Christmas 2020 at DisneyWorld, will it be worth it?

[HunterRose13]

I am terribly conflicted about planning a trip for the family for Christmas. We have not taken a vacation in a couple of years and had planned to get away a few times this year which were all canceled. The last trip that is on our radar is a Christmas trip to DisneyWorld. I find myself terribly conflicted. While I am sure Disney will do a great job with Christmas no matter what I am concerned that the experience will not be as good as we hope. We have never been to DisneyWorld during Christmas time, but have been to Disneyland a time or two. I would rank what is important to us in this order atmosphere, fireworks/night time shows, rides, character experiences, dining, and shopping. Park preference is Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom has always been somewhat disappointing for us. We are not huge Avatar fans. Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, and Tough to be a Bug are about the only things we have enjoyed at AK. So AK would probably be a pass.

The tentative schedule would be -
Arrive Christmas Day
Dec 26th - Magic Kingdom
Dec 27th - Epcot
Dec 28th - Hollywood Studios
Dec 29th - Magic Kingdom
Dec 30th ?
Dec 31st - Depart

Would the juice be worth the squeeze? Would a shorter trip be viable because of lower crowds? The thought process being to make another trip when fireworks come back on line, hopefully early next year.

Please help me break my vapor lock on what to do with this trip.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If you've never been at Christmas I would wait and go when things are back to "normal." They've cut so much of what makes the holidays special. I think it sounds better than what I expected them to do, but I have been to WDW 3 times during the Christmas season and have seen the height of it.

https://blogmickey.com/2020/09/disn...season-details-no-very-merry-christmas-party/

 

[disneychrista]

Are you going to experience Christmas at WDW or are you going to have a get away?

If the first I’d wait a couple years. If the later go and enjoy yourself.

 

[Karin1984]

I would let it depend on whether or not you can get a good deal. Paying premium for Disney at Christmas for a limited experience, is it worth it.
On the other hand, it is a chance to see the decorations and experience the park with low(er) crowds than normal.

How desperate are you to get your Disney fix ;-)
There is nothing wrong with making sacrifices for this fix.

 

[shh]

sure wish universal would share details...I'm pondering the same thing on the UO side - but they rarely release any info until weeks before

It's great that WDW is sharing this early on, so people can be informed either way

 

[HunterRose13]

Are you going to experience Christmas at WDW or are you going to have a get away?

If the first I’d wait a couple years. If the later go and enjoy yourself.

A little of experiencing Christmas at WDW and a lot of get away. We buckled down hard since March, canceled or had canceled trips and events, and were riding things out to see how the health situation and economy would transpire. Frankly we are suffering from pretty bad cabin fever after spending the Spring together working and schooling from home. As a get away this might be a good trip.

 

[HunterRose13]

I would let it depend on whether or not you can get a good deal. Paying premium for Disney at Christmas for a limited experience, is it worth it.
On the other hand, it is a chance to see the decorations and experience the park with low(er) crowds than normal.

How desperate are you to get your Disney fix ;-)
There is nothing wrong with making sacrifices for this fix.

We budgeted for a few trips and events this year that were canceled so that rolled into what is available for this trip. Staying on property is a must, Art of Animation or better for accommodations. If Poly was not closed I would probably book it now and not look back. If we manage this budget well though we could bounce back for Spring Break in '21.

 

[Orion Nebula]

We moved our trip from Sept 1 to Dec 1 and holding out as well. I have been during the holidays and it was really neat, if this was my first time I wouldn't go. But as with many I am have major withdrawals to get back to the parks and if things have improved (prob not) I would just go. I also got to use the room discount so that helps though.

 

[HunterRose13]

I appreciate the feedback thus far. Can I ask opinions on the length of trip? Do we need an extra day at Epcot or Hollywood? We want to do EVERYTHING at MK, hence two days.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm pleasantly surprised by the holiday announcement that was just made - I'd honestly expected less to be happening, though I will miss the gingerbread displays. We're tentatively planning on going in mid-December as a quick break from the cold and the grind, and my feeling right now is that the parks are likely to be festive enough. But we've been during the holiday season a couple of times already, so missing Candlelight Processional and MVMCP this time really isn't a big deal.

Since you rank fireworks and nighttime shows so highly, you might be disappointed with what WDW is going to be like this holiday season - while they did talk about castle projections, there are no plans to bring back the fireworks or shows yet. And since you're planning on being there for the actual holiday, it is very likely that you'll find yourself paying full peak-season prices for the diminished experience. There are a couple of discounts floating around right now, but they all expire on 12/25 as far as I know. Personally, I wouldn't pick this year for a first time trip to WDW at Christmastime because even though we're not usually fireworks-and-shows people, those are some of the best parts of the holiday season in the parks.

 

[Christine]

If the "normal" Christmas experience is important to you and the reason why you chose that time, then I would not go. If you just want to get away and decide to go at Christmas this year because it probably won't be as frantic as normal Christmases at Disney, then this could be a great time to go.

I've been to Disney many times, but never at Christmas because the thoughts of those crowds scare the bejeezus out of me. But I got close to some of the "Christmas" when I went last year in November. Some of the decorations started going up and we also did the first MVMCP. For me, I'm just not into that stuff (fireworks, parades, and parties) so if you were like me, I'd say "heck yes" you should go. But reading your posts, it sounds like you might want the full experience and would be disappointed without it, so I'd take a pass at it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I don’t think the price of Disney is worth it at all right now. Even less with Christmas prices. I wouldn’t spend the money for such a limited experience.

 

[anniemae]

I would go.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I will not be going to DLR until everything is back to normal and working as usual. The cost is already overpriced so I certainly want to have all the benefits.

 

[Mysterian]

I like Christine's point about the smaller crowds. I guess it boils down to how important it is to do it this year. Pay full price for a limited experience, or an escape vacation to end 2020 with something special after so many dismal COVID months. If it's been years since you all took a vacation I can understand the itch to get out there.

 

[fla4fun]

I would go. You said you have not been during Christmas, so you probably won’t miss things you might have heard about, but never experienced. I think it would be harder if you were a family who had been visiting at Christmas for years. I do a mid-December trip every year, and I am still going this year. There are a few things I will miss, but overall I like what I read about what will be available. It sounds like Christmas at Disney is just what you need.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would go. You said you have not been during Christmas, so you probably won’t miss things you might have heard about, but never experienced. I think it would be harder if you were a family who had been visiting at Christmas for years. I do a mid-December trip every year, and I am still going this year. There are a few things I will miss, but overall I like what I read about what will be available. It sounds like Christmas at Disney is just what you need.

I like your end statement, and I agree!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I'm in the same boat as you and have decided to channel my efforts into planning a 'stepped up' trip for next year. By that I mean staying at the top tier resorts I haven't been to before (Floridian and Boardwalk are on my list) going to all the restaurants/shows I've been putting off (haven't been to a Luau since my honeymoon and have never done the French place in EPCOT) and generally indulging in the things I haven't because it was just "too much" (do they still have boats in the Seven Seas Lagoon) and honestly I really want one more hokey Hoop De Doo Revue ... can't really explain that one

 

[low-key]

roll the dice and go with it

 

[disneychrista]

roll the dice and go with it

I though you said you weren't a gambler...