Spending the holidays at Disney World is a truly enchanting experience. There are seasonal lights, trees, special events, and much, much more that make the end of each year very special.
We are often asked ” Just How Crowded Is it Christmas Day/Week at Walt Disney World”. Where would be the best place to eat with children on Christmas Eve? Does Chef Mickey’s do anything special or different on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Would anything out of the ordinary be going on? How difficult would it be to get a reservation on these dates? Are the parks really crowded? What do you recommend?
IS IT CROWDED?
While most everyone agreed it is a very crowded time of year, the majority readers believed the atmosphere was worth the experience!
If avoiding crowds is your goal, it’s not the best idea to visit Walt Disney World during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It is, overall, the most busy and crowded time of the entire year. But perhaps for one reason or another it’s the only reasonable time you can go. We’ve been in that position ourselves, so we completely sympathize. We’re here to tell you: you can have a great trip at Christmas. It will be different from a trip in the off-season, and the crowds will be huge, but there are some nice compensations, like 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. Mentally prepare yourself .
2. Plan, plan, plan.
3. Arrive at the parks early each day.
4. Magic Kingdom will usually reach capacity.
5. Don’t plan on going on a lot of rides.
6. Make dining reservations as soon as possible.
7. Plan to eat any quick-service meals at off-hours.
8. If you have young children, rent a stroller in advance.
9. Work all the angles for the popular shows.
10. Schedule some “down time” during your vacation.
WHERE SHOULD WE EAT DINNER?
Dining at Walt Disney World during the holiday season offers the chance to sample special entrees, desserts, and entire menus geared to Christmas travelers. Disney restaurants often open up extra options — from counter-service to table-service to buffets — during the holiday season, and especially on Christmas Day.
A few of Disney’s oft-shuttered restaurants like Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland, Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland, and the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon in Frontierland open their doors for counter-service eats during the holiday season. Diamond Horseshoe actually offeres a special table-service meal on Christmas, and is counter-service for the busiest portion of the season. From December 17 – 31st from 11am until 3pm (dates and times subject to change), counter-service lunch will be served.
On Christmas, this location serves an all-you-can eat meal with the same family-style menu offered at the Liberty Tree Tavern. Several buffet restaurants in Disney World will have a holiday menu at Christmas time, changing out some of their standard items for more traditional eats. Christmas carols ring out in the Biergarten’s festive hall, this Germany pavilion restaurant serves up a seasonal menu on Christmas Day.
Some restaurants, like the Hollywood Brown Derby, add a special entree to their regular offerings on Christmas Day. Here, the standard menu will be offered, but a traditional dish will be added to the menu.
Holiday Reservations
You’ll want to book your Advance Dining Reservation FAR in advance for seasonal meals, especially for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Booking 180 days in advance of your vacation is recommended.
No reservation? You won’t go hungry. Out-of-the-way restaurants are likely to have open tables. Check out a resort restaurant – Olivia’s Cafe at the Old Key West resort or Captain’s Grille at Yacht Club are good bets.
There will be plenty of counter-service options too. And quick-service kiosks erected just for the holiday season. We can’t wait for you to discover all the wonderful eats!
WHAT SHOULD WE DO CHRISTMAS EVE?
Magic Kingdom
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
- A Frozen Holiday Wish & Castle Dream Lights
- Holiday Wishes – Celebrate the Spirit of the Season
- Jingle Cruise
- Santa Meet-and-Greet
- Christmas Parade Taping
Epcot
- Candlelight Processional
- Holidays Around the World Marketplaces
- Holiday Storytellers at World Showcase
- Santa Meet and Greet
- Holiday Character Topiaries
- Fountain Stage
- IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Hollywood Studios
- Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Nighttime Spectacular
- Santa Meet & Greet
- Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine
Animal Kingdom
- Adventurer Outpost
- Santa Goofy
- Holiday Decorations
Disney Spring
- Santa at Disney Springs
- Marketplace
- Disney Springs’ Christmas Tree Trail
- The Landing
- West Side
In addition, the Transportation and Ticket Center Parking lots that service the Magic Kingdom have, on occasion, reached capacity. Guests arriving at the toll plaza of the Magic Kingdom Park on such days are then directed to alternate parking at Epcot where they have the option to park and then use Resort transportation (monorails and/or buses) to return to Magic Kingdom. Parking at all of the monorail and Epcot area resorts is severely restricted beginning a few days prior to Christmas and continuing until after the New Year. High levels of traffic on New Years Eve night typically cause road closures and traffic pattern changes around property.
LOVE ORLANDO NO MATTER WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO STAY,
MAGICALGETAWAY IS AT YOUR SERVICE.