be at the world! The decorations are so festive and everyone (cast members and guests alike) seem to be in especially happy moods.

Disney joy + holiday joy...need I say more?

 

[mouse_luv]

What @Tuvalu said. Also, the weather is cooler.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[disneypearl]

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your grandma.
Christmas is a beautiful time at the parks. It will be very festive with Christmas trees and decorations. Lots of holiday treats too.

 

[Beckett]

Thank you I was there last Christmas and loved it so much. This time I certainly hope to be able to stay at a Disney hotel. Are there any new rides or experiences opening up this Christmas?

 

[Chernaboggles]

Hey guys! Well, a lot went wrong with the vacation I had planned for this summer which was supposed to be from July 6 to July 18. The worst being, my grandmother passed away and I had to cut my trip short and come back home. Never had I arrived from a trip and gone directly to a funeral. I am just...sad. However...I am planning to go back this Christmas...and considering all the bad things that have happened...could anyone tell me good things about going back this Christmas?

First, my condolences on your loss. Second, we've been through something similar (our last trip cut short due to an emergency beyond our control) and it's incredibly stressful. It may take a while before you start to feel the Disney Magic and can look forward to the next trip without getting depressed about the last one and everything related to it. Give yourself time to recover. Your next trip will be wonderful, but if you're feeling a little negative right now, it's totally normal and it *will* go away.

 

[smk]

Sorry for your loss. Holidays are special around the World, lots of homey smells and beautiful decorations. I hope you have close family going with you in case you come across something that reminds you of home and years past or family traditions that you are missing. My family has been twice over the Christmas Holiday and (thankfully) never the first Christmas after the loss of a loved one. However, the year my father passed away in 1975, my mom decided we need to change the routine that year and we all went to San Francisco and visited with family and friends. .It was memorable for two reasons, it was the first actual day of Christmas in my whole 17 years of life that I spent with my grandparents and it took our minds off the obvious, that dad was not there. No replacement for the traditions or the person but new memories with our smaller family unit.

So, as you know it will be crowded, so don't expect to get all things done but focus on a what you can accomplish. It can be be cold, we wore winter coats and mittens both Christmas vacations I have been there! I loved staying at FW those trips because everyone decorates their 'yards" and it is so much fun to walk around and soak in the beautiful displays. Most resorts have cookies and hot chocolate for free, merchandise is really cheap! We bought Christmas gifts on Christmas eve at DTD, warm flannel jammies and socks. I got a lot off the sales racks! We had our usual family breakfast because we cooked in the cabins but we also were at MK at rope drop too. A plus is that our kids were in high school so it was an easy up, eat and out the door. We took a very small prelit Christmas tree too.

Hope your Holiday will be memorable and spent with those you love!

 

[Mukta]

Epcot Storytellers, Castle lighting, Osborne lights, gingerbread houses, etc. It's the most wonderful time of the year.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Sorry your trip was affected by a death in the family. Prayer for you and members of your family.
I think Christmas time is the most perfect time of year to go. Weather is at its best, no oppressive heat or storms to dampen your park days. Air outside the pools may be a bit chilly but the hot tubs are refreshing after a park day. The parks and resorts are festively decorated. Guests are usually in a better mood because of the time of year. Cast members more cheerful. Safari animals usually are more present and active. You can get your holiday shopping started/ completed at the stores.
And by the time you go you will be through the grieving time and wont be focusing on Grandmas illness or passing away. That will be behind you and you can enjoy the trip fully.

 

[MatamanKrungle]

I'm very sorry for your loss. My sister just lost her grandmother-in-law, who was much more of a grandmother to her than either of our actual grandmothers, and she had to cancel a WDW trip over it as well. I definitely understand what you're going through there (at least from an inderect perspective).

Are you going for Christmas eve/day or just around Christmas? We like to go a week or two before Christmas and have found the crowds to be quite manageable (certainly more manageable than summer). We are going from the 12th-19th this year, the exact dates we've gone in the past, and things were great crowd-wise. That paired with the spirit/feeling of Christmas around the resort should make for a wonderful time for you. If you are going for actual Christmas, things are quite crazy crowd-wise, but still fun if you plan accordingly. Also, I agree with the comment about the weather. We were surprised at how cold it was the first time we went in December (again, arguably better than summer weather, though).

Good luck, and please try to have fun! It shouldn't be too hard with all of the Christmastime fanfare. As we all have mentioned, WDW at Christmas is awesome!

 

[Beckett]

Thank you all for you kind words I know my grandma, RIP, is in heaven now, and even though her passing was very sudden, her health had declined because of Alzheimer's disease and at least she is not suffering anymore. My father's side of the family has never been close and I hardly ever saw her, but I am glad I got to spend some time with her in her final years and I have to say all of this has brought the family closer and I know this is something she would have wanted. I have visited Disney during Christmas before, in Christmas of 2011 and in 2014, and in 2011 we were freezing! But in 2014 we were sweating the day after Christmas and they were even selling the water bottle fans in WDW ...so yeah, I've come to learn that the weather is unpredictable in Florida! I live in an island and it never gets lower than 70 degrees in here, so I have to say I do love being in the cold, wearing coats and all of that . Crowd-wise, yes! It is full! But I love to plan ahead and organize things (I am a teacher ) and we have always been able to ride everything by using the Fast Pass + system and reading suggestions in here. Still, we always go to Magic Kingdom! Believe or not, I have had up to 3 day tickets to Disney and my daughter keeps wanting to go to MK only! But this time, I am planning to take her to the other parks since she is going to be 9 by then and is no longer only interested in princesses! I have read all your suggestions for Christmastime things I can do in WDW and I will make sure to try them. I have never stayed onsite and am planning to, but today I received such a good offer for an offsite hotel that I am tempted to go offsite again...it would save me enough to make another trip during the year!

 

[Beckett]

I will be going from December 23rd to January 6th