There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow.
The holidays are a favorite time of the year for many guests to visit Walt Disney World because of the special decorations, the outstanding festive shows available, and other fun holiday events.
After all, it is the “Most Magical Place on Earth” and Christmas is considered “The Most Magical Time of The Year”, so it’s no surprise that the park is packed during this time.
Since the holidays are the most popular times to visit, this can make getting around so much more complicated a little more hectic than the rest of the year. Don’t let that discourage you from visiting and experiencing all the park has to offer during the holidays though!
Here are a few tips for visiting Disney during the holidays that will hopefully make the trip a little easier.
Plan Your Trip Early
It’s always a good idea to plan your trip and get your itinerary done early, way before you plan to visit the park. This is the case whether you’re traveling to the park during the holidays or not.
The one thing that’s different during the holidays, is that Mickey’s Christmas Party is going on. The Christmas event is one of the most attended parties at Disney throughout the year so being prepared is probably one of the most important things you can do.
Use the My Disney Experience App for Dining
With the My Disney Experience App, you can save time by ordering your food through the app and pick it up when it’s ready. The app is easy to use and can make a world of difference when it comes to eating at the park.
Once you’ve placed your order through the app, you’ll check in and the app will send you a notification that your order is ready. Then, you can avoid the long waiting lines and just pick up your food in the participating quick-serve restaurants throughout the park.
Mentally Prepare Yourself
This is a must! Before you even go into the park, mentally prepare yourself and your family for the big crowds and long lines that will be waiting. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about the number of people visiting the park, the longer wait lines, or the crowd so mentally preparing everyone for the chaos is a must do.
Visit the Park as Early as You Can
As you’re planning your trip to Disney for the holidays, plan to arrive to the park early. It’s possible that the lines may be shorter earlier in day before everyone starts arriving. If you plan on attending any of the shows or riding the rides, plan to get in line at least 15 minutes before the start of the show if you can.
Make Dining Reservations Early
It’s a good idea, no matter when you’re visiting the park, to make your dining reservations early. The restaurants often fill up quickly and you want to be sure you don’t miss out on the dining experiences or wait to see if a table becomes available due to cancellations. Also, to avoid the dinner rush, consider choosing an early time than the dinner hours, which is usually around 6 p.m.
Take Advantage of the Quick-Serve Meals
If you’re ok with eating on the run and not sitting down at one of the fine restaurants throughout the park, the quick-serve meals can be a great option. As mentioned above, you can take advantage of ordering the quick-serve meals through the My Disney Experience App to save even more time.
Use the Park’s Traveling Options
Plan to use the bus, Monorails or other means of travel the park has to offer so you’re not wasting additional time trying to park or get around. The best thing about taking the bus is that they begin departing the hotels 30-40 minutes before the park even opens so you can get there as early as possible. If you’re driving your own vehicle, it can take that long, if not longer, to even get to where you want to go.
Visiting the parks during the holidays may seem like a daunting task or a huge hassle, but there’s nothing better than experiencing the parks during the holidays. The parks are a magical place during the holidays and full of special events and characters which make it a wonderful experience that you and the children will never forget.
Learn more
The Points Guy always has good Disney Information!
The Official Disney Holiday Events List
Where to find Mickey & Minnie Mouse in Disney World
