WDW over Christmas Holiday

[EvilQueen-T]

disney christmas

We're going too! We made our final decision to go and honestly the feedback I got here made the difference. Here's counting down to having a great holiday vacation to all of those going this December!:xmas:

 

[chipndale76]

Christmas celebration dates???

:xmas: Disney has the 10th of November as the first date for Christmas celebrations. We are checking out the 8th of November, does anyone know if the decorations will be up at this point? I know we will miss the holiday parades.:xmas:

 

[EvilQueen-T]

holiday decorations

from everything i've read...they start putting up the christmas decorations the day after halloween so maybe you'll get to enjoy the transformation and still enjoy the tail end of the food and wine festival.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

:xmas: Disney has the 10th of November as the first date for Christmas celebrations. We are checking out the 8th of November, does anyone know if the decorations will be up at this point? I know we will miss the holiday parades.:xmas:

The lights are already going up on Cindys Castle

 

[chipndale76]

:sohappy: Thanks! We love Christmas and I was hoping to see some of the decorations.:xmas:

 

[ChubbyK]

I'm happy for everyone that has decided to go during the Christmas season. Trust me when I say that you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you take time out to visit all the hotel as their decorations are as special as the Theme parks are . The Christmas Party is a great time also.:xmas:

 

[EvilQueen-T]

I've heard a lot of people talk about and have seen pictures from the deluxe resorts re christmas decorations... do they go all out at the moderate or value resorts?

 

[rwdavis2]

are there any changes in the resturants service during the week of christmas, particularly christmas eve and christmas day such as with menus, hours etc...?

From what I've read in the past it seems that the biggest change is that they raise the prices over the holidays.
Bob

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

From what I've read in the past it seems that the biggest change is that they raise the prices over the holidays.
Bob

Buffet prices have increased - I haven't read anything about the other table service venues

 

[disneydiva72]

How much does the prices increase?

 

[kimmykimmy]

My family and I always visit WDW during the holidays. We usually try to go the week after Thanksgiving, but we've been there during December and the first week of January as well. Any time, except for the week of Christmas, is a great time to go! They put decorations up early and leave them up for a bit after New Years. In my experience, the crowds have been the least between just after Thanksgiving into about the second week of December.

The decorations and events are always incredible! Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is an absolute must! The parade and shows are amazing! And the hot cocoa is delicious! =)

Epcot's Holidays Around The World is also fantastic. Its so cool to see all of the nations different versions of Santa Claus and learn about how they celebrate.

 

[BriLee]

I love going to Disney during the holidays! It's the most magical time of year to begin with, and then adding a Disney vacation makes it even more so!
My favorite thing about WDW during christmas is Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The parade is awesome and, I'm not sure if they do this every year, but in 2006, during the Party they had a Christmas show near where Space Mountain is, I think. It was somewhere in Tomorrowland. Anyway, it was so awesome! It's called Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you are there for Mickey's Christmas Party, definately go and see this show!

 

[EvilQueen-T]

christmas at wdw

anyone have an opinion re going the week of christmas? it was the only time all of our family was able to get off work this year so we're braving the crowds... any thoughts?

 

[Lkng4Magic]

It can be done!

My family and I have spent the last 5 Christmas at WDW. We normally arrive around the 18-19th and then leave no later than the 27th. The parks really start getting crowded the day after Christmas. Just know that you will experience heavy crowds, make dining plans early, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas while you are there. If having to wait in some lines or maybe not getting to do everything is going to bug you then I don't advise it. However, with careful planning we've always been able to do everything we want and then some. Have a great trip!

 

[EvilQueen-T]

Thank you soooo much. I think you're one of the first people I've heard from who have actually gone during the week of Christmas. Most people have done the after Thanksgiving but before Christmas week. Or say no matter what stay away during the week of Christmas. What you describe sounds a lot like the week of July 4th... without the 95+ degree temps of course lol. I crossed fingers booked our rooms and dining reservations etc... but was getting a little worried so THANKS and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[missourimomx3]

Christmas WDW

We just returned, 12/25-1/1. It was great! We went into expecting huge crowds, so attitude makes a difference. You do want to get there each day early. Do major rides and FP. We cleared out when everyone had had enough of the people. We also made realistic lists of must-sees. Understand that you CANNOT do it all! Be careful with your time. I also booked some dining early, not all: I didn't want everything dictated by where we were eating. Also, if possible, go with other people to divide and conquer, we split up a lot so no one felt like they missed their choices.

 

[twindad3797]

Our Favorite Time Of the Year

We have been to WDW many many times and our favorite time is during the Christmas holidays. The decorations , special parades, and food and festive feeling is like taking your all the great feelings you get by walking down main street, and multiplying them by ten...it truly is fantastic! They're are things that just can't be missed during this time of the year...Osborne family light show ( get there for the lighting ceremony), the ready of the Christmas story in EPCOT , and the Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party . The Party is awsome , with sepicial shows , parades, Fireworks and even a snow shower on main street with cookies and hot chocolate. Crowds are manigable because it's a seperate ticket event.
We've gone as late as the 19th - 23rd and the crowds were OK.:xmas:

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

anyone have an opinion re going the week of christmas? it was the only time all of our family was able to get off work this year so we're braving the crowds... any thoughts?

We undertook our first ever Christmas trip in 2008. We arrived at AKL on Christmas Day with all our ADRs booked 180 days before. We knew exactly what we wanted to see and when, we were expecting complete chaos in the parks.
What a surprise, it was no busier than any of our Easter trips. Dining was easy thanks to good planning (by me) six months earlier.
New Years Eve was the busy one - we hit EPCOT early and stayed there. It was packed. but because we were expecting it to be like that then we were prepared. The atmosphere was tremendous and the two showings of Illuminations were brilliant - worth staking out a place several hours in advance.

Doing a Disney Christmas is great, Doing a Disney Christmas AND New Year is memorable.

 

[abug'saunt]

My family (hubby, mom, sis, niece, & me) went in 2005 for Christmas. We we there from Dec 19th to Dec 28th. It was our second time to go and it was an awesome trip. We heard how it would be very crowded that week and all that and decided to go anyway. We did the MVMCP on the last night it was held, again was supposed to be really crowded. But surprisingly we felt that the parks weren't as crowded as we were warned. Some of the best things for us: the dining plan (not worrying about budgeting for meals was relaxing); staying at the Contemporary (a treat to ourselves) and getting back to our room from AK, DHS, or Epcot and getting to watch the fireworks from our room nightly (priceless); my husband being thrilled to have a turkey dinner on Christmas day (a family tradition) at the Wilderness Lodge (buffet style, character meal, and we got our photo taken before dinner); making fun of people all bundled up for 50 - 60 degree weather (no offense intended to those people - up north those temps were like a tropical heat wave to us) and getting to ride splash mtn 3 times in a row (during MVMCP). The weather was mostly sunny and nights were chilly (sweater weather to us). Seeing everything all Christmas-y was so cool. The trees in each park were beautiful. Would we do it again? Absolutely. Would we recommend other try it? With heartfelt excitement!!!!

The only thing that keeps us from another Christmas trip is SWW. DH and DN LOVE Star Wars. Our first family trip fell during SWW and in 2007 we hit it again. This year just DH and I are going and we'll be there for SWW.

 

[timeman]

I went this past year from Dec 26th-Jan 1 and other then New Year's Eve I didn't think it was any more crowded then in early August. I hit Hollywood Studios on that saturday and was arrived in the park around 10 am. I was able to get a fastpass for Toy Story Mania for an earlier time then I was able to during the summer and decided that since the wait time for the ride was supposedly only 30 minutes I decided to wait in line at that time and the wait was more like 15 minutes. I was able to do everything I wanted to that day.

I hit the Magic Kingdom the day before New Year's Eve and was able to get fast passes for every ride I wanted to and around mid day they had a wait time of 60 minutes for the Haunted Mansion , but it really only took more like 30 minutes.

All the parks are packed on New Year's Eve, but if you get there early you can get fast passes for the rides you want.

I will not be doing it this year as I am planning on going earlier that month, but am planning on doing it again next year.