Celebrating the Holidays at Walt Disney World

Going to Walt Disney World, during the holidays, is a great idea, if you are prepared for the large crowds. During this time, busses can get very crowded before parks open, after special events like parades and fireworks, and at closing. This means there is usually many left standing on the bus rides.

Most days, we went to a park during Extra Magic Hour mornings. You can get through many main attractions this way, before the park officially opens. However, if you plan to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ new attraction, Toy Story Mania, expect to get on during the Extra Magic Hours once or twice and after that, only if you don’t mind waiting 2 or 3 hours. We actually experienced seeing a line from Toy Story Mania to the steps by the Little Mermaid show just to get Fastpasses for Toy Story, fairly locking it up for most of the day. However, getting on other attractions at all four parks isn’t bad if you anticipate the longer waits and utuilize Fastpass well.

Whether you’re shopping at the parks or Downtown, shop early or during typical meal times. Also, don’t forget about the stores at the resorts. They have great merchandise, and the sales we saw at the parks and in Downtown, were also at the resort stores. With this advice, you’ll save yourself some time on lines for the register, too!

Overall, the Disney feel we are all used to, combined with the general good will most people feel during the holidays, makes for a pleasant trip. When the crowds get to be a bit much, enjoy the holiday decorations, take some extra photos or enjoy time at your resort and rest up. We’ve gone two years in a row, and I know it won’t be our last time at Disney World for the holidays!

Rachel Basden