The holidays are such a fun time of year but there are so many more amazing things to see at Disney during the holidays. We recently took our first trip to Disney during the holidays and let me tell you it did not disappoint.
When is the right time to visit during the Holiday’s?
This is more of a personal preference but the week of Christmas and the week of New Year’s are two of the busiest weeks of the year. With school holiday breaks these couple of weeks are very busy. But don’t let that stop you from planning a trip during that time.
The past few years have looked a little different and only time will tell how if some of the changes will stick or not. I can assure you the Disney Magic is still strong!
The keys to having a great trip even with the crowd.
Plan your trip well in advance.
There have been limited hotel accommodations as well as park reservations. You will want to plan your trip as far in advance as possible. Staying off site may be more affordable during this time of the year, don’t be afraid to stay offsite if it fits your budget.
Get to the parks early!
If you stay at a Disney Hotel you will have the opportunity to get in to the parks 30 minutes early to take advantage of shorter line (bonus – in 2021 they added time and some parks were open an hour early) .
Even if you are staying off site, plan to get to the parks at least 30 minutes before the parks open to get through security and be able to head straight to your first big ride before wait times jump once the park is open.
Be prepare for a mid day break.
If you are like me, you will want to stay in the parks for ever second you possibly can. But if you have kids they may need a mid day break. Depending on what park you are visiting and where you are staying, a mid day break back at the hotel may not be an option. You can still take a break!
We love to park hop, so we take advantage of a trip on the Skyliners, bus, monorail, boat, or car ride as time to relax for a few minutes and take it a little slower. I
love to plan a morning at Hollywood Studios ride a few of the big rides then jump on the Skyliners and park hop over to Epcot for a late lunch or early dinner reservation and spend the evening in Epcot.
Or I will plan a morning in Epcot with an early lunch reservation and then take the Skyliners over to Hollywood Studios. Mid day breaks can do wonders to get a second wind.
Plan one reservation per day.
Dining reservations are still a bit difficult at this time but hopefully by next holiday season all the restaurants are back up to full capacity. There are lots of food options, but with the crowds it is nice to have a place to relax and take a short break at a restaurant.
If you are worried this might break the bank, it doesn’t have to, I promise. Consider sharing an entree. At most restaurants this is a great way to try a couple of their most popular dishes. Or you may want to consider getting appetizers to share. If you decide to go with quick service I highly recommend ordering off the kids menu. Smaller portions and cheaper prices FTW!
Check out the Holiday Entertainment.
During the Holiday’s there are extra shows, parades and fun to be seen! One of the days we were there happened to be 12/30 at Magic Kingdom. They had all of their New Years Eve and Christmas stuff and were open extremely late. Be sure to check our the My Disney Experience App for details of times and events.
Stay Late!
The parks are even more magical at night — the lights and shows can’t be missed. Again look at the times of Firework shows during the Holiday’s as there are some days that will have more than one show.
If the parks are open after to Fireworks, stay. Lots of people will head for the gates and transportation may be congested but if you stay, lines for rides will have minimal waits. If there is a headliner ride that has had a long line all day, hop in line a few minutes before park close and you will get to ride.
Take extra time to take pictures!
All of the parks have amazing decorations at the holiday’s. Each park has a signature Christmas tree that is wonderfully decorated with unique theming.
Photopass is a must with a Holiday trip, there are a few extra places so check the My Disney Experience App to help you find where they are.
Be prepared for lines for rides to be long, but a daily plan of what your group wants to accomplish will help keep you on track. You can still get to ride those headliner rides without spending your whole day in line.
Start your day with a head lining ride; there may be a 30-40 minute wait but it will quickly grow to 60-90 minutes. Hop in line during peak lunch hour. A lot of rides will see a dip in wait times during this time. So plan to eat an early lunch or snack and eat a late lunch.
Enjoy the magical experience with your family!
The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones and how lucky to spend part of that time in such a magical place making memories no one will forget!
My favorite experience during our recent trip was New Years Eve Eve at Magic Kingdom we had just gotten off the Speedway Raceway and were heading over to the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin my oldest son spotted my youngest son’s favorite character on the Tomorrowland Stage. All three of my kids took off running to see Stitch dressed in his Christmas gear.
We danced with Stitch while a DJ played some cool New Years Eve jams. My youngest son could not have been more excited! He has been fortunate to be able to meet Stitch before, but this time was different. He was so excited to see Stitch in his Christmas outfit.
Later that night we stayed extremely late and closed the park down by hoping in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. We waited only about 15 minutes to ride even through the wait time was posted at 75 minutes at the end of the night. As we walked out the fog was do dense we could barely see the castle. It was such a magical vacation.
