It’s the most beautiful time of year at Walt Disney World during Christmas, but if you’re not one for large crowds then a Christmas day visit might not be for you. Overall it is by far the busiest and most crowded time of the entire year.
It’s Disney and it’s Christmas, so for many, wading through the crowds is worth it just for the experience. Or perhaps for whatever reason it’s the only time you can go. In either case it’s just extremely busy but by no means does that mean you can enjoy a magical day in the most magical place on earth.
Still it’s packed with, not just people, but lots of shows and holiday parades, special fireworks displays, longer park hours and beautiful decorations. The key things that make a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World work are positive attitude and planning. Here are our Top Ten survival tips:
1. Be Flexible
Your on vacation and you may not get to do everything you want so go with the flow. Prepare yourself mentally for long lines and big crowds. You can’t change it, so just accept it. Be ready to change plans at a moments notice. Stay positive and don’t worry if you fall behind or miss something.
2. Prioritize
Set your priorities in advance. Decide what rides and attractions you want to experience most. Download the My Disney Experience app and set yourself a schedule. It will help you plan your route and save you time and make things easier. Again, it’s a guide so it’s okay if it changes.
3. Be Early
The early bird gets the worm. Get to the parks as early as you can. Many guests won’t get up early, so you’ll have shorter lines for the first hour or two. If you are staying on property, take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours too. The morning ones give you the most time with very low crowd levels.. During Christmas week, the crowds will start to grow tremendously and by mid-morning the crowds are pretty large.
4. Park Capacity
Magic Kingdom reaches capacity at some point on christmas day. So make sure you are there before the park is shut down due to crowds. There are different levels of park closures so if you are staying on property you will most likely be able to get in unless it reaches full capacity. Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios do not usually close completely, but the parking lots can fill up, and the parks will be very busy. But you can always head that way if the Magic Kingdom is shut down.
5. Be Realistic
Don’t plan on going on a lot of rides, especially in the afternoons. Instead, make it your priority to enjoy the atmosphere. If there is a band playing, stop and listen. Wander around and look at the decorations. Enjoy some holiday treats. Wave at the characters. There will be some rides with relatively reasonable waits, even in the middle of the day, like the Mad Tea Party, Carousel, Railroad, PeopleMover, or the Swiss Family Treehouse. The animatronic and movie shows are a good place to relax and get off your feet: Mickey’s Philharmagic, Country Bears, the Hall of the Presidents, the Carousel of Progress, the various movies and shows in the World Showcase at Epcot and Muppet-Vision 3D. It’s pretty rare for these shows to have a wait time longer than one complete show length.
6. Dining Reservations
Make dining reservations as soon as possible. You can make them up to 180 days (6 months) in advance, and you need to book them that early if you want the hard-to-get reservations like Be Our Guest, ‘Ohana, Cinderella’s Royal Table or Le Cellier. If you don’t need to get a specific popular restaurant you’ll be fine booking somewhat later, but don’t delay too long and definitely make some reservations if you want to have sit-down meals. If you don’t have any dining reservations when you arrive, you will have many fewer options for table-service dining.
7. Quick Service Meals
Plan to eat any quick-service meals at off-hours (lunch before 11 am or after 2 pm; dinner between 3pm and 4:30 pm or after 8 pm), or you’ll be waiting in line for a long time. Consider bringing some snacks with you to stave off starvation, or budget for plenty of churros and ice cream.
8. Strollers for the Little Ones
If you have young children, rent a stroller in advance. In crowded conditions it is very hard to keep track of kids on foot, and it’s also exhausting for little kids to fight their way through masses of people. A stroller is completely worth it, even for kids who would normally be a little old for one.
9. Special Shows
Work all the angles for the popular shows. If you want to see the first Fantasmic! You can get great seats if you buy the Fantasmic! Dinner Package or use one of your FastPass+ selections for Fantasmic! Otherwise you are facing a very, very long wait in line for the show, or you may not get in at all. Likewise, if you want to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot, buy the Candlelight Processional Dining Package or you probably won’t get in.
10. Down Time
Schedule some “down time” during your vacation. It is extremely stressful to spend the whole day fighting crowds. For every three days you spend in the parks, consider taking one whole day off to explore the cheap and free things to do at Disney World. Even if it is Christmas Day and you start to ware a little, go take a break. If the park is not at capacity you can come back later.
You may not be a fan of crowds, but Walt Disney World at Christmas is something you have to experience at least once. Making the most out of a crowded situation is pretty easy if you know what you are doing. Having been during this time on many occasions doesn’t hurt either.
