Christmas Disappointment!!

[candleshoe]

Not sure if this is the right forum- guess it will get redirected if needed:

So I was psyched about spending my 1st Christmas ever at WDW this year. We'll be there Christmas week Dec 20 (Sunday) - Dec 26 (Saturday). Then I am in shock and disbelief to find that there is NO VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY planned at all for any day during the week of CHRISTMAS!?!? Is that typical? Is the whole world taking crazy pills? How can they not have the christmas party the week of christmas??? Can anyone help me with this? Between that and the fact that the Christmas parade is not actually on Christmas, it seems that there's no point in going Christmas week after all. Have a made a major miscalculation here?? What's the point of going Christmas week then???

Just venting here...could use some Christmas suggestions and perhaps some info on whether they usually open up more dates for the party as it gets closer....

[Aurora]

Published dates last year had no MVMCP after Dec. 19. I don't know if any dates were added -- maybe someone who was there last year can help out.

I'm sure no parties are scheduled because the weeks of Christmas and New Year's are the most crowded weeks of the year, and in order to have the parties they need to close the Magic Kingdom early to the general public to let in party guests. With very high crowds they let the parks stay open late.

In fact, you should know that very frequently the parks close to any entering guests at some point during the day on several days between Christmas and New Year's. Of course with the economy you can't predict whether that will again be true this year, but you should be prepared not only for very large crowds, but for entry gate closings.

[BMan62]

They do not have the MVMCP during the week of Christmas because the park is so crowded. Most of the festivities from the MVMCP are featured during regular park hours.

[Strmchsr]

They do not have the MVMCP during the week of Christmas because the park is so crowded. Most of the festivities from the MVMCP are featured during regular park hours.

Exactly. For them to have the MVMCP then then MK has to close early. When you have a week as crowded as Christmas week they just can't turn away all those guests for a "limited ticket" event. They don't do MVMCP during Thanksgiving week either, for the same reason. If I remember correctly, however, the Christmas parade that is normally seen only during the MVMCP is run during the day for Christmas week.

[Missy_Mouses_Dad]

I can understand your disappointment about Christmas week. If it helps at all...the Christmas parade is "staged". Spectators are stationed along Main Street, and the sections of the parade are run repeatedly to get various camera angles. It is an exciting end product after hitting the producers room, but I don't know if I would attend it again. DD14 was in the parade and between the 10 hours of rehearsals a day and the 8 hours of taping, it was a long week, and we didn't really get to enjoy WDW. I am surprised about the Christmas party, though. That was a lot of fun last Christmas, I just assumed Christmas weeks would have been a bigger attraction. The Osburne family lights are a blast and spectacle not to miss.

[spinnerf]

I was in Florida for a non Disney vacation this past Christmas to New Years and I can tell you that most of the parks were closed due to capacity by 10 to 11 am most days. Needless to say I didnt even try to get into any of the parks.

[alaMode]

I was also shocked to discover that there wouldn't be a MVMCP scheduled during our stay.

I was also worried about the crowds, but hopeful that since we would be there the week BEFORE Christmas it wouldn't be so extreme...

We ended up changing our dates when we received a free dining PIN for the first 2 weeks of December.

We will be attending MVMCP after all, but we won't be spending as many days at WDW due to work commitments.

Just be sure to get wherever you're going EARLY! (That was our plan!)

Have fun--I'm sure you are going to have a magical Christmas!

Tess

[Erin C.]

Our family arrived on the 21st last year (until the 30th) and the last MVMCCP was on the 19th. I was hesitant to go after reading about the crowds but I have to tell you the crowds were heavier when I was there is July 07. :deer::santa:

[moe513]

The Christmas parade for TV is filmed early like Dec 4th I know some of the parade route is filled with certain people they bring in and not the average park goer. We avoided the MK when we were there on parade day.

[Marilyn Michetti]

We've been to the party twice during the first week in Dec., and it's really fun. However, the free cookies and hot chocolate and the "snow" on Main St., just isn't worth the money. The parade was the real reason I wanted to go, and it will be on T.V. on Christmas Day.

Don't let that stop anyone from attending. Like I said, we did it twice. We're both Sr. Citizens, and just don't stay up that late usually.:santa2:

[DizneyRox]

MVMCP is overrated if you ask me. MNSSHP is the better event party. Christmas is a wonderful time of year to go however because ALL the parks are festive.

You wouldn't catch me near MK that week though, crowds are bad normally, never mind all the XMas Crazies! I would expect MK to close to guests around 11am, maybe sooner. Epcot will probably hit capacity around noon. It's fairly typical...

[Imagineer1981]

During the week of Christmas, MVMCP becomes part of the daily routine, they run that parade as the parade for the day instead of having a separate party. So instead of buying a separate party ticket, you get the party already just for going to the MK, its actually kinda nice because the party to me is overrated and you get all the fun without the extra cost.

[Pally]

In 2006 the last MVMCP was on Dec. 22. We had been in Orlando from the 18th and registered at WL on the 22nd and went to the party. Fun, but rainy that night.

At christmas time though MVMCP is not the only thing to see. There are many, many other things. So, no one should feel if they did not go to MVMCP they did not participate in any christmas festivities. They do run the MVMCP parade during christmas week.

Go at christmas, it is an experience you should have at least once.

[Gooftroop5]

MVMCP is overrated if you ask me.

I so agree. We were so disapointed with it. The parade was not worth it to me.It seemed like a whole bunch of old floats i have seen before just decorated for christmas. My parents bought the tickets. We had more fun the night before at the EMH & did a lot more. I didn't really see where there was anything so special about it.

I know not a lot of people disagree. To each their own however we will not do it again.

We have not tried MNSSHP. After the MMVCP I don't really want to either.

I wouldn't want to be in the crowds either at Christmas time. I don't do crowds very well as i get older & you are talking to a person that the first 3 visits to disney were July 4th week.

[DizneyRox]

We have not tried MNSSHP. After the MMVCP I don't really want to either.
Don't think that way. MNSSHP is a whole different animal. The costumes, the trick or treating, the atmosphere, etc.. It's really a different event than MVMCP.

If I had to choose one party, it would 100% be MNSSHP. But, if my choice was tied to a week vacation, I would go during XMas time without a doubt!

[candleshoe]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm excited about getting to see the MVMCP parade at the MK now!

My question Re: crowds. The reason I finally decided to do it this year was, since Christmas is on a Friday and at least up here in NJ kids have school until Dec 23, I assumed that the 1st 1/2 of the week wouldn't have the crowds and that the real crowds wouldn't start until the 24th and of course the following week which is the "between Christmas and New Year" week.

Any thoughts?

[Lynn J Mc]

We were there Christmas Eve and for the next 4 days during 2004. Crowds were bad the whole time. We didn't care. We were at DW! But have to tell you -there were times in the MK that my feet never touched the ground. I was carried along by the crowd! If crowds bother you - don't go that week. If you can relax and just enjoy the atmosphere, there is nothing like a WDW Christmas. Parks do close to non-resort guests. We did not have any problems getting in since we were staying on-site. We never saw them close to resort guests, may have happened but we didn't encounter it.

[DizneyRox]

... Crowds were bad the whole time. We didn't care. We were at DW! But have to tell you -there were times in the MK that my feet never touched the ground. I was carried along by the crowd!
Oh, you went on a light day I see! :D


Parks do close to non-resort guests. We did not have any problems getting in since we were staying on-site. We never saw them close to resort guests, may have happened but we didn't encounter it.
Please don't rely on being an on-site guest to get into parks on major holidays like this. There are phases of closure that even resort guests are kept out, and XMas week is one of those weeks that it regularly hits that phase of closure. As you said, it may not happen, or the times you were entering they may not have been there. In general though, I suggest picking A park, getting there before opening and staying until you don't want to be in a park anymore that day.

[ransam]

i would imagine it would be hard to get that many people that wouldn't have purchased the mickey's party ticket to leave the park at 7pm...it's just easier to open it up to everyone.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Now its been several years, but the last time we were in WDW close to Christmas we went to MVMCP on our first night in WDW. It was the last party of the year and everything we saw and did (minus the free cookies and hot chocolate) were in the park after the parties ended. We were able to see the parade and the shows again on a regular MK day. So don't be upset, you aren't going to miss out on anything. You'll still be able to see it all in MK. Have a great trip.

[Meteora]

Please don't rely on being an on-site guest to get into parks on major holidays like this. There are phases of closure that even resort guests are kept out, and XMas week is one of those weeks that it regularly hits that phase of closure.

I will echo that--we experienced the MK hitting capacity and closing to everyone, including resort guests, several times during our various Christmas week vacations.

[SBETigg]

My question Re: crowds. The reason I finally decided to do it this year was, since Christmas is on a Friday and at least up here in NJ kids have school until Dec 23, I assumed that the 1st 1/2 of the week wouldn't have the crowds and that the real crowds wouldn't start until the 24th and of course the following week which is the "between Christmas and New Year" week.

Any thoughts?

I think you're going to have a very crowded week. Most people will pull kids out a few days early and not every school system follows your same schedule. Count on crowds all week, but with good strategies, it's always manageable and you'll no doubt have a great time.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I think you're going to have a very crowded week. Most people will pull kids out a few days early and not every school system follows your same schedule. Count on crowds all week, but with good strategies, it's always manageable and you'll no doubt have a great time.


I have to agree with you. Here in Louisiana, and I am sure many other southern states our schools last day will be the Friday before Christmas, so that's around Dec. 18th this year. I would expect the entire week to be crowded.

[Stu29573]

I had always heard that the week before Christmas was one of the best times to go, but that Christmas day thru New Years were really rough. Has that changed? I'm asking because we're considering that week for 2010...:mickey:

[Meteora]

I had always heard that the week before Christmas was one of the best times to go, but that Christmas day thru New Years were really rough. Has that changed? I'm asking because we're considering that week for 2010...:mickey:

I believe December has become more crowded in recent years. However, the full week before Christmas in 2010, which is around the 11th to the 18th. should be decidedly less crowded than the week during which Christmas actually falls.

[FutureCorpsFan]

I think all of the December is becoming crowd city. We went the first week in December two years ago and could not beleive the crowds that week. It made getting restaurant reservations extremely difficult. We chose that time because it wan't supposed to be crowed and it turned out to be a mad house in most of the parks. So much so that you could not get anything done. Took longer to move through parks, longer to eat and longer to get on a ride or attraction....

One morning we went to Epcot and could only get done Nemo, Spaceship Earth and Soarin. It will be a long time before we ever go back around Christmas.

[Mickey91]

I so agree. We were so disapointed with it. The parade was not worth it to me.It seemed like a whole bunch of old floats i have seen before just decorated for christmas. My parents bought the tickets. We had more fun the night before at the EMH & did a lot more. I didn't really see where there was anything so special about it.

I know not a lot of people disagree. To each their own however we will not do it again.

We have not tried MNSSHP. After the MMVCP I don't really want to either.

I wouldn't want to be in the crowds either at Christmas time. I don't do crowds very well as i get older & you are talking to a person that the first 3 visits to disney were July 4th week.
We enjoy the MVMCP but were a little put off by the fact that we paid for the "party events" on Friday night and then saw it all again on Saturday as a regular guest. The difference was that Belle only comes out in her red Christmas gown during the party and there wasn't any snow on Main Street and there wasn't free hot chocolate and cookies.

[jnfr2424]

i would imagine it would be hard to get that many people that wouldn't have purchased the mickey's party ticket to leave the park at 7pm....

I've watched this first hand last November during a Thanksgiving weekend MVMCP. At 7pm they were looking for wristbands and informing people that they had to leave due to a private event. People even asked if they could purchase a hard ticket but due to the fact that it was sold out, they escorted people out.