Christmas Confusion

[elsbit]

We have been at Christmas more than once and had planned to go again this year. Definitely canceling, after having been here for fall break. Christmas at Disney always costs more, but this year you get way less. Lines are horrible this week without FP or magic hours, I cannot imagine them at Christmas time. And as it has gotten busier this week I have seen more and more compliance issues with masks and social distancing.

 

[plygph]

Go make the best of whatever experience you can if you look for shortcoming you will find them.

 

[Blondie58]

Personally, I would wait. I would hate not having my fast passes during the holidays. I also love the long hours of open and the gingerbread houses and all the special Christmas touches. Having said the latter: If you have not been there for the holidays in the past, you will not know what you are missing.

 

[Befferk]

Having said the latter: If you have not been there for the holidays in the past, you will not know what you are missing.

That's what I'm thinking. We'll have the holiday "feeling" regardless of not having the extras. This discussion is actually making me feel better about our trip, because a lot of the things people are listing (gingerbread houses, storytellers, packed parades, candlelight processional, etc) are things we would skip anyway, they just don't interest us. I'm a very "basic" Christmas person. We put up a tree, have dinner and I'm good. So I'd be content even if the only thing Disney did was put up Christmas decorations. The one thing that would be beneficial to us if they had these other things is it would help spread people out more (more things to do).

 

[Blondie58]

That's what I'm thinking. We'll have the holiday "feeling" regardless of not having the extras. This discussion is actually making me feel better about our trip, because a lot of the things people are listing (gingerbread houses, storytellers, packed parades, candlelight processional, etc) are things we would skip anyway, they just don't interest us. I'm a very "basic" Christmas person. We put up a tree, have dinner and I'm good. So I'd be content even if the only thing Disney did was put up Christmas decorations. The one thing that would be beneficial to us if they had these other things is it would help spread people out more (more things to do).

Awesome. All the conversations have helped direct your decision. I personally would miss some of the special experiences but it sounds as if your family will not. Thus have a GREAT time and Merry Christmas. (PS. I will admit I am still a bit jealous. I LOVE Christmas at WDW!!! We are booked in January but I am vacillating.)

 

[Padstack]

I usually take my kids to Disneyland for a day each during Christmas time. With the shutdown and schooling being virtual for our school district, I figured I bring them to WDW. They can get their school work done during mid-day breaks and the evenings. The flights were the cheapest they had ever been @ $140 rt from LAX to MCO. I know we won't get the full Christmas experience, but we'll enjoy what is done and enjoy the time together. We are all excited!

 

[RRZJ]

We've been for Christmas a few times and will go again this year. That said, if this is your first Christmas trip and you plan for this to be your only Christmas trip, I would wait for next year. There is so much that will be different this year that it will not be a typical Christmas trip. So if you're looking for things like the gingerbread house displays, the amazing fireworks, the fake snow at MK, the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT, those are all cancelled. If you're ok with going and know that it's just a totally different experience, I think it's fine.

 

[MulanMom]

Christmas is my favorite time of year for a WDW trip and we have been there for a few. We also booked an upcoming Xmas trip and I find myself vacillating a bit with whether or not it will be worth it. While I'll miss all the things others have pointed out, what I might miss the most are the long hours and park hopping. It was very useful for navigating the parks and crowds.

We're renting DVC points and we've got 2 first timers in our group. I'm concerned about the "first time" experience for them. OTOH, I don't know when we will all have a chance to vacation together again. So, we're going. It helps if I look at it with the mindset I've used with supporting local businesses during COVID. We haven't hesitated paying the same price for takeout food from restaurants that we normally did dine in and added a 20% tip to the bill in an attempt to help them survive. Disney is doing its best during these times. If we are overpaying a bit for a reduced experience, so be it. For now, I see it as helping to support them during a tough time.

 

[Jenmarie123]

We just booked for a few days in December. Since our beloved POFQ isn't open, we are staying at Coronado. We went last year the same week and it was an amazing experience. I am a tad nervous and hope not to be disappointed, but truly just need a Disney trip this year. My kids haven't asked for anything for Christmas except to go so that is what we are going to do (9 and 6). If you will be going again and you know this, I would go. If it may be a one time only trip, I would wait. We go yearly so I know we will do it again next year.

I am not getting the memory maker this time though, which is something we always do.

As for us, 67 days! Disney at Christmas is truly magical!

 

[Terri]

We have decided to go. I haven't been to WDW at Christmas since 1987 and I swore never again, LOL. However, several factors have played into the decision.

• We are hoping the crowds will be lower than a typical Christmas. I'm not counting on shorter ride times, but just smaller physical crowds moving around the park would be a huge blessing.
• I've always had the fantasy of having our kids go through their stockings and pulling out the top gifts that have a note attached stating "Santa's brought everyone a trip to WDW. Pack your bags. We're leaving for the airport at noon!" My "baby" is a senior in high school this year, so this is probably the last opportunity. As it is I've already had to tell my college age daughter that she needs to take the week after Christmas off from work. I'm still trying to figure out how to make sure she brings warm weather clothing home from school so they are available to pack and to make sure both have their laundry caught up by Christmas Eve (an easier issue).
• We really want to see the decorations but won't miss the things we don't know to miss. I'm a little disappointed about not having the various night time shows, but honestly, although I always have true intentions of watching them half the time, I'm too exhausted by dinner time and just want to go back to the room. I figure I can always go back mid December another year as empty-nesters not needing to worry about school attendance.
• We figure memory maker photos with masks document this (hopefully) unique year.
• My sister and I had the idea independently and while I don't remember who called who, I do remember that after we said hello we spoke over each other with "I have this really crazy idea". Every time this has happened (maybe half a dozen times at most) , it always leads to something good. So PA and NC are meeting for the holidays in FL this year.

 

[Naomeri]

We have decided to go. I haven't been to WDW at Christmas since 1987 and I swore never again, LOL. However, several factors have played into the decision.

• We are hoping the crowds will be lower than a typical Christmas. I'm not counting on shorter ride times, but just smaller physical crowds moving around the park would be a huge blessing.
• I've always had the fantasy of having our kids go through their stockings and pulling out the top gifts that have a note attached stating "Santa's brought everyone a trip to WDW. Pack your bags. We're leaving for the airport at noon!" My "baby" is a senior in high school this year, so this is probably the last opportunity. As it is I've already had to tell my college age daughter that she needs to take the week after Christmas off from work. I'm still trying to figure out how to make sure she brings warm weather clothing home from school so they are available to pack and to make sure both have their laundry caught up by Christmas Eve (an easier issue).
• We really want to see the decorations but won't miss the things we don't know to miss. I'm a little disappointed about not having the various night time shows, but honestly, although I always have true intentions of watching them half the time, I'm too exhausted by dinner time and just want to go back to the room. I figure I can always go back mid December another year as empty-nesters not needing to worry about school attendance.
• We figure memory maker photos with masks document this (hopefully) unique year.
• My sister and I had the idea independently and while I don't remember who called who, I do remember that after we said hello we spoke over each other with "I have this really crazy idea". Every time this has happened (maybe half a dozen times at most) , it always leads to something good. So PA and NC are meeting for the holidays in FL this year.

That’s a wonderful idea! As far as getting your daughter to bring enough warm weather clothes—tell her you’d like to give all her clothes a mid-winter wash so they’re a little fresher for her in the spring or something. I know that clothes sitting in my drawers for months on end don’t feel as fresh and clean when I finally go to wear them, so it sounds sort of plausible?

 

[KT-n-TX]

We will be there. We're taking our college senior for an early graduation trip (she isn't graduating until May), but has lot of other things going on at that time. Her university has already cancelled spring break in '21, so decided to just do it. We took her and our son three years ago for Dec 25-Jan2 trip and got to do the "extras" along with 5 million others...so I think we'll be happy without those things having done them before. Our only real question is whether there will end up being anything planned for NYE, and if so, do we want to do that. Our current plan for that day is to do AK, clean up, and try to get a nice dinner at maybe Cal Grill. If NYE ends up being a thing at Epcot, we can just swap those days and do Epcot on NYE since we are staying at YC.

 

[Newbie500]

I've brought my kids between Christmas and new years several times in the past 5 years. We know what we will be missing(so far) by going again this year. We also know what we will be doing, if no more restrictions are imposed. We will still go, make the best of it, and enjoy our time together as a family in what I believe is still the best theme park in the world. I will not postpone (already did that twice this year).

 

[ceeceegee]

Thank you for this thread! We've also been going back and forth between going / cancelling our first trip over Christmas (we've been other times). Sad about the gingerbread houses and dream lights, but excited to be together in the magic bubble. Also saving money not going to MVMCP is a plus, right? Can't wait to be on Main Street on Christmas Day!

 

[Pats Dragon]

If you have been many Christmases don't go this year. You wont have the ambience, fast passes, shows such as the processional, the experience of sipping a treat as you walk around. It will be more noticeable for you than a newcomer who doesn't know what it can be like.

 

[lindsroc]

We're going anyway - arriving on Christmas Day and leaving 1/3. We've been to Disney before, just not at Christmas. After the way this year has been, we need something to look forward to (like mentally, I seriously NEED this). I don't really care about the things that aren't happening. Since we've never been at Christmas time we won't know what we're "missing". I'm super excited and am counting the days.

This is us exactly! We hadnt even been planning on going but one day we were just like, ummmm lets just go to Disney for Xmas. The kids are super excited and I am so excited to have something to look forward to.

 

[cgattis]

We have decided to go. I haven't been to WDW at Christmas since 1987 and I swore never again, LOL. However, several factors have played into the decision.

• We are hoping the crowds will be lower than a typical Christmas. I'm not counting on shorter ride times, but just smaller physical crowds moving around the park would be a huge blessing.
• I've always had the fantasy of having our kids go through their stockings and pulling out the top gifts that have a note attached stating "Santa's brought everyone a trip to WDW. Pack your bags. We're leaving for the airport at noon!" My "baby" is a senior in high school this year, so this is probably the last opportunity. As it is I've already had to tell my college age daughter that she needs to take the week after Christmas off from work. I'm still trying to figure out how to make sure she brings warm weather clothing home from school so they are available to pack and to make sure both have their laundry caught up by Christmas Eve (an easier issue).
• We really want to see the decorations but won't miss the things we don't know to miss. I'm a little disappointed about not having the various night time shows, but honestly, although I always have true intentions of watching them half the time, I'm too exhausted by dinner time and just want to go back to the room. I figure I can always go back mid December another year as empty-nesters not needing to worry about school attendance.
• We figure memory maker photos with masks document this (hopefully) unique year.
• My sister and I had the idea independently and while I don't remember who called who, I do remember that after we said hello we spoke over each other with "I have this really crazy idea". Every time this has happened (maybe half a dozen times at most) , it always leads to something good. So PA and NC are meeting for the holidays in FL this year.

That sounds awesome to me but I think I’d have a stroke if I thought everyone only had a couple hours to pack LOL. Maybe get everyone a new Disney hoodie as a gift too, just in case the college kids don’t bring or have clean what they’d need. Wouldn’t be the first time in history a college kid wasn’t on top of their laundry situation

 

[Terri]

That sounds awesome to me but I think I’d have a stroke if I thought everyone only had a couple hours to pack LOL. Maybe get everyone a new Disney hoodie as a gift too, just in case the college kids don’t bring or have clean what they’d need. Wouldn’t be the first time in history a college kid wasn’t on top of their laundry situation

Fortunately, I've taught me kids to pack quick and pack light. I've also, uhm, earned a reputation about getting a little crazy about having things done before big events. I think I can use this to my advantage and insist that all the laundry be caught up Christmas Eve along with a general house cleaning, LOL. The girls are getting disney money for christmas, so likely there will be hoodie purchased, too. I think if we make sure we have an early Christmas morning, we'll be okay. If worse comes to worse, we can do laundry in Orlando.