Christmas at Disney World: Make Like a Boy Scout and Be Prepared

So my motto for the best way to plan a Disney vacation is always to plan, plan, and plan some more. Never is that more important than when traveling to Florida for the Walt Disney World holidays.

In our years of having visited during the week between Christmas and New Years, there are two things that we have found you definitely need to keep in mind…and plan for….

First, is the weather. Let me just say that Florida is not ALWAYS sunny and hot. In fact, traveling at any point during the winter months can provide you with a very cold…and uncomfortable…surprise, if you don’t check ahead. We have visited during the winter and been blessed with sunny days, temps in the 70s, little humidity…weather that made my heat-hating husband actually say, “You know, maybe living in Florida would not be too bad after all”.

BUT, we have also had days where the temps never made it out of the 50s during the day, and were in the low 30s at night and in the mornings. And if you combine this with some humidity and a bit of wind…well it’s actually winter-coat wearin’ weather!

So if an affordable Disney family vacation is your goal, then check the weather forecast before you leave home. Trust me, if you need warm clothes, and did not pack them, you do NOT want to pay Disney park prices for sweaters, scarves and gloves.

The second thing to consider when planning a trip during the week between Christmas and New Years, is that this is THE busiest week of the year for the Disney parks. It is typical for one or more of the parks to actually close for periods of time, during several days during this week. Disney typically does a staggered type of closing schedule where the parks are first closed to non-Disney resort guests, then to Disney guests who have not already been to that park earlier in the day, and finally, to everyone. While this is most common at Magic Kingdom, it does also happen to the other parks as well.

So keep this in mind, ESPECIALLY if you are not staying on Disney property: go EARLY to make sure you get into the park of your choice.  Have a plan to visit your most important must-dos (especially those that are very popular) first thing, and make very good use of Fast-Passes. Expect the big attractions to have all Fast-Passes gone for the day by lunch, and to have lines of several hours.

With regards to this, my best advice is to have very low expectations. You will probably not see or do everything you want. But go with the flow, and take the time to enjoy the many OTHER things that Disney offers during the Holiday season. Most are absolutely free.

If you decide to leave any of the parks, make certain that you can live without necessarily getting back in. While crowds often lessen somewhat in the evenings, on nights like New Years Eve….well not so much. If you plan to ring in the New Year in one of the parks, then expect to make a … very…long…day of it.

Having said all of this, the holiday season at Disney World is my favorite time of year. We have done it many times, and will do it many more times. It can be a magical and wonderful way to create family memories….just Be Prepared!

Have a magical day!

Walt Disney World Holidays: What You Must See During the Chrismas Season

If you have plans to travel to Walt Disney World during the Christmas holiday season, congratulations! You will be visiting during one of the most magical times of the year, even for Disney.

We have been fortunate to celebrate a few Walt Disney World holidays in years past, so this post will be devoted to some of our family’s favorite things to see and do during the Disney Christmas season.

Let’s start with the Magic Kingdom. You will find Cinderella’s Castle decked out in breathtaking “icicle” lights each night. Be sure to get pictures: if you are like me and not great with taking night-time pictures, then be sure to get a few PhotoPass shots in front of the castle. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

Magic Kingdom also hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on a number of nights in December, prior to Christmas. This is a separate ticket, so if you want to attend (and it is VERY fun), you will need to purchase tickets separately from your park pass. One of the highlights is the Christmas parade, featuring those famous Wooden Soldiers. If you want to see the parade, but don’t plan on going to the Party before Christmas, you will be able to see it daily, every afternoon, typically starting Christmas Day…no separate ticket needed! (Please note: The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade that you see on TV every year on Christmas morning is NOT a live event and is, in fact, taped weeks before. So PLEASE do not go to the Magic Kingdom on Christmas morning expecting to see/be in the parade!)

And of course, the nightly Wishes fireworks display is held every night, but with a “Holiday Wishes” theme that is truly delightful.

What about Epcot? I have to say that Epcot is my personal favorite. While the decorations are beautiful, World Showcase offers a number of wonderful programs related to the “Holidays Around the World” theme, and if you have ever wondered what it would be like to celebrate Christmas in another country, here is your chance. Each country presents their favorite holiday traditions, and many have Holiday Storytellers that highlight some very interesting and fun customs: don’t be surprised to see Father Christmas in England, Pere Noel in France, and St. Nicholas in Germany to name a few. It is delightful and yes, educational, in a very fun way.

Probably the highlight of the Wald Disney World holidays in Epcot is the Candlelight Processional, a nightly presentation of the Christmas story with a celebrity guest narrator and a huge massed choir made up of professional, college, and high school choirs from around the country. Do NOT miss this! Although there are 3 showings each night, the line for seats starts well in advance of each show. You can reserve a seat by purchasing a Candlelight Processional dinner package, and I highly recommend this (in years past, you could use Disney Dining Plan credits for this package). If you don’t want to do the dinner package, then assign someone in your group to wait in the stand-by line. It is dramatic, and powerful, and very moving.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has their fair share of holiday entertainment with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, held nightly on the Streets of America. There are literally millions of lights and I promise, you will be amazed! The streets can get very crowded however, during this busy season, so my advice, to get the most of your visit here, would be to go during the nightly Fantasmic show, or at the end of the evening, before the park closes. It is much more enjoyable when you are not elbow to elbow with people!

If you still want more parades, then Animal Kingdom has Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade, with all the characters in their holiday finest. And be sure to visit Downtown Disney for the Festival of the Seasons, where you can finish any holiday shopping, visit Santa before Dec. 24, and say hi to Santa Goofy from Dec. 25 to Jan. 4.

The Walt Disney World holiday season is truly spectacular and if you are visiting then this year, you are sure to create some wonderful memories.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year at Disney World: Creating Dining Magic

Continuing our series on visiting Walt Disney World during the Holidays, my plan today is to talk about meals. Presumably, if you are visiting during the 2009 Christmas holiday season, you already have made travel and hotel arrangements. =)

When making your dining plans….and you MUST make dining plans….you need to realize that, if you are visiting during the week between Christmas and New Years, you will be at Walt Disney World during the busiest time of the year. Period. Lots more people than you have ever, ever seen.

Now if your plans to visit Disney are to go before Dec. 24, there will be less people. In fact, historically from the week after Thanksgiving until the week or so before Christmas, crowds are usually lighter, and so it can be a delightful way to experience all that the holidays have to offer at Disney World. But you should realize that many, many Disney veterans travel during these weeks, and these folks typically know better than to not have dining plans in advance.

So either way, make your dining plans in advance, and if they include any table service meals, make those Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) before you get to Disney World. And if you are going during Christmas week….Make. Them. Now.

I can’t stress this enough. People have been making Advanced Dining Reservations for Christmas week since the end of September (90 days in advance). The popular times and restaurants fill quickly, especially on the big days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. So if table service is something you want to do, don’t delay on this.

What if you can’t get ADRs for any of the restaurants you want? Consider some of the lovely, and lesser-known restaurants at the hotels: many are wonderful, and it is a great way to see some of the fantastic Holiday decorations at the resorts. They are a little off-the-beaten path, but it can be nice sometimes, during all the hustle and bustle, to have a little peace and quiet.

Also consider eating meals…all meals outside of your room…at “off” times. Try having your main, table service meal for lunch instead of dinner. Eat early…lunch at 11, dinner at 5…or late…lunch at 2, dinner at 8. You may find crowds, especially for counter meals, to be a little lighter during these times.

Of course, typical advice about eating some meals in, especially if you have access to a kitchen, can be helpful. Many folks with these types of amenities in their accommodations actually do the entire turkey and fixings, which can be very nice and a great way to create some special memories.

Affordable Disney family vacations can occur during the Christmas holidays too, and if you plan well, your trip can have an extra dose of holiday magic. Stay tuned for more Affordable Mouse Holiday Tips in the near future!

Have a magical day!

Visiting Disney World at Christmas? Be Prepared!

I saw my first Christmas commercial the other day. And “pre-Black Friday” sales are out as well, lol, which means that the holiday season is right around the corner…..

Thoughts of Christmas cheer naturally lead me to think of Disney World, as we have visited there several times over the Christmas/New Years holidays, and while it is crazy…it is very, very fun. It is just not for the faint-hearted

But, as I know that this is a popular time to visit Walt Disney World (in fact, it is the busiest week of the year!), I thought that I would devote several blog posts to some strategies for how to handle a Disney vacation with crowds that you never thought were possible.

Because while it IS The Affordable Mouse, and I do write about saving money…well time is money, isn’t it? And to me at least, one of the keys to a successful Disney vacation, is getting the most for your money.

And probably, at no other time of the year, is careful planning as important, as it is during the Holiday Season.

It is certainly one of the loveliest times of year to visit. The holiday decorations are beautiful, and so festive. One of the things that I love is that every resort is decorated to the hilt as well, which then becomes Affordable Mouse Holiday tip #1: Visit the resorts to see the decorations! It’s FREE! On your list should be the Grand Floridian for the Gingerbread House, the Boardwalk for the Carousel, and the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge for the enormous trees. These are absolutely not-to-be-missed, and great ways to get away from the crowds for a bit.

If you are planning a Holiday vacation to Walt Disney World, then be sure to follow my blog posts for more Affordable Mouse Holiday tips, so that you know what to expect and can plan accordingly. =)

And if you know someone who has a Christmas/New Years trip planned, please send them this way!

Have a magical day!