Walt Disney World is even more enchanting during the holidays, but if you don’t know what to expect it is easy to overlook the extras they’ve added. Here are the 6 mistakes Guests make during the holidays at Walt Disney World.
1. Skipping the parties – The Magic Kingdom puts on two awesome parties during the holidays. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party takes place in September and October and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place in November and December. Because these parties cost extra, many guests skip them. However, the parties offer incredible benefits including short lines for attractions and meets with rare characters. Plan instead to skip the theme parks on party day and head to the party in the evening with your party ticket.
2. Not touring the resorts – During Christmas the resorts are adorned with elaborate Christmas trees and holiday decor. Even if you aren’t staying at the resort, it is worth a visit. Our favorites during the holidays are the Grand Floridian, Beach Club, Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge.
3. Not booking holiday dining – If you have little ones, they will love Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood and Vine. It changes themes based on the season. Other restaurants also offer special menus on select holidays.
4. Skipping extras – Epcot is really good about adding a special event for kids (and adults). During Easter they have an Egg Hunt. They also add extra events during the festivals. We recently completed a Figment hunt during the Festival of the Arts.
5. Skipping special character meets – Disney brings out special character meets during certain holidays. At Easter, you can meet the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Bunny. At Christmas, you can meet Santa Claus. Some characters also dress in their holiday best to meet Guests.
6. Not celebrating holidays early – Disney decorates for Halloween and begins to host Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in early September. In early November, they decorate for Christmas and host Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Easter decor goes up 2-3 weeks before the holiday. Don’t assume you HAVE to be at Disney World on the actual holiday. Come early and celebrate!
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.
Rose says
Kristin, thank you so much for your great advice and amazing blog! I have a few questions. Is the Minnie’s Seasonal Dine separate from the Fantasmic dining package? If we were to want both, would that be covered in the dining plan? Is the Fantasmic package worth it, or is seating plentiful? Is Santa available outside of the Christmas party? Can you use FastPasses between 4-7 prior to the party if you are not planning to be on the park that day other than for the party? Thank you so much!