Christmas at Disney 2010
by Lisa
(Mississippi)
I have just returned from a wonderful Christmas at Disney 2010 vacation with my husband and 4 year old son. I was very nervous that we were going December 17-22 because I had heard it would be so very crowded at Christmas. I even sent Dad a message to see if maybe we should cancel our trip then and wait till May. He suggested that we go, and with careful planning, it would be okay. Well, that is exactly what we did.
Link to Lisa's question about canceling her Christmas at Disney 2010 vacation.
I had it all planned out very carefully...we knew what we wanted to do and see, had planned what day we were going to what park and had our dining reservations in those parks that day (we ate during off times, too) and we got up each morning and got there at opening. We got so much done in the first 2 or 3 hours we were there, it was unbelieveable. We were walking onto rides.
We got to Toontown first in line before they dropped the rope and because we were the first family, we got to go ahead of everyone and go to Mickey's house and meet Mickey and Minnie before everyone else got there. Everything just fell into place wonderfully! We got to ride Splash Mountain 4 times while there (our son's favorite), and didn't even have to wait except for the first time and it was only about 10 minutes! The other times we were there so early we grabbed a fast pass, and when we went back it was only a 5 minute wait, so we saved our fast pass and went through the 5 minute wait. Later when we returned for our fast pass, the standby line was backed up to a 60 minute wait! As I said, everything just fell into place according to our careful planning and we were able to see and do just about everything we planned.
The only time we had a problem was the last day and a half there-my son got sick while waiting for Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade that afternoon. We mananged to stay for the parade since it was starting, so I was able to video it for him while my husband took him to the nurse, and then we left to go back to our resort. The nurse told us a stomach bug was going around, so we wound up having to stay in the rest of the day, and most of the next day till he was feeling better.
So then that was our last day, and since he was feeling better we went out to Magic Kingdom that night to see the Christmas show in front of the castle and then watch the Electric Parade. When we first got there and was walking down Main Street, it was "snowing"! My son was trying to catch "snowflakes" and everything was just so beautiful lit up down Main Street. Seeing all of that and hearing the Christmas music was really nice.
However, it was very crowded at this point (this was actually the first time we were at Magic Kingdom at night. People were already sitting on the curb all up and down Main Street, 2 hours ahead of the parade! We got to the hub in front of the castle and found an empty spot to sit on the curb, and could see some of the show if we stood up but it was so crowded.
I then went to find something to eat while my son and husband waited there, and the only closest place I could find was The Lunching Pad at Tomorrowland. I do not suggest that place. All they had was hotdogs so I ordered a chilidog and it was awful. I am not one to complain about food, but it was not good at all. The bread was hard, the chili and hotdog were cold-and I woke up the next morning sick from it.
We waited on the next show to start at 8:15 and then the parade at 9, and then our son started complaining again about not feeling good and was wanting to leave. So long story short, we had to leave again, so we didn't see the parade. I think it would have been alot better had it not been so crowded that night because it was just hard to enjoy anything with it that way; when we were sitting on the curb my husband got up to go get a hotdog and people started crowded in around us and he didn't have a spot when he returned so he stood up.
I think it would have been okay if we had gotton there alot earlier (around 4 or 5 instead of 7:20) and if our son had felt better. But overall, we were very pleased with our time there and are very glad we chose to go when we did! It is all a frame of mind I think; we went knowing it was going to be very busy and lots of people, knew we were going to have to be PATIENT (and was!), and had a careful plan. It made all the difference and we had a wonderful time!
