Walt Disney World Holidays – What to Know if You Are Planning a Disney Vacation at Christmas

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World this Christmas season? Will you be traveling during the week between Christmas and New Years? This is one of the most beautiful, magical times of the year at Disney, and also one of the most popular. As my family has enjoyed several Walt Disney World holidays in December, this article will discuss a few ways to make your upcoming Christmas Disney vacation as magical as possible.

At Holiday Season, perhaps more than any other, careful planning is important if you want to have a successful vacation. So be prepared! Plan, and plan some more. While there are a number of things to consider during a Christmas visit to Disney World, there are two that are probably more important than any other, especially if you will be traveling during the popular week between Christmas and New Years.

To start, really plan for the weather. If you have never visited Florida in the winter, you may be surprised to find out that Florida is not always sunny and hot! In fact, traveling any time during the winter can be a very cold and uncomfortable surprise if you don’t check ahead.

We have certainly had visits during the winter where the weather was practically perfect, with sunny days and temperatures in the 70s. And we have also had days where the temperature never made it out of the 50s during the day, and was in the 30s at night. Combine this with a bit of humidity/dampness and a little wind, and that is winter-coat wearing weather folks!

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

Secondly, anyone traveling to Disney World during the week between Christmas and New Year’s should be aware that this is the busiest week of the year for the Disney parks. You can expect that one or more of the parks will actually close at times 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.

So, especially if you are not staying on Disney property, keep this in mind: go early to be certain to get into the park of your choice. Plan to visit those attractions that are a priority (especially those that are very popular) and utilize the Fast Pass system. Expect the big attractions to have all Fast-Passes gone for the day by lunch, and to have stand-by lines of several hours. Be flexible, go with the flow, and above all, have a sense of humor.

If you must leave any of the parks, make sure, before you go, that you won’t have a problem if you cannot get back in. While crowds typically lessen a bit in the evenings, that certainly is not the case for, say New Year’s Eve, so if you plan to ring in the New Year in one of the parks, then know that you will need to make a very long day of it.

If you are prepared to do a little planning, you will find that the Walt Disney World holidays are a wonderful and magical time of year, and a great way to create lasting family memories. All you need to do is plan before you leave!

Nancy Bobby has been visiting Disney World (and doing it frugally) for over a decade, and has experienced 11 (and counting) family vacations to Walt Disney World. To discover how to plan an affordable Disney family vacation, and to receive a free Disney vacation planning bonus, visit The Affordable Mouse.

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Walt Disney World Holidays – Dining Strategies During the Christmas Season

Is a Disney trip in your future during the Walt Disney World holidays? A Disney World vacation during the Christmas season can be a very fun experience, with beautiful and festive decorations and events made even more special with that Disney magic…and of course good food. This article will share some specific things you may want to know about Disney World dining during the holidays, and discuss the best way to plan a Disney vacation to insure that you make the most of your dining budget as well as your equally valuable time.

Did you know that if you are traveling between Christmas and New Year’s, you will be visiting Disney World during the busiest time of the year? This basically means that you need to make dining plans ahead of time, and keep in mind that you will be visiting with many, many other people at the same time.

So 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, preferably make them now.

Let’s talk about ADRs. Disney provides folks with the ability to make Advanced Dining Reservations far in advance, currently 180 days in advance. So people have been making ADRs for Christmas week for months. This means that the most popular restaurants and times fill quickly, especially for the big days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Can you just walk up and get a table during this week? Perhaps…but don’t hold your breath. Don’t take the chance, make your ADRs now if you want table service meals.

What do you do if you can’t get ADRs for any of your restaurant choices? All is not lost, because while the most popular ones at the parks may be full, it is likely that the ones at the hotels are still available. The resort hotel restaurants are frequently quite good, and it is a great way to see some of the lovely Holiday decorations at the resorts. Plus, it can be very nice to get away from the crowds at the parks for a few hours.

You can also think about eating meals 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 actually be able to get table service seating this way, and if you want counter service meals, the crowds are usually a little thinner this way, especially the earlier 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….and save some money in the process.

What is the best way to plan a Disney vacation when it comes to meals during the Walt Disney World holidays? A little planning will pay off with a wonderful vacation that has an extra dose of holiday magic and provide a trip filled with special holiday memories.

Nancy Bobby has been planning Disney World vacations (and doing it affordably) for over a decade, and has had 11 (and counting) family trips to Walt Disney World. To learn how to plan an affordable Disney family vacation, and to receive a free Disney vacation planning guide, visit www.theaffordablemouse.com.

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