4 Things Nobody Warns You About Christmas in Disney World

So you’re planning on spending what’s arguably the most magical time of the year in Disney World. First of all, I’m a *little* jealous, but second, there are some things you NEED to know.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to visit Disney World for many reasons. The decorations are gorgeous, there are seasonal snacks you’ll be vying to get your hands on, and there’s not the same oppressive heat you face during the summertime. However, as glorious as it is, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, because hey, it’s Disney World, an EXTREMELY popular theme park. And thousands of people are on vacation too, hoping for the perfect trip. So, before you bound into the park during the busiest time of the year, here are some things nobody warns you about that you 100% should know.

The Crowds Are BEYOND What You’re Expecting

We don’t say this to scare you; we say this because it’s true. If you’re used to crowds in Disney World, but you’ve never been during the holiday season, the Christmas crowds are on another level you’ve probably never seen.

Even crowds during the summer can’t compare to what we see during the holidays, and at times, it can honestly be intimidating and imposing.

Plus, holiday trips often involve several generations of family members, and some of them will be headed there for the first time. So while they may have done all the research in the world (or maybe not, we’ve seen plenty both ways), you may be seeing more “first-timer” behaviors around the parks.

This includes things like stopping in the middle of walkways instead of pulling off to the side, realizing they’re going the wrong way and turning around in the middle of a crowd (who am I kidding, I’ve also done that, so I get it), and maybe some behaviors on rides that are against the rules or just plain rude, like the flash going off or talking loudly. These can be frustrating for guests around them, especially those who have been many times and know the way things go. Just remember that everyone is trying to have a magical vacation!

Sometimes it feels impossible to avoid the shoulder-to-shoulder madness! We recommend avoiding bottlenecked areas where you can, or at least mentally preparing to slow down.

Some bottleneck areas to prepare for:

• Fantastyland near Peter Pan’s Flight and “it’s a small world” in Magic Kingdom. Sometimes there’s no avoiding this area, so prepare accordingly.
• Main Street, U.S.A. in the afternoon and evening in Magic Kingdom (due to fireworks and parades). Our favorite hack is to wait it out and explore nearby shops while the crowds disperse. Then it’s much calmer!
• EPCOT World Showcase in the evenings. This is another one that’s difficult to avoid completely, but consider doing World Showcase early in the day if this sounds like a nightmare.
• The main entrance of Pandora in Animal Kingdom. Take the pathway that connects to Africa instead!

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Dining Reservations Fill Up Even Faster

If you thought getting a dining reservation for one of your favorite spots, like Cinderella’s Royal Table, Le Cellier, or ‘Ohana, was hard during regular times of year, getting dining reservations in general during the holiday season gets exponentially harder.

This is especially true for the restaurants that have special seasonal dining options, like we often see at Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney often releases all the snacks and special dining options coming to the parks weeks before the season begins, so you have time to prepare.

We recommend making reservations at your most sought-after restaurants as early as you possibly can. Reservations open up around 6AM ET 60 days before your visit. However, we also encourage you to have a Plan B, C, and D when booking, in case your first choice is already booked up (which happens!), so you’re not left scrambling.

Some of our favorites that are easier to get into include:

• Diamond Horseshoe: This spot serves the same food as Liberty Tree Tavern!
• Sebastian’s Bistro: Can’t get into ‘Ohana? No problem. This restaurant also serves an all-you-care-to-eat meal, and it has become one of our favorites.
• Cape May Cafe: Chef Mickey’s and Cinderella’s Royal Table can book up fast, but this Beach Club restaurant usually has decent availability, and you still get characters and a buffet!

Now, we’re not saying that same-day dining reservations don’t become available while you’re on your vacation, because they do! If you decide last-minute on your trip that you’d like to book a dining reservation instead of using a quick-service restaurant, you can often find something on the My Disney Experience app or on a Walk-Up Waitlist. But if you know there’s a specific spot you’d like to eat before your trip begins, DON’T rely on that tactic. (Not to mention that a lot less of this happens during the holiday, because — as we’ve been trying to tell you — it’s the busiest time of year at Disney World!)

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Don’t Sleep on Disney Springs and Disney Hotels!

Disney Springs is home to some of our favorite dining options in the ENTIRETY of the resort, and we feel that during the holiday season, many people are just focused on the parks and forget to check this spot out. We totally get it, because all the really fun decorations, special entertainment options, and more are in the parks. While Disney Springs does get special seasonal snacks and dining options for the holiday season, it goes unnoticed by many.

We strongly recommend you make sure you don’t forget about looking into Disney Springs restaurants when planning what reservations to grab. Homecomin’, Wine Bar George, Boathouse, and Raglan Road are just a few of our favorites! Don’t want a reservation? Check out eet by Maneet, The Polite Pig, or D-Luxe Burger.

We’ve got reviews on all of them on our blog here, as well as on our YouTube channel, so you can get a feel for the menu and price range well before you go.

And we cannot recommend enough checking out the READER REVIEWS here on AllEars.net (and leave your own, would ya?!)! We look to YOU for the latest information on what’s good (and what’s, um … not as good) in Disney World. We’re there every day checking things out, but we can’t see it all — and that’s where you come in!

Check Out Reviews From Our Awesome Readers Right Here!

The same goes for Disney World hotels! Not only do the hotels have some INCREDIBLE decorations up during the holiday season that are totally worth resort hopping to see, but the dining options here often far outweigh what’s available in the parks. Even if you’re not staying at a Disney World hotel during your vacation, you can still book reservations at their restaurants, try their quick-service options, or just pop in to see those gorgeous decorations.

One of our favorite hotels to visit around this time of year is Disney’s Beach Club Resort! The gingerbread carousel is one of the coolest holiday displays we’ve seen anywhere, let alone Disney World. Afterwards, grab a festive treat from Beaches and Cream!

Another example is Cake Bake Shop at Disney’s BoardWalk, where every inch of the place is decked out in decor. They also host special

Disney’s Grand Floridian is also stunning, and although it’s missing in 2025, the life-size gingerbread house is a must-see.

One important tip, though: Resort parking lots will be restricted to hotel guests and people with dining reservations. If you’re going to see the decorations at the hotel or maybe have a bite in a quick-service restaurant or lounge, you’ll want to take Disney transportation or a rideshare like Uber or Lyft.

Watch Out for That Merchandise

Special seasonal merchandise can go fast, but it’s often hard to figure out WHAT new items will be super popular and the first to go. When we see an adorable new pair of ears, or a holiday Lug bag we know our team is obsessed with, we can only assume the rest of the world is, too, so we have a feeling that design will go fast. However, sometimes it’s harder to tell!

With that being said, if you see something in the parks you NEED, we recommend grabbing it sooner rather than later to be safe, which is usually the total OPPOSITE of the advice we give. We’re all about saving money and only purchasing the items you feel you really want. But when it comes to holiday merchandise, you could turn around only to find that all those holiday ears you just saw? Yep, now they’ve all been grabbed up, and they’re sold out. That sounds dramatic, but IT HAPPENS.

Also, not all merchandise is available in every park, hotel, or in Disney Springs. Some merchandise you see is only available in a certain park, or that’s the only park that isn’t sold out. The last thing you want is to skip grabbing a souvenir in Magic Kingdom on the ONE day of your trip that you’re there, only to find that it’s not available anywhere else. When it comes to special merch like this, if you must have it, grab it ASAP.

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We’re in Disney World nearly every day, and that includes during the holidays, so we’re here to keep you informed on anything and everything you need to know. If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

Despite these warnings, your trip to the parks during the holiday season can be SO incredibly magical if you go in prepared and with the right mindset. We’ll be sure to update you on all the latest Disney World information at all times of the year, so stay tuned to AllEars!

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Would you visit Disney World during the holiday season? Tell us in the comments!

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