Mickey and Minnie want you to stop by on Christmas Day!What’s not to love about Christmas Day at Walt Disney World? The decorations are festive in all four theme parks. The Central Florida weather is probably better than the weather back home. School is out and the office is closed for a few days, why not head to Walt Disney World?
The problem is that you won’t be the only one with that thought. Christmas Day is one of the busiest days of the year at Walt Disney World. That doesn’t mean it can’t be magical.
My first tip to survive is to arrive early. Give yourself extra time, because it will take longer to get to the theme park of choice than usual. Security will also take longer. It’s better to plan extra time and be earlier than you expected than arrive later than you wanted to.
Expect crowds. If you mentally prepare for the park to be wall to wall people it might not be as bad as you expected. Every Christmas I hear some people say that they have never seen the parks so busy, while others say that they thought it would be worse. Prepare mentally for the crowds, and they’ll be easier to manage.
Plan on riding “lesser” attractions. A crowded day is always a good time to catch Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress or The Seas with Nemo & Friends. These typically have shorter waits, even on crowded days.
Pick one or two must-dos, and be willing to wait in line. (I’m assuming that you don’t have Lightning Lane.) Use the Play Disney App to help pass the time, or strike up a conversation with those who are waiting.
If you don’t have dining reservations, Mobile Order your meals. Just place your order early, because times fill up on busy days.
You might not want to Park Hop on Christmas Day. You’ll end up using a lot of theme park time getting from one park to the next, only to discover a new crowd.
Skip Disney Springs. It’s crowded on a normal day, and there’s nothing normal about Christmas!
Finally, be kind to the Cast Members, even if they seem a bit grumpy. They are missing their families and friends on a holiday. Many of them are away from their families for the first time on Christmas. It’s hard. It costs you nothing to be nice, even if someone isn’t nice to you. If someone makes your day a little bit brighter, leave a Cast Compliment. It’s easy to do in the My Disney Experience App. You could spread some holiday cheer to someone who really needs it!