WDW Christmas time MUST DO'S...

[melty]

Definitely Boardwalk and Beach Club! They always do beautiful displays, and both are easy to walk to from Epcot

I wrote that down! Thanks!

 

[caribbeandream]

If you are interested at all here's my personal December/Christmas Disney bucket list - https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...missing-anything.3688846/page-2#post-59391303

 

[caribbeandream]

Christmas Tree Trail is a Disney-themed mall display. Unless you have all kinds of extra time on your hands, don't waste a single minute of your vacation time on it. All we could think was "That was 3 minutes we'll never get back."

Different strokes for different folks! I scheduled a half-day for after church on my Sunday to visit (and photograph) all the trees.

 

[Beachmom0317]

Were staying in a FW cabin so we’ll look at Christmas light around FW and for sure visit WL. We also have visited GF and gingerbread house is def amazing!

 

[carlymcqueen]

my family and I like to hop the monorail line and visit those three resorts and look/take pictures of the trees and decorations, and also shop. we ate dinner at Kona Island!

 

[2manypets]

Here's my bucket list for December...first timers too!

Epcot: Chip & Dales Christmas Tree Spree / Voices of Liberty / Storytellers in World Showcase / CP package whenever they come out

Magic Kingdom: Jingle Jungle Cruise / soak up the decorations / maybe MVMCP (DH doesn't want to spend the extra money, so we'll see who wins!)

Hollywood Studio: Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM / Sunset Season's Greeting at dusk

Disney Springs: 6pm tree lighting ceremony / Christmas Tree Trail / Stitch's Holiday Gift Hunt

Resorts: Visit all the deluxe resorts to see decorations / Sleigh ride to see decorations at Ft. Wilderness

 

[yesdnil]

Sleigh ride to see decorations at Ft. Wilderness

Do you know where the pickup is for the sleigh ride?

 

[caribbeandream]

Do you know where the pickup is for the sleigh ride?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/recreation/fort-wilderness-carriage-rides/

 

[Katrina Gonzalez]

Fort Wilderness looks AMAZING at Christmas!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I've read that in at least some past years, there have been handbell performances in at least one of the resorts. I'd like to find out if/when/where this will happen this December. Maybe check the December resort entertainment schedules once those are released. Or does anyone know another way to find out?

 

[bababear_50]

Christmas at Disney is Magical
That said we took some Christmas Magic with us from home.

We decorated our room and hung up stockings we brought from home.
We wore our Santa hats (inexpensive at our local dollar store),,light up Christmas glow sticks are fun for evening fireworks shows.
We enjoyed just walking around and absorbing the Holiday spirit,,stopping to have a few holiday snacks along the way.
We each got $25.00 to buy a secret Disney Santa gift for someone in our family,bring scotch tape and wrapping paper as this is hard to come by in Disney. Good treat ideas for stocking at "Goofy's Candy Shop".
We pre booked Disney Christmas breakfast, and enjoyed a resort day on Christmas Day.
A visit to 365 Days of Christmas is a must do for us,,mom has to get a new tree decoration.
We enjoyed a holiday movie at AMC in Disney Springs.
We usually stay at Animal Kingdom Villas or Old Key West and the resort decorations are awesome.
Have fun planning!
Hugs Mel

 

[DaisyDuck001]

We enjoyed a holiday movie at AMC in Disney Springs.

Good idea. This Christmas day, the new Mary Poppins movie will be released.

 

[flipflopmom]

Christmas at Disney is Magical
We each got $25.00 to buy a secret Disney Santa gift for someone in our family,

This is such a fun idea! I love it!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

We go every year for Christmas week. I can't speak for MVMCP, but I've heard nothing but great things.

By the week after Thanksgiving, most decorations should be up. Here's our must-dos...

Magic Kingdom
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Grab a photo in front of the castle, as it's all lit up
Grab a photo on Main Street, in front of the tree
Get a Christmas-themed snack at the Confectionary and eat it on Main Street (there's just something about it)
Jingle Cruise: Jungle Cruise gets a holiday makeover

Hollywood Studios
Hasn't been confirmed it's returning, but the Tower of Terror holiday overlay was massively overlooked last year. It's beautiful
Jingle Bell JingleBAM came a long way in its second year

Epcot
Candlelight Processional
Tour the World Showcase and really stop and listen to holiday storytellers/enjoy the decor
Sample different foods at Holidays Around the World. We really loved the snacks last year

Resorts
Do a monorail tour:
- Contemporary has a gingerbread display; Poly is kinda dead, but still nice; GF is AMAZING during the holidays
- Wilderness Lodge is the best-decorated resort during the holidays. It feels like a Christmas card
- Fort Wilderness has a carriage ride. Campers decorate their RVs. Definitely recommend it (I think it's like $90 for a family of 4)
- Do the Boardwalk area: Swan and Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Boardwalk. We like to do it at night, then grab Ample Hills and watch Illuminations from the bridge

Disney Springs
Christmas tree trail
Go "window shopping"
Go to the Christmas store

Outside of this:
- Really enjoy the decorations. I think people get trapped in the Disney bubble and running ride to ride and don't take time to really enjoy the decorations.
- Get a photo with each tree in the parks and Deluxe resorts. They're all decorated based on the theme.

 

[v.t.]

Is it possible to get decent seats for CP if we don't get the dining package? We will be there 11/27-12/1. We definitely want to see it, we just want to utilize our DDP in the best manner possible. (One of our party is on a very strict budget.)

 

[yesdnil]

Is it possible to get decent seats for CP if we don't get the dining package? We will be there 11/27-12/1. We definitely want to see it, we just want to utilize our DDP in the best manner possible. (One of our party is on a very strict budget.)

I've gone several times without the dining package and there's generally plenty of seating, even last minute on some of the less popular weeknights

 

[BriLovesDisney]

Candlelight processional for sure.

We've only gone to MVMCP once and didn't care for it - found it to be overpriced for what we got - but I know many people who love it!

 

[tlmadden73]

Does anyone have any dates on when decorations are up at various places around the park?

I am going Nov. 10-16 purposely to get some Christmas flavor without going in December. I know the MK Christmas Decorations will be up (since they are having FOUR parties that week!), but wasn't sure when the other parks and resorts put up their decorations or if we will just miss them since we are going before Thanksgiving?

Maybe I will just have to plan a DECEMBER trip sometime (not next year .... probably too busy with SWGE opening!)

 

[caribbeandream]

Maybe I will just have to plan a DECEMBER trip sometime . . .

If you are looking for people to dissuade you from booking another trip to Disney you might have come to the wrong place. (;

 

[John Marecek]

DHS was the most Christmas of all the parks last year. The Sunset Seasons shows with the TOT projections and snow falling on Sunset Blvd was very very cool. Loved the tree and ornaments floating in Eco Lake. That area at night is beautiful.

Tree trail is pretty much what others have said. A bunch of trees with themed ornaments. It's nice if you are over there, but not something to go out of your way for.

If you are at Springs and want to see Santa, go get on the list as soon as you get there. The wait was 4 hours the first Sunday in December last year. Needless to say, we didn't spend 4 hours at DS to see Santa.