Disappointing photos show what it's really like to visit Disney World around the holidays
The first time I saw the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) in 2000, I was hooked on the magic of Disney World at Christmastime.
As an adult, however, I've quickly learned that expectations don't always match reality.
The parks are decked out in decorations for all of November and December, and it can be really magical to walk down Main Street as fake snow showers down. On the other hand, because it's such a popular time to visit, things can be a little hectic.
I went to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot at the end of the year and captured some of the less glamorous parts of celebrating Christmas at Disney World.
Expect long lines at all four parks.Unsurprisingly, a lot of people like to go to Disney World for the holidays, so throughout November and December, anticipate longer lines for all the rides .
Rides with special holiday overlays, like Living With the Land and Jungle Cruise (seasonally dubbed Jingle Cruise ), may have even longer waits.
Springing for Lighting Lane passes , which expedite lines for certain rides, might end up being a good investment — particularly at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
Ticket prices can get really expensive around the holidays.Disney World tickets don't cost the same all year — in fact, they vary depending on the day of the week.
Prices skyrocket at some of the most popular times to visit, including spring break, summer, and, especially, the holiday season.
Right now, one-day, single-park tickets for December start at $149, and one-day Park Hopper tickets (which let you visit multiple parks) start at $237.
For reference, the Disney World site lists $119 as the base rate for a one-day ticket.
Prepare for longer food waits at quick-service spots.If you couldn't land a reservation at your favorite sit-down restaurants , you can also expect long lines at the quick-service spots.
I try to plan around longer lines by mobile ordering, but on super busy days, you may need to place your order several hours before you're actually hungry.
The seasonal food booths at Epcot's International Festival of the Holidays don't accept mobile orders, so popular spots might have long lines all day. If these are important to you, hit them up first thing in the morning.
Queue up early for Disney-provided transportation.Long lines don't just exist inside the parks. Even Disney's transportation options — buses, boats, the Skyliner, and the monorail — fetch longer-than-normal lines at the end of the year.
It's important to remember this when planning out your day because even at non-peak times, it can take more than an hour to get on buses at popular Disney hotels .
If I'm going to a park early in the morning, I set my alarm for two hours before the first bus is scheduled to depart and try to get to the stop an hour early.
Even then, I'm usually not the first in line.
It's hard to get a good spot for the daytime parades.I'm more of a grab-a-cocktail and hop-on-a-ride kind of guy, but even I like to catch the occasional parade at Magic Kingdom.
Although they run multiple times a day (weather permitting), they get extra busy during the holidays.
Plan to be packed shoulder-to-shoulder while watching the "Festival of Fantasy" parade on Main Street.
The seasonal parades and shows are totally packed.The holiday parade at Magic Kingdom's Christmas party is even more crowded than "Festival of Fantasy."
If you're not tall enough to stand behind the crowds — or if you've got little ones who want to wave to Mickey — grab a spot along the parade route at least half an hour ahead of the scheduled start time.
One of the hardest shows to see this time of year is Epcot's "Candlelight Processional" — people start lining up really early. If you aren't willing to sacrifice a good chunk of your evening, you may not get a seat for the seasonal show at all.
One reason it's so popular is that Disney brings in celebrities to narrate it (Neil Patrick Harris is a recurring favorite). You can check the schedule ahead of time if you're set on seeing someone specific.
Crowds for non-seasonal shows can also get hectic.Despite lining up 45 minutes before "Fantasmic!" started at Hollywood Studios, we were squeezed into the back of the theater and couldn't see the bottom half of the action-packed stage area.
Other year-round shows were also crowded.
Whether you want to see the "Frozen" sing-along at Hollywood Studios or "Festival of the Lion King" at Animal Kingdom , line up early — and expect lots of chaotic crowds pouring out of the theaters afterward.
The fireworks crowds are even worse.If you don't like crowds, it's probably best to steer clear of Main Street in Magic Kingdom leading up to the fireworks. People start grabbing spots several hours before the fireworks show.
If seeing the fireworks is the ideal nightcap to your park day, call it quits on the rides at least an hour before the show starts.
We showed up half an hour early and were forced more than halfway down Main Street. I'm tall enough to see over people's heads, but for many, being this far back means missing the fun castle projections.
To a lesser extent, Epcot's World Showcase can get pretty packed ahead of its nighttime spectacular. However, you can usually get a decent view even if you grab a spot just 10 minutes before the fireworks start.
The ticketed Christmas party comes with some freebies, but they might not be worth the high cost for you.I spent $180 to attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party two years ago, and prices start about the same this year.
Although this party is pretty spectacular (special fireworks, a Christmas dance party, and free cookies and hot cocoa ), it can also drain your savings if you're trying to do Disney on a budget .
The smaller crowds are nice compared to visiting the parks during the day, but paying close to $200 a person to experience them isn't so magical.
If special snacks, exclusive entertainment, and very short wait times sound appealing to you, you might still want to shell out for the event.
Festive snacks look cute on Instagram, but they're pricey.You can drop a lot of cash on exclusive snacks during the Christmas party at Magic Kingdom.
A frozen chai set me back $8, and the "Nightmare Before Christmas"-themed sundae was a cool $18.
They were absolutely delicious, but I don't know if it was worth spending over $25 on two snacks.
The Christmas-themed cocktails also cost a pretty penny.Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar at Disney Springs gets a Christmas makeover every year.
Its seasonal drinks are full of holiday spirit, but they're also outrageously expensive, ranging from $16.50 to $18.50. Ordering just a couple was enough to blow through my lunch budget for the day.
I recommend finding a friend and sharing the cocktails so you can taste more of them for less.
Still, Disney World is pretty magical this time of year, and I have tips to make the most of it.Large crowds and high prices can quickly deflate your holiday spirit, but I've got plenty of tips to find Christmas magic at Disney World .
First off, I recommend visiting the week after Thanksgiving or the first week of December.
Holiday crowds are typically much higher during the week of Thanksgiving and the weeks leading up to Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Year's is often the busiest of all.
Rope-drop the parks and use Genie+ if you can.Wait times will be long, so start your day early by "rope dropping" (getting to the park gates an hour or more before they open) to experience a few rides before the crowds swell.
Although it costs extra to get Lightning Lane passes, they can help you experience more attractions without standing in long lines.
Plan to chill out at your resort on weekend days.Since weekends are especially busy at the parks, it's the perfect time to enjoy your hotel's pool or hop over to other resorts to see all the seasonal decorations.
We spent one weekend evening on the BoardWalk and saw live performers with no crowds.
We also planned a weekend breakfast at 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort, which let us meet Mickey, Minnie, Lilo, and Stitch without waiting in any lines.
This story was originally published in December 2022 and most recently updated on November 15, 2024.
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