The Holiday season is undoubtedly my favorite time to visit the Walt Disney World resort, and as I look back my family's many holiday trips, most recently for Christmas 2014 and ringing in 2015, I wanted to write a post entirely dedicated to what to expect during the Holiday season at WDW, when to start planning, what to pack, etc. So put on your favorite Christmas tunes and join me as I "Celebrate the Season" at Walt Disney World!
**Make your hotel and flight reservations EARLY! Traveling to WDW during the Holidays isn't really something that can be done last minute, and I wouldn't recommend putting off making your reservations in anticipation of last minute steals and deals. I'd suggest to start looking at room rates and airfare between 8-6 months out from your intended check-in date. This includes thoroughly looking at the rates on Disney's site and various other travel sits like Expedia, Kayak, and Priceline, among others. But be mindful from the start that room rates and airfare will be marked up the closer your travel dates are to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, as compared to days in between. This is inevitable every year, so just know that from the start, your vacation is going to be priced higher during the Holiday season. **The Holiday decorations and seasonal entertainment offerings start in early November Want to experience WDW during the Holidays but still want to wake up at home on Christmas morning? Well the resort gets its Holiday makeover fairly soon after Halloween, so you're in luck! Early to mid-November, as well as the week after Thanksgiving are the perfect times to visit WDW to experience the Holidays and take advantage of all the seasonal opportunities, not to mention fewer crowds, shorter lines, and lower travel costs. This may be a little tricky as kids normally don't get out of school until the end of December and adults may have work obligations keeping them in the office, but deciding when you want to travel always has a lot of personal factors to consider. **Be prepared to encounter large crowds, long lines, and bigger travel parties The Holiday is season is one of the busiest times of year at Walt Disney World, so know from the get-go that there's going to be a lot of other people on vacation the same time as you; it's just how it goes. Christmas Day and New Year's Day are the two busiest days of the year at The Magic Kingdom, so know that if you absolutely want to be there on either of those days, you want to get up and over to the park entrance as early as possible in the morning. We've seen the park at capacity by 10:00 AM on Christmas Day many times! Prepare the younger guests traveling with you for this as well, as we've also seen many families lose small children throughout the day in the parks because of heavy crowds. Plan out your park days, make FastPass+ selections and dining reservations ahead of time, but have some flexibility in those plans. The more popular attractions are going to have long lines no matter what, prime parade viewing spots are going to fill up quickly, and dining locations that take advance reservations will be full, so have your "must-do" list and "okay-to-miss" list already sorted out before you travel. Patience is definitely a necessity during a vacation to WDW during the Holidays :) **Consider adding a night at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party to your vacation plans! One of the best ways to experience the Holiday entertainment offerings at the Magic Kingdom is to do so at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, held on select nights from early November to mid-December (2015 nights are between Nov. 8th and Dec. 18th). This is a hard-ticket event that grants you access to the Magic Kingdom after public operating hours that includes special entertainment, unique character meet and greets, limited edition merchandise, and enough cookies and hot cocoa to keep you full all night long. Not to mention that it snows on Main Street USA! Some of the entertainment offerings do become part of daily park operations for the last week in December (Holiday Wishes fireworks and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, to name two), but the party is a really great way to experience everything with smaller crowds and shorter lines. Keep in mind that entrance to the party requires an additional ticket, at an additional cost, to your normal theme park ticket package. Tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party nights in 2015 are available NOW! Be sure to visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party/ to get yours before they're gone! **Don't forget to pack some heavier, Winter clothing! Even though you're headed to Florida, the nights can be chilly in November, December, and January. Don't think you'll be able to wear shorts and t-shirts all day and night while on your trip. Be sure to pack a few sweatshirts, pairs of jeans, gloves, and scarves. Believe me, you will need them! Disney sells many scarves, blankets, and sweatshirts during the Holidays, but be prepared before you travel if you want to save some cash. **Take advantage of as many limited time offerings as possible During the Holidays at WDW, Disney offers many things that aren't around all year long. Characters are dressed in their Christmas best, some parades and stage shows are changed to reflect the season, and the fireworks even get a holiday twist. As I mentioned, some of these entertainment offerings are only available at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, but most also become part of daily park operations after a certain date. Be sure to grab a times guide and map on your way into the parks each day, and do some research on the My Disney Experience app while planning your vacation. More info on My Disney Experience to come in another post! Here is a list of my top 5 favorite Holiday entertainment offerings: 1. Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade - Magic Kingdom See your favorite Disney characters parade through the Magic Kingdom in this WDW Holiday classic. Santa Claus himself also makes an appearance, so be sure to have your camera ready! Get your viewing spot early, as prime locations on Main St., USA and within the castle hub fill up quick. I suggest 30-45 minutes before step-off. 2. Celebrate the Season stage show - Magic Kingdom, castle stage Join in a festive celebration of the Holiday season right in front of Cinderella Castle, where you're sure to see some familiar Disney friends. Plus, have your signing voice ready to do some caroling! Definitely fun for the whole family. 3. Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights - Disney's Hollywood Studios, Streets of America Does your hometown have that one house that goes all out every Christmas with lights, music, and more? Well, I'm guessing they don't even come close to the Osborne Family, who has moved their famous display to Disney's Hollywood Studios from Arkansas to share it with the world every Holiday season. One you've gotta see to believe! 4. Candlelight Processional - EPCOT, America Pavilion On select nights, head over to EPCOT to hear a celebrity narrator, 50-piece orchestra, and massive choir tell the biblical Christmas story. Check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/candlelight-processional/ for the full schedule of narrators, as well as information on how to secure a seat with the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package. If not purchasing a Dinner Package, be sure to get in line for your desired show early. Certain narrators draw in larger crowds than others (Neil Patrick Harris had a 2-hour wait when I saw him!). 5. Holiday Wishes fireworks - Magic Kingdom The perfect way to cap off a day at The Magic Kingdom during the Holidays! Featuring both familiar Christmas and Disney tunes, Holiday Wishes celebrates everything we all love about the Holidays, as told by host Jiminy Cricket. Get your viewing spot early for this one, too! I suggest 30-45 minutes before start time. Visiting Walt Disney World during the Holiday season has become a beloved tradition for my family and is something I recommend everyone experience at least once. While it's not necessarily the best time to visit for Disney first-timers, it makes the most wonderful time of the year even more magical! For more information about Holidays at WDW, be sure to visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/holidays/. Have questions about planning your Holiday trip? Leave a comment below or send me an email! Until the next post, see ya real soon! The Fall season offers up a wealth of unique experiences to be had at Walt Disney World, especially around Halloween! Visiting WDW at this time of year is great for first-timers or families looking to beat the Holiday crowds and Florida Summer heat, but I'd really recommend it to anyone. With limited time entertainment offerings, seasonal decorations, and special events, Halloween at WDW is a spook-tacular, fun time for all ages!
Here are some of my favorite things about Halloween at Walt Disney World: **Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom Easily the best part of visiting WDW during Halloween, Mickey's No-So-Scary Halloween Party is a hard-ticket event offered on select nights at the Magic Kingdom from mid-September through Halloween. Valid theme park admission is required in addition to an event ticket, and you receive a special bracelet upon entering the park to enjoy the party all night. Highlights of the event include the Boo to You Halloween parade, trick-or-treating around the park, and rare character meet and greets, among other entertainment offerings. Plus there's the Hallowishes fireworks display, which lights up the sky around Cinderella Castle, and a special appearance by the Headless Horseman before the parade. Costumes are encouraged for all guests, so don't be the only one not dressed up! And don't worry, the name of the event holds true, so little ones are sure to have just as much fun as the big kids. The party goes from 7:00 PM until midnight, so make sure to avoid the Magic Kingdom on party nights if you don't have a ticket - The normal admission hours are shorter. The party dates for 2015 have been announced! Check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/ to get your tickets NOW! **Special Halloween and Fall decorations around every corner Fall is one of my favorite seasons, and all of it's rich colors and sights can be found around WDW in the theme parks and resort hotels. My favorite decorations can be found on Main St., USA in the Magic Kingdom - The iconic area is lined with hundreds of unique jack-o-lanterns, garlands, and scarecrows, among other items. Make sure to have your camera ready wherever you go! **Seasonal food and snack options Specialty food and snack items can be found all around the resort during Halloween time, especially sweet treats! You can indulge in caramel apples, cupcakes, and rice krispie treats all themed for Fall and Halloween in the familiar shapes of the Disney villains, ghosts, and monsters. Definitely make stops at at the Candy Cauldron at Downtown Disney West Side and the Main Street Bakery at the Magic Kingdom for some of these unique treats. Plus, there's plenty of pumpkin-flavored goodies to enjoy all over the parks! **Limited time merchandise One of my favorite activities during any vacation at Walt Disney World is shopping! Tons of limited time and Halloween-specific merchandise can be found all around the theme parks and resorts during the Fall months. Things like pins, stuffed animals, t-shirts, and collectibles themed to the season are offered from September through mid-November, before Christmas and other Holiday season items are put in the shelves. Don't forget about those car antenna toppers either! **Resort hotel costs and airfare are typically lower than the Holiday season and Summer months A big advantage to vacationing at WDW during the Fall and Halloween is lower overall costs. This time of year is considered to be part of the "off-season" or non peak times, so crowds are lighter, lines are shorter, and rates are lower. If you're looking to travel on a budget, definitely consider his time of year! If you're a fan of all things spooky and want to experience a different side to Walt Disney World, then visiting during Halloween is the perfect time for you! Be sure to check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ for more information. Have you ever traveled to WDW during Halloween? Share your stories in the comments below and let me know what you love most! Until the next post, see ya real soon! So you've decided it's time for your family to visit Walt Disney World. Yay! But where to begin? How do you even start planning a Disney vacation? Well, the first choice you have to make is WHEN you should visit Walt Disney World. Deciding what time of year to visit WDW is a very important decision that will influence your entire trip. While tourists and locals alike flock to the resort all year long, certain times of the year do bring in more guests than others. If you're a first-timer or will be traveling with first-timers (your kids, spouse, best friends, etc.), you want to avoid the Summer months and Holiday Season. Why? Because those are the times of the year you will encounter the heaviest crowds, longest lines, and most extreme weather (in the Summer months, anyway). It is extremely overwhelming enough for a first-timer at WDW, so taking them into uncharted territory along with thousands of other guests will only make the trip more stressful and chaotic. For first-timers, stick to the Fall months (mid-September right up until Thanksgiving) and early Spring months (mid-January right up until Easter) for your visit. These times of year see fewer crowds, which means shorter lines, more available hotel rooms, and more temperate weather. The more available hotel rooms will also more than likely bring cheaper room rates that may fit into your budget better. The Fall months and early Spring months also bring some seasonal entertainment offerings that you can't experience all year long, which is a perk to visiting WDW at those times even if you aren't a first-timer. In the Fall, the parks are spectacularly decorated with an autumnal theme, including rich orange and red colors, seasonal vegetation, and the most detailed jack-o-lanterns you will ever see. You can also enjoy Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom, a hard-ticket event held on select nights, which features a specialty parade, fireworks show, and trick-or-treating! The Spring months bring seasonal events including EPCOT's annual International Flower and Garden Festival, and Star Wars weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios. For more information on special season events and offerings, and to check out others, visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/#/events-tours/. Also check out the photo gallery below to see how magical these special events can be! But what if you're a seasoned pro or want to experience a different time of year at Walt Disney World? Well, the Holiday season brings even more magic to the resort! With opulent Christmas decorations, festive music, and special entertainment offerings, the Holiday season at WDW is packed full of extra pixie dust. But like I mentioned, this time of year brings in especially large crowds, so be prepared to wait in longer lines and pay a bit more for your hotel stay (and airfare for that matter, too!). Some Holiday experiences like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party also require a separate ticket, so be sure to plan accordingly if you want to take in those events. The summertime months also bring in larger crowds as more families with younger children travel to the parks when school lets out. This time of year you're sure to find larger parties traveling together, fewer dining reservation openings, and Fast Passes to your favorite attractions timing out at the beginning of the day. And you can't forget that blazing Florida heat and humidity! It's much better to avoid this time of year if you're a first-timer, because you might not be able to fit everything in you'd like to experience. My family has traveled many times during the Summer, only to come home and realize "We never got a chance to ride Space Mountain!" So be sure to carefully consider the time of year for your Disney vacation, and decide on that first. Various other factors also play into this choice whether it be your number of vacation or personal days, family schedules, or budget, so be sure to look at the big picture. Once you've made your decision, you're ready to choose your hotel and start making special dining reservations. Check back later for more information and tips on choosing the right hotel for your family, the ins and outs of eating at WDW, all of the mentioned seasonal entertainment, and more! Be sure to also check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ for comprehensive Walt Disney World Resort information to start planning your trip, and don't forget to send in any questions or topic ideas you may have. Until the next post, see ya real soon! |
About MeA twenty-something alumni of the Disney College Program looking to help others plan the Disney vacations of their dreams! Living that Disneyland AP dream in SoCal. Archives
February 2018
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